“No doubt about it.” She paused. “But where did you go? Where was that container?”
“Not in her final resting place, if that’s what you’re hoping. I told you the truth, I don’t know where Santos set up his new compound. I did the work in a climate-controlled warehouse outside Bogota. It took me three days, but I did a job that would have made Ara green with envy. I did everything right. In the end, she was as beautiful as a goddess and has every chance to wake when the time is right for her. I was as proud as if I’d resurrected Mother Teresa. It was only later when I started to question myself and my work that I realized what I’d really done.” He added hoarsely, “I’d become the Frankenstein Delores had wanted me to be.”
She could hear the horror and agony in his voice. “And that’s why you wanted to opt out.”
“I had to opt out. Dorgal wanted me to stay with her, make sure that nothing would go wrong, spend my life attending that Plexiglas coffin. I took off and ran back to my home in Guatemala City.”
“But Santos sent one of his contract killers after you.”
“I’d already gathered my belongings and taken off for the hills by the time he got there. So he sent me a warning instead. He killed my brother and said it would only be the first death if I didn’t come back when I was needed.”
“In case there was a problem with the cryogenic unit.”
“Yes.”
“And you don’t know where Delores’s body was taken?”
“The last time I saw her was that warehouse in Bogotá.” He paused. “I assume she’s with Santos. He was very protective.”
“Then help me to find him. He’ll never stop searching for you, Montez. You know how this has to end. Help me to end it for all of us.”
“If you hadn’t killed Delores, it might have worked out without my having to be involved with them again.”
“That’s not fair and you know it. You made the deal. You took the risk.”
Silence. “I know where the blame lies. I should never have interfered with decisions that belong only to God. I tried to do penance working with Father Gabriel tending the sick in San Esposito.”
“And it only resulted in more deaths. It wasn’t enough. You know what you have to do. Cut off the head of the snake so that it can’t strike at your loved ones, my loved ones.”
“You’re still trying to trap him,” he said slowly. “What if something goes wrong?”
“Something has already gone terribly wrong. We’ll put it right.”
Silence.
“Look, I have people protecting your family,” she said urgently. “You’re the only one at risk, and I know that’s no small concern. But you’ll be doing what you should have done in the beginning. Fighting Santos instead of enabling him.”
Another silence. “I’m not sure you’re right. I’ll pray about it and get back to you.”
It was less than she hoped. She tried to contain her disappointment and impatience. “How soon?”
“I’ll pray,” he repeated. “And I’ll look for a sign.”
Positive. Think positive. “I know it’s the right thing to do. I’ll be waiting for your call.” She paused. “But Santos isn’t waiting, let’s stop him before he makes another move.”
“I have to think.”
She kept her tone level. “Hurry, Montez. There may have been too much thinking and not enough action. Don’t look too long for that sign.”
“I have to be sure.” He hung up.
“From what I heard it appears that Montez wasn’t cooperating,” Cameron said from the doorway behind her. “He’s looking for signs?”
“Don’t you know?” She pressed the disconnect. “I would have thought you’d have been tempted to do a little mental eavesdropping.”
“I gave you my word.” He smiled. “Besides, it wasn’t important enough. I knew you’d tell me.”
“Yes, he’s looking for signs and praying.” She frowned. “But I think I almost had him. Evidently not. It’s still a waiting game. So you can go back to trying to lure Luke into your camp.”
“No, I can’t. He dismissed me. He’s busy doing some kind of research for Kelly.” He came into the library. “So you’re stuck with me, and we both need entertaining. Shall I lock the door?”
As they had locked the door of the summerhouse months ago, when they had first come together.
Damn him. She tried to take a deep breath. Her chest felt tight and her nipples hard and sensitive.
“I’ve been very good,” he coaxed. “All duty and nose to the grindstone. So have you. Don’t we deserve a reward?”
“No, that’s not what this is about.”
“Yes, it is. It’s all how you look at it. It’s about saving lives. But every second of life should be lived to the hilt.” He was only inches away from her. She could feel his warmth, smell the spicy-man scent of him. “I’m all into hilt. Remember?”
The muscles of her stomach clenched. She could almost feel him inside her. “You know I do.” She kept her voice steady. “But I won’t have sex with you, Cameron. Not here, not now.”
“Pity.” He leaned forward, and his tongue slowly outlined her lower lip. She could feel the blood tingle beneath the sudden plumpness the sensation brought. “I thought that might be your reaction with your son in the house. But I wanted you enough to take the chance.” His hand moved lightly over her breast, then paused to rub, squeeze. Why couldn’t she step away from him? She was leaning forward, wanting to tear off her clothes, to frantically seek more. “We both know it’s going to happen. Now or later. But if you change your mind about now…”
Step back.
She couldn’t let him touch her any more, or she wouldn’t be able to stop it from happening.
Hard, so hard.
She whirled away from him and headed for the door. Get away from him. Get away from the way she was melting as he touched her. “I won’t change my mind.” She didn’t look back at him. “I’m going upstairs to work with Luke and Kelly. Then I’ll call Eve and see how Jane is recovering from the operation. I’ll give Montez a little more time to call me, then I’m going back and track him down to see him. As I said, I think I almost had him. He only needs a little more push.”
“So do you,” he said softly. “But I can wait until we’re on the plane going down to give Montez that extra little shove.”
The intimacy of that picture of the two of them on that long flight caused heat to escalate. “Bastard.”
“Impatient bastard,” he corrected. “Life is too short. We can’t afford to do anything but live for the moment. Now go do all those worthy, reasonable things that you’ve planned.”
“I shall.” She headed quickly for the stairs. She wasn’t running, she told herself. The hell she wasn’t. Cameron was the only man who made her unsure of her own ability to resist temptation.
She had almost let him lock that door.
Don’t think of that long plane ride down to Guatemala.
This wasn’t about living for the moment.
It was about making sure that no one ended up dead.
ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Caleb was in the room again, Jane realized drowsily. They had kept her heavily drugged since the operation, and she had been going in and out of consciousness. Sometimes, she’d been aware of Eve, sometimes Joe, but always Caleb in the background, somewhere in the room.
But now he was once again in the chair beside her bed as he’d been so often before the operation.
“Don’t play possum.”
Her eyes opened. “I wasn’t … playing … anything. Still sleepy.”
“I told them you wouldn’t need the drugs. They didn’t listen to me.”
“How … terrible. That they’d pay attention to the doctor’s instructions instead … of yours.”
Silence. “I believe you’re smiling at me. How unusual.”
“It must be the drugs. Even you’re looking mellow to me.”
“Mellow?” He tilted his head. “Then maybe I’d better take advantage of the moment while your defenses are down. Did Eve or Joe tell you that the operation was a success?”
“Joe.”