“But, Jack—”
“And while we’re doing that, we’ll clear you of any wrongdoing.”
Twelve
Thomas Dancy was close to panic. He’d been absolutely sure Raine would be safely back in the States by now. He’d learned otherwise that afternoon after receiving a phone call from a man named Gary Franklin, who identified himself as Raine’s fiancé. Something had gone wrong; he was convinced of it. But there was nothing he could do until he heard from Jack. Franklin had been full of questions and was justifiably concerned. The conversation troubled Thomas, but he couldn’t put his finger on exactly what bothered him.
Now, as he walked home after a day of teaching, his steps were slow and heavy. His distress over Raine’s seeming disappearance had sapped any strength he had left. His two oldest sons played outside in the yard, happily racing their toy trucks around hills of dirt. When they saw Thomas, they gave a shout of joy and ran toward him.
He caught Antonio in his arms and lifted him high above his head. The boy squealed with delight. Hector waited impatiently for his turn, but Thomas lacked the energy to lift him, too. Instead, he held his son against him and bent to kiss his brow.
Inside the house Azucena was nursing the baby. Alberto suckled vigorously, his tiny fists clenched tight. Thomas gazed on both of them with love. He kissed first mother, then child.
“What’s the matter?” Azucena asked, studying him.
Thomas lowered himself into the chair beside her and sighed deeply. “A man phoned today looking for Raine. He said he was her fiancé. He’s worried. She’d promised to contact him and hasn’t.”
“She isn’t home yet?” Azucena’s surprise was evident.
“Apparently not.” Depressed and more than a little worried, he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
“Is there any way you can get in touch with Jack?”
Thomas had already given the matter considerable thought. “No.”
“What about his friends from Deliverance Company? They might know something.”
Thomas mulled that over.
“You did all you could to help her,” she reassured him in that gentle way of hers. “It’s in God’s hands now. Tomorrow I’ll go to church to light a candle and pray for your daughter and Jack.”
Azucena could say her prayers and light her votive candles, but Thomas put no trust in religion. He’d turned his back on God in a Vietnam rice paddy; for him it was too late. All he could do for Jack and Raine was worry.
Later, it seemed to him inevitable that the dream would return that night. Thomas awoke bolt upright in bed, screaming.
“Thomas. Thomas.” Azucena slipped her arms around him. “It’s a dream, my love, only a dream.”
“Not this time.” His voice still shook. “This was so…real.” He clung to her and buried his face in her neck. Eyes closed, he savored her loving hands caressing his back.
“Tell me what it is,” she urged. “Tell me.”
He could barely say the words. “Someone’s about to die. I can feel it. I’ve felt it for a long time. First Ginny. Then Ernesto. Death comes in threes. It happened that way in Vietnam. I remember we lost two men within a day and we were all afraid we’d be next. Instead, it was my friend David….” He paused. “All that time, I was so scared it would be me. I didn’t want to die. All I wanted was to go home to my wife and daughter.”
“The war’s over. You have nothing to fear.”
“It’s Raine,” he whispered. “Something’s going to happen to Raine. I can feel it, Azucena. In here.” He carried her hand to his heart and pressed her palm there. “Dear God in heaven, I may already have lost her and I don’t even know her yet.” He covered his face with his hands and wept helplessly as his wife murmured consolation and whispered prayers.
Jack could hardly stand up without keeling over, but he insisted on starting the engines. No amount of arguing would persuade him otherwise.
As Lorraine had discovered, Jack Keller was by far the most stubborn man she’d ever known.
With the wind beating against her face, she carried a cup of coffee to the flybridge. He sat there, intently studying the charts and comparing them to the readings on the boat’s navigational equipment.
He smiled his appreciation when she gave him the mug. “Best I can figure, we’re two days from land.” He looked back at the chart and made a line with his finger. “See? We’re about here, and we’re heading straight through the Bay of Campeche to Alvarado. Then…” He glanced up. “Hey, what’s that worried look about?”
Lorraine didn’t know. She realized she should be happy, overjoyed. In a few days, three at the most, the artifact would be handed over to the authorities. Once that was done, Jack’s friend in the government would help clear Lorraine’s name. Before she knew it, she’d be back in Louisville with Gary.
“Lorraine?”
“I…I’m not sure.”
He slowed the engines. With the utmost tenderness, Jack touched the side of her face and looked deeply into her eyes. His touch stirred her, as it never failed to do, and she lowered her lashes. Since the night they’d lain together, they’d avoided touching, both afraid it would lead to more. A caress. A kiss. It was as if an invisible line had been drawn, and they’d both agreed never to cross it.
“I won’t let anything happen to you.”
She nodded, trusting him as she’d never trusted anyone.
“No one’s going to arrest you, either.”