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consequences.
A round of laughter was the only response.
Miguel looked at her. On the count of three, run. Then, without
giving her time to argue, he held up one finger. A second. A third. He
stepped out from behind the rock and fired his weapon. Elizabeth,
fighting the urge to pass out, ran for it. Gunshots zinged all around her,
at least it felt like it, and she knew any second one was going to hit her.
Her heart pounded, her lungs squeezed from raw terror, but she
continued to put one foot in front of the other until the stall door
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loomed ahead.
It slid open a foot for her and she squeezed through it, made her
way between the wall and the SUV, opened the passenger door, and
dove inside.
The driver s door popped open and Miguel slid into the seat. He
shoved his key in the ignition and revved the vehicle to life.
Hold on, he growled. He slammed the shifter to reverse and
gunned the engine just as the door was thrown wide open and two men
entered. She couldn t tell whether they moved out of the way in time or
not, but she didn t hear any thumps, and Miguel plowed onward
without giving them a second glance.
The Explorer spun when he hit the brake, throwing up dirt, then he
shifted, floored it again, and they shot forward. The front end clipped
the front of the big truck on the way by, but suddenly they were
bouncing up the rutted path at an alarming rate of speed.
Elizabeth clutched the seat and tried to breath. She couldn t seem to
drag any air into her lungs.
When they reached the dirt road, Miguel swung right and their
speed increased.
More shots were fired, and a cling echoed through the vehicle.
Fuck! Miguel reached behind him, threw off a blanket that had
been covering objects in the rear seat, and pulled a rifle up in the front
with them.
Take the wheel, he ordered.
What? she squeaked.
Take the wheel. Slide in under me and drive.
I&
Damn it, Beth! Just do it!
While he powered down the driver s window, she took the wheel in
her cold hands, dragged herself over the console between the seats, and,
as he lifted himself up to sit on the edge of the window, facing back the
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way they d come, she moved into the seat and put her foot on the gas.
She barely fit into the tight space with his long legs pressed up against
the door.
Head for the highway, he yelled.
Keeping her eyes locked straight ahead, she tried her damnedest to
ignore the quick shots he fired from the semi-automatic rifle. Tried not
to think about the shots that were being fired at them. Every now and
then one would ping the SUV, and at one point the back window
shattered. But her body had gone into auto-pilot mode, while her brain
tuned out.
Just keep driving. Keep driving.
With her foot pressed nearly to the floor on the gas pedal, and her
hands steering out of pure instinct, that s exactly what she did.
It felt like an eternity. In truth, she had no idea how much time
passed. All she knew was that each minute that went by she was still
alive. And that s all that counted.
Miguel let off another spitting round of gunfire, and a moment later
she thought she heard a crash.
All was silent except the sound of the engine whining and the
Explorer bouncing up the dirt road at break-neck speed. She didn t dare
look at Miguel, look behind her.
At long last, she saw Miguel s hand come down on the steering
wheel.
Slide over. His voice was low and oddly calm after everything
that had happened.
She heard him, but couldn t move.
It s okay, sweetheart. Slide over. I can take it from here.
The endearment caused a tiny crack in the protective veneer she d
raised around herself. Her hands began to shake, her breath rattled out
of her. Slowly, she inched up and to the right, but kept her foot on the
gas until he eased into the seat and took over.
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He slowed the vehicle a bit, but not much.
Elizabeth continued to gasp air into her tight lungs and fight the
numbness that wanted to swallow her.
Are you okay? he asked. Are you hurt at all?
She shook her head as she stared straight ahead. No. I m& I m
okay, I think. What about them? Are they& ?
Stopped for now. But we have to find a place to disappear because
as soon as they can get reinforcements, they ll be looking for us.
They d reached the highway and he turned left, the opposite
direction from which they d come. He stepped on the gas, and
Elizabeth watched as the speedometer crept up to sixty, seventy, eighty,
and finally settled somewhere around ninety.
Ramirez& ?
Was never trustworthy. I figured he d betray me eventually. I just
didn t know when.
They really wanted me. Why, Miguel? I don t understand. I m just
a regular person.
His fingers closed around hers and squeezed gently. I ve told you,
I suspect you saw or heard something Galista is concerned about. Think
back again, all the way to when you first arrived in Acapulco. There
has to be something.
I ve been in Mexico five days. I can t think of anything. Nothing.
I ve just done normal stuff. Her voice grew breathless and high-
pitched as panic swept through her. I& I haven t seen or heard
anything&
Shhh. There s got to be something. Relax and think, and maybe it
will come to you.
She closed her eyes, hoping for an epiphany. But as the miles slid
behind them and the evening wore on, her jumbled brain offered
nothing.
She must have dozed off because when she opened her eyes the
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orangey-red glow of sunset curled around the vehicle, and they were
driving in the mountains.
Where are we?
Disappearing. I know of a place we can stay for the night.
His voice sounded quiet, too quiet, causing Elizabeth to turn and
really look at him for the first time since they d escaped. His
complexion, usually a deep tan, was pale, and there were squinty lines
radiating out from his eyes and mouth.
Are you okay?
He gave her a quick glance. Fine.
But she saw pain his eyes& those expressive brown eyes.
No, you re not. Let me see. She leaned closer and discovered
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