CA 46.5 Operation Second Honeymoon Read Free Page B

dismiss the notion that he was involved in this. But every strand of DNA in Lucas's being screamed at him to beware the man. His suspicions remained as yet unproven but the facts were shaking loose, slowly but surely.
    Right now, however, he zeroed in on the shadowy movement atop the east wall. Survival was the single relevant factor. His forefinger tightened on the trigger of his 9 mm. A fierce pop reverberated around him. The shadow dropped to the ground inside the perimeter of the wall.
    The tension eased in Lucas's muscles. He scanned the courtyard, then the wall and finally the gate. There was no way to guess how many assailants were out there. Two at
    least. His position provided a full 360 view of the wall and the grounds around the two structures. The old well, the mesquite tree and two half walls that had once divided the courtyard provided potential cover for the enemy. No matter how long this standoff lasted, Lucas couldn't afford the slightest hesitation in his monitoring. Sharp focus was the key.
    He prayed Victoria had found a decent hiding spot. If the worst happened, he wanted her protected. Without a weapon, her wits were her only means of defense.
    Lucas would lay odds on her wits any day.
    Chapter Four
    Victoria's heart thumped as the sound of gunfire faded. She prayed Lucas had safely reached the bell tower. She listened for any indication that the gunmen had invaded the walls. The wind whipped furiously, a chilling score to the otherwise silent night.
    Leaning close to Salvadore, she whispered, "I'm going to look for a place we can hide. Lie still. I'll be back soon." Leaving him was a difficult choice, but there was no other option. Finding some level of protection was necessary. As far as she could determine, Salvadore was not conscious, but just in case, she wanted him to know that she was not abandoning him.
    As she moved through the darkness, she used her hands and her memory of what she'd seen on the tour to guide her. Each step she made was carefully placed. Reserving the battery in her cell phone was essential. Though on last check the phone was useless as far as making a call, the small amount of light it provided could prove invaluable.
    She paused at the narrow pathway that led up to the bell tower. Her lips compressed to prevent calling out to her husband. Sparing the time to go up and check on him could cost far more in the end. He didn't need the distraction. Lucas was counting on her to do what needed to be done. Victoria cautiously continued. If she could find a place to hide Salvadore, perhaps then she could help Lucas.
    Without a weapon? Frustration burrowed deep in her chest. There was little she could do beyond this immediate task. As she moved along each corridor and through each room, she roved her hands over the walls in search of a nook large enough to provide concealment. There were no closets as far as she recalled. A storeroom near the kitchen was too open. She moved on to the kitchen, the largest space near the back of the rundown structure.
    A rustic and decaying wooden cabinet lined one wall of the kitchen. The open shelves were bare save for dust. The walls were the same cracked and crumbling adobe as all the others. She hesitated in her search, her fingers tracing over the same spot twice, then three times. There was a crack but it was far wider than most of the others. She followed the path of the wider crack. Less than two feet across the top then the narrow divide diverted downward for maybe four feet to the floor. After listening for any sound and checking the open portals that served as windows, Victoria lit the screen of her cell phone to study the anomaly with the aid of its faint light. There was little difference between the cracks, but the pattern—once she scrutinized it at length—appeared to be deliberate. No hinges or handles were visible.
    Exasperation tugged at Victoria's brow as she allowed the screen to go black. She tried to dig her fingers into the