Chasing the Night Read Free Page B

best way to do that would be to remove Munoz himself from the mix.
    No guards at his tent. From the reports she’d read, Munoz was too macho-arrogant to think he would need help in any situation.
    Let’s see if you do, Munoz.
    She started crawling toward his tent.

Chapter
2
    Munoz went limp against Catherine’s body as her dagger entered his heart.
    She pushed at him and struggled to free herself from his bulk.
    It had been close. He had been almost as good as he thought he was. Her side was bleeding, but she had no time to deal with it now.
    Get out of Munoz’s tent. Their struggle had been brief and almost silent, but she couldn’t be sure that someone didn’t hear.
    Move!

    The stream was just ahead.
    She saw the glint of moonlight on Kelly’s fair hair.
    “Run!” Catherine broke through the shrubbery that bordered the stream and grabbed the girl’s hand. “We don’t have much time before the helicopter gets here.”
    “I thought you weren’t coming.”
    For a moment back in Munoz’s tent she had thought the same thing. Munoz had been awake and lethal. “I had something I had to do.” Did she hear the sound of rotors to the north? “Don’t talk. Run!”
    Running.
    Pushing through the bushes.
    The earth soft beneath their feet.
    Two miles to go.
    It was the helicopter. Catherine could hear it plainly now.
    And if she could hear it, Munoz’s men would be hearing it.
    Kelly glanced up at her in panic. “Are they coming after us?”
    “Not yet.” But it wouldn’t be long. Munoz was dead, but his men wouldn’t chance there being anyone left alive to bear witness. “We’re almost there.”
    But five minutes later Catherine heard crashing in the bushes behind them. How close?
    The glade was just ahead. She could see the blue lights of the helicopter as it started to land.
    But Kelly was faltering, slowing.
    “No!”
    Catherine grabbed her hand and half pulled her, streaking toward the helicopter. “Only a few yards more.”
    Ron Timbers stepped out of the shadows and was opening the door of the Apache helicopter for her. “You cut it close, Catherine. Her father?”
    “Dead.” She pushed Kelly into the copter and climbed in after her. “Tell that pilot, Neely, to get out of here. They’re only a step behind us.”
    Timbers glanced at her shirt as he jumped in after her and headed for the cockpit. “There’s blood all over you. The kid?”
    “No. Kelly is fine. Tell that pilot to move!”
    He was already moving. Seconds later they were lifting off.
    But not soon enough.
    A bullet buried itself in the fuselage of the copter.
    Another shattered the windshield.
    Kelly froze. “Are we going to die now?”
    “No.” Catherine’s arms closed fiercely around her. She hoped she was telling the truth. They’d be okay if they didn’t get the gas tank. “I’ve got you. We’re out of here.”
    Another bullet struck a rotor with a loud ping.
    “Just a minute more, and we’ll be out of range,” Timbers called back to them.
    If they made it through that minute.
    “Your heart’s beating so hard,” Kelly whispered. “Are you scared?”
    “Yes, it’s stupid not to be scared if someone’s trying to hurt you. You just have to hold on and either wait or fight back.” She smiled down at her. “But you have to realize that they can’t really hurt you. Maybe your body, but not what you are inside. That’s what’s important. None of the rest matters.”
    “All clear,” Timbers called back to them.
    Catherine gave a sigh of relief. “But it seems we don’t have to worry about anything right now. We’re on our way. In a few minutes, I’ll call Agent Venable and tell him to meet us at the airport in Bogota. He’ll be very relieved. Everyone has been worried about you.”
    Kelly was silent a moment. “But Daddy is dead.”
    It was natural that after the first explosion of danger was over, the girl’s hideous memories would surface. Distract her. Keep her busy. “I need your help.” She