CHAPTER 13

 

Cord looked Stacey over as he waited for her by the landing pad, his backpack at his feet. She wore black jeans, a dark purple tee shirt with a black and purple checked flannel shirt as he requested the night before. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she wore her hiking boots. Oh Lord, it’s going to be a long three days.

Stacey began to think that maybe all of Cord’s clothes were exactly the same when she saw him once again all in black. He probably has a stockpile of the same boring shirts, pants, and boots that he bulk orders from Military R’Us. She grimaced at her grumpy thoughts and wished she could have slept more last night. She heard the sound of the chopper getting close.

As soon as they were aboard, Stacey asked Cord and the pilot to let her know when they passed Ranger Peak. She would then be able to show them the correct river and where to put down. Leaning back she closed her eyes, dreading the liftoff.

“Are you okay?” Cord yelled directly into her ear.

“Fine, I’m resting,” she yelled back. Realizing she was breathing too fast, she began her deep breathing exercises.

“Stacey, hold my hand. You should have told me you’re afraid to fly,” Cord grabbed her hand.

“I am not afraid of flying,” she insisted, but squeezed his hand tightly.

“Then what’s wrong?”

“It’s too small.”

“The chopper?”

She nodded with her eyes closed.

“You’re claustrophobic?” Cord guessed.

“Sort of.”

“How can you feel closed in when you’ve got this terrific view through the glass?” the pilot yelled over the noise of the rotor. He gestured with one hand to the bubble around the entire front of the small chopper.

“I can stay in a dark closet or a cave for hours, unless you put...” she paused to take a few deep breaths, “unless you put two or three other people and loud noise with me. Then it gets to be too much.”

“How did you find out about it?” Cord tried to distract her and keep her talking.

“We were having a party at a friend’s. The boys were in the basement game room and the girls were upstairs. Four of us girls decided it would be fun to spy on Sammy and the boys. While they were eating pizza, we hid in the basement closet. One of the guys saw the door close and figured out what we were doing. They decided to teach us a lesson. They turned a big boom-box up really loud, shoved it in the closet with us, and blocked the door. I lost it after a few minutes and fainted. When I came to, our friend’s father had me in the car on the way to the ER and Sammy was terrified.”

“So, just one thing doesn’t bother you, but all of them combined...?” Cord asked.

“Like having to have air, fuel, and a flame. Then I combust,” she smiled weakly.

“But you go up all the time with search and rescue. How can you put yourself through that?”

She squeezed his hand harder and gritted her teeth as the chopper bounced in an air pocket. “I ride in the back. There’s more space and I wear headphones that play soft music to drown out the engine noise. I never sit near anyone.”

“Maybe I can help a little, darling.” The pilot took off his headset and handed it to Cord.

Cord adjusted the earpieces for her.

The pilot flipped a switch and turned a small dial.

Stacey released a long sigh with her eyes tightly closed. Some of her tension faded away and she eased her death grip on Cord’s hand. The earphones reduced the amount of noise from the rotor directly overhead and the constant, low monotone of a voice giving the weather report was soothing.

Cord signaled the pilot with a thumbs up and they grinned at each other.

She didn’t realize she dozed off until someone shook her arm. Her head rested against Cord’s shoulder. Stacey smiled and blinked at him sleepily.

Cord fought hard to keep from kissing her completely awake. These strong urges seemed to hit him at the worst times lately. And now that he knew her taste... He lifted the earphone nearest him and spoke into her ear; “We just passed Ranger Peak.”

“We need to bear slightly northwest for about twenty miles. That should put us at the Lochsa River System close to where we need to start.”

The pilot nodded and changed course to fly northwest. After only a few minutes they began flying over the streams feeding into the Lochsa River.

“Can you fly lower?” Stacey pointed down.

“Just over the treetops okay?” the pilot yelled.

She nodded then watched carefully as they skimmed over the trees. Pointing to a very large stream, she asked, “Can you follow this one west?”

The pilot veered left and swooped to follow the rushing waters.

“There it is. We need to land somewhere near that bend.” Stacey had successfully brought them to the bend in the river where Cord took Ricky and Don from Thompson.

The pilot nodded and circled, looking for a place large enough to land his bird. He circled again and shouted, “I don’t see a wide enough spot.”

“How about down there, on the riverbank?” Cord pointed to a wide section of the river where the bank sloped gently and the trees were farther back from the water.

The pilot shook his head. “Too muddy. If the skids slip and get stuck, I won’t be able to get her back up.”

“If you get low enough we can jump,” Cord told him.

“What about her?” the pilot argued.

“Her will do just fine,” Stacey informed him curtly.

The pilot grinned and shrugged, “I’m game if you are.”

“Do it,” Cord agreed. He unbuckled his seatbelt and reached over the seat for his pack then Stacey’s. As the chopper neared the ground, he took the headphones from Stacey and tossed them in the pilot’s lap. Looping his arm through one of the straps on his pack, he watched while Stacey unbuckled and copied him.

“Wait ‘til I jump and get clear. If he needs to reposition the chopper, wait for it. He’ll give you a thumbs up when it’s safe to step out onto the skid and again when you can jump. Watch him for signals, don’t watch me. You’re sure you can do this? We can’t afford an injury.”

“I’ve done this before, McConnell. No special treatment, remember?” Stacey yelled. She didn’t take time to tell him she had also made ski jumps and water jumps from choppers in practice to carry out actual rescues.

The pilot passed Cord a small black box. “When do you want me to start checking?”

Cord carefully put the item in a pocket on his pack. “Sunday morning. Stacey says three days minimum. Buzz the area between here and Lolo Pass morning and afternoon until you get the signal.”

“Roger, Cord. See you then.” He carefully maneuvered the chopper to hover just above the bank. He gave the first thumbs up.

Cord opened the door then eased out onto the skid. When Cord was set, he looked back over his shoulder.

After a slight adjustment, the pilot gave him the second thumbs up.

Without hesitation, Cord jumped and landed stooped and running to get clear of the blades.

Stacey slid over near the door and waited for the signal. She failed to mention she had always jumped from a large cargo door. This is only slightly different she told herself as she made sure there was nothing to get hung up on. The thumbs up came and she put her right foot onto the skid. She braced the door back with her left arm as she saw Cord do and moved her left foot out to stand on the skid. She looked back at the pilot, who grinned at her. He gave her the second signal and she jumped. Instead of trying to land like Cord, she tucked and rolled away then stayed put until the chopper lifted up above them.

“That works, too,” Cord called as she got up and brushed away the dirt.

“I can only do that when I’m the last one out,” she laughed.

Cord waved to the pilot as the bird circled then headed out. “We need to get in the trees. There might be a law enforcement plane through here anytime. I’d rather they not see us and try to find out what we’re up to. Having to explain would just slow us down.” He helped her adjust her pack and they moved away from the water.

Heading west along the river while staying in the shelter of the trees, they reached the exact spot where Cord rescued the boys.

“I’m sure they crossed here. We should too,” Stacey reported after scouting the area.

“Okay, let’s go. At least its warmer this time,” Cord said and followed as she waded into the water.

“Don’t be so sure,” she chuckled as she heard him catch his breath against the cold. “This is still coming from snow run-off and the nights will be cool, yet.” In the middle of the river, the water lapped at Stacey’s upper thighs. As she reached the other side and began to wade ashore, she heard the low hum of a small airplane engine at almost the same time Cord did.

Running quickly, they made it to the cover of the woods before the plane came into view.

