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“What’s that?”
“My name is Tori. Not Red.” She bit out the words, angry with herself for responding to his bait, angry with Noah for refusing to tell her who he worked for and why he wanted the box.
“Tori. Red. It won’t matter if Lao gets his hands on you again.” The coldness in his voice chilled Tori to the core, but she couldn’t let it shake her resolve.
She might not know who Noah was, but she knew what he wanted. Unfortunately for him, she didn’t plan to give it to him. Not when doing so might lead danger to Melody and her parents. Better to retrieve the box and bring it to the U.S. embassy in Bangkok. Let anyone who wanted it follow her there. Including Noah. Including the man called Lao. If they weren’t one and the same. She glanced at Noah. Was it possible he was the ringleader of the men who’d kidnapped her? That he’d freed her because he’d known she would go after the box? And once he had the box, would he kill her or let her live?
Tori had no intention of staying with him long enough to find out.
Up ahead the alley opened into a wide street, the sound of motorcycle engines growing louder with each step. Tori’s muscles tensed as she and Noah walked out into an open-air market colored amber by the fading sun. People milled about, buying hot noodle soup and succulent fruit from vendors. A normal, busy evening. But somewhere in the midst of it danger lurked. Tori felt it in the churning of her stomach and the goose bumps that leaped to attention on her arms. Her captors were out there, waiting.
She glanced around, trying to put a face to the warning that hummed along her nerves. That’s when she saw the hotel. Two stories, well maintained. She knew it immediately. She’d been shopping on this street before. Market Place. Market Road. She couldn’t remember the name, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was that Chet’s store was just a few blocks away, an easy walk. All she had to do was lose her escort.
Noah scanned the crowd, his face set in hard lines as he searched for signs of trouble. She could run now, make a break for it while he was distracted. Before she could take a step away, he grabbed a fistful of her sweater. One hard tug brought her up against his side. Then he dropped his arm across her shoulders, and any hope of escape was gone.
“There’s the car. Let’s go.” He urged her toward a dark sedan that idled in front of the market. A man leaned against its fender, a dragon tattoo circling his biceps, a machete sheathed at his waist. He straightened as they approached, offering a brief nod in Noah’s direction. “Hawke says you need a ride.”
“Hawke’s right.”
“Where to?”
“The airport.”
“Get in.” He pulled the back door open and everything inside Tori stilled. This was it. Her chance. Maybe the only one she’d get. All she had to do was slide across the seat, shove the door open and jump out the other side of the car. With the crowd bustling around, she might just get lost in the hubbub and escape.
“Go on.” Noah spoke close to her ear, his breath warm against her neck, his arm lifting from her shoulders. There was something in his tone—a question or a dare.
There wasn’t time to wonder what it meant. She scooted across the seat, her muscles stiff, her fingers itching to try the door handle. She waited as Noah said a few more words to their driver. Then, as Noah put his hand on the door frame, bent down his head and started to get into the car, Tori shoved the door open and jumped out. Two steps took her into the street, her feet pounding against the pavement as she dodged motorcycles and tuk-tuks, not daring to look back.
Noah watched her go, grim satisfaction not quite overriding worry. Courier or not, Tori was an American woman in a place she didn’t know well, running from men who’d do more than torture her if they got their hands on her again. And she was an easy mark. She’d forgotten her hat, and her hair shone deep burgundy in the fading light, her tall, slim figure towering over most of the Thais.
Noah fought the urge to race after her and drag her back to the safety of the car. The plan Jack had outlined was simple, almost foolproof. Free the courier from Lao’s prison, follow her to the box, secure the information and bring both the woman and the box back to DEA headquarters in Chiang Mai. Easy. Except Noah wasn’t convinced Tori was the courier.
“You going after her?” Simon Morran looked relaxed as Noah stepped back out of the car, but there was a tension in him that said he was ready for action.
“Just giving her a head start.”
