Into the Fray (Daring Escapes #3) - Margaret Daley Page 0,46
the light from a nearby torch, he stared at her. Sadness poured off her. He cupped her face between his hands. “I’ll get justice for Aapo and the others. That’s a promise.”
She lifted herself on tiptoes and gave him a light kiss on his mouth. “If anyone can, it’ll be you.” Then she quickly ducked into the tent.
Guerrero wanted to really kiss her, but it wasn’t the right time or place. He released a long sigh. It might never be. He couldn’t move on without a resolution to the death of his wife and unborn child.
* * *
When Tory entered the village in the mountains, not one light shined in the darkness. The hairs on her arm stood up. Where were the people who lived here? While scanning the terrain and walking, she nearly collided into Guerrero. “What’s going on?” she whispered.
“Stay here with the two mules.” He gestured toward a place between two houses. “You should be safe in the dark. I’m going to check a few places, starting with the leader, Aapo’s brother.”
Tory did as he said while he left her in the blackness between the two homes. At least she had her night vision goggles on and would be able to see if someone was approaching the small town in the midst of the tall peaks. In the quiet, her heartbeat thudded against her skull. She tried to ignore the fact she held the reins of two mules, each carrying a dead body. The minutes ticked away, leaving her to worry more and more for Guerrero. What if someone or something happened to him. She had no idea how to return to the dig site even if she traveled in the daylight, which probably wouldn’t be a wise thing to do alone.
As she waited, questions she wanted answered inundated her mind. Why had the villagers fled? Did something alert them to danger? Where would they have gone, if not here? As the questions continuously paraded through her mind, panic began to grip her.
No, Satan! She wasn’t going to let him do that to her. In God I will put my trust. I will not fear. The words from Psalm 56 gave her comfort.
“Tory, it’s me.”
The sound of Guerrero’s voice sent a wave of relief through her tensed body. She sagged against the side of a house. “Where is everyone?”
“I think I know, but we’re going to tie up the mules and leave them here.”
After they secured the pack animals, they left the back way from the village. Guerrero held her hand as they climbed over stones, going further up into the mountains. Once she glanced back. The moon afforded some light while the night vision goggles helped also because this part of the journey was more difficult. As she hiked up the slope, she kept most of her attention on the ground, constantly searching for a firm place to put her foot.
“How often have you done this?” she asked.
“A few times.”
“Are the villagers at the top?” She craned her neck back and stared upward. If the Mayans were up there, Guerrero and she still had at best an hour—that was if they didn’t misstep and slide down the mountain.
“No. I think they’re hiding in a cave. Actually, it’s a system of caves.”
“All I see is darkness. Did I ever tell you I’m not a big fan of the dark?”
“No, but thanks for letting me know.”
“The only thing keeping me sane after today is the night vision goggles. Wise move on your part.” She tightened her hand on his arm.
“You’re doing a good job keeping up with all this. Did you camp out as a child?”
“Yes, usually once a month if my dad was home, but as he moved up in the ranks, I saw less of him. By the time he became a general, I rarely saw him, and when I did, it didn’t go well.” As the words flowed from her mouth, there was part of her that wished she could snatch them back, but she was tired of holding her anger toward her dad inside her. She needed to deal with it and move on.
“What didn’t go well?”
“He wanted to control my every step. He wanted me to become a solider and follow in his footsteps. I didn’t want to. I was an only child, but from childhood I’d known he wanted a son.”
Guerrero paused on a piece of level ground and faced her. “My dad wanted me to become a lawyer and hopefully go