“Close. We have to stay alert,” Cord warned.

“Yeah. Was that a transmitter the pilot gave you? Won’t they pick up the signal when you activate it?”

“Yeah, it’s a transmitter. I learned something from our last trip. They shouldn’t be able to pick it up. I had it set to a special frequency,” Cord smiled and let his dark brown eyes linger on her mouth as she caught her breath. He quickly jerked his attention back to business. “We need to move as soon as the plane’s gone.”

Once she could no longer hear the plane, Stacey began looking for the signs of the trail, now weeks old. In widening semi-circles moving north away from the river, she scoured the ground. Rain, wind, game movements, and time rendered the trail almost invisible.

Cord waited patiently, knowing she wouldn’t stop until she found it.

Finally, she straightened, moved forward a few feet, and knelt to stare at the ground again. “Okay, McConnell. I’ve got it,” Stacey called and followed the vague trail. The going became rougher as they left the river and climbed a ridge. They hiked deeper into the Bitterroot Mountain Range dividing Idaho and Montana. Even though the trail often strayed left or right to take advantage of game trails and easier footing, it always returned to a northerly direction. Stacey indicated places along the way where the criminals stopped to rest.

The man with the injured leg became a severe liability and the other two alternately helped him. The deeper impressions made by the heavier weight from the uninjured man helped Stacey keep on the right track. By mid-afternoon, she located where they camped.

Pointing to the signs, Stacey explained, “This was the end of the first day without the boys. It could have been anytime from late the second day all the way through the fourth day when they stashed the bonds. Thompson refused to be more specific.”

“As much trouble as they’re having helping the third guy, I would say it wasn’t too long before they hid the bonds,” Cord added. “We’re making good time, Parker. Better than I hoped.”

“Their injured friend and carrying all the packs slowed them down considerably at this point.” After a quick break for water and a snack to boost their energy they moved on.

Cord was watchful and quiet as they traveled. In addition to listening for planes and choppers, he also thought they might run into local or Federal Agents searching for the bonds. His contact reported that the most concentrated searches were near the crash site at Ranger Peak and at the point where Thompson and the other two encountered the hunters at Lolo Pass. But the plane activity in this area told him there might be searchers on foot or horseback as well.

Even though he and Stacey weren’t doing anything illegal at the moment, they would most likely be questioned or detained for a day or two. Any delay could prove disastrous for Marcus.

As he watched her move quickly and efficiently, he couldn’t help but think of Stacey’s mother. Lucy was full of life and energy, outgoing and friendly, but protective of her last cub. She only invited him to stay in the house after becoming satisfied her child would be safe with him.

Cord also wondered how on earth Sam kept up with both of them. Or maybe he was smart enough to stay in one spot and let them move full circle back to him. Sam reminded him of an anchor. Steady, reliable, and very careful with his family and his business. Cord liked him right away and felt no animosity because of Sam’s attitude when they met.

“Whatever the joke is McConnell, I could sure use one about now,” Stacey told him when she heard a soft chuckle behind her. She felt slightly winded after reaching the bottom of another long slope.

“No joke, just pleasant thoughts,” Cord answered as he realized he made the sound without knowing it. “Actually, I was thinking about Sam and Lucy. They’re pretty special, you know.”

“They are very special,” Stacey agreed absently as she moved all around looking for the trail.

“Have you ever considered moving away? Other than when you left to learn tracking?”

“No, not really. Financially it wouldn’t be a problem, but I have a job I love out here, family, friends, and a home.” She picked up the trail and led the way.

“And you’re happy?”

“Is anybody ever totally happy? I watch Cathy with the twins and wish for kids of my own someday. Or I see a honeymoon couple kissing and holding hands and I want what they have. My mom and dad make me envious of their relationship. We have this one couple who come to the lodge every year to celebrate their anniversary. They were married in the lobby when the other people owned it. They’ve booked rooms and the dining area for their twenty-fifth anniversary in June. I’d like to have that kind of commitment from someone one of these days. What about you? Are you happy with your life?”

Cord should have known she would turn the question back on him. She always did. He thought about what he wanted as he followed her along the trail. Never would he tell her that what he wanted more than anything was a family. He gave up on that dream a long time ago. “If not totally happy, I am fairly content. I’m not quite sure what I want out of the future.” He definitely did not plan to admit that he was much more content with his life before meeting her.

“What a slick way to avoid the question,” Stacey pointed out. They traveled quietly for a while then she stopped. “I think we should hold up for the night. I’m having a hard time seeing. This looks like a good place to camp,” she suggested.

“Fine with me. It will have to be a cold camp. They’ll have spotters out looking for campfires.”

“I know. Do you think we could have coffee without any problem?” She desperately needed a cup. They both shrugged out of their packs.

“If you brought the tinned fuel, I think we can manage that. I even have a surprise for you.”

“You remembered to bring your own cup,” Stacey teased.

“I did, but that’s not the surprise. I’m not showing you until we make camp,” he taunted, enjoying making her wait.

Stacey checked underneath the large Douglas fir she chose to shelter them. They quickly made camp. She removed her boots and sighed in relief as the air hit her tired feet. Unpacking the small stove, canned fuel, and some food for their meal, she settled in.

Cord hunted out his metal cup from the pack she had dropped on his blankets. After tossing it to her, he kept searching.

“Now, about this surprise,” Stacey prompted.

“Don’t rush me, Parker. I’m looking. I hope I didn’t forget to pack it.” Cord held the package in his hand, but wanted to hear her reaction.

“All right, McConnell,” she warned. “That’s not fair. You shouldn’t say anything if you didn’t bring it.”

“Hand me your cup. I found it,” he told her as he pulled out the round tin.

Using her flannel shirtsleeve to keep from burning her hand, Stacey held her cup out to him. In the dark, she couldn’t see exactly what he was doing. He covered her hand with his to locate the cup then she felt the cup move as he stirred.

“Try that,” he said as he let go of her hand.

Stacey brought the cup beneath her nose and sniffed. It smelled wonderful. Taking a cautious sip, she closed her eyes and made a small, satisfied sound.

“You like it?” Cord asked as she put his cup of water over the flame.

“It’s delicious. What is it?”

“I found it in a gourmet shop in Dallas. It’s a special blend of instant cappuccino. Will you toss me a pack of coffee?”

“Aren’t you going to have some of this? It’s heavenly.”

“I don’t like it. I like plain coffee.”

“Then why buy it?”

“To send to you. Then you called so I brought it instead,” Cord told her nonchalantly. He didn’t want to admit he smelled the sweet creamy brew while passing a gourmet shop and instantly thought of her.

“So you thought of me while you were in Dallas?” Stacey hid her pleasure by handing him his share of the food and taking a bite of her own.

“Once in a while. Especially about the night you met up with the bear. Did you think of me?” Cord still got a kick out of remembering the bear incident.

“Sure. I don’t think you can spend a week on the trail with someone and not think of them. I’ve thought about Ricky and Don, too. I tried to e-mail Don a few times, but I could never get through.” Stacey felt pleased to hear he thought of her. The cappuccino was a nice gesture. But she didn’t want him to know the extent to which she thought of him.

“The FBI moved the boys and their parents to a safe house until Thompson and his men are caught or deemed not to be a threat. If the men come to trial, the boys’ testimony will be an important part of the case against them.”

“Did you meet their parents?”

