Read Online Hard Target: Elite Ops - Book One by Kay Thomas - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kay Thomas
Ads: Link
listening at any moment, but this was as good an invitation as she was going to get.
“Zach, Max and I were all together in Cancun, Mexico this morning. It was meant to be a treat for Zach before the surgery. The reason we’re here in this hotel is that I overheard Max planning to stage a kidnapping where they took Zach away from the resort and killed me. From what Max was saying on the phone, I think the plan was to make it look like a cartel kidnapping.
“I didn’t stop to think, I just did what I had to do. We couldn’t leave without our passports, so—” She swallowed hard. “I went to bed with Max as if I’d overheard nothing. After . . . when he went to shower, I took Zach and got to the airport with our travel documents, Zach’s meds, and a change of clothes.” She tried to keep the agony out of her voice but Leland’s discerning gaze made it clear she hadn’t been successful.
“That must have been incredibly . . . disturbing,” he said.
She barked a harsh laugh that she didn’t expect Leland to understand. Having Max’s hands on her after what she’d overheard him planning had been horrifying. What she’d imagined rape must be like. Except she’d had to act as if she was in ecstasy, when in reality she’d been so repulsed she was worried about throwing up again.
When Max had been inside her, she’d focused on her plan to escape. She’d made lists in her head of what she’d pack, the order in which she’d collect everything. She’d focused on getting to the airport. Her fear of flying had seemed the least of her worries. As soon as the bathroom door closed behind him, she’d been out of the bed like a shot.
She stared at Leland and nodded. “Yes, it was difficult.” Her voice didn’t even break on the words.
“You haven’t been to the police yet?” His question was more of a statement.
She took another deep breath, anxious to move on. “No, for the reasons we talked about earlier with the transplant. Max is very influential here. I can’t risk anything happening with Zach’s place on the list. My plan is to get Zach into the hospital tomorrow, then deal with his father’s issues.”
Leland made a non-committal “hmm” sound.
“We’d fought about where to do the treatment a while back. Max wanted to do it in Mexico because organs are more readily available there. I didn’t want to because I think the doctors and care are better here. Max swore he’d given up on that plan, but given tonight’s events I’m not so sure he ever did. Why would he want Zach back in Mexico now? Right before his LVAD operation?” The thought of her son being in a Mexican hospital for such a complicated operation was more frightening than her being in bed with Max this morning.
She stopped, no longer wanting to reveal details of her life and failed marriage to Leland who sat intently watching her. He’d been nodding from time to time as she spoke, but now he was silent.
Her heart rate punched up and her hands were sweating. Why had she ever thought she needed to explain all this? He had to be planning how fast he could leave after he got her and Zach into a new room.
She watched for a reaction as he leaned back in his chair, breaking eye contact to study the television that was playing a late edition of the news. “That’s quite a story,” he finally said.
“Do you believe me?” she asked.
“Does it matter?” His question wasn’t accusing, but it rankled as he studied her face again with that unchanging fervor.
The shock of the question sank in, but she didn’t have time to pull it apart before he continued. “For the record, I do believe you. But I’m not the important one here. Zach is. He needs to know as much as you can tell him, for starters that you’re not pregnant and as much of the truth about you and your husband’s separation and what you overheard in Cancun as you can share. He’s very concerned.”
Leland was right. She knew he was, but his words still
“Zach, Max and I were all together in Cancun, Mexico this morning. It was meant to be a treat for Zach before the surgery. The reason we’re here in this hotel is that I overheard Max planning to stage a kidnapping where they took Zach away from the resort and killed me. From what Max was saying on the phone, I think the plan was to make it look like a cartel kidnapping.
“I didn’t stop to think, I just did what I had to do. We couldn’t leave without our passports, so—” She swallowed hard. “I went to bed with Max as if I’d overheard nothing. After . . . when he went to shower, I took Zach and got to the airport with our travel documents, Zach’s meds, and a change of clothes.” She tried to keep the agony out of her voice but Leland’s discerning gaze made it clear she hadn’t been successful.
“That must have been incredibly . . . disturbing,” he said.
She barked a harsh laugh that she didn’t expect Leland to understand. Having Max’s hands on her after what she’d overheard him planning had been horrifying. What she’d imagined rape must be like. Except she’d had to act as if she was in ecstasy, when in reality she’d been so repulsed she was worried about throwing up again.
When Max had been inside her, she’d focused on her plan to escape. She’d made lists in her head of what she’d pack, the order in which she’d collect everything. She’d focused on getting to the airport. Her fear of flying had seemed the least of her worries. As soon as the bathroom door closed behind him, she’d been out of the bed like a shot.
She stared at Leland and nodded. “Yes, it was difficult.” Her voice didn’t even break on the words.
“You haven’t been to the police yet?” His question was more of a statement.
She took another deep breath, anxious to move on. “No, for the reasons we talked about earlier with the transplant. Max is very influential here. I can’t risk anything happening with Zach’s place on the list. My plan is to get Zach into the hospital tomorrow, then deal with his father’s issues.”
Leland made a non-committal “hmm” sound.
“We’d fought about where to do the treatment a while back. Max wanted to do it in Mexico because organs are more readily available there. I didn’t want to because I think the doctors and care are better here. Max swore he’d given up on that plan, but given tonight’s events I’m not so sure he ever did. Why would he want Zach back in Mexico now? Right before his LVAD operation?” The thought of her son being in a Mexican hospital for such a complicated operation was more frightening than her being in bed with Max this morning.
She stopped, no longer wanting to reveal details of her life and failed marriage to Leland who sat intently watching her. He’d been nodding from time to time as she spoke, but now he was silent.
Her heart rate punched up and her hands were sweating. Why had she ever thought she needed to explain all this? He had to be planning how fast he could leave after he got her and Zach into a new room.
She watched for a reaction as he leaned back in his chair, breaking eye contact to study the television that was playing a late edition of the news. “That’s quite a story,” he finally said.
“Do you believe me?” she asked.
“Does it matter?” His question wasn’t accusing, but it rankled as he studied her face again with that unchanging fervor.
The shock of the question sank in, but she didn’t have time to pull it apart before he continued. “For the record, I do believe you. But I’m not the important one here. Zach is. He needs to know as much as you can tell him, for starters that you’re not pregnant and as much of the truth about you and your husband’s separation and what you overheard in Cancun as you can share. He’s very concerned.”
Leland was right. She knew he was, but his words still
Similar Books
