Navajo Echoes

MILLS & BOON

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Cheers to the fantastic city of Denver, my home.

And, as always, to Rick.

Special thanks and acknowledgment are given to

Cassie Miles for her contribution to the

BODYGUARDS UNLIMITED, DENVER, CO

miniseries.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter One

Their single-engine Cessna had been sabotaged. Both fuel tanks were empty. They were going down.

Through the cockpit window, John Pinto stared down at the turquoise expanse of the Caribbean Sea. His Navajo forefathers would be amazed to find their son facing death in this place so far from home.

The Cessna bucked and the water came closer, welcoming them into a cold, lethal embrace. He never should have deviated from the original plan….

LESS THAN AN HOUR AGO, JOHN HAD passed through customs in the Kingston, Jamaica, airport. Pulling their several suitcases on a dolly, he’d followed Lily Clark, his coworker at Prescott Personal Securities, through the glass doors to the curb.

Though John had never visited the Caribbean before, he’d been in subtropical climates and was prepared for the humidity. Some people called it sultry. To him, the moist air felt like a wet washcloth being slapped against his face. His research into the area told him that that median temperatures in July were in the mid-eighties.

He checked his wristwatch, already readjusted to the new time zone. Five twenty-seven in the afternoon. Not bad timing. They’d left Denver at dawn and made all their connections.

Lily spread her arms wide as if she intended to fly without a plane, soaring off into these milky blue skies on an errant breeze. “Glorious,” she said. “Absolutely glorious.”

Yes, she was. Lily was a tiny, blond package of pure energy. Only five feet, two inches tall, she looked like a pixie with her short hair and wide, whiskey-brown eyes. He’d been attracted to her since the first day she started work at Prescott Personal Securities, the premier bodyguard agency in the Rocky Mountain West. John found it hard to believe that Lily had once been a Denver cop.

She twirled once on her toes. Her sleeveless, tangerine-colored T-shirt outlined high breasts. Her knee-length khaki shorts revealed the tanned, well-shaped legs of an athlete. “Can you smell it?” she asked.

He sniffed. The airport stank of exhaust fumes from cars and taxis that hadn’t been properly serviced. “What am I supposed to be smelling?”

“The sea. The fabulous Caribbean Sea.”

Yeah, sure. Smell the orchids. Listen to the breezes though the silver thatch palms. Taste the rum. He wasn’t in the mood. “We should check in with Inter-Island Transport. Our flight for Cuerva leaves in fifty-two minutes.”

“Is there enough time to grab a cab, race to the beach and stick my feet in the water?”

“No.”

She bounced toward him. During this assignment, she was playing the undercover role of his girlfriend. They were supposed to be going to Cuerva for a romantic weekend. In her guise as his lover, she adjusted the collar on his black knit shirt and winked. Her fake flirtation was adorable and maddening at the same time. “Come on, John. Let’s have some fun.”

“I don’t want to miss our flight.”

She went up on tiptoe to whisper in his ear. “Nobody is going to believe you’re my lover if you don’t touch me.”

Undercover identities weren’t his favorite thing. Pretending to be someone else always felt like lying, which was probably why he and Lily had been paired for this assignment. John would handle the technical aspects. Lily would guard their identities and deflect suspicion.

She pointed to the dimple in her cheek with a shell-pink fingernail. “Give me a little peck right here.”

“Fine.” He wrapped an arm around her slender waist and leaned down, intending to kiss her cheek. Instead, his mouth found hers. A sizzling electricity shot through him, stirring passions he shouldn’t be feeling for a coworker. The scent of her perfume tantalized him. How could she still smell like roses after a full day of travel? The taste of her soft lips surprised him. She was delicious. And this kiss was a big mistake.

She quickly pulled back. Her eyes narrowed as she whispered, “A little too enthusiastic, John.”

He hadn’t meant to kiss her. What the hell had he been thinking? “Sorry.”

The corner of her mouth quirked up in a smile. “Are you really sorry?”

