Hazard Play (15 page)

“Nothin’ doin’.” He advanced toward her. “I gotta put you in the other bedroom.”

“Fine, if you want the paramedics to treat a dead body, take the chance. Do you know anything about asthma or performing CPR?”  She was banking they didn’t, much less that it was unlikely an asthmatic would go into cardiac arrest. “I thought not. But hey, if you don’t mind, I don’t.” She stood up defiantly. “Which room did you say?”

“Hang on there a minute. I gotta think.” He left to talk to his cohort.

She hoped it gave him a headache.

“Tess!”

“What, Lucius? Keep it down, though.”

“My nose itches. Is it okay to scratch it?”

She giggled. “I’m sorry, I know this isn’t the time for humor. Yes, of course, go ahead.”

Lucius scratched his nose and sighed. “Oh my, for a moment, I didn’t think I could hold out. That’s much better. What are you going to do if they lock you up? What shall I do when the ambulance gets here?”

“I haven’t seen the other room, but just because this one doesn’t have a window doesn’t mean the other is the same way. I’ve been looking around and I don’t think this room was originally meant to be a bedroom. There are too many built-in shelves and closets. I think it’s a storage/pantry room that they set up as a custom-made prison.” 

She patted his hand. “If it’s a real bedroom, I’ll break the window. But Lucius, if I don’t get out, it’s up to you. Try to fake it as long as possible. The best thing would be to get loaded into the ambulance first and then ask for help.” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, smiling when he turned bright red.

The door opened and both guards entered. “You can stay until we hear the siren. Then, you go into the closet.”

“Please, I get claustrophobia really bad. If I promise not to make a sound, is there any place else?” She didn’t fake her look of fright. A closet wouldn’t do at all.

“Jeez, lady. You never quit. If I wasn’t already a drinkin’ man, I’d have to start.” He turned and started a whispered conversation with his silent partner. It didn’t last long. He wheeled and said, “I ain’t trusting your promise. You’ll be gagged and tied, but we’ll put you in the bedroom.

“That makes me feel much better.” They didn’t know how much. At least she’d have a chance.

In the distance, the urgent wail of a siren sounded. But the echo was tricky. The ambulance might still be miles away.

“Awright, lady, come with me.” The burly guard grabbed her by the arm and led her toward the door. She tried to look back at Lucius, but the man jerked her hard about and ushered her out.  They went up a short flight of stairs to a door at the end of a hallway. Her captor pushed Tess through the entrance and followed her.

The room itself was not that large, but it was well appointed with expensive furniture and tasteful paintings. Tess spared no more than a glance, because the most important thing in the room to her was the window. She walked to the bed and sat down. The “spokesmonkey,” as she had come to think of him, checked out the room and said, “We went through here once, so don’t think you can find anything that will help you.”

“Not me. I’m glad I’m not in that closet. I’ll be good.”

“It don’t matter whether you say that or not, I’m making sure of it.” At that, he tied her hands in front of her and put a cloth gag in her mouth, securing a large handkerchief over it and behind her head.

She quietly submitted, not wanting to show him with her eyes the elation she’d felt when he’d tied her up. Had he tied her hands behind her back, she would’ve had a harder time getting loose. He finished up by yanking on the knots to make sure they would hold. She heard the door lock behind him and breathed a sigh of relief.

Tess jumped up from the California King bed and went to the window. The side of the house she was on had a lawn. At least, outer wall wasn’t against a forest of pines. She tugged the handkerchief down over her chin and pulled the gag out of her mouth. She swallowed hard a couple of times to get rid of the taste of cotton. Her hands were another matter. After a minute of tearing at the knots with her teeth, she admitted she would have to figure out a plan “B.”

Looking down, she tried to convince herself two stories wasn’t an impossible amount of distance to jump. It didn’t work. Her next thought was tying sheets together...a possibility. She looked to the left and saw a lanai-style balcony outside of the next room.  If she could get over to it, the door might not be locked. A big “if” but one she’d rather take than relying on her physical ability in jumping or shinnying down sheets.

She heard the ambulance siren shrieking in the distance. It had to be getting here soon. She wished she knew how much time she had before it got to the house. Tess opened the window and gauged the distance to the next balcony. It looked like she could jump to the railing...she had to...she didn’t have a choice. However, she decreased her odds with her hands still tied. 

She ran to the adjoining bathroom, which had been cleared out of anything that was remotely sharp. Grabbing one of the hand towels she wrapped it around her hands and pounded on the medicine cabinet mirror until it broke. 

