The Only Way Out Read online

  When they finished the main course, she brought out a bowl of fruit. As she carried dirty plates to the sink, she could hear the soft rhythm of the surf on the shore and the call of some night creature. How would Jeff contact the other people in his team? How would he get them off the island?

  The ever-present fear swelled up inside of her. She didn’t want to think about it. She couldn’t not. She of all people understood Kray’s determination and his power. She was a fool to think she could outwit him.

  From behind her came the sound of laughter. Bobby had told one of his silly knock-knock jokes and Jeff was pretending to be amused. She turned and looked at the two of them. Jeff glanced up and their eyes met. Behind the humor was wariness, and below that, the flicker of something that could only be pain. Being with Bobby would be difficult for him, she realized, then wondered how old his child had been when he’d been killed.

  She was his enemy’s ex-wife, and Bobby was Kray’s heir. Yet Jeff was willing to get them off this island to safety. She wondered how she would ever be able to repay him.

  Andie closed the bedroom door behind her and leaned against it. She could hear the faint sound of the baseball game and nothing else. She exhaled deeply and walked toward the kitchen.

  “You were inspired,” she said quietly, as she paused to pick up the last few dishes from the table. “He’ll be asleep in no time.”

  She walked into the kitchen, then stopped dead.

  Jeff stood beside the sink. He’d stripped off his tank shirt and was standing facing the counter wearing nothing but a pair of white shorts. He was tall, strong and disturbingly male.

  “Inspired how?” he asked without turning around. He pulled a cloth from a bowl in the counter and squeezed it. Dark liquid ran down his hands. He took the cloth and wiped it against his left arm. Instantly his skin darkened several shades.

  “Offering to let Bobby listen to the opening-night baseball game was a brilliant idea. He’s finally stopped whining, and he’ll be asleep in a couple of minutes.”

  “Most boys like baseball,” he said, still not turning around. “He’s a good kid. He’s just tired.”

  “I know.” She moved closer. “What are you doing?”

  “Going native.” He rubbed the cloth against his chest, then started on his other arm. “I need to make arrangements to get you off the island. I’ll blend in better if I look like one of the locals.” He stretched out his darkened hand in front of him. “I couldn’t pass during the day, but at night I’ll be fine.”

  She stared at the small bottle sitting on the counter, but there was no label, nothing to say what it was or where he’d gotten it.

  “You have friends here?” she asked.

  “One or two contacts.”

  “So you’ll be going out?”

  He glanced at her. His face was still its normal tanned color, but his chest and left arm were dark brown. He looked like an alien from a science fiction movie. “I’ll be gone a few hours.”

  Irrationally, she was suddenly terrified at the thought of being alone. It didn’t make any sense, she told herself. She was also nervous being around Jeff, so she should be glad he was leaving for a few hours. Bobby wasn’t the only one who was overtired.

  “You’ll be fine,” he said, then dipped his cloth in the bowl again.

  She didn’t know how he knew what she was thinking and she didn’t care. “I have been up to now.” She glanced around the kitchen. “This is all like a dream. Like your stories about that magical bird. I keep thinking I’m going to wake up in my own bed back in L.A. That I’ll find out this is just the result of too much studying and not enough sleep.”

  “Don’t get your hopes up. This is real.”

  “I know.” She was too scared to be dreaming.

  He finished his right arm, then reached for a small mirror. Quickly, as if he’d done it countless times before, he swept the dye over his face. She watched as he was transformed from a tanned surfer into a local.

  “What if it rains?” she asked.

  He grinned. His teeth flashed bright white against his now-dark skin. “It won’t wash away. I have a neutralizer with me. If I forget it, or don’t use it, the color fades in about a week.”

  “You came prepared.”

  The smile faded. “That’s my job.”

  “Spy school must be an amazing place. The most exciting thing that’s happened at law school is some student got thrown out for cheating.”

  Jeff raised his chin and colored the underside of his jaw, then started on his ears. “You really go to law school?”

  His casual surprise irritated her. “Yes, Rambo, I have a brain and I’ve been known to use it a time or two. I’m even in the top ten percent of my class.”

  He raised still-blond eyebrows. “I wasn’t implying you’re dumb. I was wondering about Kray’s ex-wife deciding to be a lawyer.”

  “Oh.” She folded her arms over her chest. After swimming, she’d showered and changed into the shorts he’d bought her and one of her own T-shirts. The night air was balmy, the breeze from the open windows, seductive. “I suppose it is an interesting career choice.”

  He reached for a small brush and dipped it in the liquid. After blotting the extra, he stroked it carefully over his eyebrows. She stared. He gave her a quick glance. “Details are important. The people who forget them don’t survive long in my business. Eyebrows are a dead giveaway.”

  She flinched. “Maybe we could avoid the word dead in our conversations.”

  He used the small brush to stroke the hairline around his face, then used a comb to darken his short hair.

  “Make yourself useful,” he said, tossing her the cloth. He bent over the counter, resting his weight on his forearms. “Do my back. Don’t forget my neck and behind my ears.”

  She stared at the vast expanse of gleaming male skin, then at the dark rag in her hands. He wanted her to touch him?

