Susan Mallery - The Only Way Out

Her indecision cost precious time, and before she could make up her mind, Jeff had paid the old woman and was starting back toward them.

She glanced from the dangling key to him, and saw the exact moment he figured out what she was thinking. His pace didn’t increase or his stride lengthen, but his shoulders straightened slightly and his gaze narrowed.

“You made the right decision,” he said, tossing her a paper bag and sliding into the driver’s seat.

“What would you have done if I’d gone?” she asked, then told herself she was a fool for wanting to know. The way her luck was running, Jeff would tell her the truth.

“Either fired a shot and blown out one of the tires, or told Kray where you were going.”

“Whatever happened to chivalry?”

“Put on your hat so we can get out of here.” He waited until she’d set the large-brimmed straw hat on her head before starting the engine and pulling out onto the road.

The bag also contained sunglasses and a gauzy cotton shirt in bright blue. “What’s this for?” she asked.

“When you get to San Juan, dump the jeans. Buy some shorts. You’ll look more like a tourist. The shirt is something for you to wear until you can stock up on supplies. If the pilot describes you to Kray, you don’t want to make it easy for his men to find you.”

Even as he gave her instructions, his voice was edged with contempt. “Why do you hate me?” she blurted out.

Jeff was silent so long, she decided he wasn’t going to answer. Just as well. It didn’t matter what he thought of her. She needed to concentrate on Bobby and how to keep him safe.

The road narrowed and a small plane flew overhead. The thick island air seemed to press down upon her. Six and a half years ago, she’d thought St. Lucas was paradise. Now it was a prison.

They rounded a bend in the road. Up ahead was a collection of wooden buildings, all small and in need of paint. Tin roofs rusted from the elements. An assortment of planes stretched out next to a long single runway. The plane she’d seen in the air came down slowly, drifting like a leaf on a breeze. Its engine got louder as it descended; then the plane touched down and rolled to a stop.

“We made it,” she said, shaking Bobby gently. “Come on, honey, wake up.”

Bobby stirred on her lap. “I’m hungry.”

“I know. There’s some bread.”

He shook his head. “I wanna hot dog.”

“In a couple of hours we’ll be in San Juan and I’ll buy you three hot dogs.”

Hazel eyes stared sleepily up at her. “With ‘tato chips?”

“Sure, and a soda, too. But not yet, okay?”

Bobby nodded.

Jeff pulled up in front of the large building and turned off the engine. Andie gave him a tight smile. “Thanks for the lift and the lesson in survival.” She touched her wide-brimmed hat. “We’ll be fine from here.”

He nodded. “I’ll stay to see that you get off all right.”

“It’s not necessary.”

“It is to me.”

“Yeah, right. That’s why you’ve been so friendly to me.”

Blue eyes met and held her own. Something ugly and painful flashed across his expression. Something that made her want to touch him and ease the suffering. Then it was gone and she was looking at the cool expression of a handsome, but deadly stranger.

“It’s not you. It’s your lousy taste in men.”

If he was talking about Kray, she had no rebuttal. She understood why he made his judgment, but she didn’t have to like it. “Everybody gets one mistake. He’s mine,” she said flippantly, so he wouldn’t know how his words had stung. “Come on, Bobby. Let’s go find our pilot.”

She collected her small cloth suitcase and filled it with the remaining water bottles. Bobby refused any bread or fruit, stubbornly insisting he wanted a hot dog. Andie prayed for patience.

When she’d settled her purse strap over her shoulder, she looked at the buildings, then started out toward the largest. It wasn’t much bigger than a two-car garage, but she could hear voices from inside. Before she entered the building, Jeff touched her arm.

“Let me keep the boy,” he said.

She stared up at him as her heart began to pound against her ribs. Oh, no. Not that. She’d trusted him and now he was going to steal her child? It wasn’t fair. She glanced around wildly for a weapon or something to hold him off.

He grabbed her arm. “Dammit, that’s not what I meant.” His fingers bit into her. “Stop it, Andie. I’m not going to hurt you or Bobby.”

She swallowed the fear and struggled for control. “Then what are you saying?”

“I don’t like this.” He jerked his head toward the building. “It’s been too easy and I have a bad feeling. What I’m saying is that I’ll stay here with Bobby while you go make your deal with the pilot. If something happens—I’m not saying it will—but if something happens, he won’t know about Bobby.”

“What could happen?”

From Jeff’s shuttered expression, he could probably name her a hundred things, but he didn’t detail them. Instead, he shrugged as if to say it was up to her.

He made sense. She hated that. He didn’t like her because of Kray and he expected her to leave her son with him? She couldn’t.

She didn’t have another choice.

“Stand just outside the door so I can see you,” she said, then looked at Bobby and tried to smile. “Stay here with Jeff. I’ll be right back.”

“But I’m hungry.”

“I know.” Andie left her suitcase beside Bobby, then straightened her back and marched into the building. When she crossed the threshold, she looked back to make sure Jeff was right where she’d left him. He was.

Inside the building, several large airplane engines lay in pieces. Four men were bent over different workbenches. The room smelled of sweat, beer and machine oil. Andie walked to a cleared section in the center and waited for someone to notice her. Finally, the dark-haired man closest to her looked up.

“Can I help you, lady?” he asked, getting to his feet and smiling at her.

She smiled tightly back and was grateful Jeff’s hat hid her hair color. The way this man’s gaze was roving over her body, he would have every detail memorized.

She glanced at his wrist, but didn’t see a snake tattoo. “I’m here to meet a pilot. His name is Michael.”

The dark-haired man frowned. “Michael no here.”

“We were supposed to meet at one.”

“Michael no coming in.”

She didn’t like this one bit. Andie glanced over her shoulder. Jeff and Bobby weren’t in the doorway. She was about to panic, when she saw a flash of red from Jeff’s tank top. They were just outside the door, keeping out of sight. She hadn’t completely agreed with the precaution before, but the bad feeling growing in her stomach told her it was for the best.

“Why won’t he be in?”

Dark brown eyes met hers. “None of the pilots are coming in today. All flights out have been canceled.”

“Canceled? Why? The weather’s perfect.”

“Not weather, lady.” The man pulled a rag out of his pocket and started cleaning his hands. “Orders. No flights leave today. Maybe not tomorrow, either.”

Kray. He’d ordered the airport closed. Damn.

“You tell me what you want,” the man said, moving closer. “I can help.”

“I don’t need anything,” she said, backing up slowly. “Really. Michael was just going to…ah, he was going to give me a tour of the island from the air. He was recommended by my boss back in New Jersey.”

“Michael no give tours,” the man said. “Who are you? What’s your name?”

From behind her came a sharp cry. “Let me go! Mommy, make him let me go. I’m hungry. I want a hot dog.”