The Only Way Out Part 7

"Get over it," Jeff growled, not even glancing back at her. "Better for them to think we're rude than for you and the kid to get caught."

He had a point there. But Andie had disliked deceiving the older couple. They'd been sonice, sitting with her while Jeff had gone shopping. It had been easy to pretend, just for a few minutes, that everything was fine.

They reached the Jeep without incident. Within minutes, they were speeding out of town, heading north along the coastal road.

"Maybe in a few weeks I can drop them a note and explain," she said, half to herself.

Jeff shook his head in disgust. "You exchanged addresses?"

"I gave them a false one."

He mumbled something. She couldn't catch all the words, but had a feeling he wasn't praising her. "I'm sorry I'm not like you," she said, folding her arms over her chest. "Lies and deception aren't that easy for me. I haven't made a career of studying thetao of James Bond."

Jeff glared at her briefly before returning his attention to the road. "You've spent the last five years living a lie, babe."

She opened her mouth to protest her innocence,then closed it slowly. He was right. Everything about her life was pretend. She'd never told a soul about Kray, not even Bobby. She'd avoided friends and close relationships because she couldn't afford the questions.

"It must get boring always being right," she said.

He didn't answer.

Andie glanced at Bobby, but he was involved with his new toys, lost in a child's imaginary world. He didn't notice the tension in the Jeep or her own fragile hold on sanity. She felt that if one more thing went wrong, she was going to crack into a thousand pieces and never be whole again.

She shifted the bags in her arms. One of them held clothing andtoiletries, the others were filled with food. Bread, fish wrapped in paper, vegetables, mangoes, bananas and a p.r.i.c.kly yellow fruit she'd never seen before.

He'd thought of just about everything. She stared straight ahead, but could still see him out of the corner of her eye. He drove competently, turning on unmarked roads, keeping to the speed limit, constantly checking the mirrors. Had she made the right decision, or was this all an elaborate trick to hand her over to Kray?

Andie shook her head. She couldn't think like that. She didn't have the strength. She'd chosen to trust Jeff with-no-last-name, and by G.o.d, she would trust him. Second-guessing would only make her crazy.

"Where are we going?" she asked when the silence became unbearable.

"I've got a house. We'll stay there until I can make arrangements to get the two of you off the island."

A house. That sounded nice. Maybe she would sleep tonight. She hadn't slept much since Kray had stolen her son. He'd come in the early evening, barely knocking before his men had broken in the door.

She stiffened at the memory. "How do you know he won't find us? You said he owns the entire island."

Jeff surprised her by grinning. "We're safe there."

"But how do you know?"

His grin broadened. "Kray owns the house. He's given it to one of his trusted lieutenants whois currently living in the States.Mando , his a.s.sociate, uses the house to reward faithful workers. A recent run-in with the law has detainedMando in a high-security facility. The man who had earned a couple of months in the sun has also been detained. They were nice enough to give our men the key. So don't worry. There's no leasing agent, no contracts, no way to trace the house to me."

"You must love the irony of the situation," she said leaning back in the seat.

"It has a certain appeal."

The road curved to the right, away from the ocean, then angled up hill. Jeff downshifted. The Jeep moved along the road. Through the tangle of trees and brush she could see the occasional narrow paths veering off. Without warning, he turned left and started down a narrow trail.

"We're here," he said.

Andie could feel the perspiration on her back and her neck. The moment of truth. What would be waiting at the end of the dirt road? There was barely enough room for the vehicle. Trees and vines grew together, making their route a tunnel. The temperature dropped slightly, but it was still humid.

She glanced at the back seat and saw Bobby had dozed off. His limp body didn't budge as the vehicle bounced over the rutted road.

"We're at the north end of the island," Jeff said. "The jungle comes right down to the ocean. This house sits in a cove protected by rocks. You can't get in from the water. Even a rubber raft would get chewed up.There's trees on both sides of the property and no one around for about three miles. The house can't be seen from the water unless the boat is directly in front of it. The locals know to avoid any land that belongs to Kray. Unless you plan on setting off fireworks, no one will know we're here."

"How comforting."

He ignored her sarcasm. "There's a pool. Don't let the kid swim in the ocean. The current is strong and the rocks are only about ten feet out. Stay near the house. The sandy areas are safe. The only variety of poisonous snake is pretty shy, but there are a couple of deadly lizards and spiders in the underbrush."

"I'm not sure if you're trying to make me feel better or frighten me."

"I'm telling you what you need to know to stay alive."

