Page 65 of Dangerous Liaisons

Chapter Forty-Eight

The last of the sun’s rays trailed off into the western sky when Jesse glanced at Cole. He moved alongside her without effort. They hadn’t talked, but her mind was in overdrive. By now, word of Perez’s death would have reached the other cartels and efforts to find and seize his money would be in motion. Once the cartels located the funds, the claims their crooked attorney’s would make on the money would blow the news wide open. Until then, however, Perez’s competitors would keep his death quiet in order to prevent the Colombian government from cutting into their action.

Perez had been such a fanatic about privacy, the drug lords might be thwarted long enough to give her a chance to get to Lanton before he learned of Perez’s death. But get to him how? Perez had given her no physical proof that Green Leader was selling information.

Cole slowed. “It’s nearly dark. We need to get off the ground.”

Damn him. She had been afraid he would say that. The boa they ran into an hour ago, along with the panther they heard only thirty minutes ago had spooked him. He began scanning the trees.

They hiked another five minutes when he stopped. “There.” Cole pointed to a large Plumeria with white fragrant flowers. He strode to the tree, patted the sturdy trunk, and ran his gaze up the thick trunk.

“I’m not stopping.” Jesse brushed past him.

She heard his quick approach from behind and whirled as he grabbed her arm. “It’s stupid to chance going on in the dark.”

Jesse felt the automatic tensing of her body and forced herself to relax. He wasn’t doing anything wrong by wanting to stop. “The chance I have to take getting back to the States ASAP is worth what I might lose if I don’t.”

His voice softened. “Your life isn’t worth it, Jess.”

She shook her head. “Something more important is at stake.”

“My men won’t notify Lanton until they hear from me.”

“Dammit, Cole. It’s not your men.”

He paused. “No?”

“No.”

“What then?” he asked.

“There’s…someone else.”

“A man?”

Jesse looked up sharply. What was that in his voice, hope she would deny there was a man? “You said you knew everything about me. You must know there’s no man.”

“Isn’t there?” he asked.

She scowled. Damn if he didn’t sound hopeful. She could change that by telling him why she went back to his cell with Perez.

“I don’t know everything about you, Jess.” He laughed. “That’s a lifetime job.”

Her heart took a dive. The way he’d said ‘job’ sounded like a jail sentence. Maybe he wasn’t hopeful after all.

She started forward again, then stopped. “You’re right, you don’t know everything about me. Here’s a tidbit for you, Perez brought me to your cell to kill you. He told me Lanton sent you along to make sure that both Perez and I ended up dead. I believed him.”

“So…you agreed to kill me?”

Jesse shook her head. “No. I thought Perez would send me back to the States to go after Lanton. He surprised me by taking me to your cell.”

Cole shrugged. “Then you weren’t planning to kill me.”

“I wasn’t planning to, but thought it might come to that.”

“You’re not a cold-blooded killer, Jess.”

“Maybe not. But I am a team member who planned on leaving you behind—and this time, on purpose.”

He abruptly turned and she flinched before realizing he was heading for the tree. Embarrassment warmed her cheeks.

He stopped under the nearest branch and reached for it. “Well,” he said, his voice straining slightly as he pulled himself up onto the branch, “it’s over now. You can’t leave me behind.” He made the branch, steadied himself with another branch chest high, then looked down at her. “Come on, Jess. We’re taking a breather.”

She didn’t move.

“Don’t make me come down for you. I’m tired and might not be as nice as I usually am.”

A tremor rippled through her belly. Maybe this was his way of asking her to snuggle in the branches like monkeys.

He hoisted himself onto the branch he’d been steadying himself with, then grabbed for the next. “After all, we’ve got to discuss how we’re going to get back to make sure Amanda’s all right.”