A Man to Remember (22 page)

"Yes, very nice," one of the officers said, vaguely interested. One of the men was already poking around the kids' gifts.

"Those are souvenirs for Jake's two children," Alyse explained. "Here are the purchase orders for them."

The men looked slowly around the room, nodding and mumbling something between them.

"Looking for anything special, gentlemen?" Jake asked brazenly. "Maybe I can help you."

"No. No, gracias. Everything seems to be in order here. We hope we did not disturb you. Take care of that eye and next time, don't drink so much tequila. Packs the punch of an angry mule." The men chuckled and started up the companionway steps.

Jake shook his head and joined their laughter. "You got that right, officers. Nope, never again. Nothing stronger than cerveza for me after this. I've learned my lesson the hard way." He followed the men.

Alyse slumped onto the settee, practically holding her breath until they left. When the patrol boat motored away, she felt such a drain of relief that she thought she would cry.

Jake came below and took her in his arms.

She pressed herself to his chest and wrapped her arms around his ribs. "Oh, Jake, I was so scared. They must not have known about the jailbreak. They certainly weren't looking for us. But I kept thinking they'd whip out their handcuffs and say, 'You're under arrest.' "

"Yeah. Obviously the news hasn't reached them. Communications never were great in Mexico."

"Thank God."

"You were great, Alyse."

"You were too, Jake. So very obnoxious. Just like in the jail."

"I had to, mi preciosa, I was fighting for our fives."

"Don't talk like that. It scares me."

He pushed her back to arm's length. "Alyse, I haven't been truly fair with you. I realize I've put you in great jeopardy by not telling you the whole story. You deserve the truth. I think it's time to tell you everything."

She looked up at him, her blue eyes growing darker. "Why now, Jake?"

"You should know the truth before anything else happens. In case anything happens to me. We're in this thing together, and it looks like there's no way out for you."

She shook her head. "I don't want out, Jake. Don't you understand that? I want to be with you."

His hand caressed her cheek. "You might change your mind when you hear what I have to say."

"I don't think so. Before we take time to talk, don't you think we need to put some miles behind us, Jake?" She slipped out of his arms and started toward the fly bridge.

He followed. "Don't you want to know, Alyse?"

She paused on the ladder and smiled back at him. "After all this time, it doesn't matter."

"I'm involved in a dangerous game, Alyse. I don't want you here with me any longer."

She turned around and faced him. The wind whipped her dark hair around and partially muffled her words. "Too late. I'm here. And I'm not leaving you, Jake. Not now. Not after all we've been through. We belong together."

He took her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. "I want you to be safe. If that means being away from me, it's only sensible."

"I don't care about being sensible, Jake. I—I love you and want to stay with you."

His dark eyes flicked over her. Silently he turned away and revved the engine to full speed.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

They cruised all afternoon, speaking little, trying to cover as many miles as possible. After dark, they cruised as long as possible until they found a hidden cove along the Baja's rocky Pacific coast and dropped anchor for the night. Sitting in the dimly lit cabin, they shared a can of warmed soup. The quiet, with the engines off, was wonderful.

Jake spoke first. "Before we go any farther, you're going to have to listen to me, Alyse."

"You don't have to tell me, Jake. Not anymore."

"I know, but considering the risks involved, it's only fair to tell you everything," Jake said with conviction. "You've proved yourself to be quite a trouper, and I know you could continue with this mission if I, uh, couldn't."

"Don't talk like that, Jake." Alyse clamped her hands together and pressed them against her lips. Suddenly the situation was reversed, and it made no sense at all. He wanted to tell, and she didn't want to hear.

"We have to face the truth, Alyse." A night breeze riffled through the open cabin windows, mussing Jake's too-long blond hair. The worry in his face was more evident; the concerned press of his lips, more obvious. He wanted to share his burden with her. She should be grateful that at last he trusted her enough to be honest. So why wasn't she?

Alyse pushed a strand of her own hair back from her eyes and turned her gaze out the window, toward the endless stretch of dark, purple ocean. "Confession time, huh, Jake?"

It was crazy, but she wanted to continue with Jake in ignorance. What she wanted more than anything in the world was simply to continue with Jake. She didn't know if he was involved in something illegal, although secretly she suspected it. In her heart she didn't really care. It was crazy and wild, but she cared only that he was safe now and with her.

"Confession?" He studied the notion. "Yes, I guess so. You should know what we're up against. Perhaps I should have told you before now. But as it is, maybe it isn't too late. Come on, Alyse. It's time to talk." He moved silently beside her and placed a gentle hand on her neck.

They sat side by side on the settee bench, knees together, groping for the right words, for a handle on feelings.

"Isn't too late for what?" Alyse asked. His shadowed face was grim and immovable. "Jake, I've seen you angry at me but never so serious."

"Our situation is very serious, Alyse."

"Dammit, Jake. This isn't a sudden new development. You've known all along. Don't get sanctimonious on me now."

"You're right." He nodded, tight-lipped. "Our time together is limited. I've been terribly unfair to you, Alyse. Hell, more than unfair." He leaned forward, elbows on widespread knees, big hands dangling between them. "I've risked your life along with mine. And what I'd like you to do is get off the Skye Command at the next little town up the coast, take a bus across the peninsula to La Paz, and fly home."

Alyse's tone was brittle and full of scorn when she responded. "So it's time to get rid of Alyse, huh?" She stared at him, her eyes wide with shock and anger. "Looks like it's the beginning of the end for us, babe. It's been nice knowing you, kid, but this is the end of the line."

"Something like that." He couldn't look at her.

