Page 64 of The Death
“But now you’re here.” Jossland’s lips twisted savagely. “And he’ll forgive me anything as long as he can turn you over to Zakira. You should have killed me when you had your chance.”
She shook her head. “I wanted to wait and do it slowly. And I had to remember everything you did to Barnaby. I’m very angry, and you should be afraid. Remember how I hurt you the last time? It’s all coming back to me now.”
“You’re nothing,” he said bitterly. “You’re just a stupid woman who got in a couple of lucky punches. I’ll take you down and then make you tell me where you’ve hidden the boy.”
She got to her feet. “We’ll see.” She watched him stand up and brace himself. She could see the anger and the venom, and she knew he was almost ready to attack.
Almost.
But there was still a way to make him as crazy and homicidal as she needed him to be to make certain that he wouldn’t even think about calling for help before Kontara got Michael and his father safely away.
“I’m a capable woman and I don’t think I’m in the least stupid.” She tilted her head. “Lucky punches? Let’s see if you’re right.”
She gave him a paralyzing blow to his right arm. She smiled as he cried out and the gun dropped from his hand. She followed the blow with another to his nose.
“You’re bleeding,” she said. “You do bleed easily, don’t you? What a pity.”
“I’m going to kill you.” Jossland was now positively livid as he dove down to pick up the weapon he had dropped. “I made sure your friend Barnaby died a horrible death, but it’s nothing next to what I’m going to do to you.”
“Only if you can catch me.” She took off at a dead run in the direction of the pine forest. “But you don’t seem to be very good when it comes to attacking women.” Her laughter drifted back to him. “Perhaps you need practice. I’ll be glad to give you a few more lessons.”
He roared like an animal in pain, and she knew he was running after her at top speed.
She streaked down the cobblestone street, keeping an eye out for any sign of Caldwell’s guards or Zakira’s soldiers. It was still fairly dark and the streets were deserted, but she knew the sky would lighten in the next fifteen minutes or so. All she could do was hope she could lose herself in the pines and allow Kontara time enough to get Joe and his son.
She was in the forest now, and the shadows were even more dark and intense. But she couldn’t lose Jossland. She had to make him follow her. She shouted back to him, “You’re slowing down. Getting tired, Jossland? Or are you just afraid of what I’ll do if you catch up with me? I’m getting a little bored. Maybe I’ll circle around and come up behind you. The waterfall is so loud you wouldn’t hear me, and I’d be able to do whatever I’d like to you before you could stop me.”
“You bitch!” He was panting but he was still screaming at her. “You’re a dead woman. It’s almost dawn and my relief will be checking in to see why I’m not at my post. If I haven’t cut your throat before they find us, then they’ll be here to watch me do it. But I’m not going to wait for them. I’ve been waiting too long to get you to myself. I think I just caught sight of you…”
And he might have done that. She was breathless and slowing down, while he was so full of hatred and poison that it was probably driving him to go faster. “Wishful thinking. Come and get me, Jossland.” She put on more speed as she headed toward the bank of the waterfall. As long as she was on the ground, she was in danger from Jossland and those guards he’d said were probably going to check on him at any minute. The answer was simply not to be on the ground. She started to climb one of the tall pines leaning over the waterfall. There were enough branches on the pines to mask her from view, and the roar of the waterfall would keep Jossland from hearing her as she climbed up past the lower branches to the safety above. But all the time she was climbing she was aware of the sound of Jossland’s curses as he came nearer and nearer.
“I know you’re somewhere in this damn forest.” Josslandwas moving in and out of the trees. “I caught a glimpse of you when you first ran in here. I’ll find you. Maybe I should wait so I can turn you over to Caldwell. But I don’t trust him, so you’re mine until your last breath.” He was right below her now. “And that face that Caldwell wants so badly to give to Zakira will be just a mass of scars and burns by then. Too bad. But I’ll enjoy it with every slice of my knife.”
Suddenly a shout came from the huts!
Jossland laughed. “Did you hear that? It has to be those fools who are trying to find me and that boy. We’re going to have company very soon. They’ll be crawling all over this village. But I’d better hurry or I’ll be missing all the fun.”
Celine could see what he meant. There were at least fifteen to twenty men dressed in camouflage uniforms streaming toward them, all carrying phone lights and lanterns beaming in Jossland’s direction. But those lights weren’t trained anywhere near where Celine was crouched high in the pine tree overlooking the waterfall. Which meant that if she chose, she might be able to dive down and knock him to the ground before he realized that she was in a position to do it.
But those guards were mockingly calling Jossland’s name now. If she was going to do it, it had better be soon.
She started to slowly, carefully move down the pine tree. Good. He was paying more attention to his buddies than to finding her.
One more branch and she’d be in position…
Then she was there. She pushed off the tree with her feet and launched herself down to tackle him!
Contact! She struck him squarely in the neck, and hetumbled down on the ground. Then she was mounting him and putting his neck in a headlock.
But Caldwell’s men were getting closer and closer. She could hear them shouting at Jossland. She had to do something that would deter them.
The waterfall! She’d been joking when she’d told Kontara she might use that ploy she’d told Celine about. But it was time to be dead serious now.
“Goodbye, Jossland.” She used her legs to give him a lift and powerful push that sent him off the bank and into the depths of the river. Then she followed him into the water and started swimming toward the rapids that were formed by the thundering waterfall.
She’d only gotten a few yards when she was dragged beneath the water!
Jossland! “Got you!” His hands gripped her throat as he tried to ram her head against the bank. She fought desperately and finally managed to break free, grabbed him by the waist, and pulled him under the water.