“Yeah. They were waiting when we got to Helena. The Senator and his entourage were waiting, too. It was a madhouse of a reunion. I can’t believe the press never got hold of it. Did you get your check?” Cord finished eating and stretched out, propped up on one elbow.

“Yes thanks. It was very generous.”

“The Senator included a bonus. The boys’ parents are really nice people. They’re from Denver. They own a charter plane service.”

“So Thompson chartered or stole the plane that crashed?” Stacey missed the details on how that part happened.

“Thompson chartered it through some bogus company name. Ricky and Don were helping out that Thursday after school. Don bumped one of the cases and it fell open. Ricky recognized the papers as bonds and was going to get help when Thompson pulled a gun on the boys. He forced them onto the plane and you know the rest.”

“What about the pilot? Was he trying to save the boys or was there mechanical failure?”

“Mechanical failure. The boys said the pilot never knew they were on the plane,” Cord explained.

“You liked the boys, didn’t you?”

She surprised him once again with a question he wasn’t prepared for. “What was not to like? They’re good boys. They really like you. I had to hold Don when we left the logging camp to keep him from jumping out of the chopper to tell you goodbye. He’s determined to be a guide and tracker, now. Ricky said a few weeks ago, though, he wanted to be a rodeo clown.”

Stacey laughed, “By now, it’s probably an FBI Agent or a Federal Marshall. He’s at an impressionable age. Before I was fourteen, I wanted to be a teacher, a nurse, a princess, a hair stylist then a policewoman depending on who my favorite person or character was at the time. What did you want to be?”

“It depended on what television show was the most popular at the time. I ran the whole course from cowboy to superhero.” He shrugged the question off without admitting that what he wanted most was to be part of a real family, to have a home, and to belong as a child. “We should rest. We need to start early.” Cord stretched out on his blankets, propped against his pack.

Stacey slid between her blankets. She took off her shirt and jeans and rolled them up to use as a pillow. Finally she grew still, sighing softly at how good it felt to rest.

Knots filled Cord’s stomach by the time she finished rustling around. He knew what she was doing and it brought images to mind he shouldn’t be having. Why he put himself through this remained a mystery. He should be in Dallas, away from her, until he got a better handle on the attraction between them. But when she called and he heard the panic and fear in her voice on his answering machine, he didn’t even stop to think. He couldn’t bear to let her go through this alone. And he almost never turned down a case that involved a child taken from its family. Of course, technically this wasn’t a case. He had no intention of accepting any money. This is just one friend helping another. There might come a day when he would need Parker’s help and this way he wouldn’t feel guilty about calling on her.

“Cord, thanks for doing all of this. Do you think they’re treating Marcus okay?”

Her voice came low, drowsy, and extremely sexy to his ears. Like warm honey it poured over him, but with the added depth he felt goose-bumps racing over his flesh to be followed by a flush of heat quickly spreading to his lower regions. “He’s probably scared and maybe a little uncomfortable, but he’s okay, Parker. Thompson won’t take a chance with his bargaining tool. We may locate the bonds tomorrow then he won’t be with them much longer.” Cord offered the reassurance she sought, when crawling into her blankets would definitely comfort him.

“I hope we find them soon. Goodnight, McConnell.” She turned over.

Within minutes her even breathing told him she slept. Quite a while, and several imaginary M-16 rifle assemblies later, Cord calmed his mind and his body enough to doze.

They hit the trail when the sun rose. At mid-morning Stacey located where the criminals spent another night. This time Thompson and the two men made no effort to hide the remains of their fire.

“That’s the end of day two for them. We’ll have to look even more carefully now. I can’t take a chance of missing anything. I’m sure Brooks worked extra hard to conceal the trail to the bonds so no one could locate them.”

“You’ll find them, Parker. We’ve made really good time this morning. Just do what you have to do. Don’t think about anything else. Be patient, follow your instincts, and do your job.” Cord knew she needed to focus but her worries over Marcus and wanting to hurry interfered.

They finally took a much-needed breather and he insisted she eat something. She was pushing herself harder than usual to get this far so quickly.

Stacey took several deep breaths and tried to relax a little. “You’re right. I unraveled their trail before and I can do it this time. Brooks is good, but not perfect and I just have to see the imperfections.”

They moved on carefully and before long Stacey pointed to something new. “They’re practically dragging the injured man now. Both of them are helping with his weight.”

“Yeah, I see it. He didn’t wake up the night I went into their camp. His wound was infected and he was burning up with fever. I’m surprised he’s made it this far.”

“He must be important to Thompson or he would have left him behind, wouldn’t he?”

“Yeah. The FBI said that one of his men injured at the crash site had a bullet in his head. I’m surprised they’re taking this much trouble with this guy. If this keeps up it shouldn’t take long for them to ditch the bonds,” Cord reasoned.

Stacey lost the trail, began backtracking, and crawled along the ground as she read the signs. “One of the men—Thompson—is carrying the injured man. Brooks is carrying more, too, but it must be the packs. It doesn’t weigh as much as what Thompson’s carrying. Probably the bonds.” She talked almost to herself as she deciphered what the trail told her.

“I don’t know what two million in paper bonds would weigh, but I wouldn’t want to carry them far. We’re really close, Parker,” he encouraged her.

“Yeah,” she agreed. “This way.” The trail proved clearer with both men’s feet making deeper impressions in soft spots of dirt. Stacey walked much quicker. They reached a spot where the men rested and switched burdens.

The land was covered in ridges and peaks as the elevation increased and they moved deeper into the mountain range.

“They’re really struggling now.” Stacey pointed to a spot where there were deep marks and some scuffs. “Brooks fell here. He’s not as large as Thompson and is having problems carrying the third man. Those deep impressions right there,” she pointed, “are where his knees hit the ground. They rested here. Then Thompson carried the third man again.” Stacey took a long drink from her canteen and accepted a candy bar from Cord. “Thanks,” she told him and was ready to go on.

“Sit down for a minute, Parker. Eat your candy and rest your eyes,” Cord insisted. “You’ve been squinting for at least the last hour.”

She slipped her pack off and plopped down, too tired to worry about being graceful. Stacey’s head ached dully. Her thighs and calf muscles burned and trembled from the swift pace. Rubbing her forehead with her fingertips, she closed her eyes to let them rest. After finishing the chocolate, she drank more water. She definitely needed the break and she hadn’t drunk enough water the last few hours. “I wasn’t even aware my eyes hurt until you told me,” Stacey sighed. She pushed to her feet. “They’re a little better now.”

“Okay. I’m ready.” He helped her with her pack then waited as she worked out the trail.

Later, near a stream, they hid from a small group of men on horseback. Cord noticed several more small planes flying over as the day progressed. As they drew nearer to Lolo Pass, he knew the number of searchers would increase. It would become more difficult to escape being noticed. The extra ground traffic would also make it harder for Stacey to follow the right trail. She looked to be struggling enough now. He never realized tracking could be so physically demanding.

Atop the next ridge, Stacey stopped to catch her breath and pointed to the mountains in the distance. Snow glistened on the tall peaks. “See those two peaks due north with a nice wide gap between them? That’s Lolo Pass. It’s the safest place in this part of the range to cross into Montana. There are a lot of hunting clubs and leased game land around there because it’s easier to get into. Interstate I-90 is not far from the pass.”

Cord added, “So Thompson probably intended to catch a ride north or steal a vehicle.”

“More than likely,” Stacey agreed and led the way down the slope. Halfway down, she located where the men stopped for the third night. Not much of a camp, it looked as though the criminals just dropped down and stretched out beside each other. Stacey followed the trail out of the camp and then backtracked. Twice more, she checked to be sure of what she saw.

