Chapter Three

 

 

 

“He was shot?” Beth nearly jumped off the couch. “Do you think I saw the shooting?”

Daniel’s face was a mask. He’d better tell me the whole truth.

“We don’t know exactly what you saw, but while you were in the hospital, there were some unusual inquiries about you. People who didn’t leave names. We also have reason to believe someone may have been following you since you’ve been back in Sydney.”

“You were following me, remember? Did you see someone else?” She was becoming more frightened by the minute. Her heart slammed in her chest and a loud thrumming started inside her head. The nightmares were becoming reality. What have I got myself into?

Daniel’s eyes filled with remorse as he sat down next to her on the couch. “The most important thing for now is to keep you safe.”

“How long do I have to stay here?” Beth asked.

“It shouldn’t be longer than a few days, maybe a week.”

“A week?” Beth gasped.

“I’m sorry, but we have no choice.”

Stunned, Beth slumped back on the couch. She felt so helpless. Her life was spiraling out of control and she didn’t know why or how she could stop it, but she resigned herself to do as he asked. She didn’t have a choice. She didn’t even know where she was, for crying out loud. Her leg wasn’t completely healed as yet, so how was she ever going to keep safe by herself? She felt deep in her heart she could trust him. She just hoped to God that her gut feeling was right.

 

* * * *

 

The warm water soothed the pain in Beth’s leg as she showered in the cabin’s bathroom. So many thoughts ran through her head. Despite her earlier feelings, she’d called Dr. Bennett and left a message on his voicemail, letting him know she’d decided to stay for a few extra days. He had a habit of calling in on her, and this should satisfy him for the moment without giving too much away. She certainly hoped so, because if the people after her went to him for information, he couldn’t tell them any details. At least she’d explained her absence so he wouldn’t think of searching for her. He would be safe for now.

She dried herself off and dressed in a toweling robe before exploring the bedroom. On the double bed lay an old-fashioned patchwork quilt. Timber shutters covered the window and as she drew closer she saw metal bars between the glass and the wood. The cupboard was painted white and matched the small chest of drawers beside the bed. Someone must have spent a lot of time flicking through the Ikea catalogue.

Inside the cupboard Beth found a selection of clothing. Daniel had told her to help herself to anything that fit, as the clothes were there to be used by the occupants of this safe house. She chose a plain cotton nightdress and flung it on the bed. A soft knock on the door made her jump. She drew the sides of the bathrobe closer together.

“Come in.”

Daniel opened the door and walked inside, his large frame making the room appear smaller. “I thought you might like some hot chocolate to help you sleep.” He stepped farther inside and placed a steaming mug on the bedside table.

“Thank you.”

Daniel had also showered and was now dressed in jeans and a white T-shirt that stretched across his muscled chest. Beth had difficulty stopping herself from staring below his eye level, but she really should stop doing it. She hated it when guys did that to her. Oh baby! Flushing, she turned away.

“Well, if that was all you wanted, I think I’ll turn in now,” Beth rasped. “Thanks for the hot chocolate.”

“Beth?” Daniel asked. He grabbed her hand. “Are you okay? Do you need anything else?”

Her mouth went dry and she licked her lips unconsciously as she fought to control her feelings.

It’s just lust, remember. Get over it. He’s not really moving in for a kiss.

He seemed to be staring at her mouth and moving closer.

“No, I’m fine,” she lied, as she pulled away from him. He didn’t resist.

“I’ve got my pain tablets here with me. Thanks again for the hot chocolate,” she said, stepping backward and trying to sound natural.

Daniel turned to leave. “Sleep well,” he said as he walked away. “Call me if you need anything.”

“Sure,” she answered. She heard Daniel curse as he walked away from her door. She exhaled when she heard the door to his room close softly. She lay on her bed, thinking. What would have happened if she hadn’t taken fright? He wanted to kiss her, and if she was truthful with herself, she wanted him to kiss her. She could still feel the heat from the nearness of his body. She was crazy.

