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He tried to find a path that would offer him the most cover, but he could already hear Bohdan’s men fanning out behind him. And did he just hear a dog back there?
No, two dogs.
Awesome.
Time to signal for the escape hatch he’d told Palik to have ready.
He pressed the power button on his phone so that he could be tracked. Then he was running hard and fast through the forest. For the next ten minutes, Caleb bobbed and weaved through the brush, wondering where the next bullet would land or when the order would come to release the hounds. Either way, not a great position to be in.
Uh-oh.
Up ahead, he could see that the forest was ending. No more cover, no more protection from the trees. He appeared to be at the edge of a tall ridge.
He turned back. Bohdan’s men were closer than ever.
His options were dwindling. It appeared his only choice might be to—
An engine roared in front of him. Ah, Palik to the rescue.A Bell LongRanger helicopter rose over the ridge!
But it wasn’t Palik piloting. He’d tapped Henry Galdon, an expert pilot he used in touchy situations. This certainly qualified, Caleb thought grimly. Henry frantically motioned back toward the open side panel door.
Yes.Caleb leaped from the ridge and landed hard inside the copter.
“Hang on!” Henry shouted.
Caleb gripped a support bar with one hand as the helicopter banked hard right and roared over the valley.
Bohdan’s men—and a pair of barking German shepherds—appeared from the clearing, then stood there stunned as they saw the helicopter. A few of the men fired at the copter, but most of them just stared openmouthed as it flew away.
Chapter
14
MacDuff’s Run
1:05P.M.
The helicopter was coming over the horizon.
Jane stiffened and then started down the courtyard steps as the blue-and-silver copter began its descent. MacDuff came to stand beside her as the whirring propellers created a tornado of wind. “What’s the word?” MacDuff asked. “Rodland just came and told me that Palik had asked permission for a pilot to land here. Why?”
“I don’t know. We just heard that a copter had left Kilgoray fifteen minutes ago. Rodland hasn’t found out anything else since then. I’m hoping it’s only because they got Caleb and Campbell safely out of Kilgoray.” She swallowed hard. “But it may mean medical attention is needed, and they wanted to land somewhere they could give them fast emergency treatment.”
“Don’t borrow trouble,” MacDuff frowned. “We’ll know soon enough. Caleb could have told me what he had on his plate last night. Did you know then?”
She shook her head. “He didn’t see fit to confide in me, either. Rodland was the only one who knew.” She was barely paying attention. Her eyes were straining to see into the cockpit, which was almost overhead now. The only figure she could make out was the pilot at the controls. It wasn’t Caleb or Palik, and that frightened her. What had happened in Kilgoray?
But then the helicopter was on the ground, and she was running toward it.
“No.” MacDuff was right behind her. “Wait until—” He was cursing as he saw her reach the passenger door. “The damn propellers. Stay out of the way…”
But the door was opening, and she saw Caleb getting out. She stopped short as the waves of relief and terror almost overcame her. Blood. His shirt was ripped, and blood was soaking the front of it. There was another bloody patch on his left shoulder. His face was sweat-stained and his eyes looked red and swollen. She took another step forward. “You’re hurt. How bad? Let me help—” Then she was in his arms, but she was fighting to get him to release her. “No, don’t do that. I have to look at that shoulder and your chest. That second wound looks worse than—”
“It’s Bohdan’s goons’ blood,” he said bitterly. “And the shoulder wound is nothing. I’m okay, Jane. Aren’t I always okay?” He looked over her head at MacDuff. “Look, I’m a mess in a couple ways. I’m going to have to go take care of it. But she’s going to need someone, so you’ll have to do it. Where the hell is Rodland?”
“I sent him to alert my marine forces camped on the hill to be on guard when he told me that the helicopter was coming.”
“Oh, damn, that’s really great. Then over to you.” He drew a deep breath as he turned back to Jane. “I’m sorry, I failed. I tried to save Campbell, but I couldn’t do it.” His hands gripped her shoulders. “It was a trap. He was dead before I even got near that shack.”
