The Sharpshooter's Secret Son Read online

  Stop it. The stirrings she felt were just hormones. Hormones and habit.

  Even as she lectured herself, she knew she was lying. Deke’s golden-tanned skin, his sleekly defined muscles, the slope of his broad shoulders and the harshly beautiful planes of his abs, hips and flanks, were as familiar to her as her own body.

  Actually, more familiar right now. Considering that for the past eight months her body had been in a constant state of change and still was.

  She rubbed her tummy where his son was wiggling around. Her little Sprout was proof of that. Even on the day she’d buried her mother, the one thing that had succeeded in drawing her out of the poignant sadness was Deke, with the sweet gentleness that he revealed only to her.

  Dear heavens, she loved him.

  No, I don’t, her rational brain responded immediately.

  But arguing with herself was useless. She might not be able to live with him. But she would always love him.

  “Well?” he grumbled. “Are you just going to stand there while I bleed to death?”

  His voice sounded irritated, but his eyes held a spark of amusement, and his mouth a ghost of a smirk.

  Her face burned with embarrassment. Damn him, he knew what she was thinking. Great. Something else that hadn’t changed. A splinter of irritation stung away some of her desire.

  “Sorry,” she muttered. She yanked the shirt out of his hands and ripped it into strips.

  “Min, I didn’t mean—”

  “I need something to wash out the wound.” She spoke briskly, not giving him time to apologize. She glanced around, her gaze stopping on the lantern. “The oil.”

  “No. No way.”

  “Why not? It’s hot, and it’s a good disinfectant.”

  Deke shook his head. “It’s a better fuel source. As soon as you’re done playing nurse I’m putting that sucker out and taking it with us. We’ll need it.”

  “I don’t want to wrap your arm without washing it.”

  “Wash it later. Wrap it now. That sonofoabitch is going to come back, once he licks his wounds. I don’t plan for us to be here.”

  “Did you hear James and the other man talking?” she asked as she quickly and efficiently wrapped his arm, doing her best to keep the edges of the wound together without tying the bandage too tight.

  “Talking? When?”

  “After he Tasered you.”

  “Seems like I heard something, but it didn’t make sense. It’s hard to think when electricity’s frying your brain. I think I passed out for a few seconds.” He rubbed his temple with his left hand. “Why?”

  “They had a perfectly good chance to capture us both again. You were paralyzed by the Taser and I was on the ground, helpless. But James told the other guy not to. He said ‘it’s not about capturing them.’ Then he said to leave you the knife. He said, It’ll ‘make him think he’s smarter.’” She looked up. “What’s going on?”

  Deke shook his head. “He’s playing cat and mouse with me. He wants me to believe I can get us out of here.”

  “I believe you can.”

  He gave her a ghost of a smile. “Thanks. But I have a feeling I’m a little outnumbered. I’m pretty sure there are more than two of them. I’d bet money that every exit is guarded.”

  “So—we’re mice in a maze? And if we run the maze correctly our reward is death?”

  “Something like that.”

  Those three flat words frightened her more than his anger or even his fear ever could. He was the bravest man she’d ever known. So why was he accepting the inevitable now, after all the things he’d endured?

  Endured. That was it! He knew they were outnumbered and outflanked. His only choice, given the handicap of having to worry about her, was to conserve his strength and hers—to outwait and outwit the enemy.

  Something he’d said earlier, when he was trying to stop James from shooting her in the head, niggled at the edge of her brain. But she’d been so scared that her brain had been incapable of processing what he said. She tried to replay his words in her head, but they flitted away, leaving her with nothing but a question.

  “Who is the enemy?”

  “What?”

  She jumped. “What?”

  “You said something.”

  “No, I didn’t.” Had she spoken aloud? She savagely ripped the ends of her makeshift bandage, berating herself for not watching what she said.

  “Ouch. Where’s the knife? Cutting the fabric would be easier—and less painful than tearing it.”

  “It fell over there.” She gestured in the direction of the door.”