At that moment they broke through the tunnel of trees and vines and drove into the sunlight and onto the beach. A one-story house sat in front of a large oval pool. Beyond the sandy yard,blue ocean stretched on forever. The rocks jutted out of the water like ancient sentries guarding the property. It was a place for lovers. A haven. When Jeff stopped the Jeep, Andie scrambled out. Once again, she was a fraud. The absence of motion woke Bobby. He sat up and stared at the pool. "Golly, Mom, can we go swimming?"

Jeff got out more slowly and stretched. "The pool's safe enough," he said. "Can you swim, partner?"

Bobby nodded vigorously. "I've had lessons," he said importantly.

"Good for you." Jeff picked up the shopping bags. "I bought him swimming trunks."

"Thanks." Being a good spy, he'd probably thought of everything. No doubt there was a shoe phone, as well.

Andie grabbed the bags he'd given her to carry,then reached for her purse. Together, the three of them walked toward the house.

The wood-and-stucco building was bigger than she'd first thought. There was a wide veranda all along the front with a swing half-hidden in the shade at the far end. Jeff unlocked the front door,then went inside. Andie followed more slowly.

Bobby ran around the porch, his arms held out from his sides. "I'm an airplane," he called loudly. "I can fly us back home, Mommy. Look at me."

"Fly yourself over here and let's go inside," she said.

Bobby swerved in front of her, stopping long enough to smile up at her, then stepped into the house. Considering all he'd been through, her son was holding up very well. That was something.

She stepped into the house,then paused as her eyes adjusted to the dimness. The entire front section was one large room. The furnishings were practical wicker and wood, with cloth cushions, but they were high quality. Several paintings filled the white walls. There was a bookshelf between the two side windows, and a view of the ocean. As Jeff moved around opening windows, she could hear the sound of the surf pounding on the sand.

"Groceries go in the kitchen," he said, pointing to her left.

She walked through an informal dining area, then into a s.p.a.cious kitchen complete with a built-in grill and microwave. She set the bags on the counter.

"There's electricity," Jeff said, following her and setting down two bags of his own. "It's a little erratic, but there's also a generator out back." He dug through one of the bags, pulled out a papaya,then handed the bag to her. "I got a couple of things for you."

Before she could look inside, or thank him, he was moving away. "The bedrooms are down here," he said.

She went after him. Bobby trailed behind her. "The master suite," Jeff said, jerking his head toward a half-open door. She caught a glimpse of a king-size bed and more windows.

"Bathroom." He pointed to a door on the other side of the hall. "The last two bedrooms are down here. One has a king-size bed, the other has two doubles."

She poked her head in both rooms. "Bobby and I will sleep in here," she said, motioning to the one with two double beds. She wanted to be near her son. Just in case.

Jeff dumped the bags he was holding on the bed closest to the door, then left without saying a word.

Bobby flew in, arms wide. "I want to go swimming."

"I'll bet you do." She dug through the bags. Jeff had thought of everything. There was a pair of swim trunks, shorts, two T-shirts and underwear for Bobby. For herself, their host had bought a red one-piece swimsuit that looked a little large, but it woulddo, a romper in a pink-and-white print, a pair of shorts and a couple of oversize T-shirts. She tossed the softest one on the bed. She would sleep in that tonight. At the bottom of the bag was a large bottle of sunscreen.

When Bobby had his trunks on, she coated him with the sunscreen,then sent him into the main room. She quickly changed out of her clothes,then pulled the remaining T-shirt over her suit. She would have to remember to get her suitcase from the Jeep. It had all their toiletries in it.

She walked to the bedroom door,then hesitated before opening it. The hardwood floors under her feet, the smell of the ocean and the sunscreen, the sound of the waves and the birds made her feel as if she were on an exotic vacation. Or on her honeymoon again. A shudder raced through her. She didn't want to remember that time. She couldn't allow herself to dwell on the past or think about Kray. If she did, she would get scared. Right now, fear was her greatest enemy.

She could hear Bobby's excited chatter from the front of the house, then Jeff's low response. The sound of his voice made her insides quiver. She wasn't exactly sure from what. Jeff was dangerous the same way Kray was dangerous. She could feel it. In a way, that made her feel better. At least she had someone strong on her side.

She wondered what had brought Jeff to the island. He must work for the government. Maybe...

A knock on the door jerked her out of her thoughts. "Bobby's still hungry," Jeff said. "I'm going to cut up a mango. You want one?"

"No, thanks."

