Dare To Love

BOB DRUMMOND slid into the Toyota Celica, his meaty face a dull red as if he was experiencing a high-blood-pressure attack. He slid a glance over at Taylor.

“How’s it going, Matt?”

“Murphy’s Law is in effect.”

“Yeah, I heard you got the wrong Easton girl. She okay?”

“Boyce roughed her up. She’s still coming out of a drug overdose, and her wrists are in bad shape. She’ll have scars there the rest of her life.”

“Let’s just get her out of this alive, shall we? That damn Boyce. I’m sorry we didn’t take him out before.”

“I can’t stay long, Bob. Boyce tried getting smart with her already.” Matt rubbed his reddened eyes. “How’s it going from your end?”

“We’ve got a special team from the police department assigned to run you down. Trammel’s got it.”

“And my people?”

“Inspector Anderson from the local FBI office is interfacing with Trammel. We’ve got more federal agencies involved in this than you can shake a stick at. After five kidnappings in a row, you know they want to solve this one real bad.”

“God, that’s got to be a picnic for Anderson. I feel sorry for him.”

Drummond managed a sour grin. “My office is staying clear, like I promised your people back in D.C. when we first hatched this plan.”

“Good, then your chief of police isn’t aware of the undercover operation at all?”

“Nope, just you and me at the local level, friend. I’m filing a report back to your D.C. office as soon as we conclude this meeting. Has Garcia contacted you yet?”

“Not yet. I don’t think he’ll surface until we’ve got the money.”

Drummond shook his massive gray head soulfully. “Look, I don’t mean to put more pressure on you, Matt, but you realize the five women kidnapped before you got involved were murdered. You can provide Kai Easton with the protection she needs. It’ll be the last kidnapping of this kind. I only wish we could tell Paul Easton the truth. Maybe he’d take this a little easier.”

“Even with me there isn’t any guarantee. Boyce could get rabid and put a slug through me just as easily. I didn’t get involved soon enough to foil the other kidnappings. I got a last-minute call from Garcia’s right-hand man, Emilio Dante, and he told me to take a flight out here to Houston. Boyce met me at the airport, and then we waited for the Easton woman to go jogging as she always does.” He grimaced. “Boyce made a hell of an error in mistaking Kai for Susan Easton. All we can do is ride this one out.”

Bob agreed and handed him a sheaf of neatly typed papers. “You’re lucky you were at the right place and time at all, so quit bitching. It’s not every day we’re lucky enough to get a deep-undercover agent in place behind the lines. Take a quick read. I got these reports through your Washington office. It’s a profile on Kai.”

Matt glanced up momentarily from the report. “How’s the rest of the family taking it?”

“According to Trammel, Kai’s half brother and sisters are pretty upset about the whole thing. I guess he overheard Frank Holt bewailing the fact that the four million Garcia’s demanding is going to be waisted on Kai.”

Matt’s nostrils flared, and his gray eyes turned black. “No wonder Kai doesn’t stick around Houston. I wouldn’t either, overwhelmed by that kind of family welcome. She’s been brave, and she’s a fighter. It’s a crying shame her family doesn’t appreciate her courage.”

“You see family problems like that all the time around here, Matt. We have special trouble with Houston’s ‘new rich.’ The families either get possessive wives or greedy children as a result of money flowing in by the millions. Kai just happens to be one of the many who are wounded in action over this type of thing.”

Matt completed the report, lifting his head. “I wonder how in the hell Kai came out ‘normal’?”

“Ask her. You got plenty of time on your hands until Easton can get the money together to buy her back.”

Matt glanced at his watch. “I’m going to have to stick closer to her than I had originally planned, Bob. Boyce is dangerous.”

“Yeah, stick real close. Just for your info, Easton’s having trouble putting the four mil together. Holidays and all. Trammel thinks the old man is gonna have a stroke before this is all over. You know he’s sixty-eight.”

