Renegade Moon (CupidKey) (20 page)

“I say there will be. I want out. I don’t want any more to do with it, understand? You’ll have to find yourselves another jumping-off place.”

“Out of the question. Realize that you’re deeply involved in the operation . . .”

“Too bad,” Eric interrupted angrily. “If you don’t get off my land and stay off, I’ll make sure you do.”

“Is that a threat?”

“That’s a promise, Jard. I don’t care what it takes. I want you and your operation off the Bar-M.”

Jard studied his nails. “Obviously, you fail to realize what little choice you have in the matter. You aren’t the only one to consider, Mr. Montoya. There’s your friend, who incidentally, recruited your assistance in the first place, and there’s a certain young lady, a very snoopy young lady may I add . . .”

Fury exploded behind Eric’s eyes at the veiled threat to Destiny. He lunged for Jard, catching him with a hard blow to the jaw. Jard staggered and folded. Eric immediately whirled to confront Stoker, who came at him like a tank. They grappled and went down. Eric hit him once, twice, when something stung his shoulder. In seconds, a peculiar warmth spread from that spot to engulf his whole body and leave him staggering drunk. He tried to rise. The ground moved around unreliably and his eyes couldn’t seem to focus on one point for more than three seconds before shifting away.

Stoker got to his feet and brushed himself off. “You’re fast with that hypo.”

“Comes in handy,” Jard replied.

“What’re we gonna to do with him?”

“Consider this, Stoker. What would happen if an unfortunate accident befell our Mr. Montoya?”

“What?” Stoker asked obligingly.

“We could continue our shipping schedule with no interruptions. After all, who’s going to pay attention to an occasional arrival of an airplane at an old dirt strip on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, after the ranch owner has succumbed to the fatal results of an unexpected tragedy?”

“Yeah, makes sense.”

“Of course it does. By the time the estate is settled and any new owner comes around, why, our little operation will be completed and we’ll be gone, right?”

“Right. But what should we do with him?”

“Take him for a little ride. Did you notice the big thunderstorm brewing? Some of those narrow canyons along the creek turn pretty dangerous when the water rises. A man could drown. Especially one who’s drunk.”

“Got you, boss. But we’d better get going or we might end up there with him.”

“Wise suggestion, Stoker. Shall we?”

Between them, they lifted Eric to his feet and started for the Escalade. And though he’d heard every word, Eric realized he was powerless to stop them.

Destiny carried her things into her rented room and sat listlessly in front of the dresser staring at her puffy and streaked face, her red and swollen eyes. No wonder the clerk had done a double take when she checked in. She went into the bathroom and bathed her face again and again in cool water, then lay down on the bed.

Never before had she felt this way, so broken and hopeless. She could not deny falling completely, totally and helplessly in love with Eric. Nor could she deny that Eric was involved in smuggling. He bribed Will to store smuggled goods. He probably obtained the Rampton Corporation crates to ship the stuff in. He was good buddies with Glen King, who worked hand-in-hand with Miles Jard and Stoker.

Iris seemed a petty annoyance compared to gun smuggling. Destiny wished desperately that Iris were the only problem. She could fight another woman, especially since she felt in her heart that Eric didn’t care for Iris, but truly cared for her. Just the thought of him last night made her pulse race. She’d
felt
his caring. Deep caring. Dare she think
love?

That’s why she lay here now in a trance, her arm across her eyes, trying to blot out the world. But she couldn’t hide forever.

Wearily she rose, shocked to see it was past seven. She had no choice. She must go to the law with this. But not until she talked with Eric. She’d go to him, force him to talk to her, reveal what she knew. She’d tell him about the thumb drive already mailed to her editor, and that she’d seen guns in Will’s shack and took pictures of them. Maybe he could turn state’s evidence?

