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“I’m open to suggestions,” she shot back.
He nodded, not understanding what she meant, since he was the one driving. “We’re coming up on these canyons.” He nodded to where the terrain was rising up on each side of them. “I know a path through…”
“They’ll follow,” she argued.
He glanced at her and thought that for someone in trouble, she was pretty argumentative. She had turned and was putting her seat belt on.
“Trust me,” he said.
She glared at him. “I don’t trust anyone.”
He wasn’t sure how to take that. He concentrated on the curves instead of the woman. The shooting had stopped for the time being since the other car couldn’t get a clear shot. “When we get around this next corner I need you to hold on,” he called out.
She nodded and braced herself.
He took a deep breath and prayed he didn’t kill them both.
A sharp U-turn and he took a path opposite to the way he’d been going and continued, right to the edge of the road—and then over.
The woman screamed.
He couldn’t help but let out a shout as adrenaline rushed through his body.
They crashed down over the side, rattling him from his feet to his teeth. He slammed on the brake and the woman slid forward.
With quick agility, David shoved the gear into Reverse and backed up until he was inside one of the numerous caves in the area. He kept going until they were back beyond anyone’s ability to see inside to where they were.
Above them, they heard the car racing past.
He held his breath, waiting, but didn’t hear them returning. He could only hope they’d bought it.
Turning toward the woman, he started to say something, pausing when he suddenly realized she was awfully calm considering what he’d just done. His curiosity turned to alarm when he realized the woman was lying back against the seat, still and quiet. “Lady?” He reached over and touched her cheek.
It was wet. And she didn’t respond to his touch.
Cold fear shot through him as he realized the passenger was injured.
He opened the glove compartment and found his flashlight. Flipping it on, he saw instantly she’d hit her head. Blood trickled from just below her hairline.
He released his seat belt and turned to grab the first aid kit he kept in the Jeep. It was too easy for things to happen out there so he always kept a kit with him. Fishing through it, he found what he wanted.
Heartened when the woman next to him groaned and moved, he asked, “Can you hear me?” He pulled out some gauze and bandages.
She groaned again.
He reached up to push her long dark hair back behind her ear so he could examine the wound more closely.
She grabbed his hand and nearly broke his fingers.
He jerked back and she pulled him forward.
Immediately he leaned into the fight and pinned her. “Calm down, my little wombat,” he whispered.
It must have been his voice or maybe she was finally regaining consciousness completely because she stiffened and then relaxed, releasing him. “Sorry,” she muttered and in the dim light, he saw her wince.
“Be still. Let me bandage that head.”
It was cool in the cave and he felt the woman shiver. He reached behind her seat and grabbed the jacket he’d worn earlier. “Here, sweetheart, wear this.”
“I’m no one’s sweetheart,” she objected.
He smiled slightly. “Still feisty.” Tearing open the gauze, he pulled it out of the package and then placed it over the small laceration. Taking the second one out of the package, he started wiping up the blood from her face. “I don’t think this is as bad as it looks.”
“You’re not the one with the pounding head.” Her deep voice echoed, a bit put off at the moment. He would be too, he reminded himself, if he’d just been hurt as she had.
As he wiped her face, high cheekbones revealed themselves on a long angular face. She was quite beautiful. And those deep-brown eyes…
“Done yet?” she grouched at him.
Pulled back to the business at hand, he tossed the bloody gauze and grabbed the roll of first aid tape. Firmly taping the fresh gauze over her wound, he paused to reach out and pull her hair from behind her ear.
Her gaze shot to his as if he’d done something of which she didn’t approve.
He admitted it was a very intimate gesture, but he’d had to touch the soft hair once again.
Sitting back, he studied the woman carefully, working to break the intimacy of his gesture. “I’m David Lemming. And you are?”
“Hurting from head to toe,” she answered. “Got any painkillers in that box?”
He lifted a brow at the way she’d avoided answering then reached in and pulled out some medication, which he handed to her. She didn’t blink, but slipped it into her mouth and swallowed without water.
He swallowed, his own throat dry. He felt a bit like choking as he watched her.
She glanced ahead and then finally cut a quick glance at him. “Angelina Harding.”
He nodded. Turning around to face the front as she did, he stared toward the bright dusty exit to their inner sanctum. “You were unconscious when they passed, but they have long since gone on down the road.”
“They’ll be back,” she warned.
He thought about that. Curious, he asked, “Why are they after you?”
She sighed and leaned back against the headrest. “I honestly don’t know, but I’m afraid it might have something to do with my brother.”
Though that made no sense to him, he didn’t ask for more information. “I need to call the authorities.” He snagged the radio in the car to call in—and saw the bullet holes. Consternation forced a temporary scowl to his face. “Well, that’s out.”
“Don’t you have a cell phone?” she asked. “I need to check on my brother.”
Incredulous he turned to look at her. He shook his head. He wasn’t even going to answer that one. “Where is your brother?”
“Wallabee.”
Surprised, he said, “Here in Australia? But you sound American.”
She nodded and raised a hand to her sore head obviously regretting the action. “He lives here. A missionary.”
David felt shock down to his toes. She’d said her name was Angelina Harding. Harding. He knew that name well, at least the last name, but until she’d said what her brother did, he hadn’t made the connection. Still, he couldn’t believe this beauty might be connected to the sweet quiet and yet homely man he knew. “Not Marcus Harding?”
She glanced at him and there was acknowledgement in her eyes. “You know my brother?”
Slowly, he nodded. “He led me to the Lord just about ten years ago.”
