The Hidden

“Why did you have to marry Charles?”


“Alibi, of course. He’s always been a cheating idiot, so between his habits and my ‘sleeping pills,’ I knew I’d have my nights free. But forget all that. It’s time to make a deal. You want your sweet little ex to live? Drop your gun,” Gwen said.

Terry struggled to his feet. “We’ll offer you the same deal we promised Scarlet. She tells us where the gold is and we kill you both quickly. We won’t renege, I promise.”

“Shut up, you asshole!” Gwen told him.

“Well, aren’t you a bitch,” he told her. “I should never have gotten into this with such a bitch. I could have managed on my own.”

“You idiot—you would’ve been caught right away if that stupid housekeeper hadn’t used you as camouflage so she could sleep with my loser husband,” Gwen snapped. “It all seemed to work out—Linda so ready to lie for you so you’d both look good. She thought you were such a poor sweet innocent, she couldn’t bear to see anyone distrust you.”

Terry laughed. “I was caught—and I talked my way out of it. Of course, that wouldn’t even have happened if you hadn’t planted that damned key in my room.”

“I didn’t put the key in your room,” Gwen said. “Anyway, shut the hell up. Where’s the gold? And drop your Glock, Agent McCullough. What a stupid name. Who the hell names their kid Diego McCullough?” Gwen said.

Scarlet suddenly stepped out of the tomb. Her hair was a tangled mess, her clothes were dirty and her face was gray with tomb dust.

But she didn’t seem to be injured.

Scarlet met Diego’s eyes and said, “Shoot her.”

“Go ahead—but I can pull this trigger before your bullet hits me,” Gwen said. “Grab her, Terry.”

As Terry moved toward her, Diego was amazed to see Scarlet react instantly, delivering a hard right hook to Terry’s jaw.

“Shit!” he yelped, staggering back.

“Do I have to do everything?” Gwen demanded, wrenching Scarlet in front of her as a human shield.

“Shoot this bimbo!” Scarlet commanded Diego. “Damn it, shoot her!”

“Let’s talk about this,” Diego said, striding toward them. He had to get close enough to take Gwen out before she could shoot Scarlet.

“No talking!” Gwen said, pointing the gun at him.

“Go for her,” Scarlet said.

For a moment he caught her eyes in the moonlight.

There was something there, a message, telling him that he had to take the shot.

“One more step and I shoot one of you!” Gwen promised.

“Nathan Kendall won’t let you get away with it,” Scarlet said. “The others won’t, either. They’re all here, you know. My God!” she added suddenly.

“What?” Terry demanded.

“It’s Jillian! It has to be Jillian Kendall. Don’t you see her? She’s right there, next to Daniel and Cassandra.”

“She’s right,” Diego said. “They’re all here, and they’ll never let you leave.”

That was when Gwen made her mistake. She turned to look. And Diego was just close enough. He didn’t dare fire, for fear of hitting Scarlet. Instead he threw himself across the two feet between them and brought Gwen down to the ground—and Scarlet, too.

“The gun!” Terry shouted to Gwen.

But before Gwen could reach it, Nathan stepped forward and kicked it out of her reach. Diego got to his feet, dragging her up with him. Terry took one look at them and turned to run. He didn’t get far. He seemed to trip on nothing at all and fell flat to the ground.

Standing right in front of him was Jillian Kendall, smiling with pride.

“Get up, Terry,” Diego commanded quietly as he secured Gwen with plastic cuffs. Then he looked at Scarlet, who was standing and dusting herself off.

“You risked your life,” he said accusingly.

She shook her head. “He was out of bullets,” she said. She picked up the Colt and fired. It let out a silent click.

He smiled at her. “Good show,” he said softly.