Expedition of Love (23 page)

Giving her pocket a pat, comforted by the feel of the derringer, she slipped from her horse and crawled up the rock ledge to peer over its peak. If he had continued on, she would be able to see him from the ledge, and if he'd stopped on the other side, she wouldn't make the mistake of riding directly into his camp.

As she reached the top, she carefully lifted her head to see. Smiling with excitement, she watched the man set a few boxes, none to carefully, around the campfire. She'd found the fossils and the thief, but worried about his careless handling of the crates.

Deciding it was time to return to camp and alert the others so they could ride out and retrieve the fossils, she shimmied down from her perch. Her feet finally on the ground, she turned and bumped into a wall of a man who smelled as if he'd slept with a cow.

She looked up at the grinning face of the one who had surveyed her so disgustingly. His teeth, a sickening shade of yellow, were nothing compared to his breath.

"Going somewhere, Senorita?"

She pasted on a wide smile, her heart racing and her mind searching for a way out of this predicament. Panic would not aid her in the least. “Sightseeing. I'm a nature lover, you know."

"There are many sights I can show you,” he said with a leer.

"Thank you, but I think I've seen quite enough for one day. I'll just be returning to camp.” She edged to the side, knowing she wouldn't get very far, and the beast of a man didn't disappoint her.

He gripped her arm, quickly cutting off the circulation to her hand. “I think you will stay."

"Well, when you put it that way, how could I refuse such a generous offer?"

He chuckled, and she did her best not to turn from his fetid breath tinged with alcohol. Perhaps she could utilize his inebriated state.

"Pedro! We have a visitor!” He smiled down at her with a sickening gleam in his eye. “A very pretty visitor."

The man she'd followed appeared from behind the rocks. The moment he saw her, he too, grinned lasciviously. “It looks like we're going to have some fun for a change, eh Raul?"

This was the one Antonio threatened to speak with, but if that were true, then he was in favor of stealing the fossils. Which meant that Antonio wasn't aware of his greed, or was he? It was all very confusing, and the least of her troubles at the moment.

Pedro chuckled as he moved closer. Lifting his hand, he fingered the tip of her braid hanging dangerously close to her breast.

She held her breath, praying he wouldn't touch her, but as his hand opened, his intent clear, she gritted her teeth in preparation for his assault.

"Dog!” Raul swatted his hand away, cursing in Spanish as he jerked her against his side. She refrained from gagging at his horrific smell. “You will not have her until I say so. Not until I am finished with her."

Her stomach lurched before she forced her anger to fill the chasm created by the terror building inside her. She could take care of herself, and she would. She had to.

Her fingers gripped the derringer in her pocket.

Chapter Thirteen

The sun had barely crested the horizon when Stephen was jarred from his sleep by shouting. A shaft of fear ran straight through his soul. Edwin and the others were calling for Kristina.

Barefooted and shirtless, he tore out of his tent, his eyes scanning the area for her dark braid, her bright smile, even her hottest glare, but she was no where to be found.

"Stephen, she's gone,” Edwin said panting heavily as he jogged toward him with Antonio by his side.

Ignoring the frenzied pounding of his heart, Stephen turned to the gaucho. “What happened?"

"I do not know. She took my horse, but—"

"But what, man? Speak up!"

"There are two sets of tracks."

His head jerked to the side. Their horses were still in the makeshift coral. That meant they had visitors during the night.

"No,” Stephen breathed. Fear gripped him tighter than a Megalosaurus gripped its prey in its powerful jaws.

Spinning around, his hands fisted in Antonio's shirt, murder on his mind. “If they've touched her, I swear I'll come back and kill you."

"I will gladly hand you my gun to do the job."

Stephen shoved him away and proceeded to issue orders. “Mr. Anderson, saddle two horses! Mr. Thomas, you ride south to Mendoza's ranch for help. Mr. Walters, you and Professor Peterson stay here."

"It will take both of us to bring her back, Doctor,” Antonio said from behind him.

He twisted around and studied Kristina's so-called friend. He was to blame for this, but Stephen wouldn't be surprised if she had jumped right into the middle of it with both feet.

