In the Arms of a Hero

“To arrange passage for two on the Evita, the only boat going down the Rio Blanco this evening, costs more than I anticipated.” Segundo sighed. “Now that the rebel troops are within striking distance of Palmira, any form of escape has doubled in price.”

“I understand.” Quinn retrieved the money from a pouch in his backpack, then counted it out on the bar. “Did you make the other arrangements?”

“Sí. That, too, will cost—”

“Twice as much.” Quinn added the extra cash atop the other bills on the bar. “When Julio told me that I could rely on your assistance, he forgot to mention how expensive your services are.”

“You know how it is, señor. A man such as myself must make a living as best he can.”

Quinn grunted. “Yeah, sure.” He knew Segundo’s type. He’d dealt with men like him many times in the past. They could be trusted—for the right price. “What’s the latest news on the rebel troops? Will I have enough time to put this plan into action and get out of Palmira before they take over?”

“Maybe,” Segundo replied truthfully. “My sources say it’s a matter of hours before Captain Esteban and his regiment arrive in our little town. The Nationalist soldiers have already retreated and are moving out of Palmira as we speak.”

“You’d better take down that flag.” Quinn nodded to the gold, red and green flag displayed over the bar.

“I’ll replace it with a rebel flag the minute their troops enter the town. By then, you and your friend should be headed downriver.”

“Let’s just hope your man is convincing enough to persuade Señorita Victoria to leave the clinic. There’s no way I can go there and get her, without having to kill a few of her protectors. And I’d rather not take that route.”

“Pablo will convince her,” Segundo assured Quinn. “By the time you arrive at the warehouse, he should be on his way there with the señorita.”

“I’m surprised you found someone in Palmira who would betray Victoria. Everyone seems totally devoted to her.”

“I convinced Pablo that by tricking the señorita, he will be saving her life. He does this not as a favor to me and not even for your money. He does it because he does not want to see the señorita raped and killed by the rebel soldiers.”

Quinn’s stomach knotted painfully at the image Segundo’s words created in his mind. From what he had found out about Captain Esteban’s regiment, Quinn didn’t doubt for a minute that they would rape Victoria, as they would any of the Palmira women they singled out to pleasure them. Only if and when the captain discovered Victoria’s true identity would he send her to General Xavier to use as a hostage. The rebel forces as a whole were no more brutal or immoral than the Nationalists, except for Esteban’s men, who were known for their inhuman treatment of captives. But General Xavier would no doubt use Victoria and any other Americans as examples of his hatred and disdain for the United States government. Even if Ryan Fortune paid the ransom money the general would undoubtedly request, Victoria would never leave Santo Bonisto alive.

Quinn knew he had to get her out of Palmira before nightfall—before Captain Esteban took over the town. He sure as hell hoped Segundo’s plan worked. If it didn’t, he’d have no choice but to storm the clinic and take Victoria, even if it meant disposing of her protectors.

Reaching into his shirt pocket, he removed the letter Ernesto had delivered more than two hours ago. Victoria’s letter to her father. The one explaining why she couldn’t abandon her duty, why she was willing to sacrifice her own life for the people of one little, godforsaken town whose residents were expendable to both the rebels and the Nationalists.

Rage ignited inside Quinn. He had known some stubborn females in his time, but Victoria Fortune took first prize. He tore the letter in two, then ripped it to shreds. He didn’t give a damn what she wanted, he wasn’t leaving this island without her. Whatever message she wanted to give her father, she could deliver in person. Just as soon as Quinn took her home to the Double Crown Ranch.

“Please, Pablo, calm down.” Victoria clasped the man’s trembling hands as he babbled incoherently. “I can’t understand what you’re saying.”

In the distance, artillery fire echoed through the jungle that surrounded the little town. With each passing hour, the sounds of war drew closer and closer. She knew that, before nightfall, the rebel troops would invade Palmira.

“My sister-in-law’s baby is trying to be born. Now. But something is wrong,” Pablo explained, his speech slower and plainer. “We tried to bring her into town, to the clinic, but we had to stop because her pain is so great. She has been in labor since early morning and my wife says the baby will not come. You must take the baby from her belly, señorita. It is the only way to save both mother and child.”

Victoria rubbed the back of her neck. She wished she could divide herself into a dozen nurses, all capable of doing a doctor’s job. She had lost seven patients since early morning and two more were at death’s door. But there was nothing she could do for either man. If she went with Pablo, perhaps she could save two lives by performing a Caesarean section. Although she had never performed a C-section back in the U.S., she had, because of her specialty in obstetrics, assisted on several occasions. Since arriving in Palmira, she had done one successful C-section, so she felt reasonably confident that she could help Pablo’s sister-in-law.

“I hate to leave the clinic.” Victoria turned to Dolores. “I’m sure it’s only a matter of time until more wounded soldiers are brought in.”

