No One to Trust by Iris Johansen Read Free Book Online Page A

half with the boy in his pocket.
    “There’s no sign of anyone around the house or in the forest,” Gomez said behind him. “But the helicopter is still hovering nearby.”
    “And no one passed us on the road. They’re still here. We just have to find them.” His gaze returned to the toy bow in his hands. Chavez had been enjoying the hunt so much it had not fully hit home what that bitch had done to him.
    He broke the flimsy bow in two and threw it aside. “Torch the place. Burn it to the ground.”

    Elena stopped the jeep. “This is as far as the road goes.”
    “At least there are no trees up here.” Galen jumped out of the jeep and ran around the back. “Help me get this gear out, Forbes.”
    “It’s still too windy for him to land,” Forbes said. “He’ll crash against the mountain if he tries.”
    “Then the mountain will have to come to Muhammad.” He took out the gear in the back of the jeep. “Or something like that. We don’t have any choice.”
    “What are you going to do?” Elena was beside them.
    “Put on this harness.” He threw two canvas harnesses at her. “And put one on Dominic. Carmichael is going to drop a line and pull us away from the mountain and then into the copter. The harnesses fasten onto the O ring on the line. Then it’s up to them to use the winch to pull us up.”
    “He’s going to pull us off this mountain into the air?”
    “Do you have a better idea?” Galen tossed a harness to Forbes. “I wasn’t expecting this many people, so I’ve told Carmichael to drop another harness with the line. It’s good strong equipment. It’s the same issue used by the Special Forces for difficult extractions.”
    Elena had finished putting the harness on the priest and was putting on her own. “Have you used them before?”
    “Hell, yes. I never take a chance on everything going right. It usually doesn’t.” He checked the fastenings of all the harnesses before he waved to Carmichael. “We have to stagger the ascent. You and Dominic go first. Forbes and I will clip on the second rung. I’ll take the kid.”
    “Is Carmichael dropping a harness for Barry?”
    “We don’t have a harness that will fit him, so I’ll tie him to me and hold tight.”
    “No, I’ll take him.”
    “This wind is blowing up a gale and it’s going to get worse when the helicopter is overhead. You’re strong, but I’m stronger. It’s a fact of life that men have more upper-body strength, and you’re wounded. He’s safer with me.” He smiled. “And I know what would happen to me if I dropped him. I’d never make it onto that helicopter.”
    She didn’t want to admit he was right. She didn’t want Barry’s safety depending on anyone but her.
    But he
was
stronger. She had found that out when they struggled. With this wound she couldn’t chance Barry being torn from her arms. “You’re absolutely right. If anything happens to him, you won’t survive either.”
    “Comforting.” He went around to where Barry was still sitting in the jeep. Galen squatted down beside him. “Pretty exciting stuff, huh?” He smiled at the little boy. “Are you afraid?”
    “No.” He looked at Elena. “But Mama is worried.”
    “That’s because she doesn’t understand. She thought we were just going to take a plane ride. But it’s going to be even better.” He lowered his voice. “We’re going to fly.”
    Barry’s eyes widened. “Like Peter Pan?”
    “You know about him? Of course you do. And Tinker Bell?”
    Barry nodded.
    “But we can’t exactly flit like them. We have to have a rope to swing on. The helicopter is going to pull us along for a whileand then bring us up. Your mama is going first, and then you and I are going to fly together.”
    Barry’s gaze went to the edge of the mountain. “It’s a long way down. Are you sure we won’t fall?”
    “Look at me.” Galen held the boy’s eyes with mesmerizing force. “We won’t fall. I promise you. Like your mother said, it will