She hopped up. "I think I need a beer for this one. No, maybe something stronger. How about a gin and tonic?"

He nodded.

With angry, jerking motions Alyse clanked the bottles on the cabinet and began mixing them drinks.

He glared at her, perplexed by her reactions. She hadn't even heard him out. Why the hell was she angry? Wasn't this what she wanted? Freedom? To be free of his entanglement? To go back home?

"Look, Alyse —"

"Don't 'look Alyse' me, Jake! Why did you come up with this brilliant plan all of a sudden? Why didn't you leave me in La Paz in the first place? Or San Jose when I tried to escape? But no! You insisted that I come along with you! Why, Jake?" She twisted a lime into each glass with a flare and handed one to him.

"Why?" His voice was low. "One reason. Selfish. I needed you, and you were handy. I didn't want to let go."

She flinched at his cruel words. "And now that you don't need me anymore, you're willing to dump me, is that it?" She lifted her glass in a mock toast. "Here's to dumping Alyse!"

"My God, Alyse! You don't know what you're talking about."

"Go ahead, Jake, drink! Celebrate my departure."

"I don't want to dump you, Alyse. I want to protect you by getting you away from me. Don't you understand? I'm dangerous!"

She smiled seductively and slithered across the cabin and sat next to him. "I'll say you are, Jake Bronson, but I've known that from the beginning."

"Alyse, don't —" He moved her hand from his thigh and stood to pace the small cabin area.

She was struggling with her emotions, vacillating between dying to hear what he had to say and not wanting to know his secrets. She was now involved, and he was determined that she should know. And she was equally determined not to leave him, regardless of what he said.

"You know, Alyse, you're really funny," he said with a gesture. "All this time you've been on my back to reveal all and tell you everything. And now, when I'm ready to expose myself, you're dodging me. Why, Alyse?"

She lifted large blue eyes and answered slowly. "Because I'm afraid of what I'll learn about you, Jake. Afraid I won't like it. And afraid I'll . . . well . . . lose you."

The muscles in his jaws tensed. "When you hear what I have to say, you'll be anxious to leave me."

She lifted her chin defiantly. "Oh, no, Jake. You're wrong. I've come through some pretty rough times with you. Now I'm here to stay."

"There are still some heavy risks, Alyse." He sat across from her.

"But, Jake, we're on our way out now. We'll be in U.S. waters soon."

"We aren't there yet. The authorities are still after us, and until we hit international waters, there are all kinds of possibilities."

"But none for us, is that it, Jake?"

His voice grew stern. "This is no light matter, Alyse. It reaches beyond you and me. Please, just listen to what I have to tell you."

She heaved a resigned sigh and leaned back. "Okay, Jake. I think I know what you're going to say. You're smuggling something in the jewelry, aren't you? Or it's in the box itself. It didn't take a genius to figure that out, the way you've been hovering over the damned little thing."

"Very clever, my little sleuth," he said. "Oh, you're right about smuggling something out." He paused for a drink.

"What then?"

"Military secrets. Or, rather, contra-military information."

"What kind of information?"

"Rumors have fluctuated for years, rising and falling with the economy, that there was a possible coup being organized in Mexico. The drug cartels want to take over. It is imperative, for our national security and economy that the U.S. government makes sure this doesn't happen. We want Mexico to remain a peaceful neighbor. And yet we must not visibly interfere."

"Our government? What do you mean?"

He nodded. "I did some work for the CIA on this subject last year."

Alyse sat straight up. "Oh, God, Jake! You're a CIA agent? Why? How?"

"I've kept high ranking contacts since my Navy Seal days and occasionally I do some contract work for them. I'll do a single, high-level, high-risk project and get out."

"Why?"

"The pay is very good. I'll make enough on this one project to expand my business."

Alyse slumped back down on the settee and sipped her drink. "I never figured you for CIA, Jake. Drug smuggler, yes. But government informant?"  She ended with a slow shake of her head.

"You act as though this is worse." He chuckled.

"It's, well, either one is a form of stealing."

"What I'm doing is insuring peace. And patriotic."

"Why didn't you tell the cops in San Lucas that you were working for their own good."

"That would have blown the whole project. We don't know who all is involved in this movement yet."

She raised her eyebrows. "How did you find out?"

"Infiltrated the army."

"The army? Then you were the deserter they were looking for?"

"Yes. When things got too tight for me, I had to run and hide. Our sources related that the coup attempt would come from within the military. The only way to determine if anything was being formed was to infiltrate the army, become one of them, and see what, if anything, I could detect."

"So you were a Mexican soldier? Oh, Jake, I can't believe it. You don't look—"

He grinned devilishly. "Without the red beard I passed. Not every Mexican is dark-haired, you know."

"So I'm learning. And you found evidence of rebels in the military?"

"My findings—photos of damaging documents and undercover activities—are recorded on microfilm hidden in the sapphire necklace. One of the rolled canvases has a series of hand-drawn maps of rebel settlements in the mountains and wilderness areas."

"So what will our government do with this information you have? Will we have to take action?"

"Oh, no. Diplomatic sources will merely transfer the information to the Mexican government and let it handle the situation on its own terms. We'll stay as clear as we possibly can."

"Why didn't you just go straight to the Mexican authorities with your information?"

"First it must be analyzed by our experts. Then the findings will be secretly shared by sources at another level. There is a considerable amount of diplomacy involved here. Our government controls the situation by learning the secrets in the first place. Then we can reveal the problems and exact locations, but the problems belong to the Mexican government, and it's up to them to solve." He paused to make sure she was following his explanation.