Call It Destiny

both tiring and the violence of the elements hindered the efforts each was making.
    Frantically Heather tried to find a loose board or a piece of kindling wood, anything to use against Rick Monroe. Then it occurred to her that in the darkness, with only the aid of the weak flashlight, she would have a tough time determining which man was Rick at any given second. From what she could see both were thoroughly coated in muddy sand and grit.
    Even as she was trying to decide how to assist Jake one of the rain-darkened figures emerged from the tangle of violence. Heather’s flashlight caught a frightening silhouette as the man on top briefly straddled the one on the ground, then raised an arm for a final blow.
    It landed an instant later with a sickening sound, and then there was sudden stillness. Heather swung the light in her hand to the face of the man who was slowly struggling to his feet.
    „Jake?“ she whispered tremulously.
    „I swear, Heather, if you intend to give me this kind of trouble for the next fifty years I’m going to resort to beating you regularly on Saturday nights whether you need it or not.“
    „Oh, Jake!“ She whipped down the steps, hurling herself against his mud-splattered figure. The rain pelted them heavily but Heather was aware of nothing except the feel of Jake’s strong arms as they came around her.
    „Oh, Jake, I was so afraid. I couldn’t see who it was coming in through the window and I thought it might be Rick’s partner.“
    „His partner? You mean there’s more than one of these guys hanging around?“
    „There’s an old saying that snakes travel in pairs. Jake, you’re hurt.“ Anxiously Heather tried to step free of him, her fingers going to the trail of red her flashlight picked out on the side of his face.
    „You can say that again,“ he agreed feelingly. „I hurt all over. By tomorrow I’m going to be black and blue. Tell me about this partner.“
    „Someone named Joe is supposed to rendezvous with Rick tonight. They have a deal going. Drugs, I think. He’s due any minute, that is if the road hasn’t become totally impassable.“
    „Oh, hell. That’s just wonderful,“ Jake growled in disgust. „You never do anything halfway, do you?“
    „Jake, this is hardly my fault!“
    „We’ll discuss that matter in more detail at a later date. Have you got the keys to the Mercedes?“
    The urgent command in him silenced further protest. Mutely Heather handed him the keys. Then he caught her wrist and yanked her toward the car.
    „I’m not sure if we’ll be able to drive out of this canyon. We’ll go as far as we can and then walk the rest of the way if necessary,“ he told her as he opened the front door of the car.
    „Walk? Jake, it’s miles back to Tucson. It would take forever to walk.“
    „We may not have much option.“
    He glanced skyward as another roll of thunder crashed above them. Then a beam of light flashed around the curve of the road. An instant later the sound of a jeep engine cut through the endless roar of the rain.
    Heather caught her breath as she glanced back down the winding road. „Joe,“ she whispered. „That must be Rick’s partner, Joe.“
    „And if he’s anything like your old pal, Rick, he’ll be armed. That really tears it. Come on, Heather. We’ll never get this car turned around and headed down that road before that jeep gets here.“
    „But where are we going?“ she protested as he pulled her away from the car and back toward Rick’s crumpled figure.
    „First we’ll try to even the score. Your friend Rick here had a gun….“
    „Will you stop calling him my friend? The guy was going to kidnap me. Possibly kill me. He didn’t want any witnesses to his little deal with Joel“
    „Not my fault you cultivate weird friends,“ Jake retorted sardonically as he flipped Monroe’s unconscious body over. „I can hardly see a thing. Hand me that flashlight.“
    Stifling an urge to defend herself, Heather obeyed. As she watched Jake swiftly search Monroe’s muddy figure it occurred to her that she was seeing a side of her lover she would never have guessed existed two days ago. He had fought Rick with an efficient savagery that implied it wasn’t the first time he’d found himself in a muddy brawl. And now he went looking for a gun as if he’d know how to use it when he found it. Heather shivered as she tried to watch him through the rain.
    „Damn. He must have lost it while we were rolling around down here in