Caught in the Act (36 page)

Sweat dripping in his eyes, he waited beside the door.

No one came out.

More gunfire erupted in the front of the house. Ian identified the report of Adam’s Beretta along with that of a semiautomatic machine gun. His friend was in trouble. Making a split-second decision, Ian left the back door and rounded the corner again, knowing that Adam needed assistance
now
.

Hopefully he’d get a chance to save Maria later.

As he ran toward the fray, an explosion knocked him off his feet. He felt the stitches in his leg separate, and gritted his teeth against the pain. Rolling over, he brought his arms up to protect his head as burning debris rocketed across the dark landscape.

25

Adam scrambled to his feet, shaking his head to clear it.

The explosion had thrown him against the car, smashing his bruised rib cage against the open door. Ignoring the fierce ache in his side, he took a sharp breath and concentrated on protecting himself from another round of bullets.

Whoever had been shooting at him from the front window was no longer firing. Flames spread up toward the roof, lighting the night sky. Adam couldn’t see the south side of the house, where Ian had gone, but the north side had a hole in it the size of a truck.

While he watched, still disoriented, two figures emerged from the flames, their arms around each other.

Adam’s vision blurred. He blinked at the brightness, recognizing that Chuy Pena was one of the figures. The other man fell to the ground and stayed there. Pena, who appeared injured, didn’t waste any time helping him. Holding one hand to his midsection, he stumbled away from the burning house.

Adam glanced at the inferno, aware that any remaining
explosives would be set off by the fire. The entire building could collapse in seconds, trapping Kari and Maria inside. Ian might be hurt, even bleeding to death.

And Pena was getting away.

The torch of hate that Adam had carried for Moreno hadn’t been extinguished, but neither had it transferred to Chuy Pena. Adam didn’t give a damn what happened to him. He just wanted to find Kari.

If Pena had any brains, he’d run away from the blaze, across the dark hillside. Instead he closed the distance between Adam and the SUV, challenging him to open fire. And, although Adam had no desire to shoot Pena, he couldn’t allow a cold-blooded murderer to pass by him.

Adam would rather kill him and be done with it, but professional ethics dictated that he attempt an arrest first. Which was a fucking hassle that he didn’t need right now. He’d abandoned his quest for revenge. It was infuriating to have to deal with this worthless scumbag while the people he loved were in danger.

Cursing under his breath, he strode toward the SUV and trained the barrel of his Beretta on the back of Pena’s shaved head. “Get down on the ground or I’ll kill you.”

Pena opened the driver’s-side door, ignoring him. He was gut-shot and covered in sweat. Even if he got away, he wouldn’t get far.

“I’m not fucking around, asshole! Get down now.”

Pena had a pistol in his hand in the blink of an eye. A bullet hissed by Adam’s left ear as he fired three times, connecting with his opponent’s chest and neck. Pena slumped against the driver’s seat and crumpled to the dirt.

Adam stepped forward and kicked the gun away, crouching down to check for a pulse. Nothing.

Although Pena never would have survived the stomach wound, Adam was furious with him for forcing his hand. A year ago he might have enjoyed this violent end. But the man he’d become was disturbed by the experience, rattled to the bone.

He’d let go of his bloodlust and overcome the past. Pena, in his final act of defiance, had cast Adam in the role of vigilante again.

Dead or alive, he was a ruthless bastard.

Making the sign of the cross, Adam straightened and turned away from the corpse, running toward the inferno.

Kari rose to a sitting position, coughing uncontrollably.

Maria was lying on the dirt floor beside her, unconscious. When the explosion propelled them both down the stairs, Maria had fallen first and taken the brunt of the blow. Kari thought she’d hit her head on the ground as they fell.

She shook her slim shoulders, trying to rouse her. “Maria, wake up!”

Maria moaned, insensible.