This sucks.

She was so totally out of her depth here, and judging by that curse outside her door, he wasn’t too happy about it either. Heck, someone was trying to kill her and all she could think about was jumping his bones. Am I weird or what?

Beth was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, however, minutes later she woke to find a figure standing beside her bed. She opened her mouth to call for help but a hand covered her mouth.

“It’s only me,” whispered Daniel. “Someone’s trying to get in. We’ve got to get out of here right away.”

Not again. Beth pulled the covers up to her neck in a protective gesture. “Do I have time to get dressed first?”

“You have one minute, then we’re out of here.” Daniel turned his back and began throwing small articles into Beth’s backpack.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“You’re going to need the pain pills and a change of clothes. Hurry up. We’ve got to leave.”

With no time to worry about modesty, Beth finished pulling on the jeans and jumper she’d left out before going to bed. She slipped on the jogging shoes she’d found in the cupboard, then grabbed a coat before joining Daniel at the door.

“I think they’re inside. We’d better go out the window. Think you can handle it?”

“Hey, I made it off the train, didn’t I?”

“Okay,” Daniel said, as he inserted a strange-looking key into a slot at the edge of the frame and opened the entire window, including the bars. “I’ll help you out. Wait for me.”

After Daniel had lifted her through the opening, she crouched close to the house while he followed her out, closing the window silently after him. He led the way to the rear of the cabin and headed toward a wall of shrubbery. A clicking noise sounded and Beth was amazed to see a large garage door open—behind it, a black Range Rover.

“Get in,” Daniel urged. She didn’t need any encouragement as she jumped into the passenger seat and slammed the door. Daniel roared the engine into life, spinning the wheels and driving off at high speed down the track. Two men ran out of the cabin. The last thing Beth heard as they sped off was the explosive sound of bullets shattering the passenger side mirror as the shots unsuccessfully sought their target.

 

* * * *

 

The journey down the rough bush track was anything but smooth. The frequent rain in the area had forged deep trenches and even though Daniel valiantly tried driving around them, at the speed they were traveling that was nearly impossible. After half an hour of speeding, Daniel slowed down to a crawl and turned briefly to check on Beth. Her face was pinched and her eyes were shuttered. What must she be thinking about all of this? He certainly didn’t know what to make of it.

One thing he did know was that it shouldn’t have happened. There must’ve been a leak in the department. No one else had known where they were. But who could it be? Daniel knew these people and couldn’t imagine anyone selling them out. As he negotiated the difficult track, he came to a decision. He needed Beth’s help to get through this, and as soon as they found another place to hide, he’d tell her the whole story. In the meantime, they needed to work together.

A few minutes later, Daniel checked their position and keyed more information into the GPS.

“How did they find us?” asked Beth. He could tell she was trying to keep calm, but the thought that she’d been found at the cabin where she was supposed to be safe must be terrifying for her. It scared the shit out of him.

“I have my suspicions, but I can’t be sure. For now, we need to get as far away from here as we can.”

“So where are we going then?”

Daniel continued driving while he answered her, “We’re going to a remote campsite I know. I used to go camping there with my father when I was younger. No one knows about it, as far as I know. We should be safe there for the time being.”

“You’re kidding, right? Camping. I hate camping. My dad always used to say that staying in a cheap motel was the only camping he would ever do, and I agree with him.”

He smiled. “I’m sure you’ll survive for one night. We can’t risk staying in another safe house, and a motel is out of the question. They’d find us for sure.” He knew it must be tough on her, but so far she was holding up better than he expected. A few grumbles about the conditions wasn’t much to put up with. Let her have her gripes if it made her feel better. God, she has guts, he thought. She’d followed all his instructions without question, but she had to be hurting. Hopefully when they got to the campsite, he could make some calls and find out what the fuck happened.

