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She twisted the handle and shoved the window open. Without giving herself time to think about how high above the ground on the other side it might be, she grasped the bottom edge of the frame and hauled herself through, jumping into the darkness and hoping she didn’t kill herself on a railroad tie or something. She landed on her hands and knees in loose gravel, and she had to bite back a cry of pain as the gravel cut her palms. Quickly she scrambled out of the way, and a moment later Grant landed beside her.
“Are you all right?” he asked, hauling her to her feet.
“I think so. No broken bones,” she reported breathlessly.
He started running along the side of the building, dragging her behind him. They heard a shot behind them, but didn’t slow down or look back. Jane stumbled and was saved from falling only by his grip on her hand. “Can’t we go back for the Ford?” she wailed.
“No. We’ll have to get there on foot.”
“Get where?”
“To the pick-up point.”
“How far is that?”
“Not too far.”
“Give it to me in yards and miles!” she demanded
He dodged down a street and pulled her into the deep shadows of an alley. He was laughing. “Maybe a mile,” he said, and kissed her, his mouth hard and hungry, his tongue finding hers. He hugged her fiercely.
“Whatever you did to Turego, honey, he looks like hell.”
“I think I broke his nose,” she admitted.
He laughed again. “I think you did, too. It’s swollen all over his face
. He won’t forget you for a long time!”
“Never, if I have anything to do with it. We’re going to tell the government about that man,” she vowed.
“Later, honey. Right now, we’re getting out of here.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
A HELICOPTER CAME IN low and fast, and settled lightly on its runners, looking like a giant mosquito. Grant and Jane ran across the small field, bent low against the wind whipped up by the rotors, which the pilot hadn’t cut. Behind them people were pouring out of their houses to see what the uproar was about. Jane began to giggle, lightheaded with the triumph of the moment; by the time Grant boosted her into the helicopter, she was laughing so hard she was crying. They’d done it! Turego couldn’t catch them now. They would be out of the country before he could mobilize his own helicopters to search for them, and he wouldn’t dare pursue them across the border.
Grant flashed her a grin, telling her that he understood her idiotic laughter. He shouted, “Buckle up!” at her, then levered himself into the seat beside the pilot and gave him the thumbs-up sign. The pilot nodded, grinned, and the helicopter rose into the night. Grant put on the headset that would allow him to talk to the pilot, but there wasn’t one in the back. Jane gave up trying to hear what they were saying and gripped the sides of her seat, staring out through the open sides of the helicopter. The night air swirled around her, and the world stretched out beyond the small craft. It was the first time she’d ever been in a helicopter, and it was a totally different sensation from being in a jet. She felt adrift in the velvet darkness, and she wished that it wasn’t night, so she could see the land below.
The flight didn’t take long, but when they set down, Jane recognized the airport and reached up to grab Grant’s shoulder. “We’re in San Jose!” she yelled, anxiety filling her voice. This was where it had all begun. Turego had plenty of men in the capitol!
Grant took off the headset. The pilot cut the rotors, and the noise began to decrease. They shook hands, and the pilot said, “Nice to see you again! Word filtered down that you were in the area, and that we should give you any assistance you asked for. Good luck. You’d better run. You have just enough time to get on that flight.”
They jumped to the asphalt and began running toward the terminal. “What flight is that?” Jane panted.
“The flight to Mexico City that’s leaving in about five minutes.”
Mexico City! That sounded more like it! The thought lent her strength.
The terminal was almost deserted at that time of night, because the flight for Mexico City had already boarded. The ticket clerk stared at them as they approached, reminding Jane once again of how they looked. “Grant Sullivan and Jane Greer,” Grant said tersely. “You’re holding our tickets.”
The clerk had regained his composure. “Yes, sir, and the plane,” he returned in perfect English, handing over two ticket folders. “Ernesto will take you directly aboard.”
Ernesto was an airport guard, and he led the way, running. Grant held Jane’s hand to make certain she kept up with them. She had a fleeting thought about the pistol stuck in his boot, but they bypassed all checkpoints. Grant certainly had connections, she thought admiringly.
The jet was indeed waiting, and the smiling stewardess welcomed them aboard as calmly as if there was nothing unusual about them. Jane wanted to giggle again; maybe they didn’t look as outlandish as she felt they did. After all, camouflage clothing was all the rage in the States. So what if Grant was sporting an almost black eye, a puffy lip and a bandage on his arm? Maybe they looked like journalists who had had a rough time in the field.
As soon as they were seated, the plane began rolling. As they buckled their seat belts, Grant and Jane exchanged glances. It was well and truly over now, but they still had some time together. The next stop was Mexico City, an enormous international city with shops, restaurants…and hotels. Her body longed for a bed, but even deeper than her weariness ran the tingling awareness that Grant would be in that bed with her. He lifted the armrest between their seats and pulled her over so her head nestled into the hollow of his shoulder. “Soon,” he murmured against her temple. “In a couple of hours we’ll be in Mexico. Home free.”
