Free The Edge of Trust: Team Edge by K. T. Bryan Page A

caught her by the wrist and snapped, “Dammit, Sara, stop!  We have to hurry.”
    Her breath came in furious bursts.  “Why should I trust you?  You’re working for him .”
    “Glad you think so.”
    “Then what are you doing here?”  She regarded him with a reporter’s eye and a sister’s outrage.  “I see you traded your Armani suits and field clothes for camo rags and a submachine gun.  That’s a long stretch from your usual tools of picks and trowels.  But then I suppose drug lords pay quite well.  Not that you need it.”
    “Don’t judge what you don’t know.”
    “I know what I see.” 
    “No.  You don’t.”  He gave her an enigmatic look.  “Not always.  I’ll explain while we walk.  Let’s go.”  Taking her hand in his, he started to pull her from the darkened room.
    She dug in her heels, incredulous.  “I’m not going anywhere.  In case you haven’t noticed, I have a child--”
    “I noticed.  Hell of a way to learn I’m an uncle.  I’ll take care of her.”
    Panic started to rise.  She ripped her hand from his.  “I can’t leave my child here!  With these men.  With Sanchez .”
    His jaw clenched.  “I’m here.  I said I’ll take care of her.”
    “Ellie.  Her name is Ellie.  And what do you know about taking care of a six-month-old?”
    “I know enough to feed and change her and get her back to you in the next day or two.  That is, if you’ll move your ass and get off this boat before Sanchez kills you.”
    She looked behind her into the darkest corner where her child lay quietly sleeping.  “I… No.  I can’t.  I can’t leave her.  I won’t.  I’d rather whore myself to Sanchez.” 
    “If you don’t leave, you’re both going to die.  Or you’ll die and she’ll be sold on the black market.  Baby brokers.  Sweat shops.  Sex trade.  Is that what you want?”
    “Jesus, Matt!”  Sara felt like she’d been kicked in the chest as terror swooped into her heart.  “I… She’s my baby.  I have to protect her.  I’m all she has.”  I’m her mother.  
    Matt took her by the upper arms and turned her toward him.  “She won’t have you much longer if you don’t get off this boat.  You do know what dead means?”
    Sara stood, unable to move in any direction.  Nothing she did would be right.  If anything happened to Ellie--
    “If you want to save your child, then save yourself first.”
    “You didn’t.”
    “Prison and death are not the same.  Please, Sara, go.  If you stay and Sanchez kills you, and believe me, he will, Ellie will pay the price.  I promise, I’ll do my best to--”
    Sara nodded and asked, “Where?”  Because Matt was right.  Sanchez would kill her and Ellie would have…what? 
    Nothing.  Nothing at all.
    Sara’s vision blurred as she gave one last look at her sleeping baby.  Dressed in a lavender footie, Ellie lay bunched on her stomach, diapered butt straight up, thumb in her mouth, her favorite blanket clutched in tiny fingers.  Sara dare not go to her, dare not smell that sweet baby smell, dare not touch those soft pink cheeks.
    How could she leave her?
    How could she not?
    “The back of the boat.  Hurry.”  When they reached the stern, Matt snapped a compass to her wrist and fixed a nylon pouch around her waist.  “Don’t let this get to anyone but Craig Duncan.  Someone’s leaking information to Sanchez,so for God’s sake don’t tell anyone, not anyone , that you saw me.  Except Craig.  Go straight to Craig.  Sanchez wanted you dropped at Dillon’s feet so we’re close to land.  You’re within swimming distance of Coronado.  I’ll bring Ellie to you there.” 
    So.  That’s how Sanchez had finally found her.   The leak.  Craig had warned her-- 
    “And stay away from Dillon.” 
    Her head snapped up.  “Explain.”
    “Together, you make the perfect target.  Dillon is--”  Footsteps approached from behind.  “Tomorrow.  I’ll meet you tomorrow with