 

* * * *

 

The sun started to rise above the dense bushland as they pulled into a clearing. Tall gum trees surrounded the area with several fallen branches strewn around. In the center of the clearing was a pile of charred logs, indicating a previous campfire. The whooshing sound of running water was heard as soon as Daniel turned off the car. He jumped out and moved to the passenger door to help Beth. She started to protest but Daniel cut her off. “We’ve been through this before, haven’t we?”

Beth flushed but forced herself to look at him. “I’m sorry. I’m just not used to people helping me. I’ve had to fend for myself for a long time. I’m not very good at accepting help.” He nodded and held out his hand. She reached over to take it when he surprised her and placed both his arms around her, quickly lifting her out of the vehicle, carrying her across to the edge of the clearing and gently placing her onto a fallen log that remarkably resembled a stool.

“Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Daniel chuckled as he saw her surprised expression. “You’ll have to get used to it because until your leg is healed and we catch whoever is after you, you’re going to need my help.”

Not giving Beth a chance to reply, Daniel walked away and started unpacking the four-wheel drive. Out came an assortment of camping gear—a dome tent, blow-up mattresses, sleeping bags, even a small gas stove. A box filled with tinned food and a kettle appeared. He quickly cleared a flattened area of dirt and erected the tent. He took the kettle and disappeared in the direction of the running water and returned a few minutes later to place it on the lighted stove. Beth watched him while he worked. He walked with confidence and purpose. His broad shoulders and well-defined arms showed through the tight T-shirt, his muscular legs giving the impression of strength and power as he strode over and sat on the ground in front of her. Heat was still permeating her skin from where he had touched her when he’d lifted her from the Range Rover. Now that he’d shifted closer to her, she could hear her heart pounding and her breathing became shallow.

Stop it. He was staring at her with one of those devastating smiles again, and she was lost in a dream of forbidden pleasures, picturing his beautiful mouth and strong hands doing extraordinary things to her naked body.

“Earth to Beth.”

“I’m sorry. Did you say something?” Beth glanced at Daniel, feeling the heat seep up to her neck and over her face. She’d been too busy getting hot and bothered to hear what Daniel had been saying. This has got to stop.

Daniel smiled at her, a glint of humor in his eyes. “I asked if you wanted anything to eat with the coffee. It’s been some time since we last ate, and since we’re stuck here for a while, we might as well get some sustenance.”

“Yes, I suppose so. How long will we be here?” she asked.

“Probably until tomorrow morning. I have to make some calls first. We should know more after I finish, but for the moment, we rest.”

Beth watched Daniel as he poured the coffee. He had this amazing effect on her and she had no idea how she was going to get through this situation if she didn’t cool down. Maybe if she tried to think of something else. Something safe and boring. Diversionary tactics, that’s what her mother had told her to do when she had to do something she didn’t like. Think of something completely different to take my mind off it. Beth smiled to herself. She could always think of the dentist every time he came near her. She hated the dentist. Maybe that would do it.

Nah, that won’t work. It was going to be a long day.

 

* * * *

 

Daniel watched Beth, studying her face as she looked into the distance. She was so beautiful sitting there on that log, her magnificent red hair blowing in wisps across her face in time to the breeze. She must have had a lot of questions, but so far she’d shown considerable restraint in pursuing any answers. He wondered what she was thinking and was a little bit in awe of her trust in him. She had to be frightened to death and confused in the bargain, but she displayed more courage than any woman he’d ever met. She deserved to be told the truth, but he couldn’t bring himself to get into that just yet. He’d rather enjoy the moment here in these peaceful surroundings with a beautiful woman for company. It wouldn’t be long before he had to get them on the road again.

He retrieved the satellite phone from the car. Now was probably a good time to make a few calls, because he couldn’t make any decisions until he had more information. They were safe here for the moment since no one else knew about this place except perhaps his father, and he knew his father wouldn’t be contacted. He hadn’t spoken to him in five years and the people he worked for knew that.

