Deadly Games Part 29

Maddy grieved for her own loss now.

"There is a village ahead," Luc said. "We'll see if we can get a car. It will be faster and smoother than this. But if I have to promise them money to buy silence, will Travis Franks back me?"

"Yes," Maddy said. "Travis is an honorable man."

"I love you, Maddy," Travis had said the last time they spoke. "We will make this work."

Luc suddenly turned off the road and slowed before signaling for her to be quiet. A fast-moving vehicle approached from the opposite direction. Minh Tran likely had patrols looking for them now.

Luc helped her off the bike and into the jungle. She sank down behind a thick-leafed plant and watched as two jeeps came into view. Each vehicle carried four heavily armed men dressed in black.

The driver of the first jeep was a fierce-looking Thai male. Maddy ducked, certain the guard had spotted her.

"It's them!" Luc shouted as he sprang forward and waved his arms.

The second jeep halted as two guards jumped free and pointed their firearms at Luc.

Then Travis pushed into sight. "Stand down!" he ordered, hurrying toward Luc.

"Where is she?" Travis's voice was raw. "Where is Maddy?"

She climbed to her feet and lurched forward, unsteady. "Travis! I'm here."

He raced to get to her and wrapped her in a powerful hug. "G.o.d, you're okay!" He loosened his hold and held her at arm's length, his eyes holding hers. "You are okay, right?"

"Just take me home. Please."

"She needs a hospital," Luc interjected. "She has lost a lot of blood and is running a fever."

Maddy felt Travis sweep her into his arms. She wanted to tell him something, but suddenly it took too much effort to think. To breathe. The thought that she wasn't going to make it popped into her mind.

"I need to tell you-" Maddy's words were lost as she started coughing.

"Hush. Save your strength. Riley, get your a.s.s over here!" Travis lifted her into the jeep. "Riley's a medic."

She tried again. "Need to tell you-"

This time Travis silenced her with a kiss. "The only thing I want to hear is that you love me and that you forgive me for not getting here sooner."

Another man moved in and pressed fingers to her carotid artery. "I'm Riley, ma'am. How far along was your pregnancy?"

"Seven weeks," Travis said. "Right?"

She looked over Riley's shoulder at Travis. "I didn't have a chance to tell you."

Travis nodded. "I know. Like I said, the only thing I want to hear is-"

"I love you, Travis and-"

A wave of cramps cut off the rest of her words as the reality of her loss slammed home.

Travis said something, but Riley's response was m.u.f.fled. She tried to speak, but a ma.s.sive weight crushed her chest. Her vision blurred. That's when Maddy realized she was pa.s.sing out. Or pa.s.sing over.

Chapter Thirty-Seven.

A Private Hospital, Singapore October 6, 4:30 P.M.

In the last six hours, Travis Franks's world had s.h.i.+fted on its axis. He paced to the window of the private, third-floor waiting area. Below was a marble fountain surrounded by statues of seraphim, but the sight brought him no peace.

Maddy was in surgery. She'd lost the baby and now complications had set in. Internal bleeding, fever.

Riley had kept her stabilized long enough to get her to a doctor in Bangkok, where she'd received several units of blood. But Travis had insisted they get her out of Thailand, far away from Minh Tran's reach. Their private plane had barely gotten under way when she'd started bleeding again.

They had immediately detoured to this hospital, the same facility where Dante, Max, and Dr. Rufin had all been treated. Dr. Cho, the chief surgeon here, was a friend of Travis's. Cho had examined Maddy's X-rays and scans, then quickly routed her to an operating room.

I shouldn't have pushed to leave Thailand so soon. I should have let her rest.

Travis and Riley had been escorted to this room to wait, though right now Riley was running an errand for Travis. Something Travis should have done himself, but he wasn't about to leave the hospital. h.e.l.l, he would have gone into surgery if Dr. Cho had let him.

Be strong, Maddy, for both of us.

He checked his phone for messages, but there were none. Before leaving Thailand he'd gotten word that Erin had been rescued unharmed. The news that Logan Treyhorn was in a burn unit, barely clinging to life after setting himself on fire, was disheartening. Erin and Max were at the hospital with Logan, and Travis was eager for an update.

He was also waiting for additional information on yet another shocking report he'd received on Harry Gambrel. The crime scene evidence processed from the Boston condominium where pharmaceutical financier Abe Caldwell had been murdered included two strands of hair that matched Harry's DNA. Chemically bleached hair.

Travis's first reaction had been "what the f.u.c.k?" To have found Harry's fingerprints in Bangkok and his hair at a Boston crime scene seemed impossible. Then Travis started connecting the dots.

The Agency had linked Abe Caldwell to Viktor Zadovsky. And Mr. Peabody had been their middleman. If Peabody had indeed held Harry in Bangkok, could Peabody have dragged trace evidence with him halfway across the world? Unlikely.

So why were Harry's fingerprints and hair turning up but not Peabody's? And why had Harry's hair been bleached? Especially since according to Dr. Rufin's description, Peabody also had bleached blond hair.

The coincidences were too strong not to ask: Were Harry and Mr. Peabody the same person?

If Harry had wanted to change his appearance, logic would suggest going opposite. Harry had brown hair, brown eyes. The opposite would be blond hair and blue or green eyes. And Peabody was blond with blue eyes.

Plastic surgery could have easily altered other features.

Travis paced, not wanting to believe the worst of a man who'd once saved his life. Which was Travis's blind spot, as Rocco had frequently pointed out whenever Travis defended Harry.