“They didn’t have the bonds when they left, did they?” Cord asked finally, after watching her search the same path several times.

“No. They have to be near here.” She took off her pack and began to scour the ground, searching for the sign Brooks carefully concealed.

“Take it slow and easy. You’ll get it,” Cord told her, sensing her frustration. He went to sit at the base of a tree out of her way and to avoid trampling the signs.

Moving carefully, in slightly widening circles, Stacey inspected every inch of ground, looked at every twig, and checked the limbs of every bush for sign. She saw where Brooks stomped back and forth and walked in circles to hide the trail. He did his job well. She had trouble locating a non-trail to give her a clue.

Crawling inch by inch, the search took almost two hours but she found it. Brooks finally made a mistake. He left a non-trail on the ground. When brushing out his tracks with a branch covered in leaves, he pressed just a little too hard and the branch made unnatural marks in the soft ground. From there, broken twigs, obvious concealment techniques, and other small mistakes led Stacey around to the other side of the ridge. After following two very good false trails Brooks made, she located the right one.

They were losing daylight. It would be night soon and the chopper couldn’t take a chance on coming in for them after dark even if they retrieved the bonds. Don’t think about that. Focus on the trail before the light goes.

Cord noticed the sun was just barely visible above the mountains. He decided to make camp. Searching in Stacey’s pack, he took out the tiny stove, a can of fuel, and two oranges. She would need something to bring her sugar levels up as soon as she came back. He found a spot where he didn’t think the tiny flame of the stove would be visible and heated water.

It was dark when Cord heard Stacey tiredly approach the spot where he waited. Without a word he handed her a hot cup of cappuccino and a peeled orange.

She dropped down beside him with a groan. “Thanks. I’m pretty sure I found them, but I need you to help me get to them.” Stacey sipped at the hot drink sighing appreciatively.

“Okay, let’s eat first,” Cord suggested. “You’ve burned an awful lot of energy in the past few hours.”

“Yes, mom,” Stacey popped a section of the orange into her mouth. “Could you chew it for me, please?”

“That soft eh, Parker?” He teased and received a slight smile as he sipped coffee. “Are they buried?”

“Nope.”

“Too heavy for you to carry?”

“Probably, but I couldn’t really tell,” she answered and reached for a bag of trail mix. “Did you bring any rope? I don’t think mine is long enough.”

“Don’t tell me he threw them off a cliff. Where are the bonds, Parker?” Cord insisted.

“Hanging in a very tall tree. I almost missed them. I thought at first it was a cat kill.”

“A cat kill? Like a jungle cat?”

“Not exactly. More like a mountain lion—a cougar. They pull their kill up into trees sometimes to keep the scavengers from getting them. It’s hard to tell the difference in the dark.”

“Would it be better to wait until daylight?” he asked. Climbing trees in the dark did not sound like a lot of fun.

“Maybe, but if it’s not the bonds we would waste all that time in the morning. I’ll feel a lot better if we know tonight. Then we could signal the chopper first thing if it is the bonds. That way we can get to Marcus sooner.”

“I’ll take a look tonight. If it seems too dangerous, we wait until morning. Agreed?”

“Yes.” She offered him some trail mix. “I need to ask a question and I want a very honest answer.”

“I’ve always tried to be honest with you, Stacey,” he told her. What is she up to now? “What do you want to know?”

“Will Thompson take the bonds and let us walk out with Marcus?”

“Not if we do it his way,” Cord told her quietly.

Stacey felt as if her heart skipped a beat when she received the answer she had dreaded hearing. “But what choice do we have? I know he will hurt Marcus to get what he wants.”

“We have to force him to make the exchange on neutral territory. He’s desperate to get his hands on the bonds. We can use that against him.”

“What if he threatens to hurt Marcus?” she shivered, remembering Thompson’s threat to make her godson scream over the phone to get her cooperation.

“We stay strong to save the boy’s life. We threaten to destroy the bonds.”

“Oh, Cord,” Stacey stared into his dark eyes and whispered, “I don’t think I’m strong enough to—to take that kind of chance with Marcus.”

“Lady, you are one of the strongest people I have ever met. Remember you told me you could do anything you had to, no special treatment? Well, you have to do this, Parker, and I’ll be there to help you.” Cord put an arm around her shoulders to give her a quick squeeze. Then he moved away looking in his pack for the ropes and a flashlight. “Come on, Parker. Show me the way.” He held his hand down to her.

She took it and he drew her to her feet. Fighting the urge to kiss her, he slowly let go of her hand.

Stacey brushed off the seat of her jeans and led him around the ridge, deep into the trees to a grouping of white pines. “Up there.” She pointed into the upper branches of the tallest pine.

Using his light, Cord saw there was at least ten feet of tree trunk before the first branch. Farther up near the top of the tree, he could barely make out an odd, dark shape dangling from a limb. “How did you ever find them?” Cord shook his head. “How on earth did Brooks get them up there?”

“There are some marks on the tree trunk. He tried to make them look like something a bear would make marking its territory, but a bear wouldn’t wipe out the tracks. Can we get to them?”

“I think so, but it won’t be easy. Hold the light. Point it either straight up or straight down and cover it with your hand or flip it off in between. We definitely don’t need any visitors.”

“Okay. Are you going to try to get them tonight?” Stacey expected him to refuse.

“No. You are. You’re going up to make sure the bonds are there. I’m too heavy for the branches. Besides, I can let you up and down with the rope. I don’t think you could hold my weight.” Cord searched around until he found an oblong shaped stone slightly larger than his fist. He tied the rope securely to the rock while she held the light for him. “Point it down here while I fix the rope then up in the tree and stand against the tree trunk. I don’t want to hit you with it.”

Stacey did as he instructed. She watched as he moved back slightly and made sure the rope wasn’t tangled. After tying a loop in the free end, he slipped it over his boot to keep the end from following the rock over. She saw him draw his arm back and throw the rock up into the branches and over the limb above the one holding the dark shape. The rock brought the rope crashing through the smaller branches to hit the ground with a thud on the other side of the tree.

Cord found the stone and untied the rope. He tested the strength of the branch by tugging on both pieces of the rope. The limb groaned, cracked then fell to the ground when he applied his weight. With a muttered curse he reeled in the rope and repeated the procedure. This time the limb was stronger and held.

“Okay. Let’s get you rigged up,” Cord told Stacey as he tested the limb to prove it would hold her. “This is going to be fun, Parker, better than a ride at the fair.”

“Yeah, right.” She stepped closer to Cord for him to get her ready to go up in the tree. “No wonder Brooks didn’t get them down even if he knew where they were,” Stacey grumbled. “The little weasel probably chickened out. I still haven’t figured out quite how he got them up there.”

“Let’s just hope it is the bonds and not somebody’s trash or an old weather balloon. Here, point the light down at your waist and legs so I can see what I’m doing.” He fashioned a rough climber’s harness of sorts around her legs and waist and tied it off in front. “Have you done this before?” he eventually thought to ask.

“No, I’ve never had the occasion to get millions in bonds out of a tall tree at night before.”

“You know what I mean, Parker,” he chuckled at her smart mouth.

“Sort of. I’ve been hauled up a cliff, dangled over the edge of a bridge, and hung from a helicopter, but I haven’t had the pleasure with a tree top and never at night. But I guess now is a good time to try it. It should look great on my resume,” Stacey smiled at him to show she wasn’t really worried. Nothing at all to be concerned about.