Her face twisted up as if she’d just tasted something sour.
“Great.” She looked him up and down. “So you’re one of those Christians too.” She leaned back into the chair and muttered “Just great.”
Surprised, he sat back. Marcus didn’t mention his sister much. Only that she’d moved, not keeping in touch with him and that he only heard about her occasionally. Things of that sort. “You’re his sister.”
“We’ve already established that.”
“What were you doing in that car?”
She sighed again, definitely in a worse mood than only a moment before—and all because he’d said he was a Christian.
“Okay. Here’s the quick version. My brother called me yesterday and insisted he needed me over here as soon as possible. It was some national emergency or something. We don’t talk much,” she added acidly. “Anyway, I rushed over here. Instead of him meeting me at the airport, these two goons show up and say my brother has sent them. Obviously, my brother hasn’t taken a hit out on me so he didn’t send them. Which means something must have happened to my brother. I need to get in touch with him as soon as possible.”
He watched the fluctuating emotions in her eyes and felt for her. Though she sounded angry and sarcastic, there was an underlying edge of worry in her voice and hurt in her eyes.
Compassion flooded him. “I can get you there. First thing first, however, sweetheart. I think we should get your head examined.”
She shot him a look.
He lifted his hands. “What?”
“That’s not a good way to say that. And I don’t need this small bump examined anyway. I need to see my brother.”
He frowned. “We’ll need to call the authorities.”
He could tell she wasn’t thrilled with that idea. “Fine. But we’d better get out of here before those men find us.”
He nodded. Reaching for the key, he turned it—and nothing happened.
“What’s the matter?” Angelina asked immediately.
David shrugged. He turned it again and there was only a low grinding sound. Battery light showed fine, temperature was okay…“We’re out of petrol,” he said and stared at the gauge.
“You’re kidding!” She scoffed and then leaned forward to peer at the gauges. Impatiently she tapped the glass over the gauge. It definitely registered empty.
“I just filled up this morning.” He shook his head. “That’s impossible.” He thought about tapping it himself but resisted the urge.
“Yeah,” the woman muttered and then groaned when her movement caused fresh pain in her right arm.
He turned the key off and got out of the Jeep. Going around to the side of the vehicle, he reached to open the gas tank and saw the problem.
“What is it?” Angelina asked lowering her hand from her eyes as the pain eased.
She knew already, he thought. If she was used to this, she surely knew. She was simply mollifying him. “Petrol tank was shot up. Our petrol is all on the ground—what was left, that is.”
She sighed. “Figured as much. Well, we can’t stay here.”
He disagreed, but then thought, if those guys had any brains they would come back looking. He nodded. “Very well. I know the cavern system here. It’s a bit cool, but we can follow this for two kilometers and come up away from here which might give us a safer chance to hitch a ride back on the main road.”
She shifted and pulled herself out of the Jeep.
David went around and helped her out. Catching her arms, he steadied her as she lowered her feet to the rocky ground. With concern, he asked, “The question is—can you make it, sweetheart?”
She glowered at him. “I can make it, but if you call me sweetheart one more time, you just might not.”
He found himself grinning. “A feisty sheila is better than an unconscious one. Follow me, stay conscious and we’ll be okay.”
She grunted something under her breath, and his smile widened. Despite the fact that this normal day had turned crazily upside down, he thought he might just enjoy the next hour or two with this woman.
Chapter Three
“Thank you.” Angelina nodded to the driver who had given them a ride to her brother’s mission. Evidently, many in the area knew her brother.
And as she stepped out of the vehicle, she could see why. This was the first town they’d come to since exiting the caves several miles back.
It stretched on for what seemed like forever. It sure hadn’t been like this years ago. A simple broken-down house had been all that’d existed. The house was still there, repaired and bigger. But along with that were two huge buildings nearby and a yard, a green landscaped yard that covered the entire area. Cemented walkways led off toward some other buildings and then past those were two large structures that reminded her of college dorms. Though not as nice, they were still impressive. She could see horses running in the distance and what looked like a small golf-cart-type vehicle, not in the best of shape, going down a dirt path between two of the far-off structures.
“Those are men’s and women’s dorms off in the distance. The three buildings over there are teaching rooms and the barns are over there. This is the house Marcus lives in.”
David Lemming was still with her. Her mouth twisted. “I knew that.”
He’d asked her why she was here and probed a bit, but when he’d figured out she wasn’t in the mood to talk, he’d left her alone. Obviously, he wasn’t going to leave her, though. Turning, she asked curiously, “Why are you still here?”
He shrugged. “Marcus is a good friend. It wouldn’t be right for me to leave his little sister to fend for herself.”
She gaped. Surely, he was kidding. Leave her alone to fend for herself? How sexist. She shook her head. Without a word, she turned on her heel and headed toward the house surrounded by a wooden fence with no real gate. The old-fashioned poles set in an upside down U denoted the entrance to the area.
It was pretty empty looking. The grass in the front yard and a few small flowerbeds added a touch of homey atmosphere, but there was also a watering trough set next to the house and a makeshift separate structure that provided shade for a parked vehicle. She wondered why, if David had fixed up the rest of the campus, he hadn’t built himself a new house as well.
The sound of horses in the stables reached her ears. In the distance, she could see students ambling from one of the buildings toward the dorms. Under trees, people young and old rested, chatting, some with books opened or in close discussion.
This was a mission?
“Can I help you?”
Angelina turned her head back toward the house to see a man close to her own age walking forward.