First, a good hot bath. Freshened, she applied mascara and blush, and slicked pink gloss over her lips. Patting drops of perfume behind her ears, she chose her khaki shorts and safari shirt outfit, knowing it flattered her. She must boost her confidence, feeling it vital not only for Eric, but for herself. She needed to appear cool, assured, and in control to act effectively.

Since the thought of food made her stomach flip, she stopped at the store and bought a Seven-Up. Then she drove to the ranch.

The dogs circled her, wagging their tails when she arrived. She stepped up onto the porch and knocked on the screen door. Estrella appeared, wiping her hands on her apron.

“
Niña!
” She threw open the door and clasped Destiny to her bosom. They hugged, then Estrella held her away and looked at her, shaking her head, her eyes teary.

“I cannot say how sad I am that our Eric George did what he did.”

For a moment Destiny was confused, thinking Estrella meant his smuggling. Then she realized it was Eric’s anger Estrella referred to. “Oh, Estrella, he was worried. I shouldn’t have been so inconsiderate.”

“That is no reason for him to lay hands on you. Eric George is so big and you are so small. He might injure you without knowing.” She glanced at Destiny’s arms with a frown.

Destiny placed a comforting hand on the distressed woman’s shoulder. “He didn’t hurt me. He’d never hurt me. He only held my arms, never applied pressure. I’ve come to see him. I have to talk to him.”

“He is not here. He and Martin both have gone to attend the dance at the Wagon Wheel.”

“Oh. I see.” Obviously, Eric was really torn up, going out to have a good time.
How sweet.
Still, she intended to talk to him before reporting to the law. “I’ll find him there, Estrella. If he should come back without seeing me, will you please tell him I need to speak to him?”

Estrella assured Destiny that she would do so, and Destiny headed for Wes’s.

The sun dipped behind the mountains, rimming them in blood. The great moon rose full and yellow, turning the world a soft, faded twilight blue. Destiny thought of Will’s story. Yes, the renegades were still changing down the ridge in one form or another. Destiny wasn’t sure how much she liked being cast in the role of the cavalry.

A noisy crowd filled the Wagon Wheel when she arrived. She parked at the fringes of the lot and walked over, her eyes searching the vehicles. Presently she spotted both the truck and Suburban, then the black and silver Escalade. As she approached the building, she saw Iris with Lee. Iris looked stunning in a silver-beaded, lavender squaw dress and white boots, but Destiny mentally dismissed the woman. She wasn’t here to deal with something so simple as a love rival. If only it were.

Destiny skirted around the edge of the crowded patio, searching. She preferred to avoid Iris altogether if possible, but if not, she could deal with it. Much to her relief, she spotted Martin, also standing at the crowd’s edge. She made her way to him and touched his arm.

He turned, flashing his hundred-watt smile. “Hello, sugar. You sure are dolled up cute as can be tonight.”

“I need to talk to Eric. Is he here?”

Martin scanned the crowd. “He left to come this way, and I saw the truck in the parking lot, but I haven’t seen him.”

“Martin, I’ve got to find Eric. It’s very important that I talk to him. If you see your brother,
please
tell him.”

“Of course, sugar. Good luck. If I can do anything to help, tell me. I’ll be right there, okay?”

“I will. I promise.”

Destiny had never felt so frustrated. She’d seen Iris whirling on the dance floor several times, once with Martin, but never with Eric. Never so much as a glimpse of Eric’s tall form had loomed above the crowd. She kept an eye on Iris, just in case Eric did join her, but he didn’t.

With a sigh, Destiny walked back inside to check again, then stepped out onto the patio. She ran right into Martin.

“Hi, sugar. I haven’t seen Eric. A headache is trying to sneak up on me so I think I’ll head home. Will you be okay?”

“Yes, Martin. Thank you. I’m going to keep looking for Eric.”

He kissed her on the cheek and walked away. She turned back to the crowd. The Wagon Wheel was jammed by now with merrymakers and dancers, and someone approached as if to ask her to dance. Pretending she didn’t notice, she slipped away, wandering off the patio around the side of the building.

