River of Secrets (21 page)

Amy stepped closer. “Please?”

Shrugging, Maria acquiesced. Amy said a short, heartfelt prayer, asking for protection for Maria and for her to come to know Him personally. Frantically, she tried to figure out how to convince the woman to stay with her. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind. When she said, “Amen,” Maria squeezed her hand, hugged Lucia…then raised her rifle to point it at Micah.

Amy gasped.

The rifle cracked.

And Micah hit the jungle floor.

FOURTEEN

“M
icah!”

He heard her scream, felt the thud of something land across his back. When Maria had lifted the rifle in his direction, instinct had sent him to the ground. Now he rolled to his knees in one smooth motion, his hand grabbing for the gun he’d stuck in his waistband. By the time he had the pistol up, Maria was disappearing through the trees.

“Micah?” Amy’s voice came to him while he was considering giving chase.

“I warned you,” he exploded. “What was that crazy woman doing?” He turned to Amy, ready to blast her for trusting so easily when his gaze followed hers. To the headless snake still twitching on the ground beside him.

Slowly, Amy’s eyes rose from the snake to him. “Saving your life, I think.”

Micah shook his head and muttered, “What is it with snakes? If I never see another one again…”

“Are we ready to go,
senhor?
” Jonathas asked.

“Please, let’s get out of here. We still need to take care of Salvador.”

Amy had a grip on Lucia’s small hand. “She’s got her papers. The plane tickets are all back at the orphanage. Since I didn’t get the location of the rebel camp, we’ll have to get out of here and back to the U.S. as quickly as possible. Once they realize Maria betrayed them, they’ll come after Lucia. Can the four of us fit in that canoe?”

Micah ran a hand through is already tousled hair. “We’ll have to.”

They made their way back through the jungle, guided by the large flashlight Jonathas had thought to bring. Micah sent up a prayer of thanks for that. Amy’s flashlight was with Salvador.

A sigh of relief escaped Micah as they came to the canoe, still on the beach. The way things had been going lately, Micah really hadn’t expected it to be there. He directed the three into the vessel.

Fortunately, it was a rather large canoe and the four of them were able to squeeze in without sinking the thing, though it rode dangerously low in the water. Micah shook his head. “Amy, you and Lucia stay as still as possible. Jonathas and I’ll row.”

Micah picked up the paddle, and Jonathas followed his lead.

“Here, Amy, hold this light so we can see where we’re going. The last thing we need is to run into some stray debris.” Micah handed her the light and Amy did as requested. Together, Micah and Jonathas made pretty good time, although they were rowing against the current.

As he rhythmically pulled the paddle, he studied her bent head. What was he going to do with her? He truly loved the stubborn woman, but did he love her enough to get past his anger with her mother? He sure hoped so because he wasn’t willing to walk out of her life again.

Two hours later, they arrived at the spot where they’d originally boarded the canoe. The extra time they took to come back was from rowing against the current. Leaving the canoe on the beach where they’d found it, the group wearily retraced their earlier path through the jungle. In another few days, no one would know there’d been a path made.

Micah breathed a sigh when the orphanage came into view. More lights than usual burned throughout the building, indicating abnormal activity.

“I guess Salvador made it back,” Amy said.

“Let’s hope the chief was here to manage his arrival,” Micah muttered, hoping to get his hands on the kid before he was shipped off to the nearest jail.

Amy suddenly thought to ask, “Why would he blame you for the death of his family?”

Micah blinked. “What? I have no idea. I didn’t have anything to do with his family. I’ve never even seen the kid before he arrived at the orphanage.” Micah stared down into her sparkling blue eyes, which were illuminated by the glow of the moon breaking through the canopy of leaves.

“All I know is he says that’s the reason he tried to kill you. You killed his family, he tried to kill you. When that failed, he decided to get rid of me—so you would suffer like he did.”

Shivers rushed through Micah, causing him to shake and sweat at the same time. He had absolutely no clue as to why Salvador believed he had anything to do with his family’s death, but he was going to find out. Right now.

When Amy rushed into the lobby, the first thing she saw was Carlita sitting in Salvador’s lap. The second thing her eyes landed on was the chief of police, David Ruibero standing beside the siblings. Salvador’s hands were bound behind him, the look in his eyes one of defiance mixed with defeat.