Beth was the only loose end, as far as the bad guys were concerned. Damn, he wished they’d just placed her under protection in the first place, but his boss had thought it better to watch her from a distance, given her memory loss. They didn’t even know if what she remembered would be useful. What they needed was an ID on the assassin. But it didn’t seem to matter anymore if she remembered or not. The bastards were trying to kill her anyway. He couldn’t let that happen.

Although he hadn’t seen the face of the gunman, Daniel had recognized the man who’d been shot. He’d never met him but had seen him before at government functions. Peter Wilson had been a senior public servant in the Foreign Affairs department. He’d been responsible for the schedule of events for the British Prime Minister at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference to be held in Brisbane next week.

After his death they’d found that large sums of money had been deposited into a bank account in his name. The indications were that Wilson had sold confidential details to some unknown party—possibly a terrorist organization or an unfriendly foreign government.

If this scenario was true, then Beth wasn’t the only target. If someone had leaked their location, they probably knew Daniel had been on the train and was with her now. But other than himself, only three people knew he’d been there and that Beth had seen the face of the gunman. Beth, his boss and Will, the helicopter pilot who’d flown them to the cabin. He’d stake his life that none of them would betray him. It had to be someone else, but he couldn’t risk calling just anyone in the department. There was only a couple of people he could trust.

Once again glancing at Beth, Daniel realized he couldn’t put it off any longer. If he wanted her to help herself and cooperate fully with him, he had to tell her the whole story. Striding toward her more confidently than he felt, he saw Beth turn her head sharply toward him, an expectant expression greeting him as he reached the tree stump and sat.

“You’re ready to tell me what you neglected to say before?”

Of course she’d figured out he’d been holding back. Her patience with him today had been remarkable. Anyone else would have been screaming at him to explain hours before this, but Beth somehow seemed to understand that he would tell her in his own time.

Daniel took a deep breath, then blew it out slowly. “You’re sure you’re ready for this?” he asked.

“I’m not sure I want to know, but I’m positive I need to.”

“Okay then, this is the information I have.”

He left nothing out, including how they’d met and how she’d seen the shooting on the train. He saw a myriad of emotions flicker over her face as he spoke. Surprise gave way to horror and fear, only to be replaced by a seething anger as she realized the full impact of what he had just told her.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you this all before. We thought it would protect you if you didn’t know. I know you must be angry.”

“Angry doesn’t even begin to describe how I’m feeling right now,” said Beth, her voice quiet, but formal and controlled. She clutched her walking stick for dear life as she struggled to stand.

“My leg is really stiff,” she said, as she hobbled off in the direction of the creek. “I think I need a walk to stretch it out.”

Knowing better than to offer help, Daniel watched her in admiration as she staggered before straightening up and walking off into the distance, all the while trying valiantly to mask her limp. He was constantly amazed at her strength. Obviously she needed to be by herself to mull over what she had just learned. He’d leave her alone, but not for too long. They needed to talk about what their next step would be. He owed it to her to keep her informed.

Daniel strolled over to the four-wheel drive and removed a large black suitcase. He carried it over to the campsite where he opened it carefully and expertly assembled the equipment. It didn’t take him long to have the satellite dish and the laptop set up. Soon he was online and scanning through the NCA site, searching for clues as to who might be behind this breach of security. He also attached a small black box to his phone and turned it on, punching the numbers from memory. The tension built behind his eyes as he stared at the screen, waiting for one of the few people he trusted to answer.

“Addison,” the deep voice on the other end of the phone announced.

“John…”

“Wyatt. Where the fuck are you, mate? We checked out the cabin and you’d vanished. What happened?”

“Change of plan—we had visitors.”

“Shit. How the fuck did anyone find you? Only Will and I knew you were there.”

“Well, someone found out and I’d like to know how.”

“So would I. Where are you now?”

“I think it’s better if you don’t know until we know who the leak is. We’ll be safer this way. Any news on the threat?”

“No, nothing concrete. Does she remember anything? It would be useful to show her some mugshots to help identify the assassin.”

“Now you want to question her? We should have done it before. She could have been protected all this time. I never agreed with this sit-back-and-wait policy of yours, John.”

