No One to Trust by Iris Johansen Read Free Book Online

going, isn’t he, Mama?”
    “Of course he’s going.” She gently pushed him toward the house. “Get me the case.” As soon as he was in the house, she turned back to Dominic. “You’ve been the only security he’s ever known. He needs you.
I
need you.”
    “That was difficult for you to say, wasn’t it?”
    “I said it because I meant it. You’ve got to come. It’s too dangerous for you to—”
    “Too much argument.” Galen stepped behind Dominic andgave him a quick karate chop to the back of the neck. Dominic grunted, his eyes glazing over. Galen caught him as he started to fall and eased him to the ground.
    “Why the hell did you do that?” Elena jumped forward. “If you’ve hurt him, I’ll—”
    “I didn’t hurt him. Not much.” He met her gaze. “And it saved you from doing it. I bet you’d have given him a minute or so more before you chopped him yourself. Now when he wakes up, you can claim innocence.” He scowled melodramatically. “It was that no-account Galen who did the deed. A pox on his evil soul.”
    “You can’t be sure that I would—”
    “Oh, then you weren’t planning on doing it?”
    She was silent for an instant and then grudgingly nodded her head. “But that’s different.”
    “I understand perfectly. He’s your friend, not mine. You have the right to kidnap him.”
    “It isn’t safe for him to—”
    “Carmichael’s closer.” Galen had turned away and was looking at the sky. “You’d better go get the kid while I give Dominic a shot to keep him under until we get to Medellín. Cook up some explanation for Barry why Dominic is going to be sleeping for quite a while.”
    She glanced at Dominic one more time and then hurried into the house.
    “A helicopter,” Chavez murmured. “Flying low. Interesting.” And possibly detrimental to the hunt. He had thought Elenawas alone and desperate, trying to find a cave in which to hide. If she had enlisted the kind of help who could supply a helicopter as an escape vehicle, the balance of power might have seriously shifted.
    Gomez ran out of the hut. “I have the directions. Dominic’s house is on the mountain road. About twenty minutes from here.”
    “Then let’s get on the move.” He lifted the binoculars to his eyes. “Have one of the men get the number on that helicopter and try to trace it.” The craft was having difficulty, battered by the strong winds. It would be difficult for it to land.
    Bad luck, Elena.

3

    “He can’t make it.” Galen watched as Carmichael made the third pass and then turned and headed away from the trees bordering the mountain. He lifted Dominic and put him in the back of the jeep. “Pile in and give me directions to that clearing.”
    “We should have tried that first.” Elena lifted Barry into the passenger seat.
    “Hindsight is always better, isn’t it? I didn’t want to parade you all over the countryside if I didn’t have to.” He raised his voice and shouted for Forbes.
    But Forbes was already running toward him. “Two cars are coming up the mountain. One late-model sedan, one Land Rover.”
    Galen cursed and turned to Elena. “What are the odds?”
    “In this area? The people are as poor as dirt. Most of them don’t even have cars. It’s got to be Chavez.”
    “Is there a way of going up and around the mountain without passing them?”
    “No, the road runs out before it reaches the top. About five miles from here.”
    “Dammit. It’s still the only way to go. Get in and start driving. Forbes, you sit in back with Dominic.” He reached for the radio. “I’ve got to talk to Carmichael.”
    Chavez lifted the lid of the toy box and took out the bow on the top of the heap of toys. She had given his son these cheap toys. She had hidden him in this house and let him only know what she chose to tell him.
    His son.
    He flipped open the nearly empty album and saw a picture of Elena smiling down at a small boy. Damn her. He tore the picture in two and stuffed the