Becca’s words slammed into Colton’s gut. Salif was threatening to come after her and Noah? How was that even possible? His call had to be nothing more than empty threats. There was no way they could reach Becca in the United States.
Or was there?
“Where are you now?” he asked, his mind still trying to work through the consequences of what she’d just told him.
“We’re both at my parents’ home, along with Bret’s mom and dad, but I’m not sure we’re safe here, and I can’t put our parents’ lives at risk. I’m thinking about disappearing for a few days with Noah.”
Colton started pacing again. He’d obviously considered the current risk to Bret while they were still in North Africa, but this...
“Have you gone to the police?” he asked.
“They said they still had Bret and told me not to go to the authorities—”
“You need to get the authorities involved.”
“I know. That’s what I decided. I called Agent Salem.”
“And?”
“He pretty much said there was nothing he could do. He said he’d look into the situation, but didn’t see how a threat like that could be credible. Maybe he’s right, but they knew my cell phone number, where I work, where Noah goes to school...”
“Most of these things they could have found out on Facebook. It could be nothing more than empty threats—”
“Empty threats?” She was crying again. “They held Bret hostage for almost two months. That’s not an empty threat. You might have pulled him out of there, but what if this isn’t over?”
“We have a plan, Becca. My team is going to fly in and pick us up in the morning. We’ll go straight to Morocco, then catch a flight out from there. I’ll let you know as soon as I can when we’ll be back home.”
He’d planned to have her fly to Morocco to meet them, but with threats against her and Noah, he wanted to keep them as far away from here as possible.
“Okay, but in the meantime, how is Bret doing physically? I know he needs to see a doctor. His immune system had to have been compromised. And he’s likely malnourished and dehydrated after all these weeks in captivity.”
“He’s weak,” Colton said, deciding not to mention the scorpion sting, “but he’s going to be okay. We’re somewhere safe right now, and tomorrow my team will pick us up. If everything goes according to plan, we’ll be in Morocco by nightfall tomorrow, then I’ll get Bret on a flight to the States. I promise, Becca. He’s going to be okay. Trust me. I’m going to do everything in my power to ensure his safety and bring him home to you.”
But in the meantime he now had to worry about his sister and Noah, as well.
He cleared his throat. “Maybe you’re right about finding a place off the grid. I don’t think they can reach you where you are, but if there is even a chance that they can make good on their threats we don’t want to take it.”
“I agree. I took a bunch of cash out of the ATM. I can head up the coast and find us a place to stay in some little seaside town where no one can find us.”
“I think that’s a good idea,” he said. “But I’m going to need a way to contact you.”
“I’m one step ahead of you. I’m ditching this phone now that I’ve heard from you, but I bought one of those burn phones that can’t be traced.”
“You’ve been watching way too many episodes of NCIS.”
Becca let out a low chuckle, but he could still hear the fear in her voice. “Just write down the number.”
“Just a sec...” He signaled at Issa for something to write with, then wrote the number on the back of his hand until he could find some paper.
“I’m not taking any more chances, Colton. Not with my son. Call me as soon as you’re in Morocco and as soon as you know when you’ll be back in the States.”
“I will, and, little sis, be careful.”
Seconds later the line went dead.
Lexi walked up to him and brushed her fingers against his arm. “What’s going on? That didn’t sound like the phone call you expected.”
“It wasn’t.” Colton took a deep breath, still trying to wrap his mind around what his sister had just told him. And whether or not the threats were worth taking seriously. “Becca received a call from someone a few hours ago and the person on the other line threatened her and Noah’s life if he didn’t get the two million dollars they were supposed to get as Bret’s ransom. Said they would come after them next if they didn’t pay it in the next forty-eight hours.”
“Wait a minute...” Lexi turned to Isaa. “Do you think there is any validity to their threat?”
Issa shook his head. “It’s hard to imagine that their arm reaches all the way to the United States, but on the other hand we can’t just assume they are bluffing.”
“What about the police?” Lexi asked. “Aren’t they involved?”
“They threatened to kill her and my nephew if they went to the police. But my sister has contacted the agent who was helping us with the case before. He’s promised to look into the situation, I’m just not sure there’s much he can do.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I need to get Bret home. I need to be there with my sister and make sure she’s okay.” Colton turned to Issa. “And I need to know more about the man you mentioned. Salif. What exactly are we dealing with?”
“He was born and raised in Mali. Joined the army at some point, then decided that kidnapping would be more lucrative. There are men who hire Salif to do their dirty work as I told you earlier. Salif, in turn, has men who work under him, but no one knows exactly how many.”
“So how far does this man’s arm reach?”
“I can’t be certain. I thought getting you to Morocco would be far enough. It’s possible he has support in the United States, but I doubt it. I just have no way to know,” Issa said, motioning them toward a small table. “In the meantime, the two of you need to eat. My wife has prepared a meal for you.”
