скачать книгу бесплатно
“Yes. It’s me.”
Joi lunged forward, pulling Tori into an embrace that threatened to crack her bruised ribs. “Where have you been?”
“It’s a long story.” And she didn’t have time to tell it. “Are Melody and Mark in the apartment?”
“Yes. What—?”
Chet stepped into the clinic, his arrival cutting off whatever question Joi planned to ask. He spoke in Thai, the words a jumble of sounds that Tori couldn’t understand. What she did understand was the expression on Joi’s face—one of disbelief and worry. Before Chet finished speaking, Joi reached out and tugged the scarf from Tori’s face. Her gaze touched on Tori’s cheek and jaw, her fingers prodding at bruised flesh. “Who did this to you?”
“I don’t know. I only know what they want. The box Melody’s locket was in.”
“Why?”
“I wish I knew.”
“We’ll figure it out together. Let’s go take a look.” Joi looped an arm around Tori’s waist, her calm, even tone at odds with the worry in her eyes. “Chet, why don’t you head home? It’s getting dark and the road in is difficult at night.”
“I will stay and give Tori a ride back.”
“If she leaves, Mark can give her a ride.” No doubt, Joi was as worried as Tori about Chet’s well-being.
As they argued, Tori could almost hear the clock ticking away precious seconds. Noah might show up at any time. “It’s late. I may stay the night. Go home, and if I need a ride, I’ll call you.”
He hesitated, then nodded. “I will pray for your safety.”
As soon as he stepped out the door, Joi hurried Tori through the clinic and into the family’s apartment. “Mark! Melody!”
The fact that she shouted the names told Tori exactly how shaken she was. A former E.R. doctor, Joi never panicked, her calm confidence as evident in her family life as it was in her work.
“What’s up?” Mark stepped out of the den, his salt-and-pepper hair standing on end as if he’d run his hands through it again and again. He stopped short when he caught sight of Tori. “Praise God! We’ve been worried sick.”
His words so neatly mimicked Joi’s that Tori almost smiled. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“From the look of things, it wasn’t your fault. Sit down.”
“Tori?” Melody stepped out of the hall that led to the apartment’s two bedrooms, her slim frame a replica of Tori’s at the same age.
“Yep, I missed you so much I had to come back.” This time, Tori did smile, though she was sure it was a weak imitation of the real thing.
“What happened to your face? It looks like someone beat you up.” Melody’s eyes were deep green and filled with concern. At thirteen, she had her parents’ compassion and need to heal.
“Just an accident. Listen, could you bring out the box I sent your locket in? The little rosewood one.”
“Sure. I love the locket, by the way. Thank you so much.” She grabbed Tori in a bear hug that stole her breath, then released her and ran back down the hall.
As soon as she disappeared from view, Mark placed a hand on Tori’s shoulder and urged her to the couch. “Sit down. You’re white as a ghost.”
“I’m always white. Goes with the red hair.” She sat anyway, hoping she’d be able to get up when the time came.
“Not this kind of white. The bruises on your face are obvious. Where else are you hurt?”
“Everywhere, but not serious enough to worry about now.”
“Here it is.” Melody hurried back into the room, waving the small rosewood box.
“Thanks.” Tori accepted the box, her flesh crawling as if she were holding a snake. Two inches by two inches and less than an inch tall, it was beautifully detailed with inlaid mother-of-pearl. A tiny gold clasp and gold hinges were the only other adornments.
Tori pulled the box open, saw nothing but gleaming wood.
“See anything?” Joi leaned close.
“What are we looking for?” Mark joined his wife, sliding an arm around her shoulders and peering down at the box.
“I don’t know, but whatever it is, it’s important. Mind if I take this with me, Melody?”
“No. Do you need the locket, too?” Melody fingered the silver heart that hung from a chain around her neck. An exact replica of the one Tori owned, it contained a copy of her grandparents’ wedding portrait. Seeing Melody wearing it brought bittersweet longing—both for the grandmother who’d taken Tori in when no one else would, and for the daughter Tori had given up.
Or maybe it was just for the things she’d lost, things she could never have again.
She forced the feelings aside, not allowing regret or discontent. Her life was what she’d made it, her choices her own. All she could do now was move forward. Wherever that might lead. “No way. That’s yours. Now I’ve really got to go.”
“What?” The words were shrill, Joi’s expression one of disbelief. “And go where?”
“Away from here.”
“Melody, why don’t you go in your room and finish your homework?” Mark spoke to his daughter, his concerned gaze on Tori.
“It’s done.”
“Go anyway.”
“Fine. I know when I’m not wanted.” She smiled, bent to place a quick kiss on Tori’s cheek.
“Goodbye, Melody.” Tori kept her voice light, her grip loose as she leaned forward and stole one last hug. “I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
With that, Melody hurried back down the hall.
“You can’t really intend to go back out there? Whatever that box is, it’s too dangerous for you to carry it around with you.” Joi spoke in a whisper.
“And too dangerous for me to stay here with it. The men who abducted me haven’t given up. They want me and they want this box. If they trace me here, you’ll all be in danger. I have to leave before that happens.”
“But where will you go?” This time it was Mark who spoke, his voice calmer than Joi’s had been.
