Carolyn Arnold - McKinley 02 - Vacation is Murder (12 page)

A New Dawn

THE SUN MADE ITS WAY through the tattered curtains, waking Sean. He rolled over, expecting to put his arm around Sara, but she wasn’t there. A wave of panic went through him but ebbed away when he heard the toilet flush.

She came out of the washroom and stood at the end of the bed. Her hair was tousled, locks of brown curls resting on her shoulders. She wore the dress she had the day before, which for a woman like Sara would be a crime any other time.

A spark in her eyes spoke of adventure, but more lingered in her aura. Despite the quiet reserve she could have at times, there was determined passion to get this all sorted out.

Sean wondered if it was to avoid another night at “The Ritz,” but knew better. Today they would get Earl Spencer back and have the man responsible for all this held accountable.

They had taken care of the money arrangements last night and they’d have it in hand by ten this morning. One issue could put a definite detour in their plans, however—timing.

“And why hasn’t anybody called yet? We don’t even know where to drop the money once we’re there. And, poor Amelia. I feel so bad leaving her there.” Sara’s eyes misted.

“We didn’t have a choice, darling, if we’re going to save Earl. The police would have found her. I’m sure it’s the gunshot that had them coming anyway.”

“Yes, I suppose you’re right.”

Sean patted the bed for her to sit beside him.

She smiled but shook her head, declining his offer. “I slept in it last night, but I’m not going to be in it any longer than I have to.”

Sean laughed and got up, closing the distance between him and his wife. He nuzzled his nose against hers and then kissed her lips.

She ran her hands down his naked torso but pulled back. “If you think you’re getting lucky here, you can forget it. I do have standards,” she said.

He pouted briefly then headed into the washroom to grab his clothes from the shower rod where he had hung them to dry overnight. He came back out a few seconds later, his shorts on and holding his shirt.

“I’m actually glad you declined my offer in this case or I’d have to wonder about you.”

“Oh.” She patted his chest and took a couple steps back.

“What’s wrong?”

“We don’t know where exactly to drop the money, and how are we supposed to get to the ruins? It’s not like we’ve ever been there.”

“I think it was Earl who mentioned it was a two-hour drive.”

“You’re actually thinking about driving?”

“Why not? We could rent a car.”

Sara shook her head. “You’ve seen how they drive. On another note, I don’t understand why there hasn’t been another phone call. Do you think that man killed Earl after we caught up to him?”

“It wouldn’t make sense for him to. He still hasn’t gotten the money.”

“I suppose.”

“We have to stop thinking about this the way we are.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, we’re getting overwhelmed because we’re in a different country. Really, it’s just like back home, and we have a case to solve.” He slipped his shirt over his head and pulled it down.

“Funny, but I don’t remember struggling with an armed suspect while not carrying too, and we don’t usually flee when we hear sirens approaching.”

The serious nature in her eyes made him smile again. “I suppose you have a point.”

“Of course, I do.”

“Don’t worry. This will all be over soon. Earl will be back to his wife.”

“And what about all our money? It’s just lost?”

“I’m sure they’ll find a way to pay us back.”

She studied his eyes. “Since when are you the optimistic one?”

“Maybe you’re rubbing off on me.”

“We could only hope. Ooh.” She winced and then smirked.

He leaned in and took her mouth, but they parted when Sean’s cell rang. He put it on speaker.

“At one o’clock, drop the money in a plastic bag and tuck it into the long grass of the jungle at the back edge of the ruins,” the caller said.

“You need to be more specific.”

“Do as I say or Mr. Spencer will join the natives who lost their city.”

“When do we get him back?”

“You follow these instructions. I will collect the money and contact you with further information and where you can find him.”

“How do we know he’s still alive?”

“It’s a little thing called faith.”

There was a distinct click.

Sara looked over at Sean and they locked eye contact for a few seconds, until he glanced at his phone. “The number was blocked.”

“We need to get to the bank now. Hopefully, they’ll have our money ready early,” she said.

“Agree.”

“I’m still not sure it’s a good idea for us to rent a car to get to the ruins. You’ve seen how people drive here. How fast they go. They might as well have wings, not tires, on their vehicles.”

“And how is that different from back home?”

Road Trip

THEY HAD TO WAIT ABOUT thirty minutes on the money, but it came through faster than they had originally expected. It also turned out that renting a vehicle was easier than they had assumed. Apparently, a lot of tourists opted for driving to the ruins rather than being crammed into a stage coach with a bunch of sweaty strangers.

They had a map and were headed out of the rental lot by ten o’clock. They were ahead of schedule, but they still didn’t have any time for sightseeing en route.

Sara watched Sean’s profile. It was more calming to take in his features rather than dwell on the fact they were driving in a foreign country. People were passing them and, for living a more laidback life here, the ones on the highway seemed a contradiction to that stereotype.

She knew Sean was going slower for her, but she couldn’t bring herself to encourage him to speed up. While she had contemplated potential threats to their safety when planning this trip—having their room broken into, being murdered, their plane crashing, or drowning in the ocean—she had never considered the possibility of dying in a car accident.

They passed a road sign and she stated the obvious. “They’re all in Spanish.”

Sean glanced over and took her hand into his lap, resting it on his thigh. “There’s only one sign I really need to worry about and that’s the exit we need to take. Besides that, I know alto means stop.”

