Free Challoner Bride by Unknown

darkness?“ Flynn looked distinctly skeptical.
    The clerk shrugged. „It is nearly four-thirty. In another half hour it will be dawn. Besides, Ramon has
    lived here all his life. He knows the coastline as well as he knows the faces of his six children.“
    Flynn turned back to Angie. „Are you sure you don’t want to wait until the rental agency opens?“
    She didn’t hesitate. „I’m sure.“
    He studied her determined expression and gave in to the inevitable. Nothing he said was going to change
    her mind, he realized. „Okay. Call Cousin Ramon,“ Flynn said to the clerk.
    The man’s hand closed around the cash lying on the desk. Then, beaming, he disappeared into an office.
    Flynn wondered idly how much the clerk would tell his cousin he’d received from the crazy
    norteamericano. He figured Ramon would be lucky to see half the bribe.
    The clerk had been right. By the time Angie and Flynn had packed, checked out of the hotel and found a
    cheery-looking Ramon waiting at the dock, there was a faint glow lightening the sky. The sun would be
    rising soon. Flynn was grateful for small favors. He hadn’t been looking forward to making this little jaunt in
    total darkness.
    „Cancun?“ Ramon repeated easily when Flynn told him the destination. „No sweat.“ He grinned proudly
    at his fine English.
    „That’s just terrific, Ramon,“ Flynn said dryly as he settled himself down beside Angie. „Absolutely
    terrific. Let’s get going.“ He glanced at Angie’s tense face as Ramon pulled the boat away from the dock.
    The dagger case was resting on-her lap. She didn’t seem willing to trust it to the small bag that rested at her
    feet. When he saw the anxiety in her eyes, some of his irritation lessened. She was genuinely frightened.
    „Feeling better now that we’re on our way?“
    She nodded briefly. „Yes. Thank you for arranging everything, Flynn. I will see that you’re compensated
    for the money you had to give the desk clerk.“
    „Angie,
    do
    me
    a
    favor.
    If
    you’re
    going
    to
    insist
    on
    maintaining
    that
    insulted-employer-dealing-with-untrusting-employee attitude, keep your mouth shut, okay? I’m not in the
    mood for placating you right now. I’ve got other things on my mind.“
    She glared at him. „Such as?“
    „I’ll think of something.“
    A few minutes later Flynn stopped wondering what else to think about. Something rather crucial came to
    mind as he glanced back over his shoulder at the lights of the resort.
    „Hell.“
    The roar of the boat’s engine masked the soft oath, but Angie must have seen his expression. She stared
    at his profile for a few seconds and then leaned toward him.
    „What’s wrong?“ She held her whipping hair out of her eyes.
    „I’m not sure yet.“ He spoke into her ear so that she could hear him above the noise of the boat and the
    wind. „But I think Cousin Ramon was wrong. I’m afraid we have got something to sweat about.“
    Angie’s eyes widened in startled concern. „What are you talking about?“
    But Flynn was on his feet, heading toward the front of the speeding craft, where Ramon stood at the
    wheel. He leaned down to tap the pilot on his shoulder.
    „Senor?“ Ramon glanced up, his face a mask of polite inquiry.
    „What the hell do you think you’re doing?“ Flynn said, raising his voice above the engine roar. „You’ve
    been hired to take us down the coast. I didn’t pay you for a sightseeing trip of the bay.“
    „I am very sorry, senor, but someone else has paid me for taking you sightseeing. And I’m also sorry to
    report he paid a great deal more than you did for your run to Cancun. So what can I do? I have six children
    to feed. We go sightseeing instead of down the coast.“
    Cousin Ramon raised his hand and revealed the ugly .25-caliber Star semiautomatic he had clutched in
    his fist.
    Four
    Angie couldn’t hear the verbal exchange between Cousin Ramon and Flynn; the roar of the outboard
    blanked out the words. But