“Bangkok. I’ll take the box to the embassy. Someone there will know what to do with it.” Tori stood up, lifted the caftan and shoved the box into the pocket of her jeans.
Mark put a hand on her arm, holding her in place when she would have shoved open the apartment door. “Wait. Let’s take a few minutes. Think things through, decide if you going to Bangkok is the best idea. Then if you still want to leave, I’ll drive you to town.”
She didn’t plan to let him drive her anywhere, but she nodded anyway, turning to face the couple who’d offered her both friendship and advice in the years since they’d adopted Melody. “Thinking things through is fine, but it won’t help. We still won’t know what the box is, who wants it or why.”
“We don’t have to know any of that.” Joi paced across the room, her short, compact body almost vibrating with energy as she reached for the phone. “Now let’s pray we’ve got a good connection.”
“Who are you calling?”
“The U.S. Embassy. Maybe they can send someone to escort you to Bangkok or give you the name of someone in Mae Hong Son who can help.”
Tori nodded, surprised that she hadn’t thought of that herself. But then, she wasn’t just running scared, she was running on empty, all of her energy drained, her body pulsing with pain.
“It’s ringing. Here.” Joi handed the phone to Tori.
She pressed it to her ear, her heart thundering as a woman’s cheerful voice filled the line. “United States Embassy. How may I direct your call?”
Good question. “I…”
“Yes?”
“I’m an American citizen and I’ve run into trouble up-country. I’m hoping someone there can help me.”
“Do you need legal representation?”
“No. At least I don’t think I do.”
“If you give me your name, a number where you can be reached, and tell me what kind of trouble you’re in, I can pass the information to the right party.”
“Thank you. My name is Tori Riley. I—”
“Is that Victoria Riley?” The cheerful good humor had dropped away.
“Yes.”
“Please hold. I’m transferring your call.”
“To whom?” But she’d already been put on hold, the soft rhythm of a love song playing across the line.
“Hello? Ms. Riley?” This time it was a man, his voice smooth and soothing.
“Yes.”
“Jack McKenzie. What can I do for you?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Then tell me what the trouble is, and I’ll see if I can figure something out.”
“I bought a box at a wat near Mae Hong Son. I don’t know what it is, but a lot of people are after it.”
“Where’s the box now?”
“I have it. I’d like to bring it to the embassy and let someone there take a look at it.”
“Sounds like a good plan.”
“I don’t know how long it will take me to get there. I’m going to—”
“Stay put. An escort is on the way.”
“I can’t wait.” Not with so many people searching for her. And not when discovery could mean death, both hers and the Raymonds’.
“You won’t need to. He’s there.”
As if on cue, a loud buzz announced that someone had entered the clinic. Tori’s mouth went dry with fear and she knew her eyes were as wide, her skin as pale, as Joi’s.
“Stay here. I’ll go see who it is.”
“No!” Tori and Joi spoke in unison, but Mark was already pushing the door open and stepping out of the apartment.
“Everything okay?” Jack McKenzie’s voice pulled Tori back to their conversation.
“Yes.” She hoped.
“Good. My man will escort you to my office in Chiang Mai. We’ll see what’s what, and have you home before you know it.”
Home. The word sounded too good to be true, but before she could say as much, the apartment door swung open and Mark stepped back inside, another man on his heels. Tall, pitch-black hair, and eyes the blue-green of the ocean, Noah moved into the room with the same pantherlike grace Tori had noticed when he’d freed her. His gaze scanned the room coming to rest on Tori as he slid a dark backpack from his shoulder.
“Guess we meet again, Red.”
Tori could think of nothing nice to say, so she said nothing at all, holding the phone to her ear, her fingers in a death grip around the receiver as Mark introduced Noah and Joi to one another.
“That Jack?” Noah gestured to the phone.
“Yes.”
“Mind if I speak to him?” His hand slipped around hers, sliding over tense fingers and somehow easing her grip before she realized what he was doing. Then her hand was empty and he was speaking into the phone.
“Jack? Yeah. The clinic. Maybe twenty miles outside the city. Right. I was thinking the same.” He paused, met Tori’s eyes. “You have the box?”
She considered denying it, but there was no reason now. Noah was on her side. Or was supposed to be. She still wasn’t sure she trusted him. She pulled the box from her pocket anyway, handing it to Noah before she could rethink her decision.
He met her gaze as he turned the box over, his eyes dark and unreadable. Then he turned his attention to the mother-of-pearl inlay, pulling a small magnifying glass from his pocket and using it to examine one area after another.
Tori half expected him to say there’d been a mistake, that the box was exactly what she’d thought it to be. He didn’t. Instead he paused, looked more closely at one section, and spoke into the phone. “I’ve got it. You sending the helo? We’ll be at Mae Hong Son Airport in an hour. Yeah. I agree. I’ve already got it covered. I’ll tell them.”
He hung up the phone, swept a gaze around the room. “Anyone else here?”
“Our daughter.” Joi sounded calm, but Tori sensed tension in the words. Like any good mother, she was ready to protect her child.
“You’ll need to get her. Pack a few things. We’re leaving here in ten minutes.”
