Chapter 9
CHAPTER
Just seconds after her call with Dr. Waldridge, Kendra looked at her phone and saw that Waldridge’s text with the surgical center’s address, email, and phone number was already there.
“What now?” Jessie asked quietly.
“We keep on searching.” She left the protection of the trees and headed toward the fields of heather.
“We’ll work as fast as we can so that we can cross this area off our list as soon as possible.
I don’t like Cambry’s persistence. He obviously didn’t catch sight of us from the helicopter just now, but he might come back and try again.
If there’s nothing to be found here, I’d just as soon leave these hills and find another path that might be more promising. ”
“Like searching for the guy who lost his hand?”
“That’s definitely a different path,” Kendra said grimly.
“And one that’s as frustrating as everything else that’s blindsided us since we came here.
We may have to go back on the trail of this Nolan, but for all we know he’s vacationing in the South of France.
We need to check out what we can find in this area before we go hunting for him.
I don’t care which way we go to find Lynch. I just want it to be soon.”
“You’re still worrying about the blood on that glove,” Jessie said quietly. “Try not to borrow trouble.”
“I don’t have to borrow it,” Kendra said bitterly. “It’s served up wherever I look.” She picked up her knapsack. “Let’s cover as much ground as we can around the caves and see what we come up with.”
They returned to the camp several hours later and were greeted by Dunne. He stared at them with a concerned expression. “Any luck?”
Kendra shook her head. “We’ll start again early tomorrow. If we don’t find anything in the next quadrant we’ve blocked out, we may have to relocate the camp.”
“Just let me know. I’ll start making supper. Twenty minutes?”
“Great. Thanks, Dunne.” Kendra stretched her calves as she turned to Jessie. “Nice guy.”
Jessie nodded. “The idea of cleaning up and having a hot meal does appeal to me. I’ll grab a couple of towels and a change of clothes for us as I go past the camp and still beat you down to that creek.”
“I’m in no hurry,” Kendra said absently as she followed her.
She stopped several times on the way down the hill to look up at the sky for possible helicopter activity.
There had been no sign of Cambry all afternoon since the round he’d made just before they left the camp.
It wasn’t unreasonable that he might have given up.
But she was still uneasy, and it didn’t hurt to keep an eye out for the unexpected.
The woods were beautiful, but they could harbor criminals.
Yes, Fitz had given them his men to protect them, but they must always be aware the threat was there—and in the end, the responsibility would always be their own.
“Kendra!” Jessie was calling from around the next bend of the path. “Get down here. This water is wonderful.”
Kendra chuckled. She could hear the sound of the waterfall from here.
Jessie had the right idea. Stop worrying and try to enjoy every single moment that you could, while you could.
That was Lynch’s philosophy, too. “No snakes or creepy-crawlies?” she asked as she increased her pace toward the creek.
“Nary a one,” Jessie said. “I scared them all away.”
“Then I’ll be right down. And tomorrow morning, I promise I’ll return the favor! But this evening we’ll go have that supper and get some sleep so I’ll have the strength to vanquish all the cave creatures, okay?”
“Absolutely. I have ultimate faith in you . . . Sometimes . . .”
Robert Dunne’s supper consisted of a meat stew and biscuits that they both found delicious and thoroughly enjoyed.
Kendra had expected to meet his partner Kenneth Bruce at the meal, and when he didn’t appear and she asked Robert why, he just shrugged.
“He’s just being Bruce. He’s always been more comfortable in the bush than anywhere else since he got out of the SEALs.
He called me earlier this afternoon and told me he was busy tracking down a lead that he’d uncovered at one of the villages in the hills that made him a little uneasy.
He said he’d fix his own grub when he got around to it. ”
Kendra tensed. “Uneasy? Does that mean bad?”
“Sometimes. But Bruce has always been a loner, and he doesn’t tend to take chances. He’d let me know if this lead would affect the job or your safety. He knows Fitz wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“I’m glad you feel like that,” she said dryly. “Though personally, I have a distinct dislike for the word uneasy. It makes me a bit nervous. Which is first cousin to the word uneasy.”
“Would you like me to call Fitz and tell him you’re unhappy with us?”
“I’m not unhappy . . . yet. I believe you truly want the best for us and are trying to get it. I just want to be certain you’re paying attention to all the nuances that are floating around.”