Catching up a wicked looking shard, she sawed at the thin cording binding her hands, cutting herself in her haste to be free. Bleeding from the shallow cuts she knew weren’t serious, she stopped long enough to wrap the handkerchief she’d thrown on the bedroom floor around the wrist bleeding the most.

Perched on the windowsill with one leg dangling over the side, she estimated her reach. Piece of cake.
Right.
Taking a deep breath, she flung her other leg over the sill and braced both of them against the side of the cabin. Pushing off, she opened her arms and reached, catching the railing, but slammed hard into it. 

“This was not in the job description.” She took a minute to catch her breath, grateful to be alive. However, the next time she saw Bailey, she was going to demand a raise—before she killed him with her bleeding hands.  She tried to laugh, but it ended in a whimper of pain. Her body hurt where it had hit. Tess heaved herself over the low railing and pulled to a standing position. Her luck held and she didn’t have to break the sliding glass door to get into the room.

She couldn’t hear anything from downstairs as she carefully tried the door to the hallway. The knob moved easily in her hand and she smiled. Things were going so well, maybe she’d just maim Bailey. She ached all over, but thought she probably looked worse. The shallow cuts had bled through the thin, cotton bandage and there was blood everywhere. If she weren’t a nurse, she’d be worried.

Tess crept down the stairs, flattening herself against the wall when she heard voices. Peeking around the corner, she saw the ambulance—emergency lights flashing and siren wailing—driving up the graveled road to the house. What had seemed to take hours had only taken minutes. “I guess time only flies when you’re having fun,” she whispered to herself. She ran out the front door, planning to wave the ambulance down, only to be stopped by a mountain of flesh. 

Her luck had run out. Goon Number Two was an immovable object in front of her. As he reached out to grab her, she yelled and started running. His footsteps pounded behind her as she ran toward the driveway. He tackled her and she fell hard, her head slamming into the ground. The siren ended with an abrupt shriek. Pain and then a red haze washed over her eyes, drowning out all sight.

Bailey and Rand turned down the street leading to the address she’d found in her Internet research.  The wood structure was visible among the trees about one half mile from the road entrance. Equally visible were the red flashing lights of an ambulance, which was backed up to the front door of the dwelling.             

“Damn it,” Bailey cursed and exchanged a worried look with Rand. His foot punched the gas and the rental car flew over the gravel road. In the rearview mirror, Bailey could see the police back-up Rand had notified turning down the lane. 

Braking to a stop, Bailey threw the car into park and exited without bothering to turn it off. He ran to the ambulance. Empty. He scanned the grounds and his heart stopped. On the lawn near the house, two paramedics were working over a slight figure with tousled blonde hair.

Tess was still.

Too still. 

In the seconds it took for him to reach her, Bailey contemplated the possibility of never seeing her again. It scared the hell out of him. He knelt in the grass next to her and asked the paramedic “How is she?” There was so much blood.

“We just got here, sir. Apparently, a man was attacking her and our arrival scared him off.” The attendant turned back to his partner. “Pulse is weak, but steady. She appears to have a bump on her right temple and cheek, probably where she hit the ground.  See the scrapes and grass stains?”

“Forget the inventory. Help her, okay?” Bailey was ready to tear someone’s head off and, at the moment, he didn’t much care whose. He sucked in oxygen. “Look, sorry I’m being such an ass. She’s...important to me.”

“Ow, then I either need a raise or worker’s comp.” Tess tried to raise her head, but cried out and sank back down. “Where’s Lucius? Is he okay?” Her voice, as weak as it came out, was the best sound Bailey had ever heard.

His heart started beating again. He moved closer to her and picked up her hand. “Let’s worry about you, first. You scared the hell out of me. Who’s going to keep me in line if you’re not around?” He pressed a kiss into her palm and gently smoothed back her hair.

The paramedic said, “Pulse is stronger, pupils equal and reactive to light. Do you know your name?”

“Tess. Tess Hazard.”

“What month is it?”

“July.”

“That’s good, Tess. Do you have any head or neck pain?”

“Is my head still attached? It doesn’t feel like it.” She tried to rise again, but fell back. “Whew, wait till the ground stops moving.”

“Follow my finger, Tess.”

“Which one?”

“You may have a concussion. We need to get you to the hospital.”

“You’re preaching to the choir. Even my teeth hurt.” Tess attempted to grin, but winced instead.

Bailey wished he could take her pain away. It shouldn’t have been Tess. It was his fault, his selfishness and determination that got her on this trip with him. “Don’t try to move, Tess. Let the men do their jobs.”