Panicking, Kari searched the dark basement for an escape route, trying to see through the smoke. The ceiling had fallen through in some places, leaving burning beams and hot ash. There was a swirling vortex of flames overhead, blazing a giant hole. They had to get out of here before the roof caved in.

She grabbed the gallon container of water and doused Maria with it, wetting her from head to toe. Maria sputtered
a weak protest, her eyelids fluttering. Encouraged by the sight, Kari poured the rest of the water on her own head and grabbed the blanket from the corner. Draping it over her shoulders, she crouched down next to Maria, slipping an arm around her waist. “I’m not going to leave you,” she promised. “But we can’t stay down here. If you don’t get up right now, we’ll both die.”

Maria wrapped her arms around Kari’s neck, murmuring her assent. With Kari’s help, she staggered to her feet. Kari dragged Maria up the stairs, holding the blanket around her body. For a skinny girl, Maria weighed a ton. By the time Kari reached the top of the stairs, she was gasping for breath, coated in sweat.

Unfortunately, the flames were hotter at this level and the smoke thicker. Kari couldn’t find a way out. Tossing the blanket over both of their heads, she crawled across the kitchen floor on her hands and knees, pulling Maria along with her. She expected to bump into Moreno’s body at any moment.

It wasn’t there.

Kari wondered if she’d made a wrong turn at the top of the stairs. She couldn’t see her hand in front of her face or get a clean breath to clear her head. Maria collapsed on the sweltering linoleum, her strength sapped.

They were going to die here. Inches from a door, probably.

Kari stuck her head out of the blanket and tried to scream. Her lungs filled with smoke and she coughed instead, her throat burning.

Then a man appeared before her, yelling Maria’s name. She shoved Maria’s blanketed form toward him,
almost weeping with relief. “Take her,” she gasped, dizzy from lack of oxygen. “Come back for me.”

Agent Foster was strong, but he couldn’t carry them both. He nodded and lifted Maria into his arms, disappearing into the flames.

When Kari tried to crawl after him, a ceiling beam fell down, blocking her path. Disoriented, she curled up under the kitchen table. Every time she coughed, her lungs contracted, desperate for air. Her wet hair was steaming. She was too exhausted to move, too hoarse to cry out. And she was so … sleepy.

She closed her smoke-irritated eyes, letting the black fog envelop her.

Adam found another corpse by the corner of the house.

The man who’d helped Chuy escape the blaze had a large splinter of wood lodged in his upper thigh and appeared to have bled out very quickly.

Running past him, Adam shouted Ian’s name, searching for a way inside. The front entrance was engulfed by flames. After the explosion, Pena and his buddy had come through a gaping hole on the north side.

Adam headed in that direction, spotting Ian. He was carrying a slender bundle in a charred wool blanket. Maria.

“Where’s Kari?”

“Still inside the kitchen.”

While Ian took Maria to safety, Adam ran into the burning building, calling Kari’s name. The smoke was so thick he couldn’t see anything but vague shapes. He started coughing instantly. Lowering his head, he continued toward the back of the house, where the kitchen
was supposed to be. Flames licked along every wall and the ceiling was crumbling.

Praying that Kari was still alive, he covered his mouth and nose with the crook of his arm and ducked under a fallen beam.

The kitchen was almost unrecognizable, sizzling with heat. Adam saw her running shoes beneath a card table. It was clear from the position of her body that she was unconscious. Refusing to consider the possibility that he’d arrived too late, he shoved aside the table and bent down to pick her up.

His ribs screamed a violent protest as he hefted her over his shoulder. She wasn’t easy to carry and he was already short of breath. But failure wasn’t an option. Summoning the last of his strength, he rushed out of the kitchen, staggering through the blazing obstacle course. He almost stumbled sideways as another beam crashed from the ceiling.

Gritting his teeth, he picked up the pace and ignored the pain, emerging from the house in a final burst of energy.