“Don’t make it too much of one. Sang Lao’s men are eager to get their hands on her.”
“I don’t plan to let her out of my sight. Tell your brother I appreciate the ride.” He didn’t bother with goodbye, just started across the street, ignoring the beep of a horn and the unhappy glare of a tuk-tuk driver.
“Better watch it. You get run over and who’s going to protect the woman?”
Simon had moved into step beside him. Except for the coldness in his face, he looked nothing like Hawke. Rumor had it they were stepbrothers. Could be it was true. Not that it mattered. What mattered was that Simon was as quick and lethal as his brother. A strong ally and a dangerous adversary. And for that day, he and Noah were on the same side.
Noah looked at the other man, made a quick decision. “You up for a game of cat and mouse?”
“Got nothing better to do. Besides, Hawke said I’m supposed to get you out of the city.”
“I could use another set of eyes and ears.”
“We trying to catch her?”
“Trying to keep her safe without letting her know we’re following.”
“That shouldn’t be hard. She isn’t even looking back.”
It was true. Tori raced through the crowd with blind determination, perhaps hoping that speed would be enough to keep her safe. After a few blocks, she paused, glanced around and then pushed open the door of a store.
“She’s going into that shop. You know the owners?”
“An elderly widow and her son. Quiet, honest people.”
“Not friends of Sang Lao then. Let’s split up. You take the back, I’ll take the front.”
Simon nodded, breaking away from Noah and disappearing around the side of the building.
The shop looked ordinary—a jewelry smith with sparkling wares displayed in wide, clean windows. Was the box here? Perhaps being kept by a partner of Tori’s who had yet to be discovered by the DEA or Lao? It didn’t seem likely. Not if what Simon said about the owners was true. Not if Noah’s gut instinct about Tori was right. Still, his body hummed with anticipation as he moved past the store and took a seat at a bus stop a few buildings away. From there he had a clear view of the shop door. If Tori walked outside, he’d know. And if any unwanted company arrived, he’d stop them before they made it into the store. Noah prayed it wouldn’t come to that. Not here, on a busy street with so many people around. If it did, though, he’d be ready.
Tori stood in the tiny bathroom she’d been led to and splashed her face with water. A small, hazy mirror sat above the sink, the face reflected in it one she barely recognized. Bruised, hollow-eyed, she looked nothing like the healthy veterinarian she knew herself to be. She patted a soft towel against her cheek, wincing a little as the fabric brushed against her swollen jaw. Every bone in her body ached, but nothing compared to the ache in her heart. Chet had rushed to complete the locket, hoping to please both Tori and Melody’s family, and had delivered it to the clinic yesterday. Now there was no chance that the teen wouldn’t be touched by the evil that had touched Tori.
If anything happened to Melody…
But it wouldn’t. Tori wouldn’t let it.
A soft knock sounded at the door, and she pulled it open.
“My son will come soon.” Parinyah Preteep spoke quietly, her face lined with age and worry.
“Thank you. I’m sorry for bringing this trouble to you.”
“The trouble is no fault of yours. Here—” she handed Tori a thick fold of fabric “—you put on.”
Tori shook out the garment—a dark blue gown that looked similar to a nun’s habit—took off her sweater and pulled the material on over her T-shirt and jeans.
“Now this.” Parinyah held out a silky white scarf. “Over hair.”
Tori draped the scarf over her hair and let the older woman fashion it into a head covering that wrapped around the lower part of her face. When she glanced in the mirror, she could see that nothing but her eyes were visible.
“Now you ready.”
“Thank you.”
“Go safely and have peace.” The words were a benediction, and Tori squeezed the other woman’s hand, wishing she had something more than thanks to offer.
Somewhere outside a horn beeped, and Parinyah hurried to the back door of the shop, calling out a question as she pulled it open. She got an answer, then turned to Tori and waved her forward. “Chet says okay. He sees no one outside.”