“You go with Pablo and save the mother and her child,” Dolores said. “Ernesto and I can handle things here for a while. If you are needed, I will send for you.” She turned to Pablo and asked him where he had left his sister-in-law.

Pablo stuttered, obviously still quite nervous. “In the old…old warehouse at…at the end of town.”

Victoria hesitated, but when Pablo squeezed her hands and pleaded with her, she relented. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” She pulled her hands from Pablo’s. “I need to get my medical bag.”

“Bless you, señorita. Bless you.” Pablo, tears streaming down his face, bowed several times. “You do not know how important this is to me. To save a life is a very good thing.”

Fifteen minutes later Pablo led Victoria into a ramshackle building on the outskirts of town. The interior was dark and dank. The aroma of whiskey permeated the air. The moment the door closed behind her, Victoria’s sense of self-preservation kicked in. Something wasn’t right about this.

“Where’s your sister-in-law, Pablo? Is she in a back room somewhere?”

“No, señorita, my sister-in-law is not here.”

Victoria turned to leave, but found Pablo blocking the doorway. Her heart raced maddeningly. Her stomach churned with fear. Dear God, she had walked straight into a trap. But the question was, whose trap?

She couldn’t believe Pablo had betrayed her. She had treated his mother’s arthritis, had vaccinated his children from disease, had treated his wife when she’d severely burned her hand, and had even set Pablo’s broken leg. She would have staked her life on Pablo’s loyalty. How could she have been so wrong about a person?

A shudder raced over Victoria’s nerve endings. “Why have you brought me here? I thought you and your family were my friends. I can’t believe you lied to me.”

“I am sorry for the lie, señorita. Please, forgive me.” Fresh tears formed in the corners of Pablo’s eyes. “I do this to save your life. You must leave Palmira before the rebels take over. I have already sent Mama and Alva and the children to Alva’s brother in the mountains. They left two days ago. Now, Señorita Victoria, you must go home to America where you will be safe.”

She heard a noise from behind her and knew before she turned around who was standing there. Somehow Pablo had been convinced that bringing her here was the right thing to do, that by luring her into Quinn McCoy’s trap, he could save her life.

“Tell the man ‘thank you,”’ Quinn said. “By bringing you here, he’s not only saving your life, but the lives of anyone who would have tried to keep me from taking you.”

Victoria turned slowly, then faced Quinn, her eyes glowering with loathing. He had tricked poor Pablo! She turned to Pablo and smiled weakly. “I know you believe you did what was best for me. I’ll be all right now. You must go and get away, out of Palmira and to your family as soon as possible.”

“Sí. I and several other men who have sent their families away are joining them tonight.” Pablo bowed to Victoria. “Go with God, señorita.”

Pablo opened the door, then scurried down the deserted street. The rumble of gunfire echoed in the stillness. Dark smoke billowed up into the sky, temporarily blocking out the late afternoon sunlight and turning the blue horizon a sooty gray.

Her first instinct was to run out into the street, to try to escape from her captor. But before she could act, Quinn slammed the door shut, then grabbed her arm.

She whirled around, her eyes flashing menacingly at him. “Get your hands off me!”

He released her instantly. “I’ve got passage for two booked on a boat leaving Palmira in less than an hour. We’re going to be on that boat. You can either come along willingly or I can knock you out and carry you over my shoulder.”

“You wouldn’t dare! My father isn’t paying you to abuse me!”

“Princess, the last thing I want to do is lay a hand on you, but if you put up a fight, then I’m going to have to get rough. I’m afraid I didn’t bring along any knockout drops. Stupid me, I thought any woman in her right mind would want to be rescued. But I’m now convinced that you aren’t in your right mind.”

She crossed her arms over her chest in a defiant manner and titled her chin haughtily. “Just what did you mean when you said that Pablo saved the lives of anyone who would have tried to prevent your taking me?”

“I thought the comment was self-explanatory. If we hadn’t figured out a way to lure you from the clinic, I’d have had no choice but to storm the place and take you out. Ernesto had told me that he and several others would kill me in order to protect you. That being the case, I’d have had no choice but to kill them first.”

Victoria gasped. “You would have killed Ernesto? What kind of man are you? Does my father know he hired a killer?”

“Yes, to questions one and three. And as for what kind of man I am—I’m a professional who gets the job done. That’s why your father hired me. Why he’s paying me the big bucks. A nice guy, I’m not. But then, a nice guy couldn’t get you home to Daddy all safe and sound.”

“And you can?”

“I’m sure as hell going to try, even if I have to fight you, half this town and all of Captain Esteban’s regiment. I’ve got five hundred thousand dollars waiting for me when I get back to Texas.”

“I thought you said it was a quarter of a million.”