A freshened breeze blew and Destiny glanced up just in time to see the flicker of lightning illuminate a giant storm cloud. In a moment, a low rumble of thunder followed.

Glancing back, she saw Lee Duncan standing and staring at something behind a storage building. She quickened her steps and came up beside Lee. Shock washed over her when she saw what he was watching.

Miles Jard and Stoker supported a stumbling, staggering Eric between them.

“Lee, what’s going on there? What are they doing with Eric?” Alarmed, she started for them. Lee grabbed her arm.

“Destiny, he’s drunk. They’re trying to help him.”

She studied his face. He wore the oddest expression, as if he knew even as he spoke, that his own words rang false.

“That’s ridiculous!” Jard and Stoker had loaded the very drunk-appearing Eric into the Escalade and were getting in themselves. “Lee, you know Eric doesn’t drink. He’s
not
drunk. Something is very wrong.”

The Escalade pulled away. Destiny jerked her arm from Lee’s grasp and ran swiftly to see which direction the vehicle took. Grateful for her tennis shoes, she streaked for the highway to watch the taillights of the Escalade take a downward turn.

The creek? As if giving a sign, a great explosive claw of lightning lit the sky, accompanied by bone-shaking rolls of thunder. Destiny ran back to Lee and grabbed him by the shoulders.

“I think they plan to kill him. Listen to me!” She shook him, trying to force his belief. “They’re smugglers, Lee. They’ve been using Rampton Foundation crates to ship their merchandise in, and somehow Eric’s involved.”

His brows dipped into a frown. “Why do you say that?”

“It’s true. I don’t have time to explain. Get Martin. He went home. Tell him Eric’s in danger. Tell him they’ve taken him to the Marriage Stones. He’ll know what I mean. I must follow them. Lee, do you understand?”

“Yes, yes. I understand.” His voice sounded hopeless. “Destiny, please, you’ll be in danger.”

“Eric is
already
in danger! Now find Martin!”

Rushing to her Mustang, Destiny roared out in pursuit. She didn’t kid herself that she could drive that road in her car, but she could go part way and save time. She followed the road until it dipped off down a sandy embankment. Then she pulled behind a rock outcrop and jumped out. Skidding and sliding down the embankment, she stumbled over rocks and deep sand. She could see the tracks of the Escalade and, thus encouraged, she struggled on. The great full moon played tag with the storm clouds, allowing her light to see by.

As the first heavy, chilled drops of rain fell, she heard the sound of an approaching engine. Scrambling off the road, she hid, hoping she wasn’t cuddling down into a nest of rattlesnakes. Presently the Escalade ground along the road and passed, its taillights disappearing around a bend. Regaining the road, Destiny pushed on. Though she hadn’t been able to see inside the Escalade, she
knew
Eric wasn’t in it. How far had she come? How far did she still need to go?

Nothing looked familiar in the ghostly moonlight interspersed with savage blinding lightning. Monsters loomed up to threaten her, only to disappear under closer scrutiny. The rain continued, intermittent, but she knew the problem was how much fell upstream. It would roar down mountains, cliffs, and
arroyos
to fill the canyons adjoining the creek and flood
this
canyon, sweeping away everything in its path.
Everything.

The wind screamed steadily, almost blowing Destiny backward. Rain pelted her face like needles of ice. Her breath whistled in her own ears and she strained her eyes to see.
Oh, yes! There!

Eric’s still form lay beside the rising, churning water. Destiny struggled the last few feet to him and fell down beside him, pulling his big body into her arms.

“Eric!” she screamed above the wind and thunder. “Eric, darling, please!”
Please, please, be alive,
she finished silently. His breathing answered her plea. With panic fueled urgency, she tried to rouse him. “You’ve got to wake up. The water’s rising fast. Eric!”

