He continued to watch the horizon. Occasionally he brought up his binoculars and scanned the sea, searching for the large boat. Nothing. His stolen craft glided swiftly over the waves. How ironic. He"d finally made the decision not to break the law by killing Kray and his first act after that had been to steal a boat.
He checked the compa.s.s again. He should be getting close now. He looked through the binoculars and saw two small dots on the horizon. Then over the loud rumble of the speedboat"s engine, he heard the echo of gunfire. He swore under his breath.Cort and Andie were alone on their boat, but Kray had three men with him.
He angled toward the two spots on the horizon and prayed he wasn"t too late. Gradually he was able to make out individual features of the boats, then the people standing on deck.
As he got closer, he powered back and started to circle around Kray"s boat. The man still on board saw him and aimed a lethal-looking rifle in his direction. Jeff ducked. The bullet hit the side of the small speedy craft. He reached up and nudged the throttle forward. He aimed the boat toward Kray"s yacht,then locked the steering mechanism in place. The man took aim again. As gunfire sprayed the approaching speedboat, Jeff slipped off the other side and silently began swimming towardCort"s vessel.
Andie shook with terror. Her ex-husband stared at her with the cold, deadly eyes of a killer. The gun in his hand pointed directly at her chest.
"You"ll tell me what I want to know," Kray said.
"I told you, I don"t have Bobby with me."
"Liar."
She saw him raise his free hand. Even as she told herself to duck, she was too slow. His palm slapped the side of her face. Pain exploded in her cheekbone. She staggered back a couple of steps before regaining her balance.
"You b.a.s.t.a.r.d,"Cort growled. "What kind of man gets his thrills from hitting a woman?"
Kray didn"t spare his prisoner a glance. "I didn"t do it to amuse myself, but to get her attention. Andrea was always very stubborn."
She glanced atCort . He struggled, but the two men holding him didn"t loosen their grip on his arms. His face looked worse than hers would. Kray"s men hadn"t caught him easily. "I"m okay," she said.
Kray moved closer to her. She studied him. No gray marred his dark hair. Even after six years, he still looked like a handsome businessman, although now she could see the lines of cruelty around his mouth. His eyes darkened with temper.
"Youwill tell me. The question is how much do you want to suffer first?"
"I sent Bobby home four days ago."
"No!" Kray roared. "Two days ago my men saw you helping JeffMark.u.m escape. Where is the American and where is my son?"
"Your men only saw me. They didn"t see Bobby. Ask them. There was no child with me. I"d already sent him home."
She darted a quick glance around, trying to find a way out. If only his men hadn"t searched her when they"d first come on board and taken her pistol. She andCort had fought, but they"d been outnumbered and outgunned. At least they"d had enough warning to put Bobby into the hiding place. Kray"s men would never find the child. She had to hang on to that thought.
"Kray, look," the man still on Kray"s boat called.
A small, fast speedboat was circling toward them. "It"s the American," Kray said. "Kill him."
Instantly gunfire erupted. Andie spun toward the sound. She had to cover her mouth to keep from screaming. It couldn"t be Jeff, and yet, no one else knew to rescue them. As she watched, more gunfire hit the smaller craft. It turned toward them, apparently undamaged. She waited, wanting to see Jeff stand up to jump off the side.
"He"s going to ram us," the man screamed, and started towardCort"s boat.
Everyone"s attention focused on the small boat heading directly for Kray"s vessel.
Andie saw Kray look away from her. She ducked down and started to go behind him.Cort broke free of the two men holding him. They tried to grab him again. He kicked one in the ribs and punched the other in the face. Kray spun toward her, his pistol pointed at her head. She rolled to get away. A bullet flew past her into the deck of the boat.
Then there was a horrible crash as the speedboat drilled into Kray"s larger craft. His vessel b.u.mped hard against theirs. Everyone was knocked down. Lines, cushions, gla.s.ses and equipment fell onto the deck. Andie kept rolling. She came to a stop against the narrow walkway that led to the front of the boat. As she started to stand, a man vaulted over the side in front of her. He was wet, but she recognized him. Jeff!
Before she could say anything, he covered her mouth with his hand and motioned for her to keep crawling toward the front of the boat. He slipped past her toward the fray. Andie started to do as he"d asked, then hesitated. She turned back to look at the deck.