“I wouldn’t ask you to go if I thought there would be a problem. Besides, Parker, being dark you won’t see how far you could fall,” Cord couldn’t stop a big grin this time as he double-checked the knots and rechecked the strength of the limb that would be holding her.

“That’s a real comfort, McConnell.” She tested the rope harness. “It feels okay. Let’s get this over with before I think about it too much.”

“Take the light with you. Have you got your knife? If it is the bonds and you can manage it, just cut them loose and let them fall. If you get into trouble or something doesn’t feel right, let me know and I’ll let you down as fast as I can. I’ll lift you slowly at first to make sure everything’s going to work right.” Cord moved her around a little under the tree until he was sure he would be pulling her straight up.

Stacey stuck the flashlight in the front waistband of her jeans and took out her pocketknife. Leaving it closed, she put it between her teeth, took a firm hold on the rope, and said a quick prayer that the bonds would be there.

“Ready?” Cord asked quietly as he took up the slack in the rope.

“Mm hmm,” she mumbled around the knife.

Cord lifted her slowly off the ground and listened as the limb groaned, but didn’t crack.

Stacey felt the ropes bite into her thighs through her jeans and she swayed back and forth as she went higher.

Cord began using a smooth hand-over-hand motion and she went up faster. He lost sight of her in the darkness and hoped she would let him know when to stop.

Stacey saw the bags as a large dark shadow as she got closer. The limb holding the rope was well above the dark shadowy clump. When she came even with what she hoped were the black backpacks, Stacey grunted loudly around the knife.

Thankfully, Cord understood and halted her upward motion.

Very carefully, she let go with her right hand and removed the knife from her mouth. She took several deep breaths. The least bit of movement caused her to swing. She reached out as far as she could, but couldn’t touch the dark objects hanging in the tree. She muttered a few words her mom would not want to hear.

“You okay up there, Parker?” Cord called softly from below her.

“Yes, sure, just dandy,” Stacey answered, positive she heard amusement in his voice again. Placing the knife in her mouth once more, she pulled out the light and switched it on. There were five black backpacks tied together making up the large dark clump. They were about four feet from her reach. Well, I knew this was going to be fun.

Wedging the flashlight under her left armpit so the beam shone toward the packs, she then took her knife in her right hand. With the help of her left thumbnail, Stacey managed to open it without letting go of the rope with her left hand.

“Cord, the packs are here. I need to swing over to cut them loose. I’m heavy. Can you hold me?” she called down.

“Hold on. I’ll take a wrap around a tree to be safe.” Cord didn’t doubt he could hold her weight but feared her movements might cause the rope to slip in his hands.

Stacey heard him moving around down below. “Oh, God,” she squeaked clutching the rope tighter as she dipped slightly before being pulled back up.

“Sorry! Okay, I’m ready,” he called after taking a couple of wraps around a nearby pine. “Swing away.”

Putting the open knife between her teeth, Stacey used her legs like she had as a child to start herself swinging. She got nearer the bags with each swing, finally catching hold of them with her right hand. Then she managed a secure grip with her legs and readjusted the light to see the lowest bag and where it was tied. Removing her knife from her mouth, she was ready to cut it loose.

“Stay back. Load coming down,” she warned Cord. All I need is to drop one on his head and knock him out. She gave a nervous giggle at the fleeting thought then cut the strap lashing the backpack to the one above it. It fell with a loud thump when it hit the ground far below her. Readjusting the light each time to see where the packs were tied together, she cut them down one at a time.

Her legs were losing anything to hold onto and trembled with exhaustion by the time she cut the last pack free. Swinging freely as the last one dropped, Stacey closed her eyes and held on until the motion slowed. Then she closed her pocketknife and stuck it in the back pocket of her jeans. She switched off the flashlight then put it back into her waistband before getting a firm grip on the rope with both hands. “I’m ready to come down, please.”

Cord lowered her carefully. When her feet touched the ground, he blew out a deep breath in relief.

Stacey’s legs wouldn’t hold her. She sat down to wait for the feeling to return to them.

Cord hurried over to make sure she wasn’t hurt.

“I’m okay, just my legs are asleep,” she told him as she rubbed at them and tried to wiggle her toes.

“The blasted ropes,” he muttered, briskly massaging her legs for her.

She groaned as her circulation began to return.

“Am I hurting you?” he wanted to know.

“Pins and needles,” she told him and began to move her feet to hurry the process. Finally, she was able to stand and he helped her out of the ropes.

Taking the flashlight from her, he went to check the packs. After opening the fasteners and looking inside, he told her, “The bonds are here. You did it.”

“We did it. At least this part of the job is done. What time will the chopper come in the morning?”

“If the weather is fair, he’ll take off just before dawn. Then he’ll fly from where he left us at the river to Lolo Pass and back. That was the arrangement. We need to be at the best location for him to pick us up not long after the sun rises and activate the transmitter.” Cord coiled rope as he talked.

“The only place I’ve seen open enough to land near here is the ridge up on top. Could he hoist us up?” Stacey asked.

“He’s not set up for it. His forte is getting in and out quickly without being noticed. I don’t look forward to hiking back up the mountain carrying these bonds either, but I don’t think we have a choice. There’s not a lot of time to look for another pick-up spot. At least the pilot shouldn’t miss the signal from up there. Let’s go. I think I’ve got our stuff.”

Stacey picked up one of the packs full of bonds then reached for another.

“I’ll make two trips if I have to, Parker. Why don’t you go get some rest?” he suggested as he reached for several of the backpacks.

“McConnell, I don’t need special treatment. I’m not some frail, simpering female who has to be cosseted and protected, whatever you and my father think. Even though I have an occasional female emotion, I can still pull my weight. When I can’t, I’ll let you know. I will help with these packs,” Stacey told him indignantly and picked up the second bond-filled pack.

She began hiking back to where they left their gear. When are these men going to realize that I am capable? Didn’t I just prove how good I am at my job? And did I not just let myself be pulled up into that tree, in the dark, without a whimper? Stacey tripped over a stick and almost landed on her face.

Realizing she was stomping along, not watching where she put her feet, she slowed down and became more careful. “That would be great, Parker. For him to come along and find you lying there with a broken ankle. That would really prove how capable you are,” she muttered angrily. Now, the dratted man has me talking to myself.

Cord shook his head and grinned as he heard her grumbling, while he grabbed up the other three packs. At least she didn’t try to take them all. He grew more surprised that Thompson and Brooks didn’t stash the bonds sooner the farther he carried them. They were dead weight and awkward. He caught up with Stacey just before she reached their backpacks.

Quietly he followed as she walked on. Following this woman was getting to be a way of life, he thought with a grin. Definitely can’t complain about the view, though. Cord eyed her

trim figure in the snug jeans.

When she reached the spot where their stuff was piled, Stacey dropped the packs containing the bonds and sat down to catch her breath. They hiked quite a distance today and she was tired. Her legs still felt weak from her time in the tree.

Cord dropped his load beside hers and bent over from the waist to stretch the kinks out of his back. “Well, Parker, do we camp here or look for another spot?” He wasn’t sure he could move very far. The day had taken its toll on him, too. After pulling her up and back down the tree, and carrying the bonds, his muscles were tight and threatening to cramp.

“I don’t like the idea of being out in the open like this. As much as I hate to move, there was a niche in the slope a little way back up. I think we should move there and see if it will do,” she answered.