Tori wasn’t sure that meant much. Noah had watched her, followed her, been close enough to grab her, and she hadn’t known he was there until it was too late. But she couldn’t think on that. She needed to focus her energy on getting to Melody, making sure she and her family were safe. Then getting the box away from them and to the consulate. She’d worry about the rest after that.
A gray-green mist touched the air with moisture, and Tori shivered as she stepped out the door of the shop. Clothes hung from lines that stretched from building to building across the alley, colorful banners limp in the moist air. Voices called back and forth, children giggling and laughing as they chased each other barefoot through the alley. Tori kept her head bowed as she moved toward Chet Preteep, whose short, wiry frame balanced on a motorbike that didn’t look big enough to carry its driver, let alone a passenger.
Tori fought back hysterical laughter. “Will I fit on there?”
“Yes. Like this.” Parinyah sat sideways behind her son, looping an arm around his waist before sliding off again, her movements surprisingly spry for a woman that Tori knew was almost eighty years old.
“All right. I can do that.” Tori did as she’d been shown, her arm around Chet’s waist, holding on with a grip just tight enough to keep her from falling. “Thank you again.”
“You take care of Melody.”
“I will.”
“Ready?” Chet glanced back, his dark eyes filled with worry.
“Yes.”
He spoke a few quiet words to his mother, then started the motor and headed down the narrow road that ran behind the shop. Several people shouted greetings as the motorbike passed. Some seemed curious, perhaps wondering about Tori. Luckily they wouldn’t remember much about her appearance. Tori was thankful for that. Thankful that Parinyah had thought of the scarf and the long garment that hid Tori’s clothes.
Chet stopped the motorbike at the entrance to a wide, paved road that buzzed with motorcycles, tuk-tuks and a few cars. All were driving at speeds much greater than what Tori imagined the motorbike could achieve. Her grip tightened on Chet. “Is it safe?”
He either didn’t understand, or chose not to answer. The motorbike edged closer to the road, the engine humming impatiently.
Tori shifted, trying to balance her weight more evenly, and felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
Someone was watching.
Slowly, easily, as if she were glancing back for no reason at all, she turned to look. The heavy mist and fading light concealed more than they revealed, and at first Tori saw nothing. Then a dark figure near the corner of a building caught her eye—tall, broad, deceptively relaxed. She didn’t need to see clearly to know who it was. Noah. She knew it as surely as she knew he had let her escape. That he had planned all along to let her go so that he could follow her to the box.
Her suspicions about him had been correct.
It shouldn’t have surprised her. She’d been betrayed too many times to expect anything different. First by Melody’s father, his flowery words and promises of love empty of meaning. Then by Joe. Kind, sweet Joe. The perfect partner, his strong faith more than making up for Tori’s floundering one. He’d seemed flawless until she’d caught him kissing a choir member. And then there’d been Kyle. She didn’t dare think of him. On the hollow emptiness that came from being betrayed one too many times.
No, Tori wasn’t surprised by Noah’s lies and betrayal. How could she be? Betrayal was all she’d ever known.
The motorbike lurched forward, a car horn blasted a warning, and Tori was too busy hanging on for dear life to think about Noah or her own disappointment.
Chapter Four
The road to the Raymonds’ clinic wound uphill through dense jungle. There were no streetlights to guide the way, and already the thin ribbon of pavement seemed to disappear in the deepening shadows. Without the headlight from the motorbike it would be impossible to see what lay ahead. That was fine. Tori was more concerned about what lay behind.
She turned her head, peering into evening gloom. She saw nothing. More importantly, she heard nothing.
“No one follows?” Chet spoke above the chug of the bike’s engine, the worry in his voice obvious.
“No. We’re fine.” For how long? Tori might have had a head start, but Noah wouldn’t be far behind. Even if she’d eluded him completely, it wouldn’t take long for him to find out where she was headed. Mae Hong Son wasn’t much more than a small town, and Tori had visited it several times with the Raymonds. Those visits would have been noticed, talked about.