Issa’s wife, a beautiful woman with dark skin and white teeth, carried out a large silver tray covered with an assortment of dishes.
“Colton, you remember my wife, Maysa?”
“Of course. It’s a pleasure to see you again, Maysa,” he said, then quickly introduced Lexi.
Issa’s wife place the tray in front of them, then began pulling off the lids, intensifying the scents of cumin, garlic and onions. But any appetite he’d had was gone.
“You must eat, my friend,” Issa said after blessing the food. He seemed to sense Colton’s hesitation.
“He’s right,” Lexi said. “And it looks delicious. What is it?”
“We call this tagine,” Issa said, pointing to one of the dishes beside a pile of flat bread. “It has fish, spices, olives and potatoes with couscous. There are also figs and grapes.”
Colton picked up a piece of the flat bread, scooped up some of the sauce and took a bite. His mouth watered. Perhaps he was hungry after all. “I haven’t had a chance to ask your husband about your son,” he said, addressing Maysa.
Her face beamed with joy. “He is sleeping now, but he is...perfect.”
“They almost lost the baby during the delivery,” Colton said. “I was able to transport him to one of our clinics.”
“If you will excuse me for a few minutes,” Maysa said, standing up, “I will return with some tea and almond cakes.”
“Thank you.” Colton scooped up another bite of the sauce. “I didn’t think I was hungry, but now that I’ve taken a bite I’m suddenly famished.”
A star shot across the night sky above them. But even the warmth of the food wasn’t enough to lessen the cold fear circulating through his heart.
* * *
An hour later, Colton tried unsuccessfully to sleep. The breeze coming in from the open window helped keep the room from being hot and stuffy. With dreams eluding him, he decided to talk to God.
How did the escape plan work only to lead us here, God? With threats now against Becca and Noah I don’t know what to do. I need You to show me what to do.
He was worried about his sister and nephew. About Bret. And then there was Lexi. He’d been surprised at her strength throughout this entire ordeal. She was so different from Maggie. Maggie would never have taken a year off and come to Africa to serve others. It made him wonder now why he’d been attracted to her in the first place. Or maybe he was the one who had changed. He hadn’t expected his decision to come to Africa to have made such a profound effect on his life. But it had. Of course, on the other hand, his brother-in-law never would have been captured by a group if militants if he’d never come in the first place.
But then he never would have met Lexi.
He couldn’t help smiling when he pictured her. He liked her independence, and yet there was that underlying sense of vulnerability that made him want to protect her.
But what if I can’t, God? All of this seems so out of my control.
It was what he’d always loved about flying. That feeling of control he felt when he was in the cockpit. But now with everything that had happened, he’d been reminded that he never really had been in charge.
A sharp knock on his door jerked him from his thoughts.
“Colton, come.” Issa stood in the doorway. “We must hurry.”
He leaned up on one elbow and waited for his eyes to focus. “Issa—”
“A group of armed men have just arrived at the Kasbah. And they are looking for you. My brother tried to convince them you weren’t here, but they insisted on searching. And there is no way to stop them.”
* * *
The sound of a familiar voice jerked Lexi out of her nightmare, but not enough for her to forget the dream. A group of armed men had been chasing her through the desert. And no matter how hard she pushed herself, it had been as if she’d been moving in slow motion as she struggled to make her way across the sand. She’d glanced behind her, but they’d continued to gain on her. In a few more seconds they would have been close enough to grab her.
The voice was calling her again. Fear swept over her as she tried to remember where she was. This wasn’t just a dream. They had grabbed her and taken her into the desert. The only reason she had escaped was because of Colton.
“Lexi?”
This time she opened her eyes and looked up. Moonlight filtered through the window. Colton was leaning over her, his hand on her shoulder, shaking her gently. Her mind flashed back to the moment she’d first seen him at the camp. Before the guns started exploding around them. Somehow he’d managed to get her to safety.
“Lexi...we need to go. Quickly.”
“Go where?” She fought to shake off the fog that had settled on her brain as she tried to take in his words. “I don’t understand.”
“The men who were looking for us have just arrived at the Kasbah.”
Lexi felt her heart pound inside her chest. Her kindnappers were here? A wave of panic streaked through her. No...they couldn’t have found them. Issa had sent them off in the wrong direction. And besides, this Kasbah was supposed to be a place of safety. She couldn’t go back.
“We’re going to be okay, but I need you to come with me now.”
Lexi nodded, then sat up and brushed her hair back from her face, as the reality of their situation grabbed hold. They weren’t safe. Not yet. Colton might have pulled her from Salif’s camp, but those had taken her were not done searching for them yet. And if they really were here...
She looked around the room, but she had nothing to grab and take with her. No passports. No bags. She had no idea how they’d eventually cross the border without documents, but at the moment it didn’t matter. They just needed to get as far away as possible from her abductors were determined to track them down.
Colton grabbed her hand and helped her up. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Just groggy. Where’s Bret?”