“Okay, but I need to catch my breath first,” Cord groaned and sat down to rest.

“Aha, McConnell, I’m wearing you down,” Stacey teased, but she could use an extra few minutes herself.

“Let’s just hope I don’t have to lift you up any more trees tonight.” Cord reached for his canteen, swallowing several long drinks of water.

“Cord?” she said into the stillness.

“Yeah?”

“When this is over—will you—could you stay for a few days, please?” Stacey knew she didn’t want him to disappear from her life again. She needed more time with him.

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, Stacey. Not that I wouldn’t like to.”

“Have you taken a vacation lately? Free room and board, hiking and fishing, horseback riding or just doing nothing if you prefer. Besides, mom already invited you.”

“It does sound good, but what’s the point?” Cord pushed up, barely suppressing another groan, and moved away to stare at the sky. “We already know that what’s between us can’t go any further. I may have other calls waiting for me when I get back.”

“I don’t know that!” Suddenly angry, Stacey argued, “All I know is you don’t seem to want to stick around long enough to find out. You might actually like a place or a person enough to stay if you would let yourself. But you know what I think McConnell? I think you’re afraid to find out.” She took a deep breath and waited for a response.

When she didn’t get one, she went on in a quieter tone, “If you want to stay for a vacation, Cord, I won’t take it as a lifetime commitment. I’ll even stay away if you want me to. I thought you look tired and could use a break. I’d do the same for any of my friends. But forget it. Consider yourself uninvited.” Stacey stood up, hooked her canteen on her pack, and stuck her arms through the straps. “We’d better move so we can make camp and get some rest.”

Picking up two of the other packs, she began the uphill trek. In the dark and with the extra weight it would be rough going, but she could use the exertion right now to work off her irritation.

Cord quietly hefted his share of the packs and followed along. Using the narrow beams from their flashlights, they located the niche in the hillside just as she remembered. Gratefully, Cord tossed the black packs full of bonds into the very back of the slight recess in the slope. Sheltered by thick trees all around, Cord decided they would be out of sight unless someone tripped over them.

Unpacking their bedrolls, Stacey placed their blankets so their heads would be propped against the bonds inside the space too small to actually qualify as a cave.

Cord didn’t like the bedroll arrangements at all, considering the situation, and preferred to sleep on the other side of the ridge from Stacey. But it wouldn’t be safe out in the open for either of them with two million dollars worth of bearer bonds and all sorts of people searching for them. As for Stacey, she went from getting under his skin to being a prickly thorn in his side.

God, I don’t know whether I rather spank her or kiss the lips right off her sassy mouth. Kissing definitely lingered on his mind longer. If I were a different type of man I would take what I could get and leave her to deal with it. How she reached twenty-five without some smooth-talking rascal doing just that is a mystery to me. Why on God’s earth is she so interested in a man thirteen years her senior?

But he couldn’t dismiss the truth, he wanted Stacey Parker. And she’s right, I am afraid. If I let her, this woman would totally captivate me. She’s totally desirable, aggravating to the extreme, and makes me laugh more than I can ever remember.

Stacey returned from a walk and without a word dug out what she needed to make coffee. She realized she said too much, especially when Cord got up quietly and walked away without meeting her eyes. But, darn it, he made her so angry. With a long sigh, she decided she would apologize for getting mad, but not for what she said. She wouldn’t apologize for being honest even if speaking her mind wasn’t the wisest choice.

“Coffee smells good,” Cord said as he rejoined her a short time later. “I saw some campfires down in the valley, but nothing close to us,” he reported.

“The water’s hot and I put out food for you. If you want something else help yourself to what’s in the pack,” Stacey offered stiltedly as she sipped from her cup then began to eat. She avoided him by gazing off into the distance.

“Thanks. This should be enough,” Cord made his coffee, blew out the tiny flame then shifted wearily on his bedroll. He stretched out on top of his blankets when sitting caused him to knock dirt loose with the top of his head.

When Stacey couldn’t stand the silence between them any longer she said, “I shouldn’t have got mad. I think I’ll turn in now. It’s been a long day.” She was careful to keep her voice even and she refused to cry in front of him again. She tugged off her boots, and rolled up in her blankets.

Cord waited several minutes then felt he owed her an explanation, “I’m sorry, Stacey. I’m sorry I can’t give you what you want. You’re right, I am afraid and I do pull away from emotional ties. You turn me inside out, Stacey, and I can’t deal with it. I don’t think I know how and I’m too old to learn. I was dropped off at a police station by a drunken mother who didn’t want me around anymore when I was five years old. I remember how it felt to not be wanted. I can’t...” Cord paused and cleared his throat. “I’ve never been good at getting close to anyone. It’s not you, Stacey. Never think that.” When several minutes went by and she didn’t say anything, he added, “We have to start before dawn so I think I’ll go to sleep, too. Goodnight, Parker.”

“Night, McConnell. Wake me if I oversleep,” Stacey mumbled. She knew if she turned over and looked at him, she would be in his arms, crying all over him for the scared, abandoned little boy who couldn’t face the fear of being left again. She forced her breathing into an even pattern and feigned sleep.

In spite of being tired, Cord couldn’t sleep for listening to the soft even breathing of the woman beside him. Within arm’s reach, but still worlds away. In his mind he went over and over all the reasons why he couldn’t have her, but they didn’t change his body’s reaction to her nearness. Turning on his side away from her, Cord hoped it would help. It didn’t. He tried breaking down and reassembling his mental M-16 in the tiniest detail but that didn’t help either. Finally, he got up and walked.

All during the night when it became unbearable to lie close to her, Cord walked rather than crawl into her blankets to make love to her. Near dawn, he dozed for a few minutes only to dream of her. He was never more thankful for time to get up and get going.

Stacey woke to the smell of the cappuccino Cord waved back and forth under her nose. As she sat up to take the cup, he backed quickly away and she watched him leave camp. She keenly felt the new distance between them.

Maybe it’s better this way. I need to concentrate on Marcus and not my love life—or lack of one. But I know he has the ability to love under all that hurt somewhere.

She quickly downed her coffee, folded her blankets, and packed up.

“Can we see well enough to start yet?” Cord asked as soon as he returned.

“I guess we have to if we’re going to catch your pilot on his first run. I’m ready if you are,” Stacey told him and pulled the black backpacks out of hiding. After shouldering her own pack, she put each arm through the straps of another pack. Without waiting for him, she started up the slope following a narrow game trail.

Cord put on his pack before lifting the three that remained. He followed her once again. Hopefully this would be the last trek they made together in the wilderness. He wasn’t sure he could last through another one. After the fact, telling her about his mother felt like a stupid thing to do. She was always getting him to blurt out things he never talked about.

One more reason to stay away from her. I don’t want to be tied down or have a woman whining over me every time I have to go on a job. No way could I do this job if I’m worrying about a family at the same time. Cord winced as that one popped into his mind and refused to leave. I don’t ever want to have my heart ripped out when I watch someone I care about walk away and leave me again. He remembered standing on the front steps of the building and yelling, ‘Mommy I love you. I love you, come back,’ repeatedly until a policeman picked him up and carried him inside. He never said those words again and he never intended to.

The sun had been up well over thirty minutes when exhausted, sweating, and hurting Stacey reached the top of the ridge. Cord seemed to be in a foul mood and was several yards down the slope. Too tired to worry about it right now, Stacey dropped her load and stretched her sore muscles. The view from the ridge was spectacular in the early morning light. She could hear planes and see human activity over toward Lolo Pass.

