Page 20 of Healing Love

“You want good time? I give you good pussy,” she said, her voice almost bored with the conversation.

“No thanks. Not now.” Seeing her incredulous look, he mumbled, “Been sick.”

She shrugged and was just leaning away from him when he saw a truck drive past, several nurses in the back being taken to their guarded dorm. He caught a glimpse of Miriam’s face as she met his gaze.Shit,he thought.I hope she can see I’m here and close by.

Eating quickly, he excused himself and headed to the tent taking the cot that had been pointed out to him. Falling down on it, he gave over to the fatigue, his mind on the dark haired beauty that needed rescuing. He had to keep his wits if he hoped to get them out of this hell.

Miriam was stunned to see Cam sitting at an outdoor table with a woman leaning on him. She recognized him immediately—his size made him easy to find. The truck passed so quickly, but not so fast that she did not see the look of recognition on his face as she moved by. His eyes had moved away suddenly and she instinctively knew he had to hide the recognition on his face.

Glancing to the side, Sister Genovia gave her a small smile and then turned back to Lorainne. Miriam looked at the other women in the back of the truck. Sharon had not been summoned away tonight and her mood was foul. Lorainne was not getting better; unable to keep food down, the others were concerned. It was as though Lorainne had given up her will to live.

“We’re never getting out of here,” Lorainne’s weak voice said that evening as they lay in their bunks. “We’re going to die here.”

“Oh, shut up,” Sharon groused. “Maybe you’re going to die here, but I plan on finding a way out and I know just how I’m going to make that plan happen.”

Sister Genovia turned from wiping Lorainne’s fevered brow to the brash young woman. “The wealth you seek, from the men you are after, is not going to be for you. Their wives may be former beauty queen trophy wives, but they are still their wives. You will not have any status, you foolish girl.”

“Who needs to be their wife? Certainly not me! But a favored mistress? I could get out of this dump, live somewhere nice, and then get back to California when I wanted.”

“A pipedream,” Sister Genovia said, shaking her head.

Miriam had been quiet during this exchange, her mind whirling with thoughts. She had now been in Mexico for three weeks, two of those out of contact with her family.I hope Cam has a way to get ahold of Jobe and let him know I’m still alive.Hearing Sharon voice her plot to become a mistress of either Ernesto or Juaquim, she frowned. She knew that plan was fraught with disaster but if Sharon would not listen to the wisdom of the nun she certainly would not listen to her.

Moving from her bunk, she padded over to Lorainne. Kneeling down, she took the young woman’s hand while Sister Genovia continued to wipe her brow with cool water.

“Please don’t give up,” she begged Lorainne. “You’ve got to stay strong so that when we do get out of here, you’ll be ready to see your family again.”

A tear slid down Lorainne’s pale cheek as she offered Miriam a watery smile. “I’ll try, she promised. “I’ll try.”

Later that night, Miriam lay awake after the others had finally drifted off to their own fitful dreams. She tried to see Cam as just her rescuer. Just a friend of Jobe’s. Just someone who came to help. But in her dreams he came first as an avenging angel…and then as a lover. Waking the next morning, she was just as exhausted as when she fell asleep, but with one thought on her mind. Rescuer, avenger, or lover…she desperately hoped she could glimpse him once more.

“Got to get the plan moving,” Cam whispered into his phone. Managing to find a time to move away from everyone else, he gave Marc his information. “Made contact. Tell Jobe she’s alive and well. But don’t tell him she’s caught the eye of some local cartel leaders, including one of the doctors.”

“Damn,” came Marc’s response. “How’s she dealing?”

“Fine. Strong, smart, fierce.”

“She’s going to need to be. Others?”

“One’s sick, can’t travel with her. The one from California has decided to take up the leaders on their generous offer. The other, an older nun. Can’t see her trying to leave.”

“That’ll make it easier to just get Miriam out.”

“Affirmative.”

“What do you need?”

“Right now, I’m working about half a mile from her and can see her when she’s driven past. Keeping a low profile. Once we get out of the immediate area, I can keep her hidden and we can travel quickly. It’s just going to be getting close to her again. Working on it.”

“I’ll be in touch. Good luck, man.”

Disconnecting, Cam made his way back from his break, no one the wiser.

The opportunity to get closer to the hospital presented itself later that afternoon when part of the building crumbled onto several of the workers. Cam was one of them. Though unharmed, he managed to be taken to the infirmary.

To his good fortune, Miriam came out to greet the truck. Speaking in broken Spanish, she gave orders and he was carried inside. The doctor determined that there were no broken bones, just some cuts and abrasions. Dr. Villogas moved to the other worker, who had suffered a broken leg. Miriam managed to get to Cam, taking over cleaning his cuts and applying bandages.

“Was worried,” she whispered.

---