panties? A big guy like you?” Ed’s laughter crawled over Nate’s body.
Rage coiled in his gut. This scum had no business handling Alex’s things, violating her. Breathing deeply, he fought for control. He would need his anger later. “She’s gone. She left, went for help. I came here alone to see what was going on. I . . . unh!”
Ed’s pointed boot caught Nate just under the ribs, hard against his side, and sent him sprawling into the dust. He wanted to retch, to curse. But all he could do was lay there gasping for air, facedown in the dirt.
Finally he struggled to his knees and elbows.
Swaying on all fours, Nate glimpsed the descending rifle butt out of the corner of his eye. A glancing blow to the back of his head stunned him. He collapsed onto the rocky ground. Lights flashed behind his eyes and pain danced across the back of his skull.
“Anything you want to say now?” Ed’s question came from far away. Nate had to think a moment before the words made sense.
“I said now !”
Nate was suddenly yanked upright. Sharp rocks bit into his knees and pain exploded across his cheekbone and jaw. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.
“Where’s the woman?”
“I . . . don’t . . . know.” Fireworks erupted out of the top of his head. But he had to stall these men. He had to give Alex the chance to run.
“We don’t have time for this.” Sid’s nasal voice ebbed and flowed with the throbbing pain that pulsed and pounded in Nate’s skull.
“You’re right.” Ed pushed Nate with one pointed toe, tumbling him back to the ground. “What d’ya think we should do with him?”
“We can’t let’m go. There’s too much at stake here.”
Nate heard an underlying question in Sid’s statement. With a sinking feeling, he realized whatever Ed commanded, Sid would do.
“Find Duke. He can handle this one.”
“He was at the chopper, last I saw.”
Nate heard Sid walk away.
“I don’t see him.” The footsteps returned.
Struggling to open his eyes, Nate focused on the worn toes of cowboy boots just inches from his nose.
“I’m over here.” Duke’s voice sounded distant, distorted by the pounding in Nate’s head. “I thought I saw something in the trees. Whatever it was, I lost it.”
Thank God. Alex got away. Nate relaxed a little, imagining her running cross-country for help, those gorgeous long legs carrying her closer to safety, closer to Roger and the other rangers. Closer to help.
“Sid, tie him up in the mine. We haven’t got time to mess with him. The woman could be halfway to a phone by now.”
Rough hands grabbed Nate by the collar and belt and jerked him upright. He felt the rifle’s sharp barrel pressing into his spine. Alex was free. She was going for help. He could hang on until she got back.
Sid forced him into the mine. He stumbled on the rough surface as they entered through a narrow tunnel, but the constant pressure of the rifle barrel against his lower back was plenty of incentive to keep Nate moving.
After a few paces, they stepped into a larger cavern.
“Tie him good and tight, Sid. There, against that beam. Hurry up, will ya? This place gives me the creeps.”
The interior of the mine was cool and dark, the narrow entrance heavily reinforced with thick redwood timbers. Nate stumbled again, his vision blurred by either sweat or blood. He blinked and tried to focus, but Sid grabbed his shoulder, spun him around, and slammed him against a rough-hewn redwood beam. It didn’t take much to push him to the ground.
Nate feared his shoulders might dislocate when Sid tied his hands, wrapped the heavy twine around the huge timber, and then circled it back around again to tighten the ropes from Nate’s elbows to his wrists. His hands started tingling almost immediately from the lack of circulation. He groaned when Sid gave the rope binding his arms an extra tug.
“I don’t like this, Ed.” Sid bent to tie Nate’s feet together and Nate fought a suicidal
Rage coiled in his gut. This scum had no business handling Alex’s things, violating her. Breathing deeply, he fought for control. He would need his anger later. “She’s gone. She left, went for help. I came here alone to see what was going on. I . . . unh!”
Ed’s pointed boot caught Nate just under the ribs, hard against his side, and sent him sprawling into the dust. He wanted to retch, to curse. But all he could do was lay there gasping for air, facedown in the dirt.
Finally he struggled to his knees and elbows.
Swaying on all fours, Nate glimpsed the descending rifle butt out of the corner of his eye. A glancing blow to the back of his head stunned him. He collapsed onto the rocky ground. Lights flashed behind his eyes and pain danced across the back of his skull.
“Anything you want to say now?” Ed’s question came from far away. Nate had to think a moment before the words made sense.
“I said now !”
Nate was suddenly yanked upright. Sharp rocks bit into his knees and pain exploded across his cheekbone and jaw. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.
“Where’s the woman?”
“I . . . don’t . . . know.” Fireworks erupted out of the top of his head. But he had to stall these men. He had to give Alex the chance to run.
“We don’t have time for this.” Sid’s nasal voice ebbed and flowed with the throbbing pain that pulsed and pounded in Nate’s skull.
“You’re right.” Ed pushed Nate with one pointed toe, tumbling him back to the ground. “What d’ya think we should do with him?”
“We can’t let’m go. There’s too much at stake here.”
Nate heard an underlying question in Sid’s statement. With a sinking feeling, he realized whatever Ed commanded, Sid would do.
“Find Duke. He can handle this one.”
“He was at the chopper, last I saw.”
Nate heard Sid walk away.
“I don’t see him.” The footsteps returned.
Struggling to open his eyes, Nate focused on the worn toes of cowboy boots just inches from his nose.
“I’m over here.” Duke’s voice sounded distant, distorted by the pounding in Nate’s head. “I thought I saw something in the trees. Whatever it was, I lost it.”
Thank God. Alex got away. Nate relaxed a little, imagining her running cross-country for help, those gorgeous long legs carrying her closer to safety, closer to Roger and the other rangers. Closer to help.
“Sid, tie him up in the mine. We haven’t got time to mess with him. The woman could be halfway to a phone by now.”
Rough hands grabbed Nate by the collar and belt and jerked him upright. He felt the rifle’s sharp barrel pressing into his spine. Alex was free. She was going for help. He could hang on until she got back.
Sid forced him into the mine. He stumbled on the rough surface as they entered through a narrow tunnel, but the constant pressure of the rifle barrel against his lower back was plenty of incentive to keep Nate moving.
After a few paces, they stepped into a larger cavern.
“Tie him good and tight, Sid. There, against that beam. Hurry up, will ya? This place gives me the creeps.”
The interior of the mine was cool and dark, the narrow entrance heavily reinforced with thick redwood timbers. Nate stumbled again, his vision blurred by either sweat or blood. He blinked and tried to focus, but Sid grabbed his shoulder, spun him around, and slammed him against a rough-hewn redwood beam. It didn’t take much to push him to the ground.
Nate feared his shoulders might dislocate when Sid tied his hands, wrapped the heavy twine around the huge timber, and then circled it back around again to tighten the ropes from Nate’s elbows to his wrists. His hands started tingling almost immediately from the lack of circulation. He groaned when Sid gave the rope binding his arms an extra tug.
“I don’t like this, Ed.” Sid bent to tie Nate’s feet together and Nate fought a suicidal
Similar Books