On a professional level, he regretted the kiss. But on a personal level? Being close to Lily was a constant temptation. She seemed to sparkle. Holding her in his arms was like catching a sunbeam.

“Hey, mon.” A Rastafarian shuffled toward them in floppy sandals, moving to a musical beat that nobody else heard. Long dreadlocks flopped around his shoulders. A necklace of white shells contrasted with his ebony skin. “Are you John Pinto?”

“That’s right.”

“Well now, Mister John. I hear you and this pretty lady are looking for a ride to Cuerva.”

“You heard wrong,” John said. “We’ve already booked our flight.”

The Rasta raised both hands and shrugged. His baggy Hawaiian shirt flapped around his narrow chest like the wings of an exotic bird. “I can give you the grand tour on my Cessna. She’s named Martina after a fine lady with red hair like the sunset. Martina the Cessna. I can show you where the sea turtles go to mate.”

“Wonderful,” Lily said. “Let’s go with him. It’ll be much more interesting than a commercial flight.”

Interesting? Taking off in a plane named after a redhead? With a pilot in dreadlocks who looked like he was having trouble standing up? Stiffly, John said, “Our arrangements are already made.”

“My name is Edgar.” The Rasta stuck out his hand. When John shook the long fingers, he felt a firmness and strength that caused him to take a second look. The Rasta’s black eyes showed a seriousness that didn’t fit with the costume. Quietly, Edgar said, “Miss Evangeline recommends my services, mon.”

Evangeline Prescott was in charge at Prescott Personal Securities. She’d sent John and Lily on this trip to make contact with her husband, Robert, a former MI6 agent who was presumed dead and had been missing for two years.

Robert Prescott had founded PPS, and he was more than a boss. John had been one of the first agents hired, and he considered Robert to be his mentor and his friend.

“All right, Edgar,” John said. “Do you mind if I make a phone call first?”

“Sure thing, mon.”

They went back inside the air-conditioned terminal. While Lily chatted with Edgar, John opened the suitcase that held his computer and electronic equipment, including a satellite phone with a secure line. All communication with their office needed to be untraceable and indecipherable. Over the past several months, PPS had been investigating a series of murders back in Denver that might have roots on Cuerva.

With the three-hour time difference, he figured Evangeline would still be at the office. He got through on her private line. “Who’s Edgar? And why does he want to show us where the sea turtles mate?”

“You can trust Edgar MacAllister. He’s a friend.” Evangeline’s breathy tone betrayed her excitement at the prospect of being reunited with her husband. “Have you heard from Robert yet? Have you seen him?”

“We’re still in Jamaica.”

“Right. Of course, you are.”

It was unlike Evangeline—a former FBI agent—to be so rattled. He asked, “Is there some reason why you kept Edgar a secret?”

“He contacted me this morning. The threat level on this assignment has gone from amber to bright red. Someone on Cuerva is after Robert.”

“Who?”

“I don’t have a name for you, John.”

He’d expected complications. Otherwise, Robert Prescott could have hopped on a commercial flight and come directly to Denver.

“There’s more bad news,” she continued. “We’ve uncovered information that a Denver businessman with mob connections is involved in our murder investigations. His name is Drew Kirshner, and he arrived on Cuerva yesterday.”

John put two and two together. Someone on Cuerva was after Robert. Drew Kirshner came here. “Is Kirshner the person who’s after Robert?”

“I don’t know.” She exhaled a nervous sigh. “Be careful, John. Bring my husband back to me.”

“Count on it,” he said.

After he disconnected the call, he sat for a moment, assessing this new information. There were too many unknowns on this assignment, and the potential for lethal danger. It might be wise to pick up a couple of guns on Jamaica before heading to Cuerva.

As soon as he joined Edgar and Lily, he mentioned the need for additional weaponry.

“All taken care of, mon.” Edgar pointed them toward the exit to the runways.

“Hold on,” John said. “I need to cancel our other flight and see if I can get a refund.”

The Inter-Island Transport representative was an intense brunette with a bun so tight that it lifted her eyebrows. She responded to John’s request in icy tones. Their policy was to never issue refunds.

