What Happens in Mexico...Stays in Mexico

Chapter Eight

In a single motion, Matt jerked Sharra behind him and threw himself and her into the shallows of the pool.  A second shot hissed by, driving into the water beside them, and he heard her gasp.

“That was a shot!”

The outrage in her voice would have been funny had things not been so serious.  “I know, honey.  Just stay down.”

“I will not!  Hunters shouldn’t be allowed so close to a public area.  It’s dangerous.”  She came to her knees and glared at the line of gently swaying palms.  Raising her voice, she shouted, “Hey, you with the gun!  There are people here!  Go hunt somewhere else!”

Her answer was another bullet, this one so close it almost parted her hair.  With a curse, Matt pulled her down again.  He was pretty sure those weren’t hunters out there.  Those shots were aimed at him and he knew why.  His idyllic paradise vacation was over.

The drug lords had found him.

“Stay down,” he growled again.  His heart iced over at the knowledge he’d brought Sharra into danger.  But he forced the thought away.  He had to concentrate on the now.  Crawling forward, he searched the forest.  They were well hidden.  He couldn’t see a thing.

“We are going to report you to the policía!” Sharra yelled again.  One look told him she wasn’t as much afraid but furious.  Great.  A cowering woman he could deal with, but he wasn’t sure the pissed off Amazon next to him would be so easy.

Maybe some of the truth would help.  “Babe, listen to me.”  He jerked her forward so they were face to face.  “They may not be hunters.  These forests may be filled with drug runners.  They might feel like we’re intruding.  You know what I mean?”

Her eyes went impossibly wide.”  “Drugs?  But we don’t have anything to do—”  She cut herself off.  “Oh…I get it.  I suppose just telling them we’re tourists won’t help?”

Not if they were who he thought they were.  He shook his head.  “Drug lords have a tendency to shoot first and ask questions later.”  Another bullet sped by, this one nicking his upper ear.  He swore at the rush of painful fire that raced through him.  Grabbing Sharra by the arm, he pointed to their vehicle.  “I want you to run towards the buggy.  Don’t stop…don’t look back.  Do you understand me?”

Some of his unease must have finally gotten through to her because she only nodded.  But then, just as she was about to stand, she went still and her mouth dropped open.  “Oh, my God!”  Her arms immediately went over her breasts.  “We’re naked!”

He’d wondered how long it would take her to remember that.  “Can’t be helped, honey.  Now run!”

She shook her head stubbornly, even as another bullet went whizzing by.  “I don’t want them to see me like this!”

Part of him hoped they would do just that.  A naked woman might be enough of a distraction that they might both make it to the dune buggy unscathed.  But he didn’t think Sharra would want to hear that bit of intelligence.

“We’re sitting ducks here,” he snarled.  He gave her a none-to-gentle push.  “Now shut up and run!”

A shot striking the water right next to Sharra must have decided her, because she was up and sprinting barely a second later.  Matt waited a beat, and then followed, scooping up their clothes, wanting to make sure the target—if there was one—was on his back and not hers.

Sharra knew she must look ridiculous, running pell-mell across the sandy meadow.  Her bare feet kicked up little puffs of dust, but it was better than seeing marks left by bullets.  Glancing over her shoulder, she noticed that Matt had stopped to grab their clothes, and while it was a relief, she knew immediately he had done it to separate them…make him be the one they were looking at.

Hesitating, she wondered if she should go back for him, but before she could decide his voice roared out, “Run, Goddamn it!  Run!”

She ran.

As it was, he caught her just as they arrived at the dune buggy.  More bullets were flying now, but ignoring them, he picked her up and threw her inside, then tossed her the clothes.  He ran around to his side and leapt in.  It was then she saw the blood.

“Matt!” she screamed, her hands reaching out to touch his blood stained neck and shoulder.  “You’ve been shot.”

“Just a scratch, babe.”  He turned the key and the motor roared to life.  Tires squealed and the buggy took off, fishtailing wildly before he got it back under control.

Near tears, she reached under the seat for a towel to wipe off the blood.  Cursing gently, she pressed it to the side of his throat.  “I can’t believe they shot you.  You have to get to a hospital.”

Grabbing the cloth, he wiped at his head.  “It’s nothing.  They just nicked my ear.  Head wounds bleed a lot.  Don’t worry so much.”