“Wow, there are two of you, Bailey.” She closed her eyes.  “That feels better.” She clasped her hand over his and sighed.  “Mmm, you have the warmest skin. Did I tell you that before? And you have really pretty eyes.” 

He chuckled. She’d kill him if he didn’t stop her ramblings. “Don’t try to talk, honey. We’ll be at the hospital soon. Be careful with her, guys.”

The paramedics placed a cervical collar around her neck, transferred her to a stretcher and carried her to the ambulance. Bailey, torn between riding with her in the ambulance and finding her attacker, hesitated. 

“I’ll go,” Rand spoke behind him. “You need to do some clean up and there’s someone who’s anxious to talk with you.” She climbed into the ambulance.

“Rand,” he stopped, not knowing what to say.

“I’ll take care of her. Don’t worry. Remember,
I’m
the one who
knows
how you feel.” She waved as the paramedic shut the door.

Bailey raked his hand through his hair and turned back to the house where the front door stood ajar. The police had started searching the interior.
Okay, Tess will be fine.  Get your head back into the game.
As he reached the threshold, Lucius appeared at the entrance.

“Where’s Tess? They took her to another room and I don’t know where she is.” The little man was obviously upset.

“Lucius, I don’t have all the details, but she’s going to be all right. She got roughed up a little and she’s going to the hospital for observation.” Bailey didn’t like how cold and businesslike that sounded, but it was the only way he could stay sane enough to get the bastards who hurt Tess.

“Hospital? I have to go see her. If it weren’t for her, those men would have taken me to my ex-bosses, and I’m quite sure a hospital couldn’t have helped me when they were finished.” Lucius walked outside intent on finding Tess.

Bailey followed him. “Hang on a minute, Lucius. A friend is with Tess. I need you to fill me in on what happened starting with the hotel. You’re the only one who can.”

Lucius recounted their captivity and how they had summoned the ambulance.  “The paramedics came to the room I was being kept in and it was safe for me to ‘recover’ from my attack.”

“Lucius, did you see where the kidnappers went? There was no sign of them when we got here.”

“Well, no. I was kept in the house. All I heard was a dreadful, noisy banging. I think it was the back door, but I’m not sure. The ambulance siren was quite loud, you know. It quite hurt my Eustachian tubes.”

“Damn it. I spoke with the police and the ambulance driver told them he talked to a man who claimed to be the one who called about an asthmatic attack. He gestured to Tess and told them to take care of her first; he’d go check on you. The paramedics had no idea he was the one of the men who took you.”

“Then they made—what do you call it—a ‘clean getaway’?” Lucius looked angry.

“Not if I can help it.” Bailey was grim. “They have an appointment with my fists for what they did to Tess. Do you want to go to the hospital with me to see her?”

“Of course, but what about those men? Won’t they get away?” Lucius looked worried.

“The cops have an APB out an cruisers at the roads out of town. They’ll catch them. The crooks have no way out of town with the airstrips being watched, too.”

All Bailey could think about was Tess and how pale she’d been, with her wrist bandaged and her shirt torn. It scared him to think that he couldn’t care less about his job. That except for wanting to beat the hell out of the man who had hurt her, it didn’t matter to him if he’d never see them again. Not the best frame of mind for a bounty hunter. Screw it.  He was going to see Tess.

* * *

Bailey and Lucius arrived at the hospital and found Rand sitting in the waiting room. “How is she?” Bailey didn’t bother to say hello first and he knew Rand wouldn’t expect it.

“Cuts and bruises, no discernible concussion, but they’ll keep her overnight. She’s dehydrated and they’ve given her a sedative so she’ll sleep through the day.” Rand stretched.

“It’s my fault she got hurt.” He raked his fingers through his hair.

“I don’t think that is quite accurate,” said Lucius. “Those thugs were not nice people. Tess was not afraid of them. She outsmarted them. She does not blame you.”

“
I blame me.
” He turned to Rand. “Thanks for going with her to the hospital. I owe you.”

“A fact I won’t let you forget.” Rand tossed her hair. “Besides, I told you Tess was good people. I would’ve helped whether you asked or not.”

Bailey leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Your car isn’t here. Let me arrange to get you home.”

“Not necessary. I have a ride.” She gestured to a blond guy waiting in the entrance to the lounge to join them. He came over and took her hand. “Danny, this is Bailey and Lucius. Guys, this is Danny.”

The couple looked at each other. Bailey saw that the guy couldn’t take his eyes off of her and she was crazy about him. He grinned. “I see she’s in good hands. Good luck.” He winked at Rand. “He’ll need it.”