“Judging from this report, he and Kai are close.”

“Yeah, I guess they are, and just thank God you were already undercover in Garcia’s operation before they pulled this sixth kidnapping. Otherwise, I think we’d stand every chance of loosing Kai just like we did the other victims.”

Matt gave him an unfathomable look. “I’m going to get Garcia. I’m close. I’ve waited two years working my way up to that slime, and Kai Easton’s my ticket to him. I’ll make damn sure she comes out of this alive.”

“Make sure you both come out of this alive,” Drummond growled. “If you don’t have the money by tomorrow, I’ll meet you at Bilbert’s at ten in the morning. By then, this operation should have shaped up, and we can get your people in place to nail Garcia.”

* * *

KAI GROGGILY TURNED onto her back. Pain was throbbing incessantly through her wrists. Her mind focused on Matt Taylor and his sensitive nature despite the bizarre situation they found themselves in. He wasn’t like the others, she told herself, while the remnants of the drug made her head pound. She needed two more aspirin to quell the ferocious headache. Struggling into a sitting position, Kai drew her legs across the bunk and sat up. She held her head between her hands, allowing the pain to recede before moving. Disoriented, Kai stared at the Rolex for several moments before the time registered on her foggy brain. It was 4:00 P.M.

The door opened, and she raised her head with a great deal of effort. A small gasp escaped. Bennie Boyce grinned at her as he silently slipped into the room, shutting the door behind him with finality.

“Admiring your Rolex, honey?” he asked silkily.

Her heart began a slow, dreaded pounding in her chest. Kai licked her dry, chapped lips. His feral eyes rested on her breasts, and she wanted to cross her arms in defense of his ruthless gaze.

“No,” she said, her voice unsteady. “I wanted to see what time it was.”

“Liar. I’m surprised you don’t have a gold Rolex. What made you settle for something less? Couldn’t be money. Your old man is busy forking over the four mil for ya right now.” He pushed himself away from the door, walking with deliberate strides to the bunk.

Kai’s breathing became forced, and she winced as he lifted his hand and pushed his fingers through her unbound hair.

“You like all the rest of the rich women, honey? Bored with their husbands? Got a tennis pro on the side you’re lying around with?”

She inhaled sharply, pulling her head away. “Leave me alone!”

Boyce laughed. It was a low, gutteral laugh. “Why, here I’d thought you’d be like all the rest, bored and wanting something different. Well, I’m different, doll face. And just your type.”

Before Kai could move, Boyce wound his fingers through her shoulder-length hair, yanking her back on the bed. A cry of anguish tore from her lips; she lashed out with her right hand. The sharp slap of flesh meeting flesh sounded throughout the room. Boyce jerked back, grunting in surprise, and released her.

Panic set in. Kai scrambled off the bunk, making a lunge for the door. She ripped off fingernails frantically twisting the doorknob. Instantly Boyce assaulted her from behind. His fingers dug into her shoulders. He hauled her down onto the dusty floor.

Blackness rimmed her vision. Kai struggled beneath him and screamed weakly, unable to stop him. “Benny!” Wright bellowed, charging past the door, “you crazy—”

Kai felt Boyce’s weight suddenly lifted off her. She lay gasping, tears running down her face.

“You heard Taylor, dammit! Now come on, leave her alone,” Wright begged.

Boyce touched his smarting cheek where she had hit him. “No way, Hank. I want to tame her. Put her in her place once and for all.”

Wright looked down at the woman; Taylor would kill both of them. His grip on Boyce tightened. “Look,” he hissed, “when we got the money and Taylor’s gone, we’ll have the woman the way you want. Like you had all the rest, Benny. Now come on, Taylor’s gonna be back anytime….” The door slammed shut.

Dazed, Kai dragged herself to the nearest corner, fear pushing away every shred of rational thought. She shut her eyes tightly and turned her face to the wall, wrapping her arms around her trembling body.

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