She gaped at him.  “Worry so much?  For God’s sake, Matt.  Someone was shooting at us.  We have to report them and get you some medical attention.”

He shook his head stubbornly.  “When we get back to the hotel, I’ll take a look at it.  If it needs stitches, I’ll go to hospital, but only then.”

Sharra narrowed her eyes at him.  “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of doctors?”

Slanting her a glance, he only shrugged.  “Don’t like ‘em.”

“I can’t believe it.”  She sat back in the seat and stared at him.  “You can run through a barrage of bullets and not look a bit scared, but the thought of stitches make you turn pale?”

Matt frowned fiercely   “I’m not afraid of stitches.  I just don’t see the need for hospitals.  I’ll be fine.”

 “Right.”  She gave a loud snort.  “The blood running down your chest shows that.”  Glancing back over her shoulder, she was relieved to see the road behind them was empty.  “I don’t see anyone following us.  Can we stop and get dressed?”

He shook his head.  “Not yet.  I want to put some distance between them and us.”  Turning his head towards her, he suddenly grinned.  “And you don’t have to get dressed on my account.”

She had to laugh at the lascivious look he tossed at her.  “I’m sure we’d create quite a scene driving down the main street wearing nothing but smiles.  But I have to admit, you sure know how to show a girl a good time.  I don’t think I’ve ever been in a fire fight before.”

“Let’s hope it’s the last time too.”  The grim note in his voice surprised her, but when she looked at him again, he just shrugged.  “Go ahead and get dressed, honey.  I know you’ll feel better.  I’ll pull off in a little while and put my shorts back on.  I’ll want to clean up first anyway.”

That made sense, so she reached down to grab the bundle of clothes he’d tossed her.  When something heavy fell on her foot, she glanced down and then just stared in surprise.  Could the day get any weirder?  What was going on?

“Matt?  Why on earth do you have a gun?”

Damn it.  He’d forgotten about the gun he’d had tucked in his waistband.  He always had one, and it hadn’t been easy keeping her from finding it since they’d become intimate.  He liked her hands on him and he’d hated having to keep Sharra away from certain areas of his body.  The small of his back seemed the safest place to keep it.  He just pretended it was too hot for hugging.  But, he’d hated every minute of not being able to have her arms around him.

  At the pool, he’d had to be careful ditching his shorts without her noticing, but by that time, he was used to keeping his gun hidden.  He’d wrapped it in his swim trunks, never thinking he’d be tossing them to her in the middle of a gun fight.  How the hell was he going to explain this?  His mind went blank.

“Matt?”

Her starchy voice made him jump and he glanced back over to see her holding his weapon as far away from her as she could as if it were a poisonous snake or something equally disgusting.  He swallowed hard and thought frantically for some excuse she might believe.

“For God’s sake.  Her voice went from stiff to irritated.  “Don’t tell me this came with the buggy?”

Would she believe that?  Since he couldn’t think of anything better, Matt jumped on it.  “That’s it exactly, babe.  It came with the dune buggy.”

She stared at him suspiciously.  “They send out American tourists with guns?  I find that hard to accept.”

He felt himself floundering again.  Sharra was too damn smart.  “I…ummm…well, they give them to tourists who know how to use them.”

“Why do you know how to use a gun?”

Suddenly he realized they’d never discussed their jobs.  He had no idea what she did back in the states, and she had no idea that he was a professional investigator hired by different companies to take care of serious problems official channels couldn’t.  Maybe it was time to tell her…at least part of it.  But how much?  If he told her the whole truth, she might become a target herself, or worse yet, walk away from him.  Shit. Shit. Shit.  Furious at himself all over again, he cleared his throat.

“I never told you what I do for a living.”

“Are you a cop?”  The real concern in her voice warmed his heart. 

He shook his head.  “No, sweetheart.  But I work with them sometimes.  I’m a PI.”

“PI?”  She shook her head and gingerly set the gun down between the seats.  “You mean like Magnum PI on TV or Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon?

Matt chuckled.  “Nothing quite so dramatic, I’m afraid.  I mostly do corporate work.  Very boring stuff.”  Unless you’re getting chased by drug lords or falling in love with flame haired sirens.

“So if it’s so boring, why the gun?”