  “Hurry up. I need to get it. And by the way, yes, you did say something. You said, ‘who’s the enemy?’”

  She tied the torn ends of the bandage to keep it in place.

  “Did I? Well, it’s a good question. You never did tell me what you did that made Frank James kidnap me, and why he’s playing cat and mouse with you. He obviously knows who you are.”

  He looked at his fingers and flexed them, as if the most important thing in the world to him was making sure the bandage wasn’t too tight.

  “Deke, look at me. Who’s behind all this?”

  His head ducked a fraction lower, then he raised his gaze to hers. “I’ve never seen Frank James before.”

  Mindy studied his face. This was her childhood sweetheart, her lover, her former husband. The man she knew better than anyone in the world. The set of his jaw, the tiny wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, the flat line of his mouth, told her he was holding something back.

  She almost laughed. So what’s new?

  He swiveled and headed toward the wooden door.

  “Deke, what are you—?”

  Then he held up the lighter and kicked around in the dirt. He was looking for his knife.

  She watched him and tried to remember what he’d said back there when Frank James was holding her with a gun to her head. He’d tried to bluff James out of pulling the trigger by distracting him with insults and playing on his obvious cowardice.

  He’d said something that hadn’t fit with the rest of his verbal jabs. Something that sounded real—and disturbing. She could almost hear it in her brain. Almost, but not quite.

  Suddenly, the memory hit her. His voice echoed in her head.

  You couldn’t pull this off alone. You’re working for Novus Ordo.

  Novus Ordo. “Oh, dear heavens,” she choked out through the hand that had flown to her mouth. The realization stole her breath. The man who’d captured and tortured Deke. “It’s Novus Ordo.”

  “What?” He looked at her suspiciously.

  “Don’t even try that ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about’ innocent tone with me, Deke Cunningham.” She took a step backward, as if distance could protect her from the knowledge that was swirling around in her brain.

  After Deke had come back from Mahjidastan, he’d been a different man. He’d never told her what had happened to him over there, but his best friend had.

  Rook had told her how Novus Ordo, the infamous terrorist, had captured Deke when his helicopter went down. He’d described some of the torture Deke had endured at his hands.

  Rook had begged her to stick with him, to help him heal.

  And she’d tried. But Deke had refused her help—or anyone else’s. Refused vehemently. Then he’d gone away and left her alone.

  The empty shell of his body had still been there, but the man she’d loved all her life had disappeared—into drink, into depression, into self-loathing. The man she’d believed was unbreakable had been broken.

  So in self-defense, before he sucked her into the abyss with him, she’d filed for divorce.

  Then Rook had been assassinated, and the speculation had started—on a national scale. Novus Ordo, the most feared terrorist since Bin Laden, was rumored to have ordered the death of the highly decorated former Air Force colonel Robert Kenneth Castle because of a personal grievance.

  Mindy had feared that Rook’s death would send Deke
over the edge, but through Irina she knew that he had moved to Castle Ranch and had taken over BHSAR operations, while Irina handled the business aspects and searched for proof that Rook was still alive.

  It seemed that Rook’s death had brought Deke back to life.

  “That terrorist is behind this, isn’t he?”

  “Come on, Mindy.”

  Mindy lifted her chin pugnaciously. “No. You come on. Don’t treat me like an idiot. Irina stops searching for Rook and a week later here we are, being held captive because you know something that you’re not telling me. I heard what you said to Frank James. I can put the pieces together. Novus Ordo thinks you know where Rook is, doesn’t he?”

  Deke’s eyes narrowed and the tiny wrinkles between his brows deepened. He scowled at her.

  “Oh my God, you do!”

  For an instant, Deke stared at her as if she were a ghost. Then his mouth and jaw relaxed. He shook his head. “No. I don’t know where he is.”

  Mindy frowned at him. “Why are you—?” One look in his eyes and her question died on her lips. Without moving his head, he shifted his gaze above her, then to his right and his left then back to stare at her.