She checked the creek. Instead of toadstools jutting up, just the tops of the Marriage Stones showed above the roaring water. Already it lapped at the spot where they sprawled. He moaned and put a hand to his head. She tugged the other arm frantically. “Oh, Eric, please, honey. Get up.”

The lightning struck almost continuously, like a time exposure set to capture an entire storm. The rain beat down harder. Above the rumble of thunder rose another sound, the increasing roar of water tumbling over rocks, pouring down canyon walls. She lifted and tugged but found no possible way to carry or drag her big Eric to safety.

“Eric!” she screamed again. Shaking him, she threw back her head to scream his name again and again until it became part of the storm, taken up into its fury, and echoed around the canyon like thunder.

“Destiny? What?” He struggled to rise and she grabbed him to assist.

“You’ve been drugged.” She looped his arm over her small shoulders, helping him to stand. “Eric, we’re going to get caught in this gully-washer if we don’t make it to higher ground.” Looking wildly around, she saw no accessible safety zone. The bank across the creek, though higher, appeared easier to climb.

“We must cross the creek,” she said, half dragging him. He shook his head, attempting to overcome his drugged stupor. “Can you cross the stones? Please, Eric. We must!” Water lapped at their ankles and soon not even the tops of the stones would be exposed.

Eric knelt and threw water into his face, then with Destiny’s help, stood again.

“Don’ know if I can . . .” His words slurred together. “If I can’t, you go on . . .”

“Never! Never! I’ll
never
leave you, understand?
Never!
”

And with that, they reached the first Marriage Stone. Clutching each other for balance, distracted by the brilliant flashes of lightning, they scrambled from boulder to boulder, sometimes a foot slipping into the rising water, but pressing on to finally gain the opposite side.

The water rose so swiftly now that Destiny felt caught in fast-forward. Dragging and shoving Eric, she managed to get them to the foot of the canyon where it sloped upward, offering some escape from the ever-rising creek.

Rain fell sideways, whipped by the high wind. She could actually see streams of water cascading down the canyon walls. Clouds freed the moon long enough to reveal a shallow cave a short distance up the cliff wall. Clutching each other, struggling together, they attained a ledge just beneath their goal. Eric swept Destiny up and tossed her over the lip of the cave. He jumped and caught the edge with his arms. Un-drugged, it would have been a simple thing for Eric, but in his condition, he could just as easily relax and fall back down the rocks into the water.

But small hands tugged at his arms. Sobbing pleas reached his ears. With one last mighty effort, Eric dragged himself the rest of the way into the cave. He lay on his back, breathing heavily, and finally opened his eyes to see one wet little waif dropping tears onto his face. He managed a crooked smile.

“Oh, Eric!” She threw herself upon him, holding him.

He rubbed one hand up and down her back. “Are you sure we’re alone in this cave?”

She quickly sat up, blinking at him, then glanced around. “I don’t see anything. Nothing has growled. Come on. Move closer inside. Eric, what happened? Why did Jard and Stoker try to kill you?”

Out of the rain, he cradled her head on his shoulder. “They’re part of a large smuggling ring. I’ve been assisting with the investigation. Whew! This seems to be passing now, but it’s leaving a doozie of a headache.”

Destiny rose up and smoothed her fingertips across his forehead. “What about Glen King?”

“He’s an agent. I knew Glen in the army. When he came here on this mission, he asked for my help.” Eric took her hand, kissed the palm, and returned it to his head. “It’s being coordinated through several organizations and had to be low-tech. They’re using the Rampton Foundation as a front, and we needed to find out just how deeply Rampton was involved. It appears to be only Lee Duncan acting on his own.”

“Lee?” She continued the light massage of his head. “That explains why he acted so strange when I asked him for help.”

He opened his eyes, blinking up at her. “What are you talking about? And what are you doing here?”