“I’m paying a good deal of attention,” Dunne said soberly, “and will continue to do so. You’re correct that I want the best for all of us.” He smiled. “Now, may I get you and your friend a cup of coffee?”
“That would be an excellent idea.” She turned and crossed to where Jessie was sitting by the fire. “It seems Bruce is a little edgy and he’s following some kind of lead. Dunne assures me that there’s little or no reason to be concerned.”
“But you are anyway?”
“Enough to make me not sleep too soundly.” She lifted her shoulder in a half shrug. “But that’s the way I live my life these days. It may be fine.”
“Well, you’ve put Dunne on the alert. You won’t be the only one not sleeping.”
“And evidently neither will Bruce,” Kendra said.
“And he’s the one who started all this bother.
” She took her cup of coffee from Dunne and gave one to Jessie.
She lifted her cup in a small toast. “I guess we’ll see what tomorrow brings .
. . But since sleep appears to be questionable, want to play a couple hands of poker? ”
Jessie chuckled. “Hell, no. I learned my lesson the last time. Two cups of coffee and then we’re going to our tents and try to snooze. Got that?”
Kendra nodded. “Sure. Loud and clear. I can’t tell you how eager I am to face that cave you so dread tomorrow. But I think one cup is enough for me.” She got to her feet and headed for her tent. “I’ll get a little air and then head for bed.”
Jessie frowned. “You okay? Want company?”
“Nah, I’m fine. Maybe a little more tired than I thought. But that will only make me sleep better. I’ll probably doze right off . . .”
But when she reached her tent, she didn’t go right to sleep. She lay awake for another two hours, and when she did sleep, it was light and broken.
Which was probably why she heard the sound of the helicopter engine when the aircraft was still far, far away from the camp.
She sat bolt-upright on her bed.
Only a dream. No, a nightmare.
Definitely a nightmare.
She jumped to her feet and ran to the tent flap and threw it open.
She could hear the helicopter more clearly now, though it was still distant. But it was definitely coming in this direction.
She darted the few yards to Jessie’s tent and threw open the flap. “Get up! I think we’ve got company. I’ll go wake Dunne.”
“Shit!” Jessie was jumping out of her sleeping bag. “I’ll be right with you.”
But Kendra didn’t have to wake Dunne. He was already standing by the embers of the fire and talking on his phone, his expression grim.
“You’re awake,” he said as he looked up from his call.
“Good! We may have to move out of here. Just before I heard that helicopter I got a call from Bruce. There’s an armed force of some sort moving into the hills on the highway from the north and heading in his direction.
He said I should be aware of a possible need to evacuate you and Jessie ASAP.
But then his damn phone cut out.” He was cursing as he redialed.
“I thought I heard a shot . . . Bruce isn’t answering.
” He dialed again. “Still no answer. I’ll keep trying.
Grab your belongings and jump in my truck. I’ll be right with you.”
Kendra was already grabbing her jacket and backpack. “If they’re coming from the north, we’d be sitting ducks trying to get away by truck on any of these highways. We’ll be safer on Jessie’s motorcycle, where we can go off road and dodge around in the hills if necessary.”
“Don’t be difficult.” Dunne was still trying to get through to Bruce. “Fitz gave us orders to keep you safe. You know you should go with me. As soon as I finish talking to Bruce, we’ll take off.”
“No way,” Jessie said as she ran toward the trees where they’d parked the motorcycle. “Let’s get going, Kendra.”
“Sorry, Dunne.” Kendra was striding after her.
“But that helicopter is getting closer now, and it sounds different from the one Cambry rented. This may be someone else entirely. If you can’t get through to Bruce, call Fitz and report to him.
Your buddy Bruce may be needing help.” She had a terrible feeling that he was beyond help.
“Tell Fitz I’ll try to contact him and give him a location when we think it’s safe.
” She jumped on the back of the motorcycle. “Stay safe, Dunne.”
“I should be telling you that, dammit,” Dunne said through set teeth. “Fitz is going to kill me. Don’t do—”
He broke off as they all heard the sound of a fierce spate of bullets coming from the phone in Dunne’s hand. Kendra tensed as she heard it followed by a shrill scream of agony.
“No!” Dunne said hoarsely. “Dear God, no!” His expression twisted in pain as his hand closed into a fist. “Okay. Get the hell out of here. I’ll contact Fitz and try to get ahold of Bruce again.”
But that was the last thing that Kendra heard because Jessie had started the motorcycle and they were roaring through the forest toward the road.