somewhere near Montalvo's place, and be dropped off. Then we disappear into the jungle."
"Oh, is that all?" Galen asked. "My, my, and I thought you had something complicated in mind. Venable said that jungle is very well-patrolled and we might have to dispose of a few sentries."
"You don't have to go with me."
"Yes, I do. This has nothing to do with you. I have a job to do. I was hired to find out about Montalvo. This is as good a way as any. And besides, I happen to have a fondness for Eve. I just thought I'd bring up the difficulties because I have no intention of wasting my efforts without a plan of action. Are we to storm the Bastille? Or perhaps try guerilla warfare? We brought enough firepower for a minor war but it would be a little absurd since there are only two of us."
"We get close. We look for a weakness." Joe smiled grimly. "And I call Eve on my cell phone and get her to come out and play our game instead of his."
"Now that makes much more sense than storming the Bastille." Galen sighed. "If a good deal less interesting."
"We may have to go back to one of your scenarios if Eve doesn't answer my call. She warned me that she might not."
"I think she will. Eve is a worrier. She'll be concerned that you're in dire straits and need her help."
"I am in dire straits." And Joe needed to know if she was well and not over her head in trouble. He'd been scared shitless since he'd left Atlanta after Galen had told him about Montalvo's connection with Diaz. It wasn't enough that Eve was dealing with one scumbag. An even greater one was hovering on the horizon. "And I'm not sure you're right. She keeps her word and she said that she wouldn't answer the initial call."
"I'm right. I may not know her as well as you do but I can stand back and observe with a more impersonal eye. You're not thinking as clearly as you might at the moment."
"Tell me about it," he said sarcastically. "Of course, you'd be perfectly calm and rational if the same thing were happening in your personal life."
"No. I'd be as scared as you are. But it's not Elena and Elspeth so I can preach to you. And be here to strike a note of reason when you go off course. Providing you listen to me."
Joe was silent a moment. "I'll listen to you. I don't promise I'll pay any attention, but I'll listen." He looked down at the vast stretch of jungle below him. Venable had warned him that Montalvo's men knew that territory like the backs of their hands, but that didn't worry him. When he was a SEAL, he'd lived in jungles for months and played hit-and-run and still managed to survive. That was years ago, but it would come back to him. Getting Eve out was going to be the hard part. She was strong, and her determination and endurance could be incredible, but she had no training. Galen had been a mercenary at one time and would be able to help. "Thank you," he said haltingly. "I know I've been on edge with you, but you're being a good friend to Eve. I appreciate it."
"On edge? I hardly noticed. Of course, I've been bleeding from a hundred little cuts and I might be too faint to feel them anymore." He smiled slightly. "And I don't expect it to stop. You're hurting and you're a man who instinctively hits out when hurt. I happen to be the closest target. I'll magnanimously forgive you in the name of Eve."
"I don't believe 'magnanimous' is the word I'd use about your acceptance of my apology," Joe said dryly. "But I'll try not to use you as a punching bag."
"In the name of Eve?"
He looked back down at the jungle below. "In the name of Eve."
It was midafternoon when Eve finished the report and sat back in her chair. Stop crying. Stop shaking. You have to go down to see Montalvo and you can't let him see this weakness.
Screw it. Give herself a little time. Accept the pain now while she was alone. Let the tears come. She closed her eyes and the tears flowed down her cheeks.
Bonnie.
Fifteen minutes later she got up, went into the bathroom, and washed her face with
"Oh, is that all?" Galen asked. "My, my, and I thought you had something complicated in mind. Venable said that jungle is very well-patrolled and we might have to dispose of a few sentries."
"You don't have to go with me."
"Yes, I do. This has nothing to do with you. I have a job to do. I was hired to find out about Montalvo. This is as good a way as any. And besides, I happen to have a fondness for Eve. I just thought I'd bring up the difficulties because I have no intention of wasting my efforts without a plan of action. Are we to storm the Bastille? Or perhaps try guerilla warfare? We brought enough firepower for a minor war but it would be a little absurd since there are only two of us."
"We get close. We look for a weakness." Joe smiled grimly. "And I call Eve on my cell phone and get her to come out and play our game instead of his."
"Now that makes much more sense than storming the Bastille." Galen sighed. "If a good deal less interesting."
"We may have to go back to one of your scenarios if Eve doesn't answer my call. She warned me that she might not."
"I think she will. Eve is a worrier. She'll be concerned that you're in dire straits and need her help."
"I am in dire straits." And Joe needed to know if she was well and not over her head in trouble. He'd been scared shitless since he'd left Atlanta after Galen had told him about Montalvo's connection with Diaz. It wasn't enough that Eve was dealing with one scumbag. An even greater one was hovering on the horizon. "And I'm not sure you're right. She keeps her word and she said that she wouldn't answer the initial call."
"I'm right. I may not know her as well as you do but I can stand back and observe with a more impersonal eye. You're not thinking as clearly as you might at the moment."
"Tell me about it," he said sarcastically. "Of course, you'd be perfectly calm and rational if the same thing were happening in your personal life."
"No. I'd be as scared as you are. But it's not Elena and Elspeth so I can preach to you. And be here to strike a note of reason when you go off course. Providing you listen to me."
Joe was silent a moment. "I'll listen to you. I don't promise I'll pay any attention, but I'll listen." He looked down at the vast stretch of jungle below him. Venable had warned him that Montalvo's men knew that territory like the backs of their hands, but that didn't worry him. When he was a SEAL, he'd lived in jungles for months and played hit-and-run and still managed to survive. That was years ago, but it would come back to him. Getting Eve out was going to be the hard part. She was strong, and her determination and endurance could be incredible, but she had no training. Galen had been a mercenary at one time and would be able to help. "Thank you," he said haltingly. "I know I've been on edge with you, but you're being a good friend to Eve. I appreciate it."
"On edge? I hardly noticed. Of course, I've been bleeding from a hundred little cuts and I might be too faint to feel them anymore." He smiled slightly. "And I don't expect it to stop. You're hurting and you're a man who instinctively hits out when hurt. I happen to be the closest target. I'll magnanimously forgive you in the name of Eve."
"I don't believe 'magnanimous' is the word I'd use about your acceptance of my apology," Joe said dryly. "But I'll try not to use you as a punching bag."
"In the name of Eve?"
He looked back down at the jungle below. "In the name of Eve."
It was midafternoon when Eve finished the report and sat back in her chair. Stop crying. Stop shaking. You have to go down to see Montalvo and you can't let him see this weakness.
Screw it. Give herself a little time. Accept the pain now while she was alone. Let the tears come. She closed her eyes and the tears flowed down her cheeks.
Bonnie.
Fifteen minutes later she got up, went into the bathroom, and washed her face with
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