For a moment, he considered convincing her otherwise. John was an expert negotiator who learned to haggle when he was a skinny kid on the Navajo reservation selling crafts to tourists. But that was a long time ago, and he had more pressing concerns.

Lily popped up beside him. “What’s wrong?”

“Wasting money goes against my grain.”

“But this isn’t really your money. The unused tickets can go on your company expense account.”

“It’s still a waste.”

Her eyes were wide and curious, searching for answers. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

As if he would ever discuss what it was like to grow up dirt-poor, squeezing every nickel, going without dinner so his brothers and sisters could eat.

He’d never been a man who readily shared his life secrets. The less people knew about him, the better. Besides, he’d overcome his past. He was thirty-seven years old, respected in his field and financially successful. His family would never go hungry again. “We can talk later.”

Her eyebrows pinched in a scowl. “That’s the third time you’ve said that to me.”

“And you still haven’t taken the hint.”

“Figuring you out is a challenge. And I’m very persistent.”

“Like a migraine?”

“Like a thousand stinging wasps.” Her innocent expression turned shrewd. “I already know a few things about you. You were in the Marines. You majored in physics in college, which led to your training and expertise in security systems.”

“That’s my résumé.”

“I’ll figure you out,” she teased. “You didn’t fool me at all when you pretended to be napping on the plane.”

“I was sleeping. And so were you.”

Edgar shuffled up beside them. “Let’s go, mon.”

Hoisting their luggage, he followed Lily and Edgar through the small terminal to the tarmac, where Edgar commandeered a modified golf cart and drove them to nearby hangars.

Apart from a painted picture of the glamorous redhaired Martina on the nose, the small, single-engine Cessna looked like a standard issue aircraft with a fixed undercarriage. Inside the cramped interior, John gave Lily the copilot seat and settled in behind them. As soon as they were airborne, he eased forward and took a position between the two cockpit seats.

The view was breathtaking. At the edge of sunset, the skies to the west had taken on a soft pink glow. From horizon to horizon, there was nothing but sparkling water as far as the eye could see. John soaked it all in. The beauty of Mother Earth never failed to amaze him.

He spoke loudly over the whir of the propeller. “Tell us about yourself, Edgar. How do you know Evangeline?”

Edgar’s shoulders straightened. With quick, precise movements, he removed his earphones, then he unfastened a few clips and took off his hair.

Lily laughed out loud. “Great disguise.”

“Thank you very much.” Without the dreadlocks and the easygoing Rasta manner, he had the air of a gentleman. “I met Robert Prescott while we were both employed at MI6.”

The British Secret Intelligence Service. Edgar had dropped the Bob Marley accent. He sounded British through and through.

“You’re not with MI6 anymore?” John asked.

“Quite happily retired.” His gaze fixed on the instrument panel. “I do, however, stay in touch with my former colleagues. When Robert requested my help, I was delighted to be of service.”

“You’ve spoken to Robert,” John said. “Is he well?”

“Very well, indeed. I’m not precisely certain about his plans, but I should inform you that this visit to Cuerva will be much more than a simple extrication.”

John had feared as much. No one at PPS, not even Evangeline, knew what Robert had been investigating for the past two years, but it had to be huge. “You said the weapons were taken care of.”

“In the rear empennage,” Edgar said. “Remove the panel behind the fire extinguisher.”

Hidden behind the panel was a beat-up Army-green backpack. Inside, John found two handguns and holsters. He immediately fastened on the ankle holster.

Returning to the cockpit, he handed the other weapon to Lily, who checked the clip and the balance before she tucked the gun and two extra clips into the carry-on bag at her feet. Her expertise in handling the Glock automatic reassured him. She might look like a pixie, but this lady knew how to behave in dangerous situations. He had heard that she was expert in several forms of martial arts.

“When do we meet with Robert?” she asked.

“Tonight at midnight,” Edgar said. “In a place called Pirate Cove. You are instructed to wait for only one hour. If Robert does not appear, it means he’s been detained and will contact you on the following evening at the same location.”