  He glanced at her impatiently. “I can’t reach the middle of my back.”

  “I understand,” she said, and stroked the long muscles by his shoulder.

  His skin rippled under her touch. She could feel the warmth of him, as if his body were a degree or two hotter than hers. Part of her wanted to throw the cloth down and run for cover. Part of her wanted to step nearer and snuggle against his strength. She hadn’t been this close to a man since her marriage, and that had been over six years ago. Not that she was attracted to Jeff. She refused to be. She didn’t know anything about him except for the fact that he thought she was almost as bad as Kray.

  The dye went on easily. It had little scent, although she could still smell the maleness of Jeff himself. He stood perfectly still, apparently unaffected by what she was doing. If she was honest with herself, he hadn’t once looked at her as if he knew she was female. Better for both of them, she told herself, even as she felt a slight flicker of irritation.

  She shook her head. She was crazy. One minute she was frightened of him, the next she was cranky because he hadn’t made a pass at her. Obviously she’d spent too much time with her young child and not enough around other adults.

  She worked down his broad back, to the waistband of his shorts. He didn’t ask her to go lower and she didn’t offer. She dipped the cloth in the bowl again, then wrung it out.

  “You’ll have to bend over more,” she said, trying to reach his neck.

  He hunched down. “So why’d you pick law school?”

  She moved around him to his other side and completed darkening his skin. “I’m done.” She handed him the cloth. “I didn’t want anyone to take advantage of me again.”

  “How did Kray take advantage of you?”

  The way he asked the question made her realize what he was thinking. “Oh, not that,” she said, waving her hand at him. “He didn’t attack me, or anything. I was just so innocent, and unaware of what was going on around me.”

  He straightened and stared down at her. His mouth twisted in disbelief. “Where did you think the mone
y came from?”

  “I thought he was a businessman. I never asked any questions, and he didn’t tell me otherwise. I suppose you think I should have known.”

  He didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. The momentary truce between them ended. She felt the change as he shifted away from her. There was a tangible coldness between them.

  She wanted to tell him it wasn’t her fault. She’d been a fool, but that was her only crime. When she glanced up at him, she couldn’t say it. He wouldn’t believe her. Besides, she didn’t need his approval to get on with her life.

  “Great Halloween costume,” she said. His blue eyes looked eerie, contrasting with his brown face. She took a step back.

  “It gets better. Here.” He handed her a plastic jar. “Use this to get the dye off your hands.”

  She glanced down at her fingers. They were brown. She opened the jar and scooped out a small amount. After rubbing for a few seconds, the dye faded. She rinsed her hands, then dried them on a clean towel. Jeff worked beside her, checking his face in the mirror. It was as if the moment of hostility had never been.

  How did he do that? she wondered. Did his anger fade so quickly or was he better than her at concealing his emotions? She watched as he opened a small plastic case containing brown contact lenses. After putting them in his eyes, he slipped false teeth into his mouth. Next came a thin black mustache. He reached for a bundle of clothing on the counter. Within minutes, he was dressed in khaki trousers, an open short-sleeved shirt and worn athletic shoes. The California surfer was gone and in his place stood a dark-skinned stranger.

  He was the same size, but with dyed skin, the shadows fell across him differently, making his bulk look unfamiliar. The false teeth changed the shape of his face; the mustache accented the differences. She fought the urge to move away from him.

  “Don’t be frightened, pretty lady,” he said, then grinned. The accent was perfect, the smile frightening.

  Yes, Jeff could easily conceal his emotions from her. She wasn’t exactly sure what he did for the government, but she suspected it required skills she couldn’t begin to imagine. No wonder he thought of her with contempt.

  “I won’t be gone long,” he said, his voice now normal. He gathered up his supplies and put them in a small black suitcase. “Four or five hours at the most.”

  “What if you don’t come back?”

  He stared down at her, his expression unreadable. “I will.”

  She hoped he would promise to return, or tell her not to worry, but he didn’t. He took his supplies to his bedroom, then left the house without looking back.

  She stood in the kitchen, listening to the sounds of the surf and fighting the fear. Jeff with-no-last-name might not like her, but she didn’t care about that. He was all that stood between her and Kray. If he didn’t come back, she was on her own.

  Chapter 6

  Jeff has said he would be back in four or five hours. Andie tilted her wrist toward the light spilling from the living room window. She stared at the dial, not wanting to believe, not wanting to know her worst fears might, at this moment, be realized. Six hours and fifteen minutes. What would she do if he didn’t come back?

  She sat on the porch swing, curled up in the corner, waiting. A thousand images passed through her mind. All the things that could have gone wrong. All the legitimate problems that might have delayed him. She was too tired for anything to make sense, and too worried to sleep.

  She’d tried. She’d gone to bed about an hour after Jeff had left, but she’d only tossed and turned. Even the sound of Bobby’s regular breathing hadn’t been enough to calm her. Yes, she had her son back and she was thrilled about that. But they were still stuck on Kray’s island with no way out.