She explained, adding, “Lee kept saying you were drunk, but I knew better. I also knew you didn’t associate with those men on a social basis. I mean, anytime they were mentioned, you made it plain how much you dislike them. Still, I was confused because of your friendship with Glen King. And I knew he was involved with them.”

“How do you know that?”

Destiny told him of taking the photos of loading and unloading on the day of her heatstroke, that she’d overheard him taking with Glen King, and how she’d saved her photos and that the thumb drive had already been mailed to her editor.

“You ruined a copied card. I’d downloaded the photos onto my laptop, and saved them to the thumb drive,” she finished. “Last night I got home late because I’d been to Will’s shack.”

“Why did you go there?” He closed his eyes. “Don’t stop,” he said when she started to lift her hand from his head. “I’m listening.”

She stroked her fingertips over those chiseled features she’d grown to love so much, and told him of her adventure at Will’s.

“How did you know the shipment was there?”

“Well, when Glen came to talk to you, I put my recorder in the kitchen window. It picked up your words over the noise of the generator. I caught enough to know the shipment location.” Destiny grinned with pride.

“You’re a regular little Mata Hari, aren’t you? Why didn’t you come to me with this?”

She laid her head back on his shoulder. “I thought you might be involved. That’s what I wanted to do tonight. I was looking for you so we could talk before I went to the authorities.”

“How could you believe that about me?”

“Well, Eric, you can be such a horse’s ass!”

He chuckled. “Is that a fact? I’ll try to do better in the future.”

She listened to his heartbeat, savoring the solid feel of him, his warmth, his scent, transported to heaven by his nearness. His breathing evened and deepened and she realized he’d fallen asleep. Maybe rest would clear away his wooziness and cure his headache.

So Lee Duncan was involved in the smuggling ring. Somehow his boyish appearance belied such a thing. That meant she and Eric might have to hike out of here in the morning after the water receded. She doubted that Lee had gone to find Martin.

Ah, well
. They were safe for now. And
together
. Tomorrow they could see to it that Jard and Stoker paid for their misdeeds.

The storm abated, leaving only the grumbling of the swollen creek roaring below. Jard and Stoker had certainly hatched a good plan. This canyon would have been a deathtrap for an unconscious man. The huge golden Renegade Moon escaped the clouds, summoning ghosts of times past. The good guys had won this round. With a little help from the cavalry.

Feeling safe and protected in the circle of Eric’s strong arms, Destiny closed her eyes and slept.

Rays of sunshine slanted into the cave, announcing the arrival of morning. Destiny stirred from Eric’s chest, where she had pillowed her head, and gazed into his face. He opened his eyes and smiled.

“Morning, babe,” he murmured. “I wondered if I’d dreamed you, but here you are.”

“No dream.” They both sat up, stretching cramped muscles. She glanced out over the edge of the cave. “The high water’s gone.”

“So’s your shirt.” He tugged at the torn material.

“Oh!” Her lacy bra remained her only claim to decency.

“Here, I’ve got something to hold it.” Removing Cupid from his pocket, he folded the torn material together and pinned it.

Destiny turned the pin up and squinted at it. “I saw this brooch on your nightstand after you found me in the desert. Do you carry it around with you, like a good luck charm?”

He chuckled. “Not deliberately. It’s a family legend that Cupid brings true love to whoever has it. Cupid is said to have united soul mates of the Carrington family for generations, and my mom is a Carrington. My uncles, my cousins, and Cupid’s even joined a couple outside the family. Strong magic. I thought I should have it with me when I located you.”

She gazed into his face, hoping to read what she wanted to see there. Her own feelings blazed back at her from his dark eyes, and her hand automatically sought the brooch. His hand covered hers. Then a flash of movement caught her attention.

“Look!” Destiny pointed across the creek.

Martin, Glen King, and the local deputy, Joe Baker, piled out of Joe’s crew-cab pickup.

“Here!” she sang out, waving.

As soon as they spotted her and Eric, they began yelling and waving back.

