Wanted by Mila McClung Read Free Book Online

enemies.”
    “Are they
dangerous?”
    “Could be.”
    She wrapped his
arms about her naked body. “And I thought I was putting you in danger by being
here. Tell me about them, Kiel . I want to know everything.”
    “Come to bed,
and I will.”
    She nodded,
slipped on her dress and picked up the espadrilles.
    ***
    The night lit
up like fireworks, rousing Tierney from Kiel ’s cozy arms. She
screamed.
    “Hush!” he
ordered as he scooted away from her and peered out the window.
    “What’s going
on?”
    He removed a
pistol from a drawer, checked its ammo and headed for the door.
    “Stay here! And
keep quiet!”
    He disappeared
down the hallway. Tierney ventured towards the window. She could see the
silhouettes of men in the bushes outside the fence wall. Their guns blazed like
fire as they bombarded the fence with shattering blasts.
    “ Kiel !
Don’t leave me!” she whined, donning a lacy black nightgown from the dresser
and taking off after him.
    The ground
level of the house was etched in chaos – servants running around, frantic and
afraid, Travers loaded down with two automatic rifles, searching for Kiel .
    “Where is he?”
Tierney cried.
    “I don’t know!
A man sure gets excitement in Kiel Fortune’s company! I ain’t had
nerves this bad since I was in ‘ Nam !”
    “Please, calm
down! I don’t want to have to tell your grandkids that you really are dead!”
    “Don’t worry
about me, girl! Just because I’m nervous doesn’t mean I can’t handle a fight!”
    He entered the
study, flung open a shutter and began shooting.
    “Oh, God! It’s
like a damned Stallone movie!” Tierney shouted, lost in the din of bullets. One
flew past her shoulder; she ducked. Another nearly caught her in the side but a
strong hand yanked her to the floor before it hit.
    “Didn’t I tell
you to stay upstairs?” Kiel was glaring at her with moist eyes.
She could just barely see him in the strobe light streaks of the gunfire.
    “I couldn’t! I
had to be near you!”
    “Well, stay
down then! These bastards mean business!”
    “They couldn’t
think they’d get away with murdering us!”
    “Oh, no? The
news boys could spin this as just another drug war battle. They’re in the
military’s pocket, too.”
    “We’ve got to
get out of here, Kiel ! Could we make it to your boat?”
    “There is a
second exit that leads down to the dock. But if we’re not shooting back they’ll
get suspicious and come looking for us.”
    “Is there some
way to rig up a gun or two, to keep shooting until we are safe?”
    “I’ve got a
simulator, made it for an operation in the Middle East . If I can
set it up, it might give us some time. Round up Travers and the servants, head
them out that way. I’ll hook things up and join you when I can!”
    “I don’t want
to go without you, Kiel !”
    He put firm
hands on her arms, kissed her. “You won’t! I’m not about to die now when I’ve
got so much to live for! Get going!”
    She kissed him
in return, reluctantly left his grasp and headed for Travers.
    “Help me talk
the servants into taking us through the back exit to the boat! Kiel has a plan to trick the creeps outside!”
    Travers nodded,
began to speak in Spanish to the two men and three women. They eagerly led the
way to the exit then all seven of them crept like burglars down to the dock and
readied the boat for sailing.
    Tierney watched
the action from the safe haven of the boat deck. The gunmen kept firing;
seemingly determined to crumble the house down to its foundation. They stopped
suddenly; the night grew quiet. Voices flew back and forth. She thought she
heard someone call for storming the boat.
    “Travers!” she
whispered. “I think they’re coming this way!”
    He stood,
listening. “You’re right. I guess Kiel couldn’t get his trick to
work.”
    “But we can’t
leave him! What’ll we do?”
    “We can’t stay.
They’ll take us all out if we do! I’m starting the engine!”
    “No,