His Duty to Protect by Lindsay McKenna

Author:Lindsay McKenna [McKenna, Lindsay]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance
ISBN: 9780373277612
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Rachel pulled her .45 pistol from the holster strapped across her Kevlar vest. Getting down on her belly, she moved through the thick brush to see about the barking dog. It sounded far away, as if on the other side of the wide, deep Kabul River. She prayed that was so and tucked her head down. She closed her eyes and pushed forward through the scratchy thickets.

Eventually, through the foliage from her hiding place, Rachel saw the dog. Her heart began a slow pound. There were five Taliban soldiers, all armed with AK-47s, standing on the other side of the river. A mangy, black mongrel dog, about fifty pounds, barked constantly. They were walking slowly along the other bank. Licking her lips, Rachel lay and followed them with her gaze. Were they the same group that had fired the artillery rounds at them? She didn’t know. Her hand closed firmly over her .45.

It was obvious to her they were looking for something. Maybe signs of their footprints, showing that they survived the crash into the river? Eyes narrowing, Rachel watched as the group slowly moved upstream. They would bend down, look at the dirt and then straighten and move on. Yes, they were looking for signs they’d left the river and escaped.

She wriggled slowly backward through the thickets and finally got to the other side. She pushed up on her knees and looked toward Hamilton. He was sitting up, face pale, but alert. In his hand, he had his weapon, a .38. Getting up, she walked over and knelt at his side.

“There are five Taliban and a dog on the other side,” she said in a low voice. “They were walking the bank of the river trying to find our tracks.” Motioning toward the river, she added, “They just disappeared around the curve. Right now, we’re safe.”

Ty raised his brows even though it hurt. “They’re going to try and make sure we’re dead. The moment they know we survived, they’ll bring every Taliban in the area down on our necks.”

Rachel nodded, pushing the pistol back into the nylon holster across her chest. “Agreed.” She gazed into his murky blue eyes. “How are you feeling?”

“The aspirin is taking hold,” he told her in a roughened tone. “My head has finally stopped hurting so damn much.”

“So,” she teased, “you can think now?”

Just Rachel’s partial smile lifted Ty’s spirits. He managed a twisted grin back up at her. “Yeah, but we have a lot to think about.”

Rachel sat down, drawing her knees up. “You’re right, we can’t go to Peshuwar. And it makes sense to follow that creek up to that tiny village on the top of the mountain. I just don’t know if they will kill us or help us.”

“Food and medicine has been dropped there before. We have to take a chance.”

“I like the fact we can move up that stream under cover of the trees and bushes.

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