Edgar leaned forward and tapped a dial on the control panel.

“Problem?” John asked.

“A malfunction with the fuel gauge. I filled up in Kingston, but the gauge shows we’re almost empty.” He pointed through the cockpit window at a speck in the midst of the vast turquoise sea. “Cuerva is dead ahead.”

Dead ahead? That sounded ominous. John’s gaze focused on the fuel gauge. The indicator edged closer to Empty.

“Rather a fascinating island,” Edgar said. “A British protectorate, like the Caymans and Jamaica. The population is small, approximately eight thousand, and the residents claim to be descended from the infamous Caribbean pirates and escaped slaves from the sugar plantations in Jamaica. Cuerva was slow to develop its tourist trade.”

“There are hotels now,” John said. He and Lily were registered at the Grand Cuerva.

“The island’s governor, Ramon St. George, has done much to encourage visitors. You’ll probably meet him. He’s a very visible presence on the island. Quite charming.”

The engine coughed. John was beginning to think that the malfunction might be more serious than a gauge that needed adjusting.

“However,” Edgar continued, “you should be advised that Governor St. George is a powerful and very dangerous man. His real interest lies in the establishment of offshore banking and financial institutions. He might be involved in money laundering or smuggling.”

“Your plane isn’t equipped to make a water landing,” John said. He’d seen the wheels on the fixed undercarriage when they boarded.

“Ocean landings are notoriously choppy.”

“I suggest you cut the speed to conserve fuel.”

“I’ve already done so.”

They were flying low. The island was close enough that John could see the outline of tall trees and a cliff above a white beach.

“Can you bring her down?” John said.

“I fully intend to try.”

The engine sputtered and died. The propeller stopped. The reassuring whir was replaced with silence as the plane dipped lower. Out of fuel. They were going down.

THE CESSNA SHUDDERED SO violently that Lily couldn’t tell if she was trembling or not. She was scared. That was for sure. They were going into a dive.

Beside her, Edgar pulled back on the yoke. His feet danced on the rudder pedals.

John yanked her out of the cockpit seat. “Back here,” he said. “You’ll be safer.”

“We’re going to crash.”

“Yes.” His dark eyes peered into hers as he fastened a seat belt across her lap. “Cover your head and hold on tight.”

They plummeted lower. Her stomach lurched. There was nothing she could do but bend down and kiss her life goodbye.

The only mercy was that she didn’t have much time to think about what was happening. Within seconds, they hit the water. Her world turned upside down. A tremendous impact. A fierce jolt that rattled her bones.

She was aware of the wind and the water as the plane broke apart. Her shoulder crashed against something, and she recoiled. She felt a sharp pain in her head. Thrown free from the seat belt, she was falling.

The sea surged over her. Barely conscious, she tried to swim, but her arms and legs wouldn’t respond properly. Had she been injured? Was she paralyzed? A wave splashed in her face, and she gulped salt water.

Her mind froze at the edge of consciousness, unable to process the most simple commands. She’d forgotten how to move, how to react, how to breathe. Helplessly, she felt herself sinking into the sea, and she knew this was the end of her life. She was going to die before she’d even had a chance to live. Only twenty-six years old. Still a virgin. Too damned young to die.

She felt herself being lifted, dragged back to the surface. John was holding her. “Lily, wake up.”

Through a churning haze she saw him. His wet black hair plastered to his head like a seal. “Lily!” he shouted.

She blinked wildly. Her eyes stung. But she wasn’t dead. The realization gave her strength. Her arms reached for him, clung to him. She gulped down air. Gasped. Coughed. “I’m okay.”

Beneath the surface, his legs were moving, treading water and keeping them both afloat. Holding her with one arm, he pulled her toward a flat section of wing that floated like a raft on the water. “I want you to get up on this. Lie across it.”

She struggled, fighting the numbness that threatened to overwhelm her. With John’s help, she hauled her torso onto the wing and lay flat.

