"Well?" Galen asked Judd.

"You may not be handling this right," Judd said. "I've been thinking about it, and maybe we should be more patient. Chavez doesn't seem to be in a hurry to kill her brother."

"Which won't be particularly good for Luis."

He lifted his brows. "Do we care?"

"No, but Elena does. And she won't be patient."

"True." Judd stared thoughtfully out the window at the lake. "Chavez is playing on her emotions. He's counting on her breaking down."

"Not counting-betting on a long shot. He knows how tough she is."

"Then he may be as desperate as she is."

"Are you going to help me or not?"

Judd nodded. "But we don't go for it tonight. Tomorrow. I want to think about it a little more."

Galen shrugged. "Why not? Tomorrow."

Chavez looked down in disgust at Luis Kyler sprawled unconscious on the bed.

Weak vermin. He could see nothing of Elena in her brother. He had lied to her about that. Such a weakling shouldn't be permitted to live. Only the strong should inherit the earth.

"We've not been able to trace Galen yet," Gomez said behind him. "We're going through reports on his friends and associates." He glanced down at Luis. "Will we still need to find them?"

"Keep on looking." He turned away from Luis. He had been grabbing at straws when he brought Elena's brother into the bargaining. He would have to think of some way to use him other than as a trade. He had no faith that she would give in to save her brother. He would not do it for his own brother, and she could be almost as strong.

But not as strong. She had lied about pretending to let him defeat her. That couldn't be the truth. He would not accept the idea that she had not only defeated but also fooled him.

For the past two nights he had begun dreaming about having her back in the gym. Wonderful, exhilarating dreams of triumph.

They would come true.

The phone rang at eleven-forty that morning.

Elena froze.

"Chavez." Galen handed her the phone.

"I don't know how much more Luis can take," Chavez said. "Give me the boy."

"We've already discussed this." Her voice was shaking. "No deal."

"You're upset. I think you're weakening." He paused. "And you'll be even more inclined to save him if you see what kind of punishment you're inflicting on him. Yes, I believe we should arrange to bring you and Luis together. Let me see. Suppose I take your brother to Orlando two days from now? The garden of the Kissimmee Hotel. The bench beside the koi pond. Ten A.M."

"Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Oh, he'll be alone. I understand Galen called the DEA on me when I was at the ranch. Do you think I don't know that he could have a truckload of agents at the hotel to try to catch me? It wouldn't be smart to place myself in that position."

"Then what's to stop me from taking Luis?"

"The fact that I'll have a very fine marksman stationed nearby with his sights on Luis. He leaves the garden, he's dead."

"And that same shooter could take me out."

"That's your problem. I'm sure you can work it out to your satisfaction."

"I won't be there."

"After another two nights of worrying about dear Luis? I think you will." He hung up.

"He's bringing Luis to the Kissimmee Hotel in Orlando. Ten A.M. two days from now," she said. "He thinks I'm softening. He wants to show me his handiwork. He says Luis will be alone."

"Not likely."

She nodded. "Trap."

"But there may be an opportunity there," Dominic said. "Perhaps we can snatch Luis before they can close it."

"He wants Elena," Galen said. "And I don't want that trap closing on her."

"Wait, maybe Dominic is right." She rubbed her temple. "I can't seem to think. It makes sense that he wouldn't show up himself or in force when he knows that you called the DEA on him before. He said there would be a gunman with his sights on Luis."

"There's no way he expects you to go in, look at poor, poor Luis, and then leave. The shooter will try to take you out, or there will be another wild card in the deck."

"I know that." She moistened her lips. "But I may never have a better chance."

Galen's lips twisted. "And clear the way?"

"He's her brother," Dominic said quietly. "He's weak, not bad, and he deserves better than to be treated this way by Chavez."

"Dammit, she doesn't need your encouragement, Dominic."

"You never knew him," Dominic said. "I did. And I loved him. No, I do love him." He smiled at Elena. "Don't feel ashamed of still loving Luis. Forgiveness is a good thing."

"Oh, for God's sake." Galen threw up his hands. "Why am I wasting my breath? You're going to do it, aren't you?"

"I've got to try," she whispered.

"It's a big risk."

"Then I'll have to find a way to make it less."

He stared at her in exasperation for a moment and then turned away. "Okay, we go in. I'll call Manero and have him scope out the situation at the hotel."

"No, I go in alone. Dominic will help me, and I need someone I trust to watch Barry. I don't like the idea of being away from him. It's not that I don't trust your men here, but I-"

"But no one can take care of your son like you do. I suppose I should be flattered you consider me a trustworthy babysitter." Galen shook his head. "I'm going in with you. Dominic will take care of Barry. If you like, we can bring Barry with us as far as an airport outside Orlando and leave him and Dominic on the helicopter while we go into town. At the first sign of danger, Dominic can split with the kid."

She thought about it. She didn't like the idea of bringing Barry with them, but the alternative of leaving him hundreds of miles away was totally unacceptable. "Okay, I suppose that would be safe enough."

"Safer than we'll be." He turned and left the room.

She couldn't blame him for being exasperated. The situation could come unraveled in a heartbeat, and her reasons for going after Luis were purely emotional.

"It's the right thing to do, Elena," Dominic said.

"Contrary to what the knights of Camelot claimed, right doesn't always beat might." She met Dominic's gaze. "I said I'd try, Dominic. But if I find that I'm endangering my son or there's a strong possibility he may lose his mother over this, I'll back out. Barry is innocent, and that weights the scale in his favor."

He nodded slowly. "I understand. Innocence is a bright and shining thing. But someone has to save the lost ones too."

"That's why I'm going." She stood up. "And now I've got to get a plan together. Two days isn't a hell of a lot of time."

Would she come?

Chavez stared thoughtfully out over the rail at the skyscrapers of Miami Beach.

The chances of Elena trading her son for that weakling of a brother weren't high enough for him to bank on. Yet she might be lured into trying to free him if the circumstances were set up correctly. It was the kind of action that would appeal to a woman of her nature. It was a long shot, but he didn't have many options at this point. He hadn't been able to turn up any clues to Elena and Galen's possible whereabouts.

"We go to Orlando?" Gomez asked behind him.