Lucia stood right inside the door, eyes wide, taking it all in. Amy shot her a pleading look, trying to convey the fact that she needed to deal with this situation. The girl gave a tentative smile, indicating she understood. Breathing a sigh of relief, Amy turned back to Salvador. The door swooshed behind her. She assumed that was Micah and Jonathas making their entrance.

“Oh, Salvador,” she breathed standing in front of him. “How could you?”

Hate oozed from him, his glare intense enough to make her flinch. “How could I? Easy,” he spat, looking up at Micah, who stood behind her. Eyes focused on the man he’d targeted, he declared, “You killed my family. Now you want to take the only one I have left. I couldn’t allow it.”

Micah moved forward, frowning in puzzlement. “How did I kill your family? When did this happen?”

“I worked for Cruz.”

Jonathas exploded. “I knew you did. I couldn’t prove it, but I thought you looked familiar so I kept watching you, waiting, trying to figure out your plans. But Carlita…you love her so much, I didn’t put it together until just now.”

Eyes on Jonathas, Salvador said, “Your father blamed me for helping the woman escape with the little boy, Mattie. He sent four men to kill my family.” He turned his attention from Jonathas back to Micah. “Cruz’s wife, she asked me to help her get away from her husband and she would pay me much money. I helped her and the boy get away. But Cruz found out and sent in men to kill my family. You were one of those men.”

Micah sputtered, “No way. I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

Carlita shifted, popped her thumb in her mouth and leaned her head on Salvador’s shoulder. Amy swallowed the lump in her throat.
Oh, Father, help me.

A vein throbbed in the young man’s neck as he seethed. “They meant so little to you. You kill and don’t remember. I heard the orders for the assignment, I just didn’t realize Cruz meant my family.” He choked on his grief, the pain of his loss too great. Gaining control, he started at Micah. Amy wondered where the breakdown in communication had occurred. Micah would never have been involved in the killing of innocents; he would have blown his cover first.

Tears of rage, grief and hate slid silently down Salvador’s cheeks. Bowing his head, he said through clenched teeth, “I promised my parents I would watch after her. I stood over their bodies and promised. My older sister, Natalia, is somewhere out there, sold into slavery. I have nightmares about what she is going through and I can’t help her. I thought I could help Carlita, and at the same time kill the ones responsible for my family’s deaths.”

Micah suddenly realized the “assignment” Salvador referred to. He’d been deep undercover observing, watching Cruz. He remembered the day he’d been puzzled by the man’s extreme agitation, wondering what was going on with him. Finally, Cruz had called a meeting and told the four men gathered in his office that he had a special assignment for them.

Money exchanged hands. Information was given out on a need-to-know basis. The man placed in charge of the assignment would give the orders. Micah had never found out what those orders were as Cruz changed his mind about Micah’s role in his organization.

Exasperated, Micah raked a hand through his sweaty hair. “I wasn’t on that assignment. I was told it was cancelled and I was to cover the boy that had just arrived.” Micah felt as though he’d been sucker punched. His gut actually ached as he realized Cruz had moved him because he’d found out about Micah from Amy’s mother—and had planned for him to die along with the little boy. If Micah had known the details about that assignment—and not been told it was cancelled—he might have been able to save Salvador’s family.

Just more deaths Amy’s mother could be held responsible for. He swallowed. No way would he ever let her know that. He continued, “As it was, I was doing my best to get word to another SEAL team that Cruz was at the mansion and they needed to hurry up and organize a time to raid the place. But I promise, Salvador, I was never there.”

At first, Salvador looked as if he didn’t believe Micah, then his shoulders slumped in defeat. “I will go to jail now.” He swallowed hard, looked up at Amy. “I have no right to ask, but will you please take care of Carlita? Go ahead and take her to the U.S.” He shuddered. “I have no way to earn the money she needs, no way to keep my promise to my dead parents. The only way I can help her now is to let her go. With you.”

Anger, hurt, pity. Micah couldn’t decide which emotion took priority. He did feel grateful that God had watched over him and Amy all this time.

“Micah?”

The female voice brought all heads around to stare at the immaculately dressed redheaded woman standing in the door’s entrance.