The speedboat was half submerged. Kray"s boat spun around. There was a huge hole in the side and it was already listing. The man who had been left there was clinging to the side ofCort"s boat. Jeff reached him first. He grabbed the man"s pistol,then pushed him into the ocean.Cort was still fighting the two men. Kray was on his knees searching for his gun.
"Don"t even think about it," Jeff said, coming to a stop beside Kray.
The crime lord looked up. "Ah,Mark.u.m . I"ve been expecting you. As soon as my men told me you were on the island and with my wife, I knew what you"d come for."
"She"s not your wife."
Kray smiled. Andie flinched. She hated that cold, ugly smile. It reminded her of death. "She once was. It"s enough. A life for a life. A bride for a bride. Although I expect you"re too much of a coward to kill my son as well as me."
"d.a.m.n it all to h.e.l.l, will you stay down?"Cort said, frustrated. One of the men who had been holding him was unconscious, but the other staggered to his feet and came at him again.Cort ducked and the man went sailing over him. There was a brief splash.Cort straightened,then looked at Jeff.
"Now what?" he asked.
Andie moved closer. "Jeff?"
He turned toward her. She met his gaze, determined to deal with whatever she saw in his eyes. She loved him. She trusted him. He"d come back to her. Pray G.o.d he"d changed his mind.
The blue depths flared with anger, but it was controlled. He was furious at what had happened, but not deadly. She bit her lower lip, not sure she was willing to believe.
"It"s okay," he said. "You were right. I can"t cross the line and be like him. When the local authorities show up, we"ll have him arrested for what he did to you andCort . Then we can get a search warrant for the villa. There"s enough evidence there to keep him locked up for a long time."
"Never!" Kray said. "I won"t allow it."
He lunged forward on the deck, as if he"d found what he was looking for. Andie saw the dull black of a pistol under a coiled line.
"No!" she screamed.
Jeff turned toward Kray. He raised his arm, aiming directly at Kray"s chest. She waited for him to fire. It was all right now; he would just be protecting himself. But he hesitated. Kray laughed,then pulled his hand up.
A single shot cut through the still afternoon. Andie turned toward the sound.Cort wascrouched by the unconscious man, holding a gun in his hand. Kray slumped to the deck. She didn"t have to look at the wound to know he was dead.
Jeff walked over to her and pulled her close. "It"s over," he whispered.
No, she thought with relief as she clung to him. It had just begun.
Three days later Jeff stood next to Andie in theFort Lauderdaleairport.Cort had taken Bobby to get a hot dog at the snack stand. Around them, pa.s.sengers waited for their planes to be called, airport employees chatted and the loudspeaker announced departures and arrivals. But at the far end of this unused terminal, they were alone.
"You"ll be in LA.by nightfall," Jeff said. "You must be excited about getting back to your life."
"I haven"t had much chance to think about it," Andie said. She tucked her blond hair behind her ears. "We"ve been so busy answering questions."
"Yeah." He leaned against the podium and tried to think of something to say. What he wanted to tell her was that he loved her and couldn"t imagine being without her. The thought of his empty life looming in front of him made him break out in a cold sweat. He wanted to ask her to marry him and come live with him inWashington. But he didn"t.
He stared at the tall, slender woman standing in front of him. She"d bought some clothes at the hotel. He was used to seeing her in shorts and T-shirts, but now she was dressed in a white silk suit with a blue blouse that matched the color of her eyes. She looked like a model posing for a magazine cover. Or an elegant businesswoman about to make a million-dollar deal.
She had law school. Commitments. Friends inL.A.What did he have to offer her? His apartment was conveniently close to work, but had little else to recommend it. There was only one bedroom. They could buy a house, of course, if she wanted to, andGeorgetownhad a great law school, but it wasn"t just the logistics that kept him from proposing. It was him.
He wasn"t done mourning Jeanne and J.J. He knew that now. In the next few months he was going to have to lay the past to rest. She wouldn"t want to be around for that.
"You must be gladthese last couple of days are over," he said.
"Yes. Spending ten-hour sessions with government agents and answering questions about Kray wasn"t fun. But it"s done."
He touched her smooth face. She was wearing makeup. Something that made her eyes looked bigger and mysterious and her mouth a kissable shade of pink. "You were a big help. With his men being rounded up, you won"t have to worry about anything."
She wrinkled her nose. "Except what to do with the money. I wish they"d confiscated it all. How am I supposed to explain to Bobby that his father left him a million dollars?"