A second later, a series of explosions rocked him off his feet. He fell on top of Kari, covering her body with his. The house went off like a bag of popcorn, staccato blasts echoing through the night.

Ian came forward, risking his neck to help Adam. Fearless as always, he waded through the fireworks, grabbing Kari by the arms and dragging her away from the danger. Adam followed close behind, army-crawling across searing debris. When they were safe, Ian began rescue breathing. Adam could only watch, trying to drag air into his own lungs, while Ian gave Kari some much-needed oxygen.

She responded immediately, gasping and wheezing. Ian rolled her onto her side as spasms wracked her body. After a long moment, she quieted, tears streaming down her soot-darkened face.

She appeared dazed and exhausted … but she was alive.

Maria, who had also regained consciousness, put her arms around her friend and sobbed with relief. Adam patted Ian on the back, praising him for a job well done. He couldn’t believe they were all okay.

It was the happiest moment of his life, by far.

“Moreno didn’t get out,” Ian said.

Adam glanced back at the house, which was burning down to the studs. Anyone inside would have been incinerated.

The four of them left the scene, injured but upright. Ian helped Maria walk and Kari leaned heavily on Adam. His ribs ached with every step, but the pain was bearable, almost insignificant. Ian limped along beside him, content.

After they called the authorities to report the fire, Adam loaded Kari into his car and took her to the emergency room in downtown Tijuana. Ian followed close behind with Maria. Kari needed some oxygen to clear her lungs and mild painkillers for her sore throat. For Maria, who had a minor concussion, the doctor prescribed rest. Nothing could be done for Adam’s bruised ribs, so he didn’t complain. Ian’s treatment was the most intensive. He winced as his wound was stitched up, enduring the procedure stoically.

Adam was glad their injuries weren’t serious. Both women denied being sexually assaulted, much to his relief.

It was almost midnight when they left the hospital. A pair of detectives had asked them to stay in the city while the crime scene was processed. Too exhausted to do otherwise, Adam booked a couple of rooms at a nearby hotel. He doubted the Tijuana police would launch a thorough investigation. When drug cartel members were involved, it often made more sense to look the other way.

Adam’s main concern was breaking the news to his superior officer, who might fire him for insubordination. But that could wait until morning.

Right now the only thing he cared about was sleep … and Kari.

Kari stood in the shower for a long time, rinsing away the remains of the day.

The steam soothed her sore throat and the hot water relaxed her battered body. She washed her face and arms repeatedly, using plenty of soap, lathering every inch of skin. Finally the water ran clean.

She turned off the faucet and stepped out, drying off with a fluffy towel. This was a nice hotel. Gentle soap, soft towels. After finger-combing her hair, she found a complimentary bottle of moisturizer. She applied the creamy lotion to her freshly scrubbed skin, taking special care around her abraded wrists.

When she was finished, she felt almost human again.

She walked out of the bathroom, surprised to find Adam sitting at the table instead of Maria. The room service dishes had been cleared away. Less than an hour ago, Kari had enjoyed cool gazpacho and orange flan
while Maria feasted on a heartier meal of
arroz con pollo
, with chocolate cake for dessert.

“Do you mind?” he asked, rising to his feet. “I thought Ian would rather share a room with Maria.”

Kari nodded, figuring that Maria had jumped at the chance to be with Ian. They’d held hands at the hospital and gazed into each other’s eyes all night. Kari wasn’t as sweet with Adam, though he’d stayed by her side the whole time. She wasn’t opposed to sharing his bed; she was uneasy about sharing her
feelings
. Over the course of the evening, she’d come to a frightening realization: she was desperately in love with him.

His eyes traveled along her bare legs, lingering at the hem of her towel. When she shifted her feet, he pulled his attention back to her face. “I don’t expect anything,” he said, clearing his throat. “I brought my gym clothes from the car, if you want to use them as pajamas. They’re clean.”

Kari glanced at the clothes on the bed, touched by his thoughtfulness.