"You know where they've taken her?” Stephen asked.

"I have a good idea."

The guilt on the man's face said quite a lot, but he didn't have time to think about it. Extra eyes and an extra gun would come in handy, and if he knew anything about Antonio Mendoza, he knew the man cared for Kristina. “Mount up."

Stephen rushed into his tent, dressed quickly, then loaded his pack with the essentials. Canteen, medical kit, a blanket, and various other items, all while praying for her safety. Praying he would see her bright smiling face once again.

He paused to carefully check his revolver, discomfited by the weight of the metal in his hand. His marksmanship was excellent, but he wondered if he would be able to fire at a human being.

The distinct click of the cylinder snapping into place made his blood run cold. If they harmed her, he would kill them, and feel no remorse for his actions.

Shoving the gun into his waistband, he slipped on his pack and hurried to the coral where the others waited.

"We'll find her, Edwin,” Stephen said. “I swear it on my life. I'll bring her back."

"I know you will, son.” The old man's voice wavered.

Stephen gripped his shoulder, their eyes exchanging a wordless expression of friendship and hope.

"I have found their tracks, Professor. Do not worry, we will catch them,” Antonio said.

With a nod of encouragement to Edwin, Stephen mounted his horse, and they headed out at a full gallop.

They rode for several minutes in silence as the sun rose steadily into the sky. It was just the kind of sunrise Kristina enjoyed most. He'd watched every morning from behind the cook tent as she took in the start of each new day. He relished the moments as the golden glow kissed her skin, and wished now, that he'd joined her.

Slowing to a trot so they could check for signs of Kristina's trail, Stephen broke the heavy silence hanging between him and his unwanted companion. “What's your connection with these men?"

"I am their compadre. Or so they believe. They are cattle rustlers. I have managed to convince them that I have had a bitter argument with my father and wish to hurt him by stealing his cattle."

"So you're pretending to work with them."

"Sí, but they have not trusted me with the name of their leader. I must find out who is behind this, or my father and our neighbors will continue to lose money. Many are nearly bankrupt as it is."

"And the government hasn't helped?"

"They've lost two men.” Antonio turned to him. “They were found out on the plateau—dead. With bullets in their backs."

The frightening possibilities of what they might find settled over him like a shroud.

As they rode on, pausing from time to time to double-check the tracks, he grew more impatient. Every stop gave the kidnappers more time to do God only knew what.

Antonio climbed back on his horse after examining the ground, his face seemingly set in stone. “I know where they have taken her."

Stephen cleared the frustration and fear from his constricted throat. “How far?"

"There,” he said pointing to a distant outcropping of rock.

A shot echoed through the air, sending a shaft of icy fear straight through Stephen's heart. Without a glance at his companion, he kicked his horse and rode as fast and hard as the animal could carry him across the plateau.

Closing on the mound of rock, his body bathed in a cold sweat, Antonio swerved into his path, forcing him to pull up.

"No,” Antonio hissed sharply. “We must not rush in. We may only make matters worse or get ourselves killed. Then we would be of no help to her.” He motioned to the rock incline where a wisp of smoke streamed into the sky from the other side. “We will take a closer look first."

Setting his jaw, Stephen nodded then dismounted. Riding into the fray like the cavalry, his mind hell-bent on murdering the first man in sight wouldn't do Kristina any good—if she still lived.

Grimacing at the terrible thought, he silently made his way across the remaining yards of earth and crawled up the ledge alongside Antonio to see who or what waited beyond.

Listening for the sound of a woman, of anything, wore his nerves to bloodied ends. His mind continued to paint gruesome images as they edged closer to the top. Unable to bear their slow and steady pace any longer, he started to jump to his feet, to face whatever lay on the other side, but Antonio grabbed his arm and jerked him back down.

Biting back the bile rising in his throat, Stephen complied, once again settling on his stomach and inching forward until he completed the longest climb in his life.

Peering over the edge, all feeling fled his body as he stared in shock down at the small encampment.