She heard the sound of his footsteps fading as he walked away. Drawing in a deep breath, she opened the bedroom door and stepped into the hallway. She smoothed the front of her T-shirt. The price tag by the hem caught her eye. She'd almost forgotten. She had to pay Jeff for what he'd bought them.

She hurried into her room and grabbed her purse. After pulling out two twenties, she walked into the front room. Bobby was sitting on the front porch with a bowl resting on his lap. He picked up a piece of fruit with his fingers and stuck it in his mouth. Two gulls played in the surf. He watched them, mesmerized.

Jeff stood in the kitchen, slicing more fruit. "You sure you don't want some?" he asked without turning around.

"I'm sure." She moved closer to him and slid the money onto the counter. "Here. This should cover what you bought today."

"Keep it," he said.

She stared at his broad shoulders and back. The red tank shirt he wore accentuated his strength and maleness. The warm spring afternoon lefta sheen of sweat on his thick muscles. He was long and lean. The proof of his strength made her shiver. She would never best him in a contest of physical strength. Pray G.o.d it never came to that.

"I can't let you pay for our things."

"You're going to need the money to stay away from Kray when you're back in the States. Keep it," he repeated, turning toward her.

She wished he was still wearing his hat or sungla.s.ses. But there was nothing to shield his handsome face from her. Nothing to conceal his expressionless features or the blankness in his eyes. It was as if the man had disappeared and in his place was a machine without a soul. He frightened her.

She left the money where she'd placed it and started backing up toward the door.

"Stay out of the surf," he said, repeating his earlier warning. "Keep Bobby in the pool and close to the house."

"I understand."

"There's extra towelsin the guest bathroom."

How incongruous that he should speak of towels when she wondered if he was going to kill them. "Thank you."

She collected the towels. When she came out of the bathroom, he was standing in the hallway. The light was behind him, leaving his features in shadows.

"I'm not the enemy," he said, obviously having figured out she was still scared of him. He folded his arms over his chest. "I'm going to get you out of here alive."

"I know," she said. "That doesn't make you any less frightening. That's what you want, isn't it? You want me to be afraid. Then you can be scornful, as well as dislike me. It's about Kray. That I married him. Therefore I must be like him."

"Yes."

"I'm not." She stared at the towels. "But why would you believe that? Sometimes I don't believe it, either. I should have known. That's the real kicker in all this. I should have been able to figure it out. Right?"

She looked up at him. He nodded slowly. But he would get her and Bobby off the island anyway. Personal feelings didn't enter into it. He didn't have to like her to help her.

As she brushed past him and tried to ignore the flicker of heat that ignited where their bare skin touched, as she told herself to forget he was handsome and sweet to her son, she wished he wouldn't despise her quite as much as he did.

Bobby was waiting for her on the porch. Her child was safe, as least. Kray would never get his hands on the boy again. She didn't care what she had to do to keep that promise. She didn't care if it killed her.

"Let's go swimming, Mom," Bobby said, heading for the pool.

"Good idea." She hurried after him, moving down the porch steps and into the sunlight. As the warmth touched her skin she stopped. "Wait a minute, Bobby. I was so busy putting sunscreen onyou, I forgot to put some on myself."

Bobby laughed. "That's silly."

"I know, butcome wait on the porch until I get back."

Her son trotted after her. "Hurry, Mommy. I want to swim."

"I'll be right back." She opened the front door and stepped into the house. Jeff was sitting at the table, bent over some piece of equipment. As she entered, he stood up and moved to shield it with his body.

He was too late. She stared at the metal pieces, not wanting to recognize them. Not wanting to know. But she couldn't escape the truth. She knew a long-range rifle when she saw one. She met Jeff's cold stare and wondered if that bit of knowledge was about to cost herher life.

Chapter 5.

Jeff read the terror in Andie's expression. She started backing out of the room. Her hands rose to shoulder level as if she was unconsciously showing him she wasn't dangerous.

"I'm cleaning it," he said, motioning to the rifle on the table behind him. "It can't hurt you."

She nodded at his words, but her face was still pale and her eyes wide. At that moment he realized she wasn't afraid of the rifle. She was afraid ofhim .

"Look, I'm not going to hurt you, either," he said, moving a little closer to her.

She continued backing up. Her expression tightened into panic. She couldn't decide whether to trust him or simply run for cover. He didn't want her going off anywhere. The jungle around them wasn't safe. Besides, if she gave into the fear, Bobby would join right in. He could do without the hysterics.

"Andie, come on. It's okay."

Her gaze was unfocused. She opened her mouth to scream. He lunged for her, grabbing her wrists and pulling her close.