Chapter 21
“Savannah.”
Hez’s voice was a sure sign Savannah was dreaming, and she buried her face in the pillow. She didn’t want to be pulled from
a pleasant dream and face the fact that she and Simon were likely to be herded aboard a boat to be tossed off for a shark
snack.
A hand shook her. “Babe, we have to get out of here.”
Hez’s harsh whisper jolted her awake, and she opened her eyes to blink the sleep away. A form moved in the faint glimmer of
moonlight through the gauzy curtains of the cottage. Was she still dreaming?
But no, Hez’s strong hand grabbed her arm and tugged. She sat up and glanced around. Simon still slept in the other bed, and
both dogs came toward her with tails wagging.
She licked her lips. “Hez, it’s really you?”
He tore off the black mask so she could see his face, grim with determination. “I’m getting Simon, and you corral the dogs.
The guards will be coming any minute. Hurry.”
She swung her feet to the floor and patted her thigh for the dogs to come to her, while Hez moved to Simon’s side and roused him.
The boy woke up instantly and didn’t ask questions.
He and Hez followed her to the door, and they stepped out onto the porch.
Armed figures in dark clothing and black masks stood guard watching the area, and for a moment she thought they were Hornbrook’s men.
But one of them put his finger to his lips and gestured for her to go with him.
She raced after him with Hez and Simon on her heels. Three other men brought up the rear. The shell path to the beach bit
into her bare feet, but she barely noticed as she raced for the inflatable Zodiac boat that bobbed in the surf ahead of them.
Hez caught up with her and pushed her nephew toward her. “Get Simon to the Zodiac.”
She paused to grab Simon’s hand as Hez dropped behind her and raised his gun. Her feet left the shell pathway and sank into
soft sand. When the salty breeze hit her face, she felt the first surge of hope that they might escape. Before she could relish
the burst of optimism, four men, two on each side, leapt from the shadows.
Cody barked ferociously, then snarled and ran at the closest of the two men, who kicked Cody away. Cody yelped but leaped
back into the battle.
“Leave my dog alone!” Simon tore his hand free from hers and ran at Hornbrook’s men. Marley snarled and followed the boy.
Hornbrook’s top goon grabbed Simon and yanked him away. Simon’s kicks and punches did nothing to deter Anton as he and the
other guard hauled Simon toward the main house.
“Get to the Zodiac!” Hez shouted to her. “I’ll get Simon.” He ran after the men with his gun up.
The three other rescuers ran after him, and Savannah pivoted to see Anton and two other guards disappear into the mansion with Simon. The dogs barked helplessly outside the heavy oak door.
Gunfire rang out, and Hez and the other men hit the manicured turf as bullets zinged over their heads. Hez would be hampered
by being unable to return fire with Simon in the fray. They scrambled into the shadows and got to their feet. Hez tucked his
gun away before he and the other men disappeared around the corner of the house.
She waded into the waves, and warm water lapped at her legs. She clambered aboard the rubber boat and grabbed the oars instead
of starting the engine, which would alert Hornbrook’s men to her approach. The tide was going out, so it was an easy maneuver
to navigate it to the end of the pier on the far side of the house. She grabbed hold of the bottom rung on the pier’s ladder,
pulled herself up, and threw a rope around a piling so the Zodiac wouldn’t float off. Heart pounding, she ran toward the house.
Gunfire still echoed above the sound of the surf, but it came from the other side of the building and didn’t seem to be aimed
at her. Still, the dock was well lit, and if anyone saw her she’d be an easy target.
She reached the house. Back flat against the stucco exterior, she gulped and listened. Voices came from inside, but no more
gunshots. Crouching low, she tried the door. It opened into a small room with life vests and other boating equipment. An unlit
hallway stretched away into shadows. She had to find Simon and Hez, but she couldn’t call out without alerting Hornbrook and
his men.
She crept along the darkened passage, listening for any hint of movement. Her skin crawled every time she passed a door. They were fighting on Hornbrook’s turf and she hated it. It seemed to take forever to creep along the passage and search the nooks and crannies as she went. Where were they?
“Aunt Savannah.” Simon’s whisper was just ahead.
She spotted him crouched down behind a chair with his arms around the dogs. She didn’t see Hez and the other rescuers. Her
heart squeezed at the thought that Hez might already be shot. The gun battle had raged for several minutes. Was everyone else
dead?
Please, God, no.
She reached her nephew and buried her face in his hair, smelling of little boy as she embraced him. “Have you seen your uncle
Hez?”
He nodded toward a side passage. “He’s somewhere down there. I got away from the guards and hid here. The dogs found me when
Uncle Hez and the other guys were able to get into the house. He shot one of the guards, but I don’t know where he is now.
The guys with him will keep him safe. I think they’re CIA or something.”
Her mind filled with a horrific image of Hez lying dead in a pool of blood. She shook it away. The thought could paralyze
her, and she had to find him. “Stay here. I’ll be back soon.”
She edged along the hallway and passed through a large open room. Marley followed her despite her whispered order to stay
with Simon. She spotted several motionless figures face down on the rich carpet. The acrid smell of gunsmoke hung in the air.
It was too dark to determine if they were Hornbrook’s men or the rescuers. She squinted in the dark. Where were Hez and Hornbrook?