"The government only takes what they can prove came from illegal ventures. Kray had some legitimate businesses, too."
"I don"t want any of it. But I suppose I should take it for Bobby. At least I know he"ll be able to go to the college of his choice."
Jeff smiled. "He"s a good kid. He"ll be fine." He tugged at the cuff of his shirt. He was wearing a suit, too. When he got back toWashington, he was going directly to work. He"d already spoken with his boss. As he hadn"t actually done anything illegal, he wasn"t going to be disciplined. If anything, his boss had sounded pleased with the outcome of Jeff"s unorthodox trip to St. Lucas.
"Just say it," Andie told him.
"What?"
"Whatever you brought me over here to say." She tilted her chin up slightly. "We just spent two nights in the same hotel and you didn"t once come to my room. I a.s.sume there"s a reason. You regret what you said on the boat."
Only the faint edge to her voice gave away her pain. He took her hand and brought it to his mouth. After kissing her palm, he squeezed her fingers. "I didn"t come to your room because there were guards in the hallway and I didn"t want to start any talk."
"And?"
"And I don"t regret what I said on the boat. I do love you, Andie. I hated you at first, for who you were, but I can"t imagine anyone more right for me. I admire your courage, your determination, your loyalty. You"re everything I"ve ever wanted."
"But?" She pulled her hand free and smoothed her skirt. "I know there"s a problem. I can see it in your face."
He swallowed. This was harder than he"d thought. "Go home," he said at last. "Live your life. Be happy. Find someone else. Someone whole."
"You"re giving me the brush-off?"
She was oddly calm, he thought. "No, I"m doing the right thing. You deserve so much more than I can give you. I"ve come a long way, but I"m still not over Jeanne and J.J. I"m going to have to deal with that. I live inWashington. You would grow to hate my job. Most wives do. You"ve got a life, friends, Bobby. You don"t need me."
"I see." She folded her arms over her chest. "I suppose I"ll get over you in time."
He nodded. She was taking this really well. Too well. He"d thought she might at least be sad.
"A year from now, you"ll give me a call," she said. "If we"re both not involved, we might meet and see how it goes. Is that part of the plan, too?"
"Well, I thought maybe-"
"Bull. You didn"t think anything except for what was easiest for you." She leaned toward him and poked her finger in his chest. "If you think I"m going to walk away from you and wait for a year, then you"re crazy. My whole d.a.m.n life has been on hold. I"ve spent the last six years looking over my shoulder, praying for a miracle. Something to release me from Kray." She poked him again. "He"s gone and I don"t ever want to think about him again. I"m not waiting for you, JeffMark.u.m . Do you hear me? I"m not waiting a single day."
He couldn"t breathe. She was going to walk out on him, just like that? All this time he"d been worried about his feelings, when hers were the questionable ones.
"You guys about ready?"Cort asked as he walked toward him. Bobby clung to his new friend"s hand. He had a stuffed dolphin under one arm and mustard on his mouth.
"Yes," Andie said. "Do you have my tickets?"
Corthanded them to her.
Jeff stared at her. "I already gave you tickets."
"I know. They were wrong."
"Wrong?"
Cortglanced down at Bobby. "I think we came back too soon, buddy. Let"s go get an ice cream, okay?"
Bobby beamed. "Strawberry? That"s my favorite."
"Strawberry it is."Cort picked him up and set him on his shoulders. "Tell me which way to go."
"Over there," Bobby said, pointing toward the snack stands.
Andie opened the tickets and handed Jeff one. He scanned the destination. "Washington? What are you going to do there?"
"Apparently beat some sense into you." She grabbed the ticket back and stuffed it in the envelope. "You"re supposed to be so bright, too." She looked at him. "I"m not leaving you, Jeff. I know you have feelings to work through about your late wife and son. I have things to work through, too. We"ll do it together. I"ve come too far to lose you now. You"re stuck with me. For always. I love you."
She wrapped her arms around him. He was stunned. Then he hugged her back, squeezing hard, knowing he would never let go. "Thank you," he murmured.
"For what?"
"For not letting mebe n.o.ble."
She looked up at him and smiled. "Don"t be silly. This wasn"t about you, it was about me. I was being selfish. I couldn"t stand the thought of losing you now."
"I love you, Andie." He cupped her face. "Will you marry me?"
She reached up on tiptoe and kissed him. "I thought you"d never ask."
Epilogue.
Three years later .