To Love a Man Read Online Free PDF

country without attracting attention, set up their base camp, and start the wheels grinding slowly into motion. Soon it would all be over. The only snag in the smoothly oiled plan was the woman. . . .
    Assassination wasn’t really his bag, but the offer had been made at a time when he was desperate for money, and he had accepted. He allowed himself no regrets. A nameless group of backers was willing to pay, and pay well, to have Thomas Kimo, one of Rhodesia’s foremost rebel leaders, killed in such a way that it would look as though supporters of a rival rebel leader had done the deed. The whys and wherefores of the proposed act had not been explained, but Sam had deduced that the murder was meant to cause an outbreak of infighting among the revolutionaries. While they were busy killing one another, Sam surmised, the ruling party would be consolidating its hold on the government. If he had guessed correctly, it was a good plan, and one that just might succeed. Not that he cared either way. Political convictions were the kiss of death for a professional soldier.
    “Sam?” Frank Leads, his second in command and a good friend since they had seen combat together in ’Nam in 1964 and ’65, had managed to come up on his left flank without his hearing a thing. Damn, he must be getting old! Too old to play this kind of game much longer. Thirty-nine this past month, and beginning to feel it . . .
    “You okay?” Frank’s question was guarded.
    Sam grunted an affirmative reply, absorbing as much of Frank’s typically bulldog expression as he could see through the darkness as his friend came to stand beside him. Frank was acting peculiarly. . . . There was no way he could know what had just happened with the woman—was there? Hell, he hoped not. Frank knew how he felt about women in general, and had many times heard his views on the folly of getting sex mixed up with business. The man would laugh his head off. . . .
    “So what are you going to do about her?”
    Sam’s mouth twisted wryly. Frank did know.
    Sam flashed his friend a derisive look and turned to start strolling back toward the camp.
    “What did you use, radar?” The question was dry. Sam punctuated it by taking a long drag on his cigarette.
    Frank snorted, falling into step beside him. “Who needed it? You could hear her mewling like a scalded cat all over camp. You had to be either killing her or humping her, and somehow I didn’t think you were killing her.”
    “Ummm.” Sam was remembering the way she had cried out her pleasure at the end. The sound had sent him over the moon, but thinking back, he could see that it must have been damned loud. To his consternation, he felt hot blood creeping up over his cheeks. Christ, he was blushing! Like a high-school kid! Thank God for the darkness. If Frank saw his face turning red, he’d never live it down for the rest of his life.
    “So what are you going to do about her?” Frank repeated his question patiently.
    Sam grimaced. “Hell, what can I do? Nothing.”
    “What do you mean, nothing?” Frank exploded after a moment’s stunned silence. “You can’t do nothing. She could queer the whole thing!”
    “What would you suggest?” Sam was getting sick of the whole topic. He felt like kicking himself for ever bringing her back with him in the first place, and as for what had happened later . . .
    “We have to get rid of her. One way or another. If you’re too squeamish—now—I’ll do it.”
    “No!” Sam’s refusal was sharp. “Dammit, I’ve just been all over this. She hasn’t done anything to deserve killing, and there’s no way to make sure she’ll keep her mouth shut if we let her go. So, she stays.” His voice went hard on the last three words.
    After a moment’s pregnant silence, Frank sighed heavily. “Somehow I had the feeling you were going to say that. All right, you’re in charge here. I just hope to God you know what you’re doing. But you realize she’s going to cause trouble