“Stay there,” he said.

“What are you going to do?”

“Rescue our luggage.”

His arms cut through the waves as he swam toward the tail of the plane that was gradually sinking beneath the waves. She saw Edgar helping him. They had all survived.

The two men swam toward her, dragging luggage that they threw onto the wing beside her. They aimed the section of wing toward the shore and began to kick.

“That was one hell of a belly flop,” John said.

“Quite spectacular,” Edgar agreed.

“We skipped across the water like a flat stone. Wish I had it on film.”

“Indeed.”

They were both laughing and grinning like idiots. She’d seen this reaction before when she was a police officer. Relief after intense danger affected different people in different ways. Some collapsed in shock. Some wept. Others screamed. Still others, like John and Edgar, made jokes and slapped each other on the back.

Edgar glanced over his shoulder. “I rather wish I could have saved the painting of Martina. She was quite a wonderful woman. I’ve lost her four times.”

“How?” Lily asked. Her voice was a hoarse croak.

“Once in real life. Twice before in plane crashes. This will be the fourth.”

Lily wasn’t sure she’d heard correctly. “You’ve crashed three times?”

“Once on land in Costa Rica. That was bad. Almost lost my leg.” He took a breath. “Once on water near the Florida Keys. Now this.” Another breath. “I’m getting rather good at crash landing.”

“Lucky for us,” John said.

“Luck?” Edgar’s voice struck a high, disbelieving note. “This crash had nothing to do with chance, dear boy.”

“How so?”

“We were sabotaged,” Edgar said. “We were meant to die.”

Chapter Two

When they were close to shore, Lily slid off the section of wing into a rolling surf. She staggered toward the deserted beach that wasn’t nearly as pretty as it had seemed from a distance. A thin strip of whitish-gray sand covered a jagged, rocky shoreline littered with bits of shell, rock and sharp coral from the nearby reefs. Untamed tropical forest reached almost to the edge of the water.

Not paradise, but she wasn’t complaining. She was thankful to be on dry land, to still be alive. The crusty sand crunched beneath her feet as she staggered toward a thick log that had washed ashore, and she sat on it. Holding her head in her hands, she closed her eyes and exhaled a deep breath. Apart from an ache in her left shoulder and a ringing in her ears, she was physically okay. Her mental state was a whole different matter.

Behind her eyelids, she replayed the terror of sinking into the ocean, helpless to react, trapped in death’s cold embrace. Never before had she felt so close to her own mortality. Shake it off.

She couldn’t appear devastated. And definitely couldn’t whine. Being chosen to accompany John to Cuerva represented a major upgrade in her work at PPS. She’d been given a chance to prove herself and didn’t want to mess it up.

Opening her eyes, she saw him striding toward her with a bottled water in each hand. His black knit shirt outlined his muscular chest and broad shoulders. His wet khaki trousers clung to his thighs. He usually wore a suit in the office. This water-logged outfit was a whole lot better…sexier. Without even trying, John Pinto was hot. When he’d kissed her on the mouth at the Kingston airport? Wow! Her fingers reached up to touch her lips. Not even a plane crash could erase the memory of that kiss.

He squatted in front of her and held out the bottled water. “You’re probably dehydrated.”

“I almost drowned.” But she knew what he meant, and the water tasted good going down. “Where did you get this?”

“I always have a couple bottles in my carry-on. Just in case.”

“Always thinking ahead.”

“Let’s check you out.” Holding her face in his large hands, he peered into her eyes. “Look to the right. Then the left.”

She glanced both ways. “Like this?”

“Very good. Now look directly at me.”

She focused on his deep-set dark brown eyes above high cheekbones and a strong, straight nose. God, he was handsome. Gratitude welled up inside her. This man—this incredibly brave, good-looking man—had saved her life. If he hadn’t pulled her out of the water when she was sinking, Lily wouldn’t have made it.

As she was about to thank him, his fingers probed the sore spot behind her temple and she reacted. “Ow. Am I bleeding? Will I need stitches?”