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“Shoot him now,” Antonio pleaded.
“I’m putting the gun down.” Remi slowly knelt, her eyes never leaving Reginald’s. She saw the moment of triumph she’d been waiting for when she set the gun on the stone floor and began straightening up.
Reginald moved his gun from Antonio’s head to point at Remi as he sneered in victory. “You stupid cow—”
He never saw her other hand slip behind her and grip Guerrero’s gun, all his attention focusing on her eyes and the hand that was placing the Beretta on the floor.
Her left-handed shot caught Reginald high in the shoulder, inches from Antonio’s chest. He spun from the force of the shot shattering his scapula as Antonio threw himself on Reginald and started to beat him with angered fury at the death of his sister. Reginald’s pistol dropped on the floor and Remi raced toward it as Antonio and he fell together. She kicked it out of reach as Sam’s voice called out from the entryway.
“Remi. You’re okay!”
“Of course I am, Fargo.”
Sam handed his rifle to Lazlo, who was leaning shakily against the passage wall, and moved to break up the fight. By the time he reached Antonio, he’d stopped battering Reginald, a glazed look in his eyes as he gripped the younger man’s shirt.
Reginald’s head slumped forward as he lost consciousness. Sam eyed Reginald and nodded at Antonio. “Doesn’t look like he’ll be a problem anytime soon. How about you?”
“He killed my sister,” Antonio seethed.
“I’m sorry, Antonio. I really am,” Sam said. “But you need to let the authorities deal with him.”
Antonio gazed down at Reginald’s battered face as if coming out of a trance and released him. He stood slowly, looking at his swelling knuckles as if considering finishing the job on Reginald.
Sam stepped forward. “This isn’t the way,” he said. “I need you focused if we’re going to survive until help arrives. Pull yourself together.”
“I’m just shaken,” Antonio replied, slowly calming down. “What about the cartel gunmen?”
“I heard two heavy vehicles arriving. If I were them, I’d be long gone. My hunch is that they’re not going to want to take on whatever just showed up.” Sam studied Antonio. “Let’s head back upstairs just in case. Security should be here any minute. They’re probably on their way from the parking area down by the road.”
Antonio looked around the chamber and his eyes locked on his sister’s body.
Lazlo moved into the cave and stood in front of Maribela to break Antonio’s concentration.
Sam leaned down and scooped up Antonio’s revolver, pocketed it, and then took him by the arm. “Come on. Let’s go topside to greet the welcoming committee.”
Remi followed Sam and Antonio out and up the stairs. As they climbed the steps, Remi looked back.
“Lazlo? Are you all right?” she called.
His voice rang out from the doorway. “Have no fear, I’m right behind you.”
When they neared the top, Sam switched on his flashlight, the pistol in his right hand sweeping the room. He stopped abruptly at the top step.
“Sam. What is it?” Remi asked in a hushed whisper.
Saw stood motionless before turning his head and whispering through clenched teeth, “It’s Janus. He’s gone.”
Gone?” Remi said.
“He was right here when I went down to get you. He must have come to. Either that or he was faking and waiting for a chance to escape.”
“You have to catch him. He can’t get away with this,” Antonio growled.
“I’m way ahead of you. I’m going after him.”
Remi stepped out of the stairwell. “Sam, are you sure about this? There are a lot of guns lying around out there . . .”
“He’s not going to escape. If I know him, the last thing he wants is a gun battle. That’s not his style.”