Sitting quietly, sipping her coffee, Kristina poked at the fire with a rifle by her side. Two men from the group that had paid an unwelcome call to their dig site, lay tied back to back on the ground several feet away.

Antonio and Stephen exchanged dumbfounded stares before looking back to her. Slowly, they got to their feet.

She looked up from her coffee and smirked. “I was beginning to think no one would ever get here.” Tossing her drink into the fire, she sat the cup down and walked over to the rock ledge, her hands on her hips. “Did you oversleep?"

Stephen climbed down then stood motionless, gaping at her while Antonio walked over to the two men and nudged them with his foot.

Antonio burst out laughing. “Only you, Chica! Only you. I am glad to see you have not forgotten what I taught you so long ago."

"I never forget a good lesson, although roping has never been my strong suit. And I did have to use a few, um, untried techniques to gain the upper hand."

"Your pistola came in handy? That is the shot we heard?” Antonio asked.

"Yes, and no. I had to distract them first. I convinced them to fight over me, and one tried to kill the other. That's when I pulled out my gun. They weren't convinced that I would shoot where I was aiming, spoiling any chances of future offspring, until I gave them a demonstration of my accuracy."

Antonio threw his head back and laughed harder, tinting her cheeks a slight shade of red.

Snapped from the image of her teasing the criminals with her sensuous smile and dark eyes, Stephen grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. “Are you all right?"

"Of course I'm all right. I told you I could take care of myself, but you repeatedly refuse to listen. I don't need a bodyguard, a protector, or any other such thing. I really wish you'd stop being so pigheaded about it."

Grinding his teeth, he ran a shaky hand through his hair. He'd never been so terrified in his life, and here she was lecturing him. A somewhat hysterical laugh gurgled up from his chest.

She planted her hands on her hips. “Honestly, I don't think this is very funny.” Her face scrunched up adorably as she looked at her captors. “Those men stole the fossils, and heaven knows what else, then kidnapped me, intending to perform some vile disgusting things on my person, and you find it humorous?"

Antonio and Stephen exchanged looks, wiping their smiles from their faces. She was safe, untouched, and unharmed, but the outcome of her adventure could have been grave indeed.

"The least you could do is thank me,” she fumed. “I mean, really, if I hadn't followed them, we would've never found the fossils and your expedition would've been a complete waste of time."

Stephen's moment of relief fled with anger. “You did what?"

"I said I followed them. Well, that one,” she said, pointing to one of the men. “Unfortunately, I didn't realize he had someone waiting for him."

He gripped her arm, wanting to shake some commonsense into her hard head. “What in the name of heaven were you thinking? You could've been hurt!"

"Well, I wasn't!” She jerked free, and gave him a level stare as she rubbed where he'd held her.

Good God, she was hurt. Or had he hurt her? His mind jumped from one frightening thought to another as she continued to rail at him.

"This is the very reason I didn't bother to wake you or the others when I saw that man sneaking around the camp. All you're interested in is protecting the helpless female.” She stopped rubbing her arm and poked him firmly in the chest. “Well, I'm not helpless!"

"What if there'd been more of them? What if you hadn't been armed? What if—for God's sake, you could've been killed!"

"The doctor is right. You should not have done this, Chica,” Antonio said calmly, as he moved up beside her.

She turned on him, her accusing finger hovering inches from his nose. “You're not off the hook yet. I saw you last night, and I expect you to tell me everything. And you,” she turned back to Stephen. “You're welcome!” With that, she stormed off.

Stephen started to go after her, but Antonio's hand fell on his shoulder, stopping him.

"I think it would be best if I take these two back to your camp. My father will have men there by now. The rest of the rustlers will have to be taken to jail now that we have Raul. He was their leader."

"But not the head man."

"No. He is still a mystery.” Antonio looked at Kristina, still marching away. “I will tell Professor Peterson she is safe, but I will leave you to deal with the little mule. She is too mad at me to listen to anything I have to say."

"Mad at you?"

Smiling, Antonio turned to him. “Sí. She is mad with love for you, me she is just mad at.” He went back to the men and jerked one of them to his feet, then helped him roughly onto his horse.