Free The Bronzed Hawk by Iris Johansen

Mexican’s, and for the next five minutes there was a verbal interchange that sounded maddeningly casual to Kelly. When he turned to face her, she was steaming with impatience.
    “It appears you attract trouble like a magnet, Goldilocks,” he said softly. “These charming fellows seem to want to hold us for ransom.”
    “Ransom!” Kelly exclaimed, her mouth falling open. “You mean they’re some kind of criminals?”
    “Bandidos,” he corrected. “It seems it’s an old and honorable profession in these hills. Pedro Garcia, here, tells me that they’re sure we’re very fine birds to be plucked because no one but a rich, crazy gringo would think of sailing across Mexico in a balloon.”
    “Well, he’s half right,” Kelly muttered. “How did they know about the balloon?”
    “They saw it fall ‘like a flaming star from heaven,’ ” he quoted mockingly. “They rode out and located the wreckage and then started looking for us. They spotted our campfire about an hour ago.”
    “Well, what are we going to do?” she asked, running her hand through her curls. “We can’t let them get away with this.”
    “
You
are going to do absolutely nothing,” Nick said crisply. “I am going to negotiate andsee what I can do about getting us out of this. I want you to stay out of this and keep a low profile. Have you got that, Goldilocks?”
    She drew herself up indignantly, her jade eyes flashing. “Did it ever occur to you that I might be able to help? I’m not completely useless, you know. Perhaps I can persuade him to let us go.”
    He frowned. “You don’t even speak the language. Stay out of it, Kelly.”
    “Then you can interpret,” Kelly said stubbornly. “I’m going to talk to him.” Before he could stop her, she stepped quickly around him and strode swiftly up to the bandit leader. Her heart was beating like a trip-hammer, and she could feel the familiar surge of excitement as she stopped before him and looked up into his narrow, dark face. She gave him an appealing smile, and to her relief, he returned the smile, though his was a trifle feral, she thought.
    “Tell him that I’m a reporter for an important American magazine,” she told O’Brien over her shoulder. “Tell him that I can make him as famous as Pancho Villa.” As she spoke, she continued to smile up at Pedro Garcia entrancingly.
    “Kelly.” O’Brien’s voice was menacing. “Get the hell away from him. Now!”
    “Tell him,” she insisted, fluttering her long lashes and increasing the voltage of the smile. “Everyone wants to see his name in print, particularly crooks. Look at all the books written by criminals in prison.”
    “Kelly, you idiot,” O’Brien said tersely. “Do what I say!”
    The bandit’s smile widened to a beaming grin, and Kelly said excitedly, “I think we’re making progress. Will you just—” She broke off, her eyes wide with shock, as the bandit’s hand reached out and cupped her breast in his palm. Uttering a little cry, she stepped back. She heard the rest of the bandits break out in guffaws and O’Brien swear.
    “I hope you’re satisfied,” O’Brien said savagely. His arm went around her and brought her swiftly into its protective circle. “I could throttle you!”
    “I just wanted to help,” she said defensively, moving closer to him. Pedro Garcia was laughing and gesturing toward her, trading commentswith his cohorts, which they were all finding vastly entertaining.
    “And instead, you just about got yourself raped,” O’Brien bit out grimly. “Why do you think I wanted you to fade into the background, for God’s sake? These men have never heard of your precious women’s lib. They have only one use for a woman, and you’re beautifully equipped for that.”
    “No wonder you’re getting along with them so famously,” she said tartly. “Your views are so similar.”
    “You’d better hope that I can convince them of that. From the remarks they’re tossing around, you’re