The Only Way Out

“Yes,” she said, after a moment. “I’m supposed to meet a pilot there named Michael.”

“How will you know him?”

She wrinkled her nose. “He has a tattoo of a snake on his left wrist.”

“That should inspire confidence.”

She smiled. “I’ll admit I would feel better if it had been of a flying creature rather than one that slithers. But he didn’t ask any questions.”

Jeff returned his attention to the narrow dirt road. “That doesn’t mean he won’t.”

“I know.”

“Do you have a story prepared?”

“Yes.”

“You want to try it out on me?”

“Not really.”

He chuckled. “Good.”

She stared at him. He was smiling. Honest to God smiling. “What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Nothing. It’s good that you’ve already learned not to trust anyone unless you have to. At least you’re not as dumb—” His lips straightened.

“As I look,” she finished for him. “Thanks for the compliment.”

She was twenty-seven years old. She should be used to it by now. The average male assumed pretty equaled stupid. No doubt from Jeff’s perspective, her coming to Kray’s island and kidnapping Kray’s only son by herself did seem pretty stupid. So what? Kray hadn’t caught her yet.

Andie stared out the passenger side, watching the tropical trees and vines give way to flatter plowed fields. Her eyes burned. She told herself it was fatigue and the wind, nothing else.

“Look, I’m sorry,” Jeff said abruptly.

“Forget it.”

“It was just a knee-jerk reaction.”

“I’ll accept the ‘jerk’ part of the apology.”

“I guess I am, huh?” The Jeep slowed to a stop.

She turned and looked at him. He angled himself toward her, resting his left forearm over the steering wheel. Bobby murmured softly in his sleep. Andie shifted him so her legs wouldn’t go numb.

She studied Jeff’s short haircut, the lines of weariness around his eyes, the firm set of his jaw. She wanted to look lower, but she was suddenly aware of the fact that his loose tank top and shorts left very little of his lean, tanned body to the imagination.

Something flickered in her belly. Horror filled her as she realized it was attraction. Unnecessary, unwelcome, ill-timed attraction. Oh, God, not now.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Nobody you want to know.”

She was willing to believe that.

“There’s a road to the airport that goes around the town. We can avoid most of the city. We’ll take that.”

“Fine with me.”

He reached his right hand toward her face. He was going to touch her. She didn’t know whether or not to bolt or lean forward. Bobby prevented her from doing the former and panic from acting on the latter. So she simply stayed still as he touched a loose strand of hair.

“People are going to remember this,” he said, then frowned and turned back to the road.

“Am I expected to cut it off?” she asked.

“We don’t have to be that extreme. There’ll be several carts selling things for the tourists just outside the city. I’ll get something there to help disguise you.”

“But I’m going to be getting on a plane in a couple of hours. No one’s going to see me but you and the pilot.”

“Exactly,” Jeff said, pausing to read signs at a crossroads, then turning left. “Better for all of us if the pilot can’t describe you in detail.”

“Oh.” She hadn’t thought of that.

Jeff drove through the narrow streets, careful to keep within the speed limit. As they neared the city, three-and four-story buildings rose up on either side. Wide wrought-iron balconies jutted out several feet above the ground. The architecture dated back to the first Spanish explorers, but its beauty was lost on Andie. She tried to look straight ahead and not draw attention to herself. At the same time, she wanted to look around and see if anyone had noticed them. It was hard to tell who was watching whom. Shoppers crowded together on the almost nonexistent sidewalks. Drivers blasted horns as they fought for small parking spaces on the busy road.

From open-windowed restaurants and bakeries, Andie could smell food and exotic spices. Her stomach gurgled.

“Sounds like Bobby isn’t the only one who’s hungry,” Jeff said.

“I’m fine.”

Being near town made her nervous. She didn’t want to stop and eat. They could do that once they got to San Juan. There it would be easy to get lost in the large tourist areas. Several cruise ships docked every day and unloaded thousands of passengers who crawled over the old city. From there, it was only a short hop to Florida and safety.

Jeff took a right turn, leaving the busy street behind them, then turned right again and came out on a paved two-lane road.

“We can circle around the rest of the city from here,” he said.

“Great.”

Up ahead was a freestanding stall manned by an old woman in native dress. Hats, printed T-shirts and locally made dresses hung from the rickety sides of her place of business. Jeff slowed the Jeep and pulled onto the red clay shoulder. He angled the nose of the vehicle in slightly, so that the passenger side was blocked from the woman’s view by a large tree.

“I’ll get you a hat,” he said, stepping out and moving toward the stall.

Andie stared after him, watching his long, bare legs cover the distance in a matter of seconds. She could see the power in his stride. His blond good looks and clothing tagged him as an American tourist. The old woman could see there were other people in the Jeep with him, but she wouldn’t be able to identify the occupants and she hadn’t seen a woman and young boy traveling alone together. Jeff had thought of everything.

Andie glanced down at the driver’s side and the key dangling from the ignition. Except he’d left her with a means of escape.

She could simply drive off and leave him stranded. By the time he could arrange other transportation, she would be away from St. Lucas.