“A couple of Issa’s men have taken him to one of the Jeeps. We’re going to meet him there, then leave the Kasbah.”
Issa was waiting for them in the long, narrow passageway. “Come, we must hurry. My brother tried to hold them off, but they have guns.”
“How many are there?” Colton asked as they followed Issa.
“I’m not sure. Five...maybe six. They arrived in a vehicle about ten minutes ago.”
“I knew we never should have involved you and put your family at risk,” Colton said.
“Forget it. I don’t want to see Salif succeed any more than you do. Ransom payments give him the funds for weapons, and those in turn are used against my people.”
They were winding their way through the dark maze of tiny passageways inside the Kasbah. Lexi could hear men shouting behind them as they ran. Her heart pounded in her throat as they made their way across the uneven brick. She tripped on a crack in the pavement. Colton grasped her elbow to stop her from falling.
“I’m fine,” she said, ignoring the pain shooting through her ankle. “We need to keep going.”
The men’s footsteps behind them were getting louder.
“Through here,” Issa said.
He unlatched a heavy wooden door and ushered them inside a small room with no ceiling that was open to the night sky. Lexi breathed in the musty smell of animals and constant bleating. Something brushed across her leg and pushed her backward against the wall.
“What in the world...”
“Sorry. They’re sheep.”
Sheep? He had to be kidding.
Moonlight caught the bodies of the animals that filled the room. In any other situation she’d see the humor in the situation. A room filled with sheep in a Kasbah in the middle of the desert... But right now, it was all she could do not to panic.
Issa was making his way in front of them, through another door and this time down another narrow staircase.
“I told you my grandfather had a number of wives,” Issa said, his breathing fast. “He used these passageways to discreetly visit them. When I was a child, I would hide from my brothers and sisters using these tunnels. We’re almost there.”
Lexi glanced back as Colton grasped her hand and led her around a sharp twist in the flight of stairs. Her lungs were burning. The light of the moon had vanished, and the dark stone walls began to close in on her. She pressed her fingers against the cold rock.
God, this is not the time for me to be claustrophobic.
“Lexi?”
“It’s nothing. I’m fine.”
Colton squeezed her hand. “Just breathe slowly. We’re almost there.”
She drew in a breath. In and out, wishing she wasn’t so terrified. When she’d agreed to take the job in Timbuktu, she’d been fully aware of the unpredictable security situation and the threat of kidnapping and terrorism. She’d seen the heavy security presence of police patrols. She—along with her team—had lived with contingency plans to leave the country on short notice if necessary. And now she was having to escape in the middle of the night from men who wanted to take her again.
Lexi drew in another deep breath, as they rushed down the narrow passageway. Despite the fear she felt, she wanted to believe that coming here had been worth it. That she’d do it all over again given the choice.
Because she’d come to love this country and the strength of the women who would do anything to protect their children. Women who worked hard from sunup to sundown to provide for their families. And she’d found contentment in helping to ensure they had the clean water they needed to protect their families.
Now the contentment she’d found in her work had been exchanged for a growing sense of panic. Even if they did get out of here without being followed, where would they go? Salif clearly had men spread out over a vast territory. Yet how could they give in to his demands when they didn’t have what he wanted?
Colton didn’t have the two million dollars. She didn’t know where her brother was or if he had access to the money he owed them.
Issa pushed open another heavy wooden door that opened up into some sort of garage, then let them pass.
“Here’s the Jeep.”
Two men were helping Bret into the front passenger seat. One of them grabbed a package off the top of the vehicle and handed it to Issa.
“Where do we go now?” Lexi asked, hesitating.
“We need to head for the boarder.”
“What about my team?” Colton asked.
“I’m bringing the satellite phone. For them to land at this point isn’t safe. Rumor has it that Salif’s men are guarding all the airstrips in the vicinity.”
“So we drive out of here?” Lexi asked.
“I believe it is our only option. I’ll come with you as your driver. I know the way.”
Issa handed Colton a weapon. “Just in case we need to defend ourselves. These men are heavily armed, which means it won’t be enough to take them down, but at least it will give us some way to defend ourselves.”
Lexi stared at the weapon and felt her stomach tighten as Issa put a second handgun beneath the driver’s seat. She’d never liked guns, despite her stepfather’s collection. And while she could agree there was a time and a place, she hated the fact that they might need one now.
“Lexi?”
“Sorry.” She jumped into the backseat next to Colton and felt that eerie sense of déjà vu sweep over her. They’d tried to lose Salif’s men before, and his men had found them. Which mean that while Issa might know the desert, so did these men. They’d grown up here. They knew how to survive in the stark conditions. And they knew how to be ruthless.
All she knew was that this was a world completely different from her own.
The fear was back, twisting in her gut. The night sky loomed above them as Issa sped away from the Kasbah. She glanced at Colton and caught the same look of worry in his eyes as he reached out and grasped her hand.
“We’re going to get out of this.”
She nodded, but wasn’t convinced anymore that there was a way out.