Page 39 of Secrets Beneath the Waves

Ramon dug out his phone, not sure who he would even call. The cops weren’t going to send anyone out here to some unknown location. At least, not in time to help them.

The signal had dropped off somewhere down the mountain.Of course.Probably why Miguel had chosen this spot to…what? Murder them, and leave their bodies somewhere no one wouldfind them? Or a place where the police would rule their deaths as accidental?

“Do you have cell signal?”

Zeyla checked her phone. “Nope. This is just great.”

He leaned over and whispered, “All we need is a coordinated attack.”

“Jump him and get his gun?”

Ramon nodded. “Take his keys and get out of here.”

“We should kill him, and you know it.”

“I don’t want to do that unless it’s self-defense.” After all, if Ramon always defaulted to the man he’d been in the past, then he hadn’t grown. All he had was wishful thinking.

Zeyla rolled her eyes. “Then stay back and let me take care of it.”

Up in front, Miguel dug something out of the cupholder. He put an earplug in one ear, then the other.

Ramon whipped his head around to Zeyla. “Cover your?—”

It was too late. Miguel hit a button on the dash, and an earsplitting alarm turned on. The sound was so loud it was disorientating and made his head swim, coming through too many speakers around them. Bile rose in his throat, and he was just about to puke when everything went dark.

Ramon wokeup with his head pounding and the sun shining on his face, sweat covering most of his body, making his shirt cling to his chest. Someone had removed his shoes.

And his belt.

Plus all the weapons on his body.

“Miguel.” The word came out barely audible, mostly just a groan from his lips. Ramon blinked at the sky. The view above where he lay was mostly the tops of trees and a plane flying over far to high up for them to see he needed help.

He rolled to the side and saw Miguel had Zeyla by the hair. Her face and arms were covered in scratches. The back of Miguel’s shirt had a tear in it. He dragged Zeyla away from the SUV, toward where the hill dipped slightly and the trees got lower.

A drop-off.

Ramon planted his hands and got his feet under him. The world rotated around him, and he spat out the bitter taste in his mouth. He sucked in a deep breath and pushed his body toward her.

Zeyla slammed her bare foot down on Miguel’s shin. As he reacted to it, she planted that foot and brought the other knee up. But she didn’t hit her target. He pulled on her hair and dragged her over until her upper body was almost horizontal.

She cried out.

Ramon stepped on something sharp but kept going. He raced over to them both and slammed into Miguel at full speed, purposely hitting him in the spot where Ramon had stabbed him. They all tumbled onto the ground. Miguel shifted, and an elbow slammed into Ramon’s face.

He flopped back, unable to think for a second.

Zeyla screamed.

Ramon scrambled to sit up, still so dizzy. Zeyla practically spun in front of him. Then she fell away, screaming, and he couldn’t see her anymore.

Miguel turned.

Ramon spotted the gun between them on the ground. He dove for it, snatching it up just as Miguel landed on him. Ramon twisted around and got the gun aimed. He squeezed the trigger and felt the bullet hit the other man.

Miguel became deadweight on top of Ramon. He rolled the guy off and scrambled to his feet.

He sucked in a breath and yelled, “Zeyla!”