“You two okay?” Joe Baker shouted.

“We are now.” Destiny exchanged a glance with Eric.

“We’ll come get you,” Martin hollered.

“No. We’ll be right over,” Eric called to them.

They practically skipped across the stones in the pale light of morning, and soon stood smiling at their would-be rescuers.

“So Lee Duncan did tell you where to find us?” Destiny asked Martin.

“Yeah. He told me.” Martin’s gaze fastened on his brother. “We didn’t know what we’d find this morning, if anything. We couldn’t get in last night. Most of this road was completely under water, and we found some interesting washouts this morning, believe me. If this thing of Joe’s wasn’t four-wheel drive, we’d be shoveling right about now. I thought you were dead, little brother . . .” His voice broke, stanching his flow of words. Throwing his arms around Eric, they locked in a hug for a long moment. Then with mutual backslapping, they separated and grinned at each other.

“No such luck,” Eric said. “You’ll have to wait awhile longer to get the Bar-M.”

“I don’t want the blasted Bar-M. It’s nothing but rocks and scrub and cactus.” Once more Martin patted Eric’s shoulder. “Not good for anybody but an old Indian.”

“You betchum,” Eric agreed.

Martin turned to Destiny. “What a woman.” He kissed her cheek.

“Not good for anybody but an old Indian,” she blurted, and blushed bright red while everybody laughed.

Eric grabbed her in a hug. “Just this old Indian.”

In the truck for the return trip, Destiny and Eric pounced upon an offered jug of water and Thermos of orange juice while listening to the tale of their rescue. Lee Duncan had been unable to stand by and allow Eric and Destiny to die. He’d gone to find Martin and had discovered Glen King also there, hunting for Eric. The three of them notified Joe Baker. By that time, the storm wailed in full fury and the creek already thundered through the Canyon of the Marriage Stones. There was no way to search for the missing couple.

However, they’d not stood idle. Jard and Stoker were taken into custody, as was Lee, but Lee had already offered to turn state’s evidence and request clemency. Since he’d acted to save Eric and Destiny and would offer testimony, his chances looked good.

“My car is at the top of this bluff,” Destiny said, pointing.

“Wrong, sugar,” Martin countered. “It’s at the ranch. Domingo came with us this morning and drove it home.”

“Oh. Then stop somewhere so I can phone my editor. My cell phone’s in my car.”

“I’d like my associates to interview you first,” Glen King said.

“The photos I took of the smugglers loading and unloading that day are in the hands of my editor, right this minute.”

Glen glanced at Eric. “Then you didn’t delete them.”

“I thought I did. She downloaded and copied them before I knew it.”

“Right.” His voice revealed a mix of exasperation and admiration. “And how often do you do this type of thing? Can I offer you a position?”

“Shut up, Glen. Don’t give her ideas,” Eric warned.

Destiny laughed. “I’d rather consider this an interesting learning experience and not repeat it for a while.”

As soon as it picked up adequate signal, Joe Baker allowed her a quick call on his cell to assure her editor that she’d lived through the ordeal and had the story. Ed had the photos downloaded and processed and complimented her on the picture quality. She told him the law wanted copies and he assured her he’d cooperate.

They drove by the motel to pick up Destiny’s things and proceeded to the ranch. Iris stood waiting on the porch. Estrella rushed out, tears streaming, to smother them with hugs, and Domingo dabbed at his eyes at the sight of them alive. As Eric stepped up onto the porch, Iris smiled at him, but her gaze locked briefly with Martin’s.

Ignoring Iris, Destiny headed for a hot bath, and to make a reassuring call to her parents. She didn’t want them hearing about her little adventure on the news before knowing she was safe.

Eric lay claim to the other bathroom, and soon emerged still combing his damp hair. Martin, Glen, and Joe Baker were sitting in the living room. Eric headed over to join them when Iris caught his arm.

“Can we talk?” she asked quietly.