She wasn’t going to let that part go.  He damned her tenacity, not wanting to lie to her any more than he’d already done.  “Most PIs use them, babe.  Just part of the package.”

“So when the people at the rental agency knew you could handle a gun, they gave you one?”

“Better safe than sorry, I always say.  Sorry if it scared you.”

“I wasn’t scared,” Sharra said automatically.  She wriggled back into her tank top and then slid on her shorts.  She noted Matt’s approving smile and blushed, but she wasn’t ready to end their conversation quite yet.  “Isn’t it illegal for a foreigner to carry a gun in Mexico?”

“You’ve been watching too many tourist movies, honey.  You can always get a gun if you need to.  Especially in Mexico.”

She glanced back over her shoulder.  “I don’t like guns.”

His lips tightened.  “Like I said.  Sorry I scared you, but it’s just part of the job sometimes.  But who knew I’d need one when we were out on a picnic.”

“Who knew?” she echoed.  “At least we’ll be rid of it when we turn in the buggy.”

“Well, here’s the thing…”

Sharra narrowed her eyes.  “What?”

“If those were drug types, they may have gotten the license plate number.  So I think we need to be really careful right now.”

“I don’t understand.”

Matt pulled over and stopped the dune buggy.  Grabbing his shorts, he pulled them on, then, with a motion that bespoke his ease with the weapon, he picked up the gun and shoved it back in his waistband.  “If they are worried we…ummm…saw something, they may try to track us.  I think when we arrive back in town, we get rid of the buggy, and then we might want to consider moving hotels.”

Her mouth dropped along with her stomach.  “You think they’ll come after us?”

Pulling her to him, he dropped a hard kiss on her trembling mouth.  “I don’t know.  Those people are unpredictable.  I’d rather err to caution, if you know what I mean.  The rental agency has our hotel room number and if they are forced to give it out—”

“The drug people will know where we are.  Oh, Matt!”

“Hey.”  He kissed her again.  “I’m a professional.  We’ll be safe.  Just listen to me and we’ll get out of this.  I promise you.”

As he kissed her a third time, Sharra couldn’t help but feel there was something more he wasn’t telling her.  Something in his eyes told her he wasn’t telling her the whole truth.  But then she felt the butt of the gun press against her stomach and she shuddered.  So much for this place being a tropical paradise.  More like Paradise Lost.  But either way, she was going to have to make one thing clear.  No more guns.  It wasn’t like they’d need it again.  Those drug dealers wouldn’t come after them.  There was no reason for them to.

Was there?

* * *

It was an argument she lost.  As Matt hustled them back to the hotel she’d fought with him about it, but even through the packing, the check out and the multitude of taxi rides he claimed were necessary just to make sure they weren’t being followed, he’d kept the gun.  It was in the back of his pants now and he wore it like a seasoned veteran.  It bothered her in some inexplicable way, but although she disagreed with him about having it, the memory of his ear when she’d cleaned and bandaged it at the hotel made her hesitant about pushing too hard.  If he’d been able to get to his gun then, would it have been better…or worse?

Finally, Sharra felt silent as Matt checked them into a slightly smaller, lesser known hotel on the strip.  He was quiet as well, grabbing their bags and carrying them himself up to their new room.  She didn’t like the look on his face.  It was harsh and almost frightening.  He constantly scanned the areas around him as if he was expecting the drug runners to jump out at them at any second.

When they got to their room, he set down their bags with a sigh and immediately went to the window.  His eyes were guarded as he stared out on the bustling Mexican street.  “We should be safe here.”

Sharra took a deep breath.  A thought had been whirling around in her busy mind since the incident this afternoon.  Now it was time to voice it.  “If it’s so dangerous,” she said very quietly, “maybe it’s time for us to go home.”  But, she was shocked speechless when he turned back to her, an intent thoughtful look on his face.

“Maybe you’re right.”

END OF CHAPTER EIGHT

* Chapter One * Chapter Two * Chapter Three * Chapter Four * Chapter Five * Chapter Six * 

* Chapter Seven * Chapter Eight *  Chapter Nine *  Chapter Ten * Chapter Eleven *

* Chapter Twelve * Chapter Thirteen * Chapter Fourteen * Chapter Fifteen * Chapter Sixteen *

* Chapter Seventeen * Epilogue *