  She leaned her head back against the wooden slat and stared up at the palm trees beyond the porch. They were still in the warm night, their fringed fronds blocking most of the brilliant stars. The sound of the surf provided a rhythmic counterpoint to her frantic thoughts. Would he come back? What would she do if he didn’t? She would have to find another way off the island. Could she wire the nearest embassy? What about—

  She closed her eyes and forced her thoughts to slow. She would face those questions in the morning. If Jeff didn’t return. There were still several hours of darkness left.

  Gradually her mind emptied until she focused on nothing but the sound of the sea and the scent of the land. Softly tropical, the fragrance was familiar. Too familiar. Her eyes opened. So much for relaxing. The last thing she wanted to do was remember her honeymoon here with Kray.

  Before she could find a safer topic to occupy her mind, she heard the low rumble of a car engine. She slipped off the swing and moved into the corner shadows of the porch. Headlights swept across the pool area of the yard as the Jeep came down the dirt path and stopped next to the house.

  Andie froze, not daring to breath. She waited until a tall man stepped out. Moonlight illuminated him. He’d removed his false teeth and mustache. She recognized the easy stride, even if his dark skin gave her pause. Yet she couldn’t move away from the shadows. There was something about the way he walked, about his posture. The predator had returned from the kill.

  Jeff paused at the porch stairs. “Everything all right?” he asked, staring right at her.

  She moved toward the swing, stopping behind it. “How could you see me?”

  “When you moved, the moonlight caught the white in your T-shirt.”

  She glanced down at the shirt, then back at him. “I wouldn’t have thought of that.”

  He shrugged. “Dark clothes are better at night, but don’t worry about it. It’s not going to be on the bar exam.”

  “Good thing. I suspect I’ll be a better lawyer than I would be a spy.”

  “You don’t want to be a spy. Trust me on that.” He lowered himself to the top step and stared out toward the ocean. “So, everything okay here?”

  “Fine.” She took a step closer. “Bobby’s been asleep since you left.”

  “Why aren’t you in bed?”

  “I couldn’t settle down. Not with you out there.”

  “I’ve made arrangements,” he said, resting his forearms on his raised knees.

  Relief swept over her. Thank the Lord. “That’s great.” She took another step toward him.

  “You’ll be getting out on a boat. It’ll take you directly to Florida. From there you can take a plane anywhere you’d like. And stop hovering behind me. If you want to come and sit down here, just do it.”

  His tone of voice didn’t change so it took her a moment to figure out what he’d said. She realized she was hovering. She thought about retreating to the swing, then decided she might as well continue to be brave. The worst wasn’t over by a long shot.

  She lowered herself to the top step, but kept as close to the railing as she could. The stairs were wide; there was at least a foot between them.

  “When do we leave?” she asked.

  “Forty-eight hours.” He pushed a button on his watch and the dial lit up. “Make that forty-four hours from now. Just after midnight. I’ve worked with this man before. He can be trusted. He’s probably one of about three people Kray doesn’t own on the island.”

  She risked glancing at him. “I really appreciate this,” she said.

  “Don’t thank me until you’re safely away.”

  “Still, I’m grateful. How much is the boat going to cost?”

  “Keep your money.”

  “I can’t. Buying us T-shirts is one thing, but chartering a boat is another. That’s got to be expensive.”

  He glanced at her. He was still wearing the contact lenses and his eyes were so dark, the irises looked black. The odd combination of familiar and unfamiliar startled her. Her heart began a funny sort of thumping in her chest and her palms were damp. It was just fear, she told herself. Fear and very natural apprehension about the future.

  “Keep your money,” he repeated. “I don’t want it and I don’t need it.”

 
; “But—”

  He shifted suddenly, turning so he was facing her. “You’re going to need it to stay alive once you’re back in the States. Don’t be a fool, Andie. Kray isn’t going to let you and the kid go. We both know that. So quit worrying about how you’re going to get off this island, keep your money and instead figure out how you’re going to keep Bobby alive and away from his father once you’re in the States.”

  She flinched as he spoke and clasped her hands together on her lap. He’d frightened her again. Jeff swore under his breath. He seemed able to do that without even trying. The worst of it was he might be scaring her for no reason. If he succeeded, she would be free.

  He looked back at the dark ocean and the faint white froth of the waves against the shore. He was tired and he’d been on St. Lucas less than a week. Of course he’d been planning the mission for months, maybe even years. It had always been there in the back of his mind, he admitted to himself. He’d never not thought about revenge.

  “You’re right,” Andie said quietly. “Thank you.”

  He didn’t bother replying. Instead, he wished she would go inside, or at least move far enough away so that he didn’t have to inhale the sweet scent of her body. The fragrance was subtle, blending with the tropical breeze and the heady perfume of the night. It made him wonder what she would feel like in his arms and how she would taste if he kissed her.

  He shook his head. He didn’t want to think about that. Not now; not with her. She was Kray’s wife. That made her the enemy. He searched for his anger and hatred, but couldn’t find either. Maybe it was because he was beginning to see her as a person. Maybe it was because her strength made him respect her.

  There had been rumors about Kray’s wife. He’d assumed they all were true, but now he wondered. Andie had the good looks of a model, but she didn’t strike him as the party-girl type. She cared too much about her kid for one thing. For another, she wasn’t that dumb.