Granted, Harry had an abrasive side that usually showed worse when Rocco was around. Travis had chalked their differences up to the fact they had a romantic conflict. Harry had married Rocco's ex-girlfriend. Rocco claimed she hadn't been an ex. And then Gena had been hospitalized and a warrant issued for spouse abuse. That the charge had been dropped meant no disciplinary action for Harry.

But now another thought occurred to Travis. Had Gena dropped the charges out of fear of retaliation? Had Travis overlooked things because he felt a debt to Harry?

Possibly, but not intentionally.

One thing was certain, as soon as they were back in the states, Travis would appoint someone else to investigate the matter. Because if Harry had faked his own death, he was a traitor. A traitor with some valuable connections.

Connections that could leak inside information?

The door pushed open as Dr. Cho came in, still wearing his surgical scrubs.

Travis rushed to meet him. "How is she?"

"Better. I found a tear in her abdominal wall, probably caused by her falling off the fence. I want to keep her a while, to ensure the bleeding doesn't start again, from surgery or the miscarriage."

"Will she have any problems getting pregnant in the future?"

Dr. Cho shrugged. "I did not see anything that would cause a problem, but she should follow up with her personal physician as soon as she is home."

Home. Something else he needed to talk about with Maddy. His place? Or hers? Or maybe a brand new place?

"When can I see her?" Travis asked.

"She's being moved to a room now. I'll show you."

As it turned out, Maddy's room was on the same floor, at the opposite end of the hall. She looked like she was sleeping, but her eyes fluttered open when they walked in.

Travis moved up beside her bed and took her hand while Dr. Cho checked her vitals. When Dr. Cho finished, Travis shook his hand.

"Thank you again, doctor. I am indebted."

Dr. Cho bowed. "It is I who still owe you. Perhaps we will meet next time under less trying circ.u.mstances."

"I will arrange that."

Cho was not only a gifted surgeon, but a loyal contact. Travis had helped get Cho's wife's family out of mainland China, which had forged a bond.

When Travis turned back to Maddy, she looked confused. "He said I'm in Singapore. How did I get here?"

He tugged a chair beside her bed but didn't sit. Instead he leaned over the bed rail and kissed her. "Do you remember the doctor in Bangkok?"

"Vaguely." She rubbed her head. "I feel woozy."

"Anesthesia. You had some surgery to repair a tear, but the doctor said you'll be fine." He took her hand again and squeezed it. "I'm sorry about the baby, Maddy." He wanted to say "We'll have more" but her sad expression stopped him.

"How long had you known?" he asked.

"I had suspected for a week or so before I was abducted, but I'd just done a test that morning." She looked at him. "I would have told you, but you were traveling and I was going out of town."

"All that matters right now is getting you home and healed."

"You probably already told me this, but how did you find me? I was so afraid no one would come." Tears ran down Maddy's cheeks.

Travis gingerly reached forward and claimed a tear with the tip of his finger. G.o.d willing, he would spend the rest of his life making certain this woman knew, unequivocally, that he would always be there for her.

"All the credit for locating you goes to Luc Ski-hawtra. Once I knew that Minh Tran had you, I came to Thailand. But I certainly wasn't able to uncover the clues Luc did." Travis intended to keep Luc working for him. Luc's street smarts and connections were invaluable.

"But Luc said you created a diversion in order to rescue me. Did you orchestrate the raid on Minh Tran's warehouse?"

Travis shrugged, noncommittal. "Tran's longtime enemy Jengho Vato has been trying to raid Tran's businesses for two years, but Tran always stayed ahead of him. Vato got lucky this time; got a tip where the bulk of Tran's inventory was stored."

"A tip, huh?" Maddy swiped her cheeks with the backs of her hands. "I just realized how you cultivate all the 'favors' you're so famous for. Does Vato even realize that he owes you for his 'lucky' break?"

"No, and I've taken great pains to ensure the tip was anonymous. For now," Travis said. "We have an unconfirmed report that Minh Tran was killed during the raid. Vato supposedly got shot, too, but is expected to recover. Their respective networks are in chaos right now, so details are sketchy. But we've had reports of Minh Tran's residences being looted by his own people."

Maddy shuddered. "He was an evil man. If Vato is anything like him, then the world is probably better off without both of them. So where is Luc now? I didn't get a chance to thank him."

"He should be in Australia, taking a well-deserved vacation. And you did thank him, you just probably don't remember."

"Did I thank you?" she asked.

"Yes. And do you remember me thanking you?"

"For what?"

"For surviving. For loving me, Maddy. I never want us to be apart again."

The door swung open just then as a nurse came in, followed by Riley. Riley paused and gave Travis a "mission accomplished" nod.

"How are you feeling?" Riley stood at the foot of the bed while the nurse checked Maddy's IV.

"I feel grateful," she said.

Travis motioned to the nurse when she finished her tasks. "Would you mind witnessing something?"

The nurse looked from Travis to Riley, then pointed to herself. "Me?"

"Yes." Travis held out his hand to Riley, who pa.s.sed him a red velvet ring box. Turning back to Maddy Travis opened it. "We'll pick out another set when we're home."

Inside were a solitaire diamond engagement ring and two gold wedding bands.

Once again Maddy's eyes filled with tears. The nurse scooted closer and looked at the rings. "Awwww."

"I love you, Maddy." Travis removed the diamond ring first. "And I never want to be separated from you again. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes." Maddy nodded. "Oh yes."

He slid the ring on her finger and kissed her.

"Awwww." The nurse looked ready to cry, too.