'She's growing impatient. Smart girl. Did I tell you how remarkably intelligent she is?'
'I'll have to get close enough to shoot him in a vulnerable spot. A bullet wouldn't puncture that tough hide. The eye, I think…' He was rowing, drawing nearer. 'Get her on a higher branch.'
'It's not that easy. I've been trying.'
The branch dipped another two inches.
Laura Ann cried out, her arms tightening to a stranglehold around Miguel's neck.
'Shh,' Miguel whispered. 'My friend is here. He'll help us. He's very smart.'
'Montalvo?' she asked shakily. 'The one who's like the ugly ape?'
'Ape?' Montalvo maneuvered the boat at an angle. 'After I get you out of there I think we'll have to talk, Miguel.'
'It was actually complimentary… sort of,' Miguel said.
'I can imagine.' He was drawing a bead on the alligator under the tree. 'That branch is holding by a few splinters of wood. Don't even breathe.'
'I won't,' Miguel said hoarsely. 'Who needs oxygen?'
The alligator was turning toward Montalvo's boat as if sensing danger… or fresh meat.
Montalvo shot it in the eye.
But the alligator moved in the last second and the bullet only skimmed the edge of its eye. The alligator exploded into action, its powerful tail whipping in a fury of pain and rage. It struck the trunk of the tree with desperate force.
And the last splinters of wood holding the branch broke.
'The bank,' Miguel yelled to Laura Ann as they hit the water only yards from the wounded alligator. With all his strength he threw her toward the island. 'Swim!'
'Shit.' Montalvo gunned the boat and sent it between the little girl and the alligator. The alligator crashed into the boat, rocking it wildly. 'Miguel, go after her. I don't know how long I can distract him.'
Miguel hesitated.
'Go!'
Miguel struck out for the bank.
JOE'S FISTS CLENCHED AS HE SAW the alligator ram Montalvo's boat again, striking it with that massive tail and spinning it sideways. Dammit, one more hit and Montalvo could be in the water. From where Joe was standing on the bank of Kistle's island, he could see Montalvo desperately trying to focus his rifle, but it was all he could do to keep the boat afloat.
Let Montalvo work it out for himself, Joe thought. Miguel and the little girl had safely reached the bank of the other island. Joe had other things to do. Kistle must be close now. He might be just up ahead watching this same disaster scenario Joe was looking at.
He started to turn away.
No, dammit, if Kistle was watching Montalvo, then he'd be a sitting duck in that boat. Kistle had already told Joe he was going after Laura Ann. He'd have to take out the men who stood in his way to get her.
The alligator's tail struck Montalvo's boat again. Again. And yet again. Whirling it like a top. If Kistle didn't kill Montalvo, then the alligator would when the boat capsized.
Damn it to hell.
Joe jumped into the water and swam toward the boat. 'Montalvo!' He took out his machete and cut his arm. 'I'm leaving a blood trail. When I get close enough for the gator to smell the blood, he'll leave the boat and come after me. You'll have time for one shot.' He added grimly, 'It had better be a good one.'
'It will be.' Montalvo fought off another reeling blow to the boat and managed to right it as it almost tipped over.
Joe kept the machete ready as he drew closer to the alligator. Any minute now.
Yes!
The alligator was turning, gliding away from the boat.
Joe splashed the water in invitation.
'Come on,' he whispered. 'Come and get me, ugly.'
The alligator was swimming toward him.
'I've got him in my sights,' Montalvo said. 'Get out of there.'
'Three more yards,' Joe called. 'I don't want him going under the water after me.'
One.
Protruding silver eyes glittering.
Two.
Snout opening, teeth gleaming.
Three!
'Now!'
Joe dove underwater as the alligator was almost on him. Fast, deep, he swam under the belly of the alligator.
He didn't hear Montalvo's shot. He wasn't about to wait around to find out if he'd gotten the gator. If he hadn't, Joe had to swim for his life.
He didn't surface until he was near the bank.
Montalvo's boat was only a few yards away. 'You'd better get on board. There are more alligators than our late friend in these waters.'
'You got him?'
'Yes.' Montalvo reached down a hand to pull him onto the boat. 'Have you no trust? I told you I'd make the shot.'
'If you wanted to make it.'
'I wanted to make it,' he said quietly. 'You literally gave your blood for me.' He turned the boat toward the bank. 'Though I'm puzzled why you did it.'
'So am I,' Joe said curtly. 'We have to pick up Miguel and Laura Ann and get out of here. Kistle will be able to pick us off from any vantage point on the north side of the island. I was following him when I saw that damn alligator. Kistle probably saw you too. He set Laura Ann up on that island as bait, but she spoiled his fun. But now he's got what he wanted. We're prime targets.'
'Then let's get going. Have you seen Eve?'
'No. And Kistle is unpredictable. I have to get back to Kistle's island before he changes his mind again and goes after her.'
THE MOON HAD COME FROM behind the clouds and its light was bright enough that Kistle didn't even need his night goggles to sight down his rifle.
Excitement was racing through him. He couldn't believe it. It was all working out as he'd originally planned it. He would have all of them! The child and Miguel were huddled together in full view on the island and Quinn and Montalvo were in the boat only a short distance away. He had only to pick and choose. The power of life and death was his again and he was drunk with the taste of it.
Pick and choose…
He'd have to kill the men, of course. It was too dangerous to do anything else. But he might be able to just wound the child so that he could have her to play with later. He couldn't bear the thought of not breaking that little bitch. He'd have to shoot her first or they would rush to protect her. Yes, that was the thing to do…
A rustle behind him!
He whirled to see Eve Duncan emerging from the trees. He relaxed. No real threat. She was almost staggering and there was a patch of blood on her windbreaker. She was wounded and he'd taken her weapon. She was just a desperate woman trying to save the people important to her. It might even make the kills richer to have her witness them. 'Just in time. But I'm in a little hurry so I can't talk to you.' He gestured with the rifle. 'Come here. I don't want you behind me where I can't see you if you rush me. Every shot has to count.'
'Shot?' Eve tensed as her gaze followed his across the water to the island. 'Oh, my God.'
He chuckled. 'That's the way I feel. Like God loosing a lightning bolt. I thought I'd have to work much harder to set this up again, but providence took a hand. Now come and stand beside me and watch.'
Eve moved slowly until she was a few yards away on the bank. 'Don't do this, Kistle.'
