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Regan Harris
Closet in Guy Bianchi’s Living Room
Honduras
Ben clamped his hand over my mouth at my yelp. Luckily, the sound was covered by the coffee table smashing into pieces. His hand tightened even further as Guy continued to beat the man.
I focused on taking slow, steady breaths through my nose. I held onto Ben’s arm but didn’t try to pull his hand away. I knew I’d make noise at the fight I was watching. I caught glimpses of movement through the slats, bodies hitting one another. If I stood on my toes, I knew I’d see more from a better angle. I didn’t. I wanted to look away but I couldn’t. It was like watching a wreck in slow motion. Thuds sounded as Guy’s fists landed on the man’s face. His nose crunching as it broke had my mouth filling with bile. I swallowed it down so I didn’t give our location away by getting sick.
Guy’s rage scared me more than the cool, collected man at the theater. I feared for Gray’s life even more now. Gray could be on the receiving end if we didn’t find him soon.
What man was missing? Gray? And what did Guy mean by handling it? Handling what? Regan wondered.
Ben’s hand relaxed and released me when Guy finished his assault. I opened my mouth to get more air but kept my body rigid and still otherwise. Ben’s body was pressed up against me, still and hard as a statue. I kept my breathing quiet as I watched Guy, through the slats in the door, walk to the kitchen.
I let out a little yip when Guy said Frank and Michael’s names. Ben’s hand covered my mouth again. The movement startled me and I bumped into the wall. Guy turned and looked in our direction. My heart sped up with fear. My palms were slippery with sweat. I stopped breathing. I was going to die. I just knew it. I felt Ben’s body next to mine tense up and prepare to spring into action. His hand moved away from my mouth and his arm slowly came down until it was at his side. My eyes never left the scene playing out in front of me. I watched Guy slowly move closer to us through the slats in the door. I prayed he couldn’t see us in the dark closet as easily as I could see him.
About a foot from the door, Guy looked at the moaning man on the floor and his body relaxed. He forgot about pursuing the closet for investigation. I exhaled, not even aware I was holding my breath. The man stood up, pressing the towel to his nose. Guy steadied him with his hand as he led them both from the cabin.
I reached for the door. I needed air. I needed out of the small space. I needed to run away from this coffin I was trapped in. The air inside the closet was hot and humid from our breath. The slats in the door didn’t provide any air flow or circulation. I needed out. Ben’s hand stopped me. He whispered in my ear.
“Give them time to walk away.”
I squeezed his arm in reply. I was too afraid to open my mouth to speak. I was afraid anything I tried to say would only come out as a yell.
I counted my heartbeats to occupy my mind and to help me forget about what I’d just seen. I stopped blinking. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the gruesome image of the man on the floor. I resolved to find Gray immediately, hoping he wasn’t hurt.
After what felt like an eternity but was actually only two hundred heartbeats, Ben opened the door for us to escape. I practically fell out of the closet in my haste to reach fresh air. I followed him like a zombie to the back room and through the window. Ben left it open behind him and stepped over the screen.
He held my hand as he walked me back to our cabin, still playing the couple out for a stroll. I replayed Guy’s conversation over and over again in my head. Guy mentioned a waterfall. But which one? There were two in the area that I knew of. One remote, requiring a hike up a mountain and through a coffee bean plantation. The other, Pulhapanzak Falls, a rather popular destination for tourists and locals alike.
But why would they have gone there? And who was the man with Guy? Obviously not a friend of his.
Thoughts and questions swirled through my head. We needed more information. I pulled on Ben’s hand and switched paths. I led him to the restaurant and information booth for local attractions. Ben kept watch while I rifled through the pamphlets. I grabbed one on Pulhapanzak and was about to turn and leave when Ben blocked my path. He put his arm around me and whisked me around the corner of the building.
Guy’s voice echoed out an open window to me. The restaurant was nothing more than a shack with outdoor seating. We had no place to hide and we couldn’t walk away because we’d be exposed. Ben pushed against the building and kissed me. I let him. The kiss blocked my face and his body blocked me.
“Call me if anyone from Cabin Three leaves.”
That’s our cabin! I gasped at the words, opening my mouth. Ben took full advantage and tried to deepen the kiss. I clamped my mouth shut and used all my strength not to push him off me.
“Yes, sir,” a woman’s voice drifted toward us. “When will you return? Some of the guests have been asking for you.”
“I don’t know. I’ll be at Pulhapanzak. It’s closed to guests today. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
My eyes flew open. I found myself looking into Ben’s eyes as he kissed me. We’d both heard.
Pulhapanzak.
Footsteps grew louder as Guy walked toward the door and then grew fainter as he turned away from us. Ben released me. We both receded into the tree line and out of sight.
“How are we going to get them out?” I was thinking out loud as much asking Ben.
“We don’t. Let’s just leave. We can come back for them later,” Ben said.
I gasped at the thought. I wasn’t leaving them. “Can you guarantee their safety? Can you guarantee we will be able to come back later for them? No.” I turned on my heel and headed toward the cabin. I wouldn’t walk away without Jax, Liam and Gracie. We’d just have to find a way. At this point, I’d leave Ben’s butt behind in a heartbeat, though.