The hall turned a corner and she heard shouted curses from that direction. Hornbrook’s voice. Bright light poured from an open door. Blinking and crouching low, she moved that way and spotted two figures struggling on the floor of a small room lined with racks of wine bottles.
Hornbrook, his face distorted in a fierce snarl, was on top of Hez with both hands around Hez’s neck.
Hez clawed at Hornbrook’s fingers with his right hand. A red puddle spread out from under Hez’s left shoulder.
She had to help him, but how? She needed a weapon! She ran into the room and yanked a bottle from one of the shelves. Hez’s
face was nearly purple now, and she slammed the bottle down with all her strength on top of Hornbrook’s head. It shattered,
then he toppled over onto his side and his hands fell off Hez’s throat.
Hez choked in a gasp of air, and Savannah started to go to his side, but Marley let out a snarl. A volley of frantic barking
followed, and she turned to see Hornbrook, his face a grimace of hate and rage, getting to his hands and knees.
She swung the shattered bottle, hitting him in the neck. Blood fountained from a severed artery.
Hornbrook grabbed his neck and tried to stagger to his feet, but he collapsed and lay motionless.
She rushed to kneel by Hez and helped him sit up and lean against her. The solid feel of him against her brought tears of
relief rushing to her eyes, and she hugged him.
He gasped in oxygen. “Simon?” he whispered.
“He’s safe.” She glanced at the blood pooling under Hornbrook’s head. “I think Hornbrook is dead.”
He noticed her weapon and gave a faint grin. “Never thought a wine bottle would save my life.” He pulled away and tried to stand. His face was pale, and the bullet had torn through the outside of his shoulder. “Let’s get out of here. There might be more guards on the way.”
She helped him up. “This way.”
They reached Simon’s hiding place. “Uncle Hez, you’re okay!” He ran to hug Hez around the waist. “You saved us.”
Hez winced as he put one arm around Simon. “Thank your aunt Savannah. She let us know where you were.” He shot a tender and
proud glance her way.
Two men in black burst into view. “Let’s get out of here. I think we eliminated all four of them. This way.”
They left the house and hurried down the pier. The Special Ops guys steadied the Zodiac for them to climb aboard. Hez pointed
out a fishing boat’s lights ahead. “We’re joining up with that fishing boat.”
The little craft’s powerful engine rapidly closed the distance to the fishing vessel. Savannah squinted in the dark and gaped
at the figure standing at the rail. Michael? She couldn’t wait to hear about the chain of events that had led to this moment.
God had to have orchestrated it.
Michael leaned over the rail and waved. “Thank you for saving my grandson.” His voice was choked. “Now let’s get out of here
and back on solid ground.”
Hez leaned against the gunwale in the fishing boat’s darkened bow with Savannah snuggled against his right side.
The little ship chugged along at what he guessed was top speed, sending a gentle sea breeze over them.
The fresh salty scent was a welcome change from the smell of rancid fish in the muggy cabin.
The captain had switched off the lights as soon as they returned from Hornbrook’s island to make the small ship less visible
to Venezuelan authorities. The night was moonless but clear, and the Caribbean stars hung so low that Hez thought he could
almost reach up and grab one.
“You were amazing back there,” she said, her voice barely audible above the rush of water against the hull. They were alone,
but the boat was small.
He stroked her cheek. “You too.” All he could manage was a hoarse whisper through his damaged vocal cords. “Hornbrook tackled
me after I got this.” He touched his now-bandaged left shoulder. “If you hadn’t taken him out, I’d be dead on the floor of
his walk-in wine fridge.” He gave her a squeeze. “I’m glad you didn’t stay in the Zodiac like I asked.”
She shivered despite the blood-warm air. “I don’t want to think about what could have happened—or what did happen. I-I’m glad
I stopped him, but the blood . . .” She stopped and swallowed. “I keep seeing it in my head.”
“He chose his path, babe. If you hadn’t been there, I’d be dead instead.”
She looked up at him, her face ethereal and silver in the starlight. Her eyes glimmered with tears. “God brought us through
safely. And I’m so thankful. I’m never going to let you go.”
He bent and pressed his lips against hers. He wasn’t aware of anything except her—the taste of her lips, the feel of her against
him.
At last their lips separated and she rested her cheek on his shoulder with a contented sigh. She lifted her head a moment later. “How did you do it? How did you arrange this boat, the rescue team, all of it?”
“To be honest, I didn’t. I brought my own gun, but that’s about it. This is almost all Michael. As soon as we figured out
your clues, he got on the phone. He seems to have many, uh, business connections, including a former CIA guy who pulled in
more help. Michael called in a lot of favors to make this happen.”
“He really cares for Simon.”
He held her tighter and kissed the top of her hair. “So do we.”
Hez stared up into the Milky Way, unnerved by the words they had just spoken. Michael cared enough about Simon to launch a
deadly raid on Hornbrook’s island. Five men lay dead back there because of how much Michael cared. And Hez and Savannah cared
at least as much as Michael. How far would they go to do what was best for Simon? How far would Michael go?
Hez fingered his throbbing shoulder. He’d already taken one bullet in this fight. Would he take another? And would Michael
fire it?