Cord reached the top and quickly activated the transmitter. He placed it in the center of the clearing. “We need to wait in the trees until the chopper shows up. No sense taking a chance of being spotted now.”

Twenty minutes later the red and white chopper passed their location then circled back. The pilot carefully lowered the bird onto the top of the ridge. The blades slowed but didn’t stop turning as he waited for them.

Cord caught Stacey’s arm before letting her leave the trees. “Don’t mention what’s in the packs. All he knows is that it’s something important. If he asks, I’ll take care of it.”

Stacey nodded her agreement, jerked her arm loose, and readjusted the extra two packs. When they reached the chopper Cord took them from her to stow behind the seats. They removed their own packs and placed them there as well. Then he helped her climb in.

“Hey darling. Glad you could make it.” The pilot winked and grinned at her. “Soon as we’re in route you can have the headphones.”

Stacey smiled back and gave him the thumbs up.

Cord fastened his seat belt and signaled he was ready for the pilot to take off.

“Where to, Boss?” the pilot shouted at him.

“Lowell. We’ve got business there.”

The pilot nodded, checked the skies visually, and listened to his radio before lifting off the ridge. Taking a west-south-westerly heading, he stayed low over the mountains. “There’s a lot of traffic up here this morning. I’d just as soon stay out of their way.”

“Yeah, what’s going on? We saw a good bit of foot traffic, too,” Cord shouted back.

“They got a tip that one of those criminals who robbed the Denver Exchange was seen in the area several days ago. They’re going in with dogs this morning.” The pilot saw that Stacey was very still with her eyes tightly closed and removed his headphones. He passed them to Cord, who adjusted them on Stacey’s head. “I’ll have to get those back when we get near Lowell. I have to get permission to land and monitor the position of other aircraft.” The pilot adjusted the dials and grinned again at the obvious look of relief appearing on Stacey’s face.

Stacey appreciated the decrease in rotor noise providing a measure of relief from her phobia. The low automated voice repeating the weather into her ears helped to distract her. Before long she drifted off to sleep, her head swaying to the motion of the chopper.

Cord caught hold of her as she swayed toward the pilot then leaned her gently against his own shoulder. He was glad she was catching some rest. Neither of them slept much the night before.

As the chopper approached Lowell the pilot needed his headphones. Cord woke her while removing them from her head. Within minutes they landed at the small community airport on the edge of town. Cord asked the pilot to stay on standby in case they needed the chopper quickly. Then he arranged a ride into town with a mechanic hanging around in the small hangar. They loaded the packs into the bed of an old pickup truck and the driver gave them a ride to the Lowell Inn.

Stacey signed her name to the register. “I need to leave a very important message for Mr. Brooks,” she told the desk clerk. He handed her a notepad and pen asking her to write it down.

Once upstairs in the double room, Cord placed the backpacks containing the bonds in the small closet for safe keeping.

Stacey placed a quick call to the Lodge and spoke with Sam. “Hello, dad. I just wanted you to know we’re back safely with what we went after. I can’t stay on the line because we’re waiting for an important call. Anything we should know?”

“Glad to hear from you, daughter. Nothing much, except a few people recognized Thompson and several already knew Marcus but couldn’t remember seeing the two together. No help with a location at all. I’ll pass on your message. You and Cord need to be careful, you hear? We’ll see you soon. Love you, Stacey.”

“I love you too, dad. Tell mom I love her. Bye.” Stacey hung up and turned to Cord. “They didn’t have any luck finding out where Thompson might be keeping Marcus. No one saw them together. Now, we have to wait, right?”

“Yeah, but it shouldn’t be too long. I think I’ll shower while I have a chance. Or would you rather go first?” Cord offered.

“No, go ahead. I think I’ll order some coffee.”

“Have them add a steak and eggs to mine.”

Stacey smiled slightly and picked up the phone to order breakfast. The nervous butterflies in her stomach wouldn’t let her eat, but the situation didn’t seem to affect Cord’s appetite. She switched on the TV and turned it to a local news station before taking down her ponytail, kicking off her boots, and generally getting more comfortable. A shot of the wilderness area they recently left caught Stacey’s eye and she hurriedly turned up the volume. Pictures of Marshall Thompson, Daniel Brooks, and Foster Smith were flashed on the screen as the suspects in the robbery of the Denver Federated Bonds and Securities Exchange. The stolen plane and kidnapping were covered briefly, but the boys’ names were withheld. The reporter went on to say the manhunt was continuing in the vicinity of Lolo Pass and special dogs were brought in after reports of a sighting in the area. Additional planes and manpower were being brought in for an intensified search. The reporter finished by saying the FBI had everything under control and anyone going into or out of the area could expect to be stopped and questioned.

Stacey caught a movement from the corner of her eye and turned to see Cord, wrapped in a towel and water droplets covering his chest, standing in the bathroom doorway listening to the report. Stacey swallowed hard while trying not to stare at his powerful chest and arms. But the sight of him did funny things to those butterflies in her tummy.

She couldn’t stop sneaking peeks at him from under her lashes and was glad when he went back into the bathroom and closed the door. Her relief was short lived when he came back carrying his clothes and tossed them on one of the beds.

“Your turn. The water’s hot and there’s plenty of it.” He sat on the end of the bed to rub his hair with another towel.

Stacey longed to go to him and dry it for him. There were scars on his ribs and another high on his right shoulder. She wished she could touch them as Marie had touched the scars on his face. Realizing she was staring, practically drooling on her chin, Stacey shifted her glance but her eyes locked with Cord’s. She saw the question in his and quickly broke the contact, forcing herself to grab what she needed and hurry into the bathroom, closing the door firmly.

Leaning back against the door she pressed a hand to her stomach in an effort to control her breathing until the longing passed. Stacey stripped, started the shower, then let the hot water pour over her tired, achy muscles. Wearing her tee shirt and jeans, she came out of the bathroom to find their food and coffee waiting. “You should have started,” she told Cord. Stacey stifled a frustrated moan when she saw he wore black trousers, but no shirt.

“It just came. I heard the shower stop and knew you’d be out soon.”

Stacey looked everywhere but at Cord’s taut chest, flat stomach, and muscular arms while she added cream to her coffee. “How long do you think we’ll have to wait before he calls?”

“I guess someone will check several times a day. Brooks may have already checked before we got here this morning. It may be lunchtime or after before they check again.” He took a plate of food and sat down on the other bed to eat.

“What should I say when he calls?” In spite of the tense situation and her fear for Marcus, Stacey could not stop longing for Cord’s touch. She needed to force her attention to the coming exchange and stop itching to stroke his firm back or curl her fingers in the hair scattered across his chest. I’m going to lose my mind if he doesn’t put on a shirt.

“We need to decide where we want the meeting. Is there a public place that’s not too closed in? It has to be somewhere he’ll know we’re not setting him up but where we won’t get hemmed in or caught off guard.” Cord ate hungrily as he talked.

“There’s a shopping center, a park, and Main Street. That’s about it.” Stacey couldn’t face the thought of food. Watching him wolf down his eggs caused her stomach to roll uncomfortably.

“Tell me about the shopping center. It might do.”

“Well, it has a couple of fairly large stores, one at each end, with some small shops in between. There’s a central area with a stage in the center and tables scattered around where people eat or watch special events,” she explained.

“Are there security guards?”

“Usually a couple. Some of the stores have off duty deputies, sometimes, to keep down shoplifting. Since this is Sunday it’s only open from one until six.”