Micah blinked. “Mom?”

He had to be hallucinating. He blinked again, but her image was still there. A petite slender woman with beautiful auburn hair pulled up in a stylish clip. Tears mingled with the mascara that ran down her cheeks to drip off her chin. “Mom?” he breathed again.

Christina McKnight sobbed, nodded once and ran into his arms. Micah folded them around her, breathed in the scent he remembered from childhood, a mixture of roses and mint tea.

“You remember? But Amy said—”

“It all came back a few days ago.”

“Oh, Micah, I thought we’d never see you again. I’d finally given up hope you were alive and…it’s an answer to my prayers.” She pulled back, ran her hands down his face, over his scars.

“How’d you get here? Where’s Dad? Cassidy?”

No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the people in question were coming through the door, followed by two men Micah knew were his father’s bodyguards.

“Micah!” Cassidy’s squeal singed him. He turned just in time to catch her as she hurled herself into his now-empty arms. “Micah, I can’t believe it’s true. When Amy called and told us you were alive, I just…I couldn’t…Oh, God is so good, isn’t He? Has your memory come back?”

He nodded against the side of her curly red head. She gave him another neck-crushing squeeze.

The phone rang, and he vaguely registered Anna leaving to answer it. Amy stood next to Salvador, watching the family reunion. He looked up at the tall man who now had an arm around Micah’s mother and a wide-eyed little blond-headed girl in the crook of his other arm.

“Hi, Dad.”

Jonathan McKnight swallowed hard. His lips trembled. “My son.”

Micah untangled himself from Cassidy, pressed a kiss to her forehead, then embraced his father. His mother took the child, giving Jonathan both arms with which to hold Micah. Father and son clung, weeping together unashamedly. Micah felt another hand on his shoulder, turned to see Gabriel Sinclair, his best friend, standing there with tears leaking down his cheeks.

Dark brown eyes silently asked if Micah held a grudge. Gabe had practically forced Micah into the mission that had nearly killed him and had cost him more than two years of his life. Micah had resisted the mission Gabe had ordered.

Micah studied the man in front of him. He had no hard feelings. Gabe had done his job the way he’d been trained—to the best of his ability. Micah couldn’t hold that against him. In fact, Gabe had his utmost respect.

Hesitantly, Gabe held out a hand, obviously expecting Micah to reject him. Micah pulled him into a bear hug, then pushed him back. “What are you doing here?”

“I…uh…Amy hasn’t told you?”

Micah frowned. “Told me what?”

“I sorta married your sister.” Gabe shot Micah a sheepish grin. Cassidy giggled like the newlywed she was.

“You what?” Micah yelled. He looked at his father. “And you allowed this?”

Jonathan’s eyes went wide. “You think you could have stopped her?”

Grumbling good-naturedly, Micah muttered, “You have a point.”

Amy’s giggle broke the tension. She rushed to Cassidy throwing her arms around her best friend. “I’m so glad you’re okay. Was the hurricane bad?”

“Bad enough. The boat rocked for quite a while before we were able to dock. We were all a bunch of sick people.” Cassidy grimaced. “Not a pretty sight, that’s for sure.”

“All right, folks, I’m just as thrilled as anyone when we have a happy ending, but I’ve got some legal issues to take care of here, and I’d like to do it before I have to drive back in the rain,” the police chief said. Thunder sounded in the distance. The chief’s voice brought everyone back to the present situation.

“Carlita? Carlita? Where are you?” Salvador stood, hands still bound behind his back.

Amy looked at Jonathas. “Did you see her leave?”

He shook his head. “No, I was watching all the commotion.”

Jonathas volunteered, “Let me check her room. She may have gotten tired and decided to go lie down.” He left and Anna walked back into the room, her face white.

Amy rushed to her. “What is it?”

“They raided the camp already.”

“What? How? We’ve only been gone from Lake Tomalis for a couple of hours and I never got the location.”

“Apparently, the authorities got an anonymous tip
before
you guys even got to Lake Tomalis. They put together a sting operation that included a team of Army Rangers they had on standby for this very thing. They called me because they want to bring the children that survived the raid here to the orphanage. Several of the higher-ranking rebels survived and are in custody—including your policeman attacker, Roberto.”