Carolyn Arnold - McKinley 02 - Vacation is Murder by Carolyn Arnold Page A
Authors: Carolyn Arnold
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flattered.”
“You’re going to prison for the man you murdered.”
“Ah, see, but that’s where you’re wrong. No one is going to prison. I’ve always found my own justice and I’ve always gotten away with it.”
“Not according to your record.”
Daren didn’t comment, but kept stepping back.
He must have been leery of being so far into the jungle. Like Sean’s thinking, why tempt Mother Nature?
With each step Sara took, Sean controlled his impulse to wince. Without her being able to watch where her feet fell, she placed herself at risk.
“Earl, put the money on the ground in front of you. Let Daren take it,” Sean said.
Daren grinned as he motioned for Sara to retrieve the bag, his gun trained on her.
“Not one stray move from any of you. Stay back.”
Sara returned to him.
“Very good. Now you hold on to the bag, sweetheart. And, Mr. McKinley, we’ll be leaving now. Your wife will send you the necessary account information once we’re in a safe spot. Stay here for three minutes before coming out, or your wife will die.”
Sara made eye contact with Sean. There was a hint of fear in her retinas, but there was also the ignited fire of a detective who would stop her man. She blinked deliberately. Her eyes opening with the silent communication that she would be all right.
“You better put the gun away or you’ll be in a lot of crap when we hit the clearing,” Sara said.
Her heart beat rapidly as she waited for the opportune moment to act on Sean’s silent directions. She prayed she had understood him correctly.
Daren ran a hand down the length of her hair. “Beautiful and smart. We’ll have to spend some time getting to know each other.”
“I respectfully decline.”
“Oh, you like to play hard to get.”
The way he took her in, eyeing her rapaciously, sent spikes of adrenaline crackling through her body. She was trained to protect herself, and if it meant killing this man, she wouldn’t hesitate.
“You’ll hold my hand,” he said.
His touch roiled her stomach. She had to figure out the perfect time to strike—and she had to ensure no one was around when she did.
Sean pressed his finger into Earl’s chest. It took all of his self-control not to drill his fist into Earl’s face. “Sara’s life is in danger because of you. If she’s hurt—even gets so much as a scratch—I will repay the favor tenfold.”
Earl wouldn’t make eye contact. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think—”
“That’s right. You didn’t think. You have money problems? Big deal. Going back a month I lived paycheck to paycheck.”
Sean took large strides toward the clearing.
“It hasn’t been three minutes.” Earl’s voice was filled with panic.
“No, it hasn’t, but there’s a difference between us, Earl. I love my wife and I’m not going to let her die.”
“I love my wife too.” Earl sputtered the words.
“We’ll see how she feels after she finds everything out.”
“I didn’t mean for all of this to happen. If only I had money in the first place. I was thinking of Cathy. She’ll never forgive me, will she?”
“I wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t. This is all happening because you got greedy. And, you said you did all of this for Cathy and Amelia. Well Amelia’s dead.” Sean pointed ahead to the clearing. “Daren, the man who has my wife, shot her.”
Earl buckled to his knees. “She’s dead?”
“Yes, Earl, and it’s probably because she warned you and you went missing.”
“Oh God.”
Sean kept walking. He didn’t care about the sadness emanating from the man. The only thing he could think about was Sara. Did she get his message?
Look, Don’t Touch
SWEAT POURED DOWN SARA’S BACK and her throat felt stitched shut with dryness. Daren was leading her around the perimeter of the ruins and it made her thankful for the privacy. It would make it easier to act when the time came, and that would be soon.
“Y’ouch. Oh, I have to
“You’re going to prison for the man you murdered.”
“Ah, see, but that’s where you’re wrong. No one is going to prison. I’ve always found my own justice and I’ve always gotten away with it.”
“Not according to your record.”
Daren didn’t comment, but kept stepping back.
He must have been leery of being so far into the jungle. Like Sean’s thinking, why tempt Mother Nature?
With each step Sara took, Sean controlled his impulse to wince. Without her being able to watch where her feet fell, she placed herself at risk.
“Earl, put the money on the ground in front of you. Let Daren take it,” Sean said.
Daren grinned as he motioned for Sara to retrieve the bag, his gun trained on her.
“Not one stray move from any of you. Stay back.”
Sara returned to him.
“Very good. Now you hold on to the bag, sweetheart. And, Mr. McKinley, we’ll be leaving now. Your wife will send you the necessary account information once we’re in a safe spot. Stay here for three minutes before coming out, or your wife will die.”
Sara made eye contact with Sean. There was a hint of fear in her retinas, but there was also the ignited fire of a detective who would stop her man. She blinked deliberately. Her eyes opening with the silent communication that she would be all right.
“You better put the gun away or you’ll be in a lot of crap when we hit the clearing,” Sara said.
Her heart beat rapidly as she waited for the opportune moment to act on Sean’s silent directions. She prayed she had understood him correctly.
Daren ran a hand down the length of her hair. “Beautiful and smart. We’ll have to spend some time getting to know each other.”
“I respectfully decline.”
“Oh, you like to play hard to get.”
The way he took her in, eyeing her rapaciously, sent spikes of adrenaline crackling through her body. She was trained to protect herself, and if it meant killing this man, she wouldn’t hesitate.
“You’ll hold my hand,” he said.
His touch roiled her stomach. She had to figure out the perfect time to strike—and she had to ensure no one was around when she did.
Sean pressed his finger into Earl’s chest. It took all of his self-control not to drill his fist into Earl’s face. “Sara’s life is in danger because of you. If she’s hurt—even gets so much as a scratch—I will repay the favor tenfold.”
Earl wouldn’t make eye contact. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think—”
“That’s right. You didn’t think. You have money problems? Big deal. Going back a month I lived paycheck to paycheck.”
Sean took large strides toward the clearing.
“It hasn’t been three minutes.” Earl’s voice was filled with panic.
“No, it hasn’t, but there’s a difference between us, Earl. I love my wife and I’m not going to let her die.”
“I love my wife too.” Earl sputtered the words.
“We’ll see how she feels after she finds everything out.”
“I didn’t mean for all of this to happen. If only I had money in the first place. I was thinking of Cathy. She’ll never forgive me, will she?”
“I wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t. This is all happening because you got greedy. And, you said you did all of this for Cathy and Amelia. Well Amelia’s dead.” Sean pointed ahead to the clearing. “Daren, the man who has my wife, shot her.”
Earl buckled to his knees. “She’s dead?”
“Yes, Earl, and it’s probably because she warned you and you went missing.”
“Oh God.”
Sean kept walking. He didn’t care about the sadness emanating from the man. The only thing he could think about was Sara. Did she get his message?
Look, Don’t Touch
SWEAT POURED DOWN SARA’S BACK and her throat felt stitched shut with dryness. Daren was leading her around the perimeter of the ruins and it made her thankful for the privacy. It would make it easier to act when the time came, and that would be soon.
“Y’ouch. Oh, I have to
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