As if he sensed her worries, Chet patted the arm she still had wrapped around his waist. “No worries. The Raymonds will be fine. They have many friends in Mae Hong Son. Many people they have helped.”
“Maybe so, but money can be a powerful incentive.” She thought of the bamboo huts that lined the outskirts of the town, the agricultural economy so reliant on weather. Who wouldn’t be tempted by a secure future and a life of ease?
“Money is less important here than honor. Our people will protect the Raymonds because it is the right thing to do.”
Tori wished she had as much faith in human nature. She didn’t. “How much farther to the clinic?”
“Maybe ten minutes.”
“Is there any way to get there more quickly?”
“No. This is the only road in. There are a few trails through the jungle, but taking them at dusk would be foolish and dangerous.”
“My entire trip to Thailand seems foolish and dangerous right now. If I’d stayed home, none of this would have happened.”
“It’s never good to look back and think of what we might have done differently. You came to Thailand on good faith that you would be safe. Unfortunately, Thailand, like any other country, has its share of criminals. I’m sorry you had the misfortune to run into them.”
“I survived. That’s what matters.” That, and making sure Melody stayed safe.
“My mother said you were taken from your hotel room?”
“Yes. In Chiang Mai.”
“And the people who took you wanted the box?”
“That’s what they were asking for.”
“Strange. It is a nice piece, but not valuable. The locket you had made is worth much more.”
“I know. It doesn’t make sense.”
“A worry for another time, I think. For now, we think only of getting to the clinic. Then we’ll get the box and get it far from the Raymonds.”
“When we get to the clinic, I want you to turn around and go home. I can’t put you in any more danger than I already have.”
“The Raymonds have been my friends for five years. They’ve taught me English, taught me about God, shown me and my family true kindness and Christian love. I won’t turn my back on them during this trouble. Nor will I turn my back on someone they care about.”
There was no sense in arguing. Despite Chet’s passionate words and clear regard for the Raymonds, Tori couldn’t let him get any more involved in her troubles than he already was. If he insisted, she would have no choice but to sneak away from the clinic without his notice. It wouldn’t be difficult. If she could escape a man like Noah Stone, she could escape the loyal, trusting man who now helped her. But you didn’t escape Noah. He’s behind you. Following. Waiting for a chance to grab the box. And when he gets it…then what?
The thoughts worried at Tori’s mind as the motorbike sped on. How much time did she have before Noah caught up with her? Probably not as much as she needed. She glanced back, but the road was still empty. To either side, towering trees and thick foliage bristled with life; nocturnal animals emerging from their daytime sleep, diurnal animals tucking themselves away for the night. If Tori were at home, she’d be starting her day, heading to the veterinary clinic to see her first patient. Instead she was running for her life.
She blinked back hot tears and shoved aside thoughts of home. Right now, her focus had to be on getting the box and carrying it far away from Melody. There’d be time for everything else later.
“There. The clinic.” Chet gestured to the right where bright yellow lights spilled through the trees, the sight a welcome relief.
Seconds later, he rounded a steep curve and pulled the motorbike up in front of a long, low building. Tori didn’t wait for him to turn off the engine. She was off the bike, sprinting to the clinic door, bruises and pain forgotten as she pushed the door open and stepped into the wide lobby. It was empty. Something she’d expected so late in the evening. The Raymonds’ apartment was at the back of the clinic, and she headed that way, knowing a buzzer had already announced her presence. Any minute now, either Mark or Joi would come to see who’d arrived.
As if on cue, the soft pad of feet sounded in the hall and a feminine voice called out. “Sawatdee kha.”
“Joi? It’s Tori.”
“Tori!” Joi Raymond raced around the corner. “Praise God. We’ve been worried sick. Your grandfather called us and said you’d never arrived home. Are you…?” Her voice trailed off as she caught sight of Tori’s head covering and tunic. “Tori?”