“It’s a town for luck. Mine started when I met her.” Danny brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.

“Let’s get out of here and go home,” Rand said. “Let me know when she gets out.”

They said their good-byes and left arm in arm.

“They’re a lovely couple.” Lucius stared after them.

“Is something wrong? You look a little down.”

“Just envious.” As if shaking off a bad dream, he straightened his small frame. “What happens next? I am well aware I skipped bail, failed to report criminal activity to the proper authorities and left Portland.”

“I’ll escort you back to Portland as a bail jumper. But you uncovered a major fraud operation. Since you were kidnapped and returned the money, the judge should be lenient. I’ll testify as well to your character and how much you helped bring the scam to light.”

Lucius held out his hand and they shook. “Thank you. Now if you’ll trust me, I’m going back to my room. I’m quite fatigued and I’m sure Tess will want to see you the minute she wakes up.”

Bailey smiled. “I trust you. I’m going to wait here.”

“I never doubted it. I’ll take a cab.” Lucius left the waiting room.

* * *

Tess opened her eyes and looked at the man in the chair next to her bed, his hand covering hers in a warm grasp. He was unshaven, his eyes were bloodshot, his clothes wrinkled...and he’d never looked better. “Bailey.”

“Hey, Contessa, you’re back with me.” He stood and perched on the side of her bed, never letting go of her hand.

“What time is it? Or day?” She reached her hand up and felt a bandage on her forehead.

“Late afternoon. It’s been a little over a day since they took you and Lucius.”

“Is he okay?” He’d been so strong during their captivity.

“He’s better off than you. He went back to the hotel to rest.” Bailey kissed her wrist, which had been re-bandaged. “What did they do to you?”

“More like what did I do to myself?” Tess wasn’t in the mood for a rerun of the previous day, but she quickly recounted her escape. “I was scared, Bailey, but I knew you’d come. I was counting on you.”

She didn’t understand why Bailey had become so silent. The look he directed at her was filled with anger. He stood up and paced the room.

“What the hell were you thinking? Taking a risk like that was insane. Crawling out the window and jumping to that balcony? You’ve been nothing but trouble since I met you. I had to have a civilian without the brains God gave a fence post playing Jane Bond.” 

“But—”

“Don’t. Not a syllable. Not a word.” Bailey strode back to her bedside and grabbed her by her shoulders. “You’re fired. I’ll take it from here. As soon as you’re released, you’re going back to Greenview. I won’t be responsible for you...not like this...not ever.” He pulled away as if he couldn’t bear to touch her.

“You’re scaring me.” Tess barely kept the quiver out of her voice. She didn’t know this Bailey. He acted like he didn’t realize how tightly his hands gripped her. She could scarcely believe this was the man she had traveled with, argued with, laughed with, and made love with so completely and tenderly.

He laughed and the words boiled out. “Well, it’s about Goddamned time. Unfortunately, you’re about eighteen hours too late.” He turned and stomped out the door.

When Lucius came to see her an hour later, Tess was still shaken. “Lucius, he was a mad man. I’ve never seen him so angry.”  She drew a shaky breath and covered her face with her hands.

“Dear Tess, I don’t know what to say.” Lucius patted her awkwardly on her shoulder. “He was very upset when they took you away in the ambulance. If those dreadful men had been there, I dare say he would have torn them apart with his bare hands. He cares very much for you, I can tell. Maybe that’s the way he handles his fear.”

Tess sniffed. “Oh, yes, I could tell how much he cares. He fired me, Lucius—after he said he never wanted to see me again.”

“Oh, surely not. He couldn’t mean it.” Lucius was emphatic.

“Well, okay, he said he wished he’d never met me. I’m the one who never wants to see
him
again. I can take a hint and this one was delivered quite clearly.” 

“But, Tess, I thought you two, er, well, it seemed the way you looked at each other—”

“A temporary aberration or just plain old sex. Don’t look so shocked, Lucius. We’re grown people and love is just another word. I might add it never arose in the conversation when Bailey and I...never mind. Believe me, I know when to quit.” 

Tess was suddenly very tired. “Lucius, do mind letting me get to sleep? I love it that you came to see me, but I need to rest.”

“Oh, absolutely, dear girl. I’ll be off.” He patted her hand and left.

Tess sighed. She’d become an accomplished liar since she’d met Bailey. The devastation she felt at his tirade went bone deep. She had told herself she’d felt nothing for him other than the physical attraction that had first captivated her. Along the way, she’d made a big mistake. She’d fallen in love before she was able to shore up her defenses against his intelligence, humor, and personality.