“Wait!” Ben said.
“No. You can talk and walk.” I picked up my pace, breaking into a jog. I’d get my way if I could just get back to our cabin before Ben. No time for talking. I raced ahead, full-out running now. I could see our cabin. I’d almost made it to the door when Ben tackled me from behind. I hit the ground hard, but didn’t give up. I clawed myself forward with my hands while I kicked Ben away with my feet. I connected with his chest and the air whooshed out of his lungs.
Liam and Jax were sitting on a bed watching Gracie pace across the room when I fell through the door. Ben followed me in and started barking orders before the door was even closed, completely ignoring our tumble outside.
“Everyone, get your things. We’re leaving.” The four us stared at him but didn’t move. “Now.”
I hustled over to grab my bag off the floor. Jax and Liam scrambled off the bed. Gracie stood still, probably debating what to do. Most of the luggage was still in the car, so we were all ready to go within seconds. We’d brought in only a couple of pieces into the cabin to keep from looking suspicious. Not that it mattered anymore, Guy and the staff were onto us.
“Gracie, come on. We know where Gray is!” I said.
“We’re not going for Gray. We’re leaving. Did you not hear what Guy said?” Ben asked. “You insisted we come back here. Now, we all are in more danger. We can’t just go traipsing after that guy.”
“I heard ‘Pulhapanzak Falls’ and ‘the man is missing.’ The man is obviously Gray. He got away from them somehow and we” —I motioned with my hand to include all of us— “are going to the falls to find him.”
“Well, I also heard ‘el jefe’ and that means we are leaving. Now!” Anger flashed across Ben’s face. I stood nose to nose with him. I wouldn’t back down. We had a lead on Gray, and we were going to take it.
“El jefe?” Liam asked.
“Yes. El jefe. We’re leaving,” Ben said. He grabbed my arm and dragged me to the door. His fingers dug into the muscles. I wrenched my arm free. The skin burned where he’d been holding me.
“Regan, listen to him. Do you know who el jefe is?” Liam asked.
“No, and I don’t care. I’m going to the falls whether you go with me or not,” I said. I wasn’t going to get this close to Gray just to walk away.
“I have the car keys,” Ben pointed out.
“I’ll hitchhike, you arrogant butt. I can get myself there. Give me my gun and get out of my way.” I pushed past him and grabbed his bag. With the weapons bag in one hand and the pamphlet of the falls in the other, I was armed and ready. I was determined. The options for transportation flew through my head. I’d run down to the main road and grab the first thing that came along whether it was a tuck-tuck taxi, a chicken bus, or sitting in the back of a truck with locals. I’d ridden in them all before.
“Regan, just wait.” Liam’s voice was calm. His Irish lilt sounded musical even in the stressful situation. “I’m not saying we won’t go with you but we need a plan.”
“I’m not going. You’re not going. No one is going. Did you hear what I said? El jefe is coming!” Ben pointed at each of us as he yelled.
“Who is el jefe?” Gracie’s soft voice cut through our heated ones. Liam turned to her.
“He’s a drug lord. A vicious, will-kill-us-all drug lord. He’s almost as famous as Pablo Escobar. Only no one knows his real name or what his face looks like. He’s the most wanted man in the world,” Liam said.
“He’s coming here? Why?” Gracie asked. Fear raced through her eyes. Although, I didn’t think it was fear for Gray so much as for Guy.
Ben filled them all in on what we heard and saw. I watched their faces as Ben described the beating and the conversation between Guy and the other man. Shock and horror, even nausea, flashed across their faces. Bile rose in my throat again as I thought about the beating. Hearing Ben as he described it with brutal honesty, it still didn’t capture how terrifying it had been to witness.
“Regan,” Liam said the one word as a plea.
“I have to go look for him. I have to.” My shoulders slumped. What would I do if they forced me to leave with them? They’d have to drag me out kicking and screaming, but they could do it if they ganged up on me.
“I understand. I would travel to the ends of the earth if Jax were missing.” Liam raised one finger. “But we can’t just go running into the danger. We don’t know what to expect. All I’m asking is that we take a moment and make a plan.”
“This is ridiculous!” Ben said. “Our plan is to leave.”
I turned to Ben and stepped closer to him. I had Liam on my side, now I just needed him, too. I dropped his bag and laid my hands on his arms. I looked up at him until he submitted and tilted his head down to look at me.
“Please, Ben. I need your help.” I squeezed his arms. “I need you by my side. I’m going but I will be safer and we will have a better chance with you there, too. You know it’s true. Please. I need you.” My voice was almost a whisper as I pleaded for his help.
“This is insane. We could all get killed.” Ben’s eyes were locked on mine.
“I know that. And I’m sorry I’m asking that of you and Liam. I am.”
Ben shrugged me off and moved away from me. His back created an impenetrable wall. I picked up the bag and held my breath while he contemplated our situation, praying he would decide to help us. Nobody moved. Nobody spoke.