“I had my reasons, Daniel, but they don’t apply now that there seems to be a leak. I agree you need to keep your location under wraps for now. Let me do some checking and I’ll get back to you tonight.”

“No, I’ll call you. I’ve got scramblers in place. I’ll get back to you in twenty-four hours.”

The phone clicked off and Daniel set it down on the makeshift table, continuing to sift through pages on the computer screen. The phone call had told him nothing he didn’t already know. Hopefully John would be able to give him something to go on when he made contact later on. In the meantime there wasn’t much he could do but stay put.

As long as no one knew where they were, they were safe. He hoped they stayed that way, but if someone got to them at the safe house, then it was possible they’d be found here, too.

 

* * * *

 

Beth’s need to know had burned inside her all day. She’d tried not to show Daniel how much it got to her, and it’d just about killed her to sit and wait for him to tell her. She figured if she appeared too emotional, he wouldn’t divulge everything. She’d tried hard to make him believe she was strong, even though the opposite was closer to the truth. Now she almost wished he hadn’t said anything.

Her breathing was fast and ragged as she once again turned away from Daniel and hobbled into the bushland. She’d figured out over the last day that someone wanted her dead, but the complexity of the situation was much more than she could ever have imagined.

Why hadn’t the police told her all this from the start? Why let her think she was going crazy? And she had thought she was going mad. She’d really wondered at the state of her mind and hated feeling that loss of control. It was suddenly too much to take in at once. What the hell was she going to do now? She couldn’t think—didn’t want to think, so she did the thing she always did when things got to be overwhelming. She took a deep breath and centered herself, concentrating on her surroundings and letting her muscles relax. After a session of meditation, she’d always felt better able to cope with anything. She hoped it worked this time.

The late morning sun was hot as it rested on Beth’s head. She sat at the side of the creek, feet dangling in the cool water. A pair of rainbow lorikeets rummaged through the undergrowth on the other side of the creek, foraging for food. Beth smiled wistfully as she watched them take turns bringing small tidbits up to their nest in the tall branches of the ghost gum tree. She remembered learning at school that lorikeets mate for life, just like her parents had. She blinked back tears as she thought of them. She missed them so much. She needed them now like never before.

Wiping her eyes, she continued watching the birds. As a child she’d dreamed of having that kind of simplicity in her own life. She wanted to be a part of a loving couple, both sharing the task of bringing up a family. But since her parents had died, she didn’t trust relationships. People don’t always stick around.

After learning of the danger she was in, she doubted if a relationship was ever going to be possible for her now, even if she’d wanted it. Her head throbbed and she placed her fingers to her temples, gently rubbing to stave off the headache that was lingering below the surface.

The Heads of Government Conference was starting in a few days. Daniel had told her that the security had been tightened and they were aware of the danger, so perhaps after the Conference was over they would be safe? It was a faint hope she was holding on to—wishing with all her heart that there was an end in sight. She had to wait it out and rely on Daniel, even though she hated being dependent on others.

The distant sound of an airplane startled Beth and brought her attention back to her surroundings. She watched the familiar shape of the aircraft float by as she tied her shoelaces, wincing at the dull ache in her leg. She waited for the pain to subside before scrambling to her feet and making her way back to the campsite. She badly needed a nap. She was so tired that she couldn’t think straight. Maybe after a rest, she’d be strong enough to deal with the next phase of her life. There wasn’t much else to do anyway. Sitting around fantasizing about Daniel would accomplish nothing except build frustration and make things more difficult in the long run.

 

* * * *

 

Dinner was uncomfortably silent as both of them went through the motions of eating the tinned meat from the rations. Daniel searched Beth’s face, trying but failing to gauge what she was thinking. Her face was tight and expressionless, as she seemed to be keeping a tight grip on her emotions. That was probably good, he thought. She needed to be in control until they got out of this mess.