“It’s out anyway. If he saw a uniform, even a rent-a-cop, he’d take off. Fill me in on the park,” Cord put his empty plate back on the tray and poured more coffee.

“With the nice weather, there will probably be a softball game this afternoon. It has public restrooms, a baseball field, two small tennis courts, and a nice playground with a picnic area.” Stacey held out her cup for a refill when Cord offered. He held out the plate holding one last cinnamon roll then took a large bite after she shook her head no.

“What about police?” Cord chewed and watched her thoughtfully.

“I’m sure they probably patrol to keep down trouble, but I don’t remember seeing any on the days I’ve been there with the twins. You have to remember this isn’t a big city. There may not be but a couple of deputies on duty all day for the entire town.”

“Okay, then the park is a good prospect for me to check out. What about Main Street?”

“On Saturday and Sunday in nice weather, the shopkeepers move tables out to the sidewalks. It’s sort of like a big bazaar or flea market. The Chamber of Commerce lets them put barricades across each end of the street and only let pedestrians in.”

“And police?”

“Same as with the park. It’s just a chance whoever’s on duty will come by. There could be off duty cops around with their families.”

“It will only take one cop in the wrong place to mess things up. It still sounds like the park will be the best and least conspicuous place to set for the exchange,” Cord decided.

“Okay, so when he calls I tell him I want to make the exchange in the park. He’s going to say no. What then?” Stacey didn’t see how she could make this work.

“You’ll insist. Tell him we’ll set the meet for anytime he wants during daylight hours and he can check it out. State several times you need to be sure you and Marcus can get away safely. Better yet, talk him into negotiating with me. Tell him you’re too upset.”

“No, Cord—I won’t do that. I don’t want to antagonize him. Plus if he recognizes you as the one who took the boys from him in the mountains, he might get angry and hurt Marcus. I just can’t take that chance,” Stacey shook her head, jumped up, and paced the room.

“Well, you can’t carry all five of those packs when you go to meet him. Besides, I’m not letting you go alone. I can’t look after you from here,” Cord argued.

“You’re not letting me!” she almost yelled at him. “I don’t remember asking your permission. I told you all along I would do whatever it takes to get Marcus back safely. I’ll drag those packs behind me if I have to.” Stacey stared at him with her hands on her hips and a defiant look on her face.

Cord stood too and reached out to grasp her by the shoulders. “Listen to me. Your parents have lost one child and I don’t intend to see them lose another. If you get hurt, tell me how that’s going to help Marcus.” He spoke loudly at first to make sure she was listening.

She tried to jerk away then glared up at him when he held tight.

He lowered his voice and went on, “Stacey, it was dark and I had my face blacked out the night I recovered the boys, remember? Chances are Thompson won’t recognize me. Besides, they may already know I’m involved. They could have someone watching us. Thompson has contacts too or he could never have pulled off the robbery in the first place or escaped being caught for this long. He knew all about you and how to get you to cooperate. Who’s to say he doesn’t know about me?” Cord tried to reason with her.

“Alright, I’ll accept that,” she bit out. “But I handle setting up the exchange. Marcus is my godson and I have to do this. I absolutely will not take any chances with him. I’ll decide when it’s gone far enough to be too dangerous for him. If I tell you to back off, I fully expect you to.” She took several deep breaths letting the tension leave her stance.

Cord let her go and backed away a step. “The best thing to do then is to tell him your father hired me as your bodyguard because he didn’t want you dealing with this alone. Tell him you need help with the packs. It will sound convincing because it’s true. Give him my name and have him call Harper Security Services in Dallas. They’ll cover for me. Then he’ll believe you’re being up front with him.”

“I—I’ll have to think about it,” she wasn’t giving in that easily even though her anger was already gone. What she really wanted right now was for him to hold her and swear everything would turn out okay.

“Where is the park? I’ll go scope it out while you wait for the call.” Cord needed some space and suspected Stacey did too.

“Go past the bank and turn right. It’s a couple of blocks. You can’t miss it.”

“I won’t be long.” Cord finished dressing. Leaving his shirt-tail hanging out, he concealed the holster he automatically clipped into his belt at the middle of his back.

“What if Thompson calls while you’re gone?” Stacey asked.

“You’ll handle it. I should be back before then. Lock the door and don’t open it for anyone except me.” Cord hesitated then left quickly, fighting against the urge to kiss her.

Stacey flipped the night latch then went to rest on the bed to wait for the call. Her mind was busy as she tried to decide what would be the best way to insure Marcus’ safety and her own. Cord was right. She shouldn’t take the chance that her parents might lose their last child. But she wouldn’t risk Marcus at all. Granted there was a certain risk every time she went on a job.

But she chose her life, complete with the problems and the risks. Marcus was a pawn, without a choice in any of this. Only a child, he was supposed to be loved and protected by the adults in his life. That thought immediately led her back to Cord and the way he grew up.

She couldn’t imagine how awful it must have felt to be shuffled from one place to another after being dumped by his mother. With no parents, no one to go to with his problems, no permanent home, and no one to hug him when he was hurt or afraid. Stacey could tell it was the prime force still driving him. What he suffered during those years made him determined to return children or parents to families who loved them, regardless of the danger to himself.

Stacey fully believed he chose his job to reunite families and to keep kids from suffering the agonies he had faced. Most people probably thought he took such risks for the money. She was sure he took money from the clients who could pay and used it to pay expenses on jobs when parents couldn’t afford his services. Deep down she also knew he would never do anything to hurt Marcus, but his attitude toward her might cloud his judgment. No, he would never let that happen, either. When did I lose sight of all he’s done to help so far?

The tension and pressure were getting to her a lot more than she wanted to admit. The sexual frustration was growing to unbearable proportions. She began to wonder about giving up her dream of forever and grabbing for the here and now with both hands.

I want him to love me so much. She moaned and punched the pillow trying to get comfortable. I can’t give him up, I just can’t. Oh mercy, I’m in love! She sat up straight as the thought sunk in. I’m really in love with the macho jerk. She smiled as she became used to the idea. Stacey lay down again and hugged a pillow wishing it were Cord. She finally dozed

off to dream of Cord’s kisses.

* * * * *

Cord walked to the park and scouted it for a safe exchange site. A cardboard sign on the gate at the baseball field announced a softball game would begin at 2:00 p.m. A bit further on near the other end of the park, stood a variety of playground equipment. Another sign hung on a covered picnic shelter saying it was reserved all day for the Farmer Family Reunion. Several teens were hitting balls on one of the tennis courts and a few families were watching children play or strolling through the park. Public, open, and with several ways in and out, it made a good choice for the meeting. If, and it was a big if, Stacey could convince Thompson to agree.

It hurt to find out she didn’t really trust him to put Marcus as his top priority. His heart definitely skipped a beat when she said she would go alone. The thought that something might happen to her shook him to his core. Maybe he did momentarily forget the child in his determination to keep her safe. He had lost sight of the prime objective which usually never happened. A definite sign he was way too involved with Stacey Parker.

Leaving the park, Cord watched for police presence as he walked. There was a single police car parked in front of an ice cream stand. Stacey was right about this small sleepy town where Sunday was still a day of rest or family time for most. Walking an extra few blocks, he stopped at a couple of spots where storekeepers were setting out their sidewalk tables ready for the afternoon. He talked about the weather and made a few purchases before moving on toward the Lowell Inn where Stacey waited.