“As if you’ll have a need for that one on the highway.”

He squeezed her hand.

“I know I’m getting paranoid and I usually don’t,” she said.

“It’s an interesting side of you.”

“Are you being sarcastic?”

“No, not at all.” He laughed.

She loved the way it sounded. If she could make him laugh, she was doing her job. Sara smiled as she settled back into her seat to enjoy the trip. They were on their honeymoon after all. At least she was spending the next two hours by his side.

Sean nudged her. “Sara?”

A moan escaped her throat and her eyes eventually fluttered open. “Where are we?”

“We’re here.”

“Okay.” She wiped her eyes and sat up. Her brown curls were pressed to the back of her head and she fluffed them up with her hands. “What time is it?”

“Just after twelve.”

“Good. We made it on time. When did I pass out?” She looked at him, her eyes squinting from the bright sunlight.

“Not long after we got on the road, darling.” He reached for the door handle.

She was still in her seat when he came around and opened her door. He loved how she appreciated the etiquette that seemed outdated in the modern world. He’d be opening the car door for her as long as he was vertical.

She stepped out. “Whoa, is it just me or did we enter a sauna? This place is hotter than it is in Cancun.”

“What do you expect? We’re in the middle of a jungle.”

“Oh, there’s something really exciting about that thought.” She smiled, but it faded fast. She reached into the back seat for the sunhat. “The tickets?”

Sean pointed to the modern building that served as the entrance to the ruins site. “We’ll just buy two more.”

“It’s so much money.” A huge yawn encompassed her face.

“Let me worry about it.” He didn’t have the heart to point out that he was carrying fifty thousand, so what was buying a couple more tickets. Her head must still be groggy from her nap.

He reached for her hand, but they let go not long after contact. The air was stifling and instantly made for wet palms. “You sure you need the hat?” He pointed at it.

“Are you kidding me? We’re in the middle of a jungle. You just said so.”

The ticket lady handed two stubs to Sean. “Here you go.”

He passed one on to Sara as the lady laid out a brochure on the counter, opening it to a map of the ruins. “We have to make our visitors aware of a few things. One is to remind you that we are in the middle of a jungle. You step out into the long grass, you’re on your own. Know that there are poisonous snakes and jaguars.”

“Jaguars?” Sara’s eyes enlarged with the intensified pounding of her heart.

“Yes, as I said. Also, no one is permitted to touch any of the ruins. They are cordoned off. You go past the rope and you’ll be wishing you hadn’t.”

“Why, what would happen?” Sara leaned on the counter, pushing Sean a few inches to the right.

The lady’s lips went into a tight line. “The ruins are protected by armed men.”

“The militia?” She had been in precarious situations back in Albany but nothing quite like this—a jungle, wild animals, poisonous snakes, militia with itchy trigger fingers?

Sean put his arm around her, collected the brochure, and ushered Sara along.

“Just like back home?” she said. “Funny, but I don’t remember a jungle in Albany.”

“Think of it as a concrete jungle. Some people are dangerous animals.”

“Hmm.”

“We’re going to see this through for Earl.”

“Yes, I know.”

She kept her eyes straight ahead. Tourists were crammed into the building like sardines in a can. Sweat ran down her torso in sheets, not in droplets. People were cutting them off at every turn, but Sean managed to weave them through the crowd to the other side of the turnstile.

Sara eyed the path in front of them. “I’m assuming we just follow this to the back corner? How far away do we have to go?”

“I’m not exactly sure, darling, but we better get moving. We have less than an hour to make it there.”

The path wound through trees, and local vendors lined the entire way, trying to pawn off their goods on the tourists. Sara’s eyes drifted to a few items and women were approaching her with dresses, telling her how beautiful they would be on her. She politely declined all of them.

After it happened the third time, Sean said, “Just remember why we’re here. I promise you we will shop when all of this is over.”

“Oh, and, darling, I’ll make sure you hold good to that promise.” She smiled, but her gaze left him, darting to the clearing on their left. Through the trees at the side of the path, portions of the
Chichén Itzá
pyramid were showing.

“We have to see the wonder of the world, darling. We’ve come all this way.” She went to the clearing, coming off the trail into the beating sun, but the melting temperatures didn’t have her attention.

The pyramid was large and breathtaking—to think that the Mayans had undertaken and accomplished such an enormous feat without the advantage of modern-day tools.

“It’s awe-inspiring,” she said.“What is that noise?” The sound of what resembled a bird cawing echoed down the stairs of the structure. She headed toward the base of the pyramid, where people were standing with a guide.

She moved closer to the guide. “What is that?”

He took her in and, even though she wasn’t part of his group, he smiled at her. “When you clap your hands at the base of the stairs, it comes back sounding like their sacred bird, the quetzal.”

She put her hands together and, as the noise resounded, hairs rose on her arms and the back of her neck. “That is unbelievable.” She turned to look at Sean, finally realizing how she had taken off without making sure he had followed.

She calmed when she found him standing behind her. “Did you hear that, darling? You clap and it makes the sound of a bird.”

The guide smiled at her and left to pick up leading his group around the ruins.

When she glanced back at Sean, he wasn’t smiling. He looked peaked. It must have been the heat.

She slipped her arm through his and helped him to a nearby snack stand. “Let’s get some water in you and get this over with. Hang in there, hon.”