Marked in Mexico by Kim McMahill Read Free Book Online

terrified him. For the past three years Jack had been trying to avoid that feeling of responsibility at all cost. He had even quit guiding the difficult ascents and had taken over the beginners climbing school, which equated to showing first-timers how to use the equipment and practicing basic moves on climbing walls or over boulders, activities that posed no more risk than an occasional pulled muscle or twisted ankle. Dave and Zach had been patient with him and were trying to get him back out there, but Jack still wasn’t sure he could ever guide the technical climbs again. He couldn’t bear the weight of anyone’s safety again.
    Jack’s mind filled with images of Elaine and thunderous snow barreling down the mountain, following a noise he would have sworn was a gunshot, which no one else heard. The avalanche that carried her off the cliff had come out of nowhere ¾ the predicted avalanche danger that day had been low. Jack usually led, but that one time he’d been far behind and helpless as he watched her body being swept away in a sea of white. He’d scrambled down the mountain, knowing he was too late, and he just couldn’t shake the guilt. It should have been him. Some days he still wondered how he could live the rest of his life knowing he had led Elaine to her death and he’d vowed to never put himself in that position again. But, here he was. Lives were at risk, including his own, and there was no way he wouldn’t do everything he could to save them all.

Chapter Seven
     
    It had been quiet ¾ too quiet—and that made Jack nervous. As long as he could hear the men outside the door in the other room, he knew where they were and what they were doing. For the last four hours, he’d heard nothing.
    He moved to the door and pressed his ear to the wood. Nothing. He wiggled the knob and heard the legs of a chair scrape across the wood floor and footsteps rushing toward him.
    “Back! Sit!” the man shouted as he slammed the butt of his rifle against the heavy wooden door several times.
    Jack walked across the room. There was still at least one man in the house and he was awake and armed. He doubted the other two were close by or they would have come running as well.
    “What in the hell do you think you’re doing? Are you trying to get us killed?” Gilbert demanded as he moved toward Jack.
    “I’m looking for a way out of here. Do you think they’re just going to let us go? Whether they get what they want or not, they have no intention of ever letting us live to tell about this.”
    “You have no right putting the rest of us at risk. I will buy myself out of this mess and anyone who’s with me.” Gilbert looked over at Jessica.
    She turned her back on him, but could feel his eyes boring into her flesh. When the sensation eased, she glanced up and could see Gilbert’s focused had turned to Megan and Ashley. The young women stared at him with wide, wet, terrified eyes and nodded frantically, indicating they would follow Gilbert.
    “You don’t know they’ll kill us, so don’t piss them off,” Gilbert said as he poked Jack in the chest.
    “That’s where you’re wrong. I do know their type and I know how they operate. They will kill us if we let them.”
    “How do you know anything?”
    Jack’s mind raced through his past, but he had no intention of sharing any of it with Gilbert. He forced his thoughts back to the present and glared at Gilbert.
    “You’re going to have to trust me on this one.”
    “Trust you? Like hell I will.” Gilbert spat between clenched teeth.
    Jack shook his head and wandered toward the window near Jessica. If he were alone, he would have already tried to escape, but he hadn’t wanted to put the others in danger. Gilbert had no idea how small the chance was they would ever be released under any circumstances. The only one who seemed to understand was Jessica. If they had to go alone they would, but that would be even more difficult emotionally than physically dragging