  She understood immediately. He suspected that they were being watched or listened to. She gave him a small nod and took a deep breath.

  “You really don’t know?” she asked, doing her best to sound like she believed what she was saying. “But what about all those rumors that he’s still alive?”

  “They’ve stuck around because Irina wouldn’t give up. But now she has. Rook Castle is dead.”

  “So what about Frank James? Do you think he’s working for Novus?”

  “He could be. I’d have thought Novus was smarter than that, but maybe not. He may have ordered Rook assassinated, but the body was never recovered. If I were Novus, and I thought my nemesis was still alive, I’d probably panic if his wife suddenly quit searching for him.” He made an impatient sound. “Are you done playing nurse yet?”

  She gave the bandage on his forearm a final inspection. “Fine. I’m done. But if it doesn’t stop bleeding. I’ll have to put spiderwebs on it.”

  “Hell, no, you won’t.” Deke stared at her. “What are you talking about—spiderwebs?”

  “They can promote clotting. They work by—”

  “Min.” Deke held up his hand. “I don’t care how they work. I won’t bleed anymore.”

  She shot him an ironic glance. “You’ll control it with your steely resolve?”

  He nodded. “Damn straight I will.”

  Mindy chuckled. “That’s my hero.”

  Deke winced at her words. She’d said them unintentionally, he was sure. She’d called him her hero ever since high school. Ever since the first time they’d made love, when she was seventeen.

  He’d been careful and slow, determined to show her what sex was all about. Afterward, she’d lain in his arms, panting and spent, and awed by what had happened to her.

  Eventually, she’d turned toward him. She’d touched his cheek and murmured, “You’re my hero, and I will always love you.”

  He blinked and shook his head slightly, pushing the memories back—way back—to the place where he kept them locked up. That was a long time ago, when she’d loved him.

  He was no hero now. Hah. Never had been. He’d never brought her anything but heartbreak. No wonder she hadn’t wanted him to know about her baby. She’d tried to protect herself and her child from more pain.

  And what had he done? He’d left her alone and vulnerable against attack. He was the one who’d gotten her into this, and now he had to get her out.

  Without a scratch.

  “Let’s get out of here. I’m sure James already knows where we’ll end up. But hell, there’s nothing I can do about that.” He carefully shrugged into his shearling jacket and grabbed the oil lantern off the nail.

  The first thing he did was examine the slatted wooden door on the north wall. There was no knob, just a keyhole. “This is where they disappeared?”

  Mindy nodded.

  He pushed against it, but it didn’t budge. Then he transferred the lantern to his right hand and tried to get a grip on it by inserting his fingers into the slats. “It’s locked.”

  “What did you find in the other direction?” Mindy asked.

  “Pretty much what I expected. I’m guessing this hotel was built here so they could use this tunnel junction as its basement.” He pointed toward the south tunnel. “No coal car rails in that tunnel. So I’m thinking it’s either closed or it’s a dead end. I didn’t go very far. I didn’t want to leave you.” He grimaced. “I left you too long as it was.”

  “You didn’t know—”

  “I should have.” He gestured at the floor. Unlike the south tunnel, this branch had two sets of rails on its dirt-and-rock-covered floor. They extended down the corridor as far as he could see. “See? These rails have been used. You can see where they’re worn. Obviously this tunnel has seen a lot of people come through it.”

  “But why would they need rails here? This looks like the end of the line—or the beginning.”

  “Look at that.” He pointed at the planks and boards surrounding the trapdoor where he’d crawled in. “That was a door into the hotel basement. This other door may be to the mine foreman’s office, or some other administrative type. They probably used a man car to travel from here down into the belly of the mine.”

  “Man car?”

  “Traveled on the rails like the coal cars, but held passengers—the miners, of course—to carry them down to the deeper parts of the mine. But the inspectors, the bosses, the foreman, would travel down there, too.”

  “How do you know all this?”

