Silver Linings

said Mattie, feeling desperate. “Are you sure there isn't some other way to do this? Couldn't you get more help?”
    Silk grinned. “Hey, we've got you, Mattie Sharpe. So far you've been more use than a whole company of Marines.”
    Mattie groaned.
    “Okay,” Hugh said finally, his tone utterly cold now. “You're right, Silk. This is the best chance we're going to get. Let's go do it.”
    Mattie stood up. “Hugh?”
    “Yeah, babe?” Hugh was crouched beside a pile of equipment, his back to her.
    “Promise me you won't take any…any unnecessary chances.” That sounded stupid. Of course he was going to take chances.
    “Sure, babe. No unnecessary chances.” He shoved a knife into his boot and checked his revolver.
    “I love you,” Mattie whispered.
    Hugh thrust the revolver into his belt and stood up. “I love you, too, babe,” he said absently. His attention was clearly on his preparations, not on the words he had so casually just spoken.
    Mattie smiled mistily. He did not even realize that this was the first time he had actually said it aloud. The man could be so dense at times. “I know,” she said softly. “I wasn't sure until recently. But now I know.”
    He glanced at her, briefly surprised. And then he scowled. “About time.”
    “Yes. Things have been a little confused lately,” she murmured apologetically.
    “Only because you were confused,” he said bluntly.
    “You may be right. Just be careful. You, too, Silk. You hear me? I don't want you to do anything that could cut short the brilliant artistic career you've got ahead of you.”
    He grinned and ruffled her hair with his huge paw as she walked over and hugged him tightly. “Hey, don't worry about me, Mattie Sharpe. You and I are going to get rich together. That's a promise.”
    “You two can talk about what you're going to do with all your ill-gotten gains some other time,” Hugh said, heading for the tunnel that led to the waterfalls. “Let's get this business over with first.”
    “Right, boss.”
    Mattie watched as the two men vanished, silent as ghosts, in the caves of Purgatory.
    And then she sat down to wait.

    Hugh heard the voices in the cavern behind the twin waterfalls and knew that two of Rainbird's six-man bodyguard would have to be taken care of before he and Silk went on to the house. Mattie wasn't going to approve. Probably best not to mention the matter to her later.
    He switched off the flashlight and waited for Silk to move up alongside.
    “Two?” Silk asked.
    “Yeah, I think so.”
    “Sounds like they're going to try to search these caves.”
    “Fools.” Hugh thought a minute. “Might be easiest to just let them get lost.”
    “They're probably not that dumb. They'll use a rope or something.”
    “Rope, huh? Then let's hope they've got enough to hang themselves.”
    Hugh stepped into a side tunnel that branched off the main one, and Silk moved in beside him. Anyone who came this way would have to walk right past them.
    A flashlight flickered in the main corridor. The first man in military fatigues moved past, a rope trailing out behind him.
    “You see anything, Mark?” called a voice from the main cavern.
    “Nothing. I can't tell if she came this way or not.”
    “She's probably got herself good and lost already. Rainbird's going to be pissed.”
    Mark halted and shouted down the corridor. “Miss Sharpe, call out if you can hear me. No need to be afraid. We'll get you out of here.” His voice ricocheted off the cavern walls.
    Hugh studied his quarry. Mattie was right. The kid was too damn young to be playing mercenary. But, then, Rainbird had always attracted bright-eyed young men who had dreams of being heroes.
    Hugh remembered a few of his own youthful dreams as he stepped out into the corridor and brought the butt of his gun down on the hapless mercenary's head. Mark went down without a sound. Hugh dragged him into the side corridor.
    “Mark?” The voice at the other end of the rope was not anxious yet. Just curious.
    Silk reached past Hugh and tugged gently on the rope, as if Mark were still moving.
    “See anything, Mark?” Another flashlight beam cut through the darkness of the main corridor. “Come on, Mark. What's going on? Where are you? You okay?”
    Silk tugged on the rope again, drawing it farther into the main tunnel. The second young man followed it slowly, like a wary fish after a lure. When he went past the side tunnel, Hugh stepped out and used the butt of the revolver a