Despite the nap she’d taken that afternoon, they both needed to get a good night’s sleep. Last night had certainly been a write-off in that department. God only knew when they might get another chance for a rest. Tomorrow was shaping up to be another long day.

Beth finished eating quickly and made them both some coffee. Daniel watched as she maneuvered her injured leg about the campsite and over to the stove. Her independence amused him, but he also admired her for it. Most people would have fallen in a heap with only half of what had happened to her in the last twenty-four hours, but she’d managed to keep it all together and keep going. She was going to need all of that strength and more before this was over.

Dusk settled in and the temperature dropped dramatically. As the birds settled in their nests for the night, the daytime sounds of the bush diminished and were replaced by the creaking of cicadas and the whisper of a breeze through the trees.

“We should get some sleep. We need to get moving again in the morning, and I’d like to get an early start,” Daniel said as he finished packing away the plates.

Beth placed a mug of coffee on the log beside Daniel and reached out to touch his arm. “Where will we go?”

He laid his hand gently on top of hers, wanting to prolong the current of electricity trailing across his skin. “I’m not sure yet. I have another call to make in the morning then I’ll let you know. In the meantime, get some rest.” He wasn’t ready to move his hand just yet, leaving it to linger on the softness of her warm skin.

He felt rather than heard Beth’s soft intake of breath before she cleared her throat and coughed. “There’s only one tent,” she rasped.

He shook his head. “You take it.”

Shrugging in annoyance, she pulled her arm away and moved back to sit on the log nearer the tent. “Don’t be ridiculous. We’d better share it. You’ll freeze out here with no fire.”

“I’ll live. I’ve done it before.” He stifled a smile as he saw her flustered face.

“And you call me stubborn.” She stood and threw the almost full mug of coffee onto the dirt behind her. “Okay—but if you get cold later, don’t blame me.”

Beth grabbed her backpack from beside her and walked off, making her way to the tent. It was sheltered under a tree at the edge of the clearing. She tugged at the zipper but it wouldn’t budge.

What now?

She tried once more, but still no luck.

Shit.

Once again she had to ask Daniel for help, and that grated. It was only a little thing, hardly worth worrying about really, she told herself. But it still grated.

She glanced back to where she’d left Daniel. He was watching her. Grinning. Oh Hell. He was enjoying this.

“Are you going to just stand there like a stuffed dummy, or are you going to help me?”

“Sorry, I know how you hate to accept help. I thought I’d wait until I was asked. Wouldn’t want to be accused of taking over and all.”

“Well…I’m asking.”

“Asking for what?”

“Oh, for crying out loud… Can you help me with this zipper…please?”

“Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Beth gave him her best withering glare. One that would’ve shrunk most men, but Daniel wasn’t most men. He laughed and strode over to her. With one quick flick of his wrist he had the tent open.

“Thanks.”

Daniel started to reply, but Beth didn’t give him a chance. She quickly threw herself inside the tent and shut the flap before he had a chance to open his mouth. She heard a chuckle as he walked away. She lay back onto the air mattress and relaxed. She glanced at the tent flap and laughed. At least he had a sense of humor.

She shouldn’t have been so uptight with him but she couldn’t help herself. There was a tension between them she couldn’t explain, but now wasn’t the time to explore it.

Despite the rough conditions, it didn’t take Beth long to fall asleep. She was exhausted, not just physically, but emotionally. Perhaps it was a combination of that plus the painkillers, but moments after she’d crept into her sleeping bag, she was asleep and dreaming once more.

A dark, shadowy figure was moving toward her. She was running, fearing for her life. The bush track became narrower, and she came to a dead end. She turned her head from side to side, her breathing labored. There was no escape.

She turned to the track to find the figure had now reached her. The man wore a mask and was holding a gun pointed directly at her. She gasped as he removed his mask and smiled malevolently at her. His face. As he started to talk, she realized there was something familiar about his face. “You won’t get away this time, Miss Hamilton!”

“You! What do you want from me?”

He ignored her question and cocked the trigger of his gun.

Beth screamed.

“No!”