  Deke sent her a wry smile. “I read up on it as soon as I figured out where your phone call came from.”

  He bent over and picked up his knife, and then pointed to the trapdoor that led into the hotel basement.

  “Can’t go that way,” he said, conjuring up a picture of Mindy getting on hands and knees to crawl through to the hotel’s basement.

  Not happening.

  He pressed his bandaged arm against his side and clenched his teeth against the stinging pain as he looked at the two tunnels. His instincts had always been excellent. They’d gotten him out of dangerous situations many times.

  But right now he had no idea which tunnel to take. What would Novus expect him to do? Take the south tunnel, which appeared to be abandoned and might lead to a dead end, trapping them? Or follow the coal-car rails, which careered down a steep incline to a tippling station, where they’d dump the coal into the larger railroad cars?

  He cursed under his breath.

  “What is it?” Mindy asked. “What’s wrong?”

  He pointed to one of the tunnels. “What do you think, Min? The lady? Or the tiger?”

  Chapter Six

  “I don’t think I can go any farther,” Mindy said. She hated to tell Deke that. Hated to let him down. Her fingers were cramping from holding on to his belt and trying to stay directly behind him.

  He’d been guiding her in the darkness, warning her of rough patches or a curve. They were walking on a steep downward incline—going deeper underground.

  When he’d chosen the abandoned south tunnel over the north one that appeared to be open, she’d been surprised. But she’d kept her mouth shut, trusting him.

  Twice already, he’d stumbled over broken boards and piles of dirt and rocks. Once he’d hit his head on a sagging roof beam.

  She’d never been afraid of the dark until now.

  This darkness was total. The sensation was claustrophobic, dizzying, terrifying. She couldn’t see anything, not even her own hand. Even holding on to Deke’s belt, she found herself drifting off to the right or left. And sometimes she felt like she was leaning—not standing up straight.

  When that happened, she’d suddenly jerk upright. That earned her a bout of vertigo.

  The vertigo would trigger panic, which would disturb Spr
out, and that increased her nervousness. Especially when she thought about how deep underground they were.

  Not even having Deke with her helped.

  “Hang in there a little longer, Min.” His voice sounded strained.

  If Deke was worried, then it was seriously time to panic. “Deke—I can’t!”

  “Just a little more, Min. I think I hear something.”

  Her heart pounded. “What?”

  He reached behind him and touched her hand. “Water running. Listen.”

  He stopped, and she stepped up closer to him. “I don’t hear anything.”

  “I’ve got specially trained ears.”

  She heard the smile in his voice. And appreciated it. He was trying to keep it light. For her. Trying to help her through the blackness.

  She sucked in a deep breath that hitched at the top like a sob. “You do—have nice ears.”

  “Nice? They’re superb.” He gently extricated her fingers from his belt and pulled her close, wrapping his strong arm around her waist.

  “Listen,” he whispered in her ear.

  She started to tell him that as long as he was breathing that close to her ear, it didn’t matter what was out there. She wouldn’t be able to hear Niagara Falls.

  As if she’d spoken aloud, he held his breath. She held hers, too.

  And heard a faint ripple.

  “There it is,” she whispered in awe.

  “Told you.” His arm tightened around her waist. For the first time he seemed, if not comfortable, at least not especially uncomfortable with her rounded, unfamiliar shape.

  Then, to her surprise, his head dipped and he nuzzled her hair.

  “Let’s go find that water,” he said, straightening. “If we’re real lucky, there will be another lantern there. Or some torches.”

  “Can you—” Mindy paused and took a breath. “I’m sorry, Deke, but can you light the lantern?”

  “As soon as we get to the water, okay? I don’t want to waste the oil.”

  Mindy felt like crying. She was so tired, so hungry, and so afraid that she’d never see light again. Her skin was clammy and cold. The air had been growing a little warmer as they went deeper, but suddenly, her neck felt cool—cooler than normal. She shivered as Deke took her hand and tucked it into his belt at the small of his back.