Pearls (29 page)

Very few people had an aim as accurate as the one she’d just witnessed. Law enforcers, hunters, and criminals … like men who were involved with organized crime rings. Isabel wondered if she had misplaced her trust over the last few weeks. Someone must have put the snake into her tent. The same person could have sabotaged her boat and orchestrated the incident at the well and the avalanche too.

Pressure squeezed her heart as she considered the frightening possibilities.

Manuel thought I’d be sleeping in there, and if I had, I’d be dead. Was he responsible for the other incidents?

But if Manuel was trying to kill her, why did he come to her rescue at every occasion? Was it a game to him—a ploy to scare her then win her trust when he played the hero? Alone with him in the wilderness, she had no chance of defending herself should he choose to follow through with a plan to harm her. Terrified by these shocking new revelations, she decided the sooner they returned to the safety of civilization, the better.

She slid her hand into her pocket to reassure herself that the paper was still there. Perhaps she should wait to share the news of her discovery. She might need to use it as a bargaining chip to save her life.

Manuel couldn’t help but notice Isabel’s brooding silence as they navigated the last stretch of river before they reached the little airstrip. She had barely spoken two sentences to him all day. He guessed her change in mood was related to his gun. He’d seen the fear in her eyes when he’d used it that morning. Maybe she disliked firearms, but even then her reaction seemed extreme. She hadn’t even thanked him for killing the snake and saving her life.

The tiny wooden pier near the airstrip came into view as the sun dipped low on the horizon.
Perfect timing
. He’d hoped to reach the little airstrip before dusk. Barely more than a rough runway and a shack monitored by a part-time attendant, it offered no amenities, but little airstrips like this one were the only way in and out of the dense rain forest. They could camp there and contact a pilot to retrieve them tomorrow.

Turning the
bongo
toward shore, Manuel steered the craft alongside the weathered posts and planks that formed the crude pier. Grabbing a rope, he quickly secured their boat to the dock.

Without a word Isabel rose and tied her end then lifted an armload of supplies and carried them to shore. Manuel gathered up the tents and followed her lead, passing her as she returned to the boat for another load.

Just as Manuel stepped ashore, Raúl appeared, agitated and smelling of liquor. “Where have you been? I’ve waited here for days.”

Manuel dropped the tents at Raúl’s feet and faced him, hands on hips. “Looks like you found ways to occupy your time.”

Isabel joined them, the crate of cooking supplies propped on one hip. “How did you get here? Or even know where we were?”

Manuel lifted the load from her hands and set it down. “He has our itinerary, and I gave him an estimated date of return.”

“Which came and passed two days ago.” Raúl glared at them like a petulant child, his gaze accusatory. “I hired a pilot to fly me in because I need a progress report. Did you find anything?”

Manuel braced himself for the confrontation, but Isabel cut in before he could answer. “Look, Raúl, we’ve been on the river all day. I’m tired and stiff, and all I want is to clean up and get some rest. Can’t we talk later?”

“Oh, I see. Either you’re trying to hide your findings or you’ve found nothing. My guess is you’ve failed miserably. That’s just what I would expect from someone like him.” Raúl jerked his head in Manuel’s direction, adding a look of disdain to the insult.

Manuel knotted his fists, barely resisting the urge to take a shot at the irritating man.
A broken nose might add character to Raúl’s flawless features
.

Isabel intervened. “Raúl, do you ever think of anyone besides yourself?”

A look of anger flashed in his eyes, and he stalked away from the dock. The rusted-out vehicle the airstrip attendant used to transport people the short distance from their plane to the river waited nearby. Raúl climbed in it and drove away.

Manuel bristled when he saw tears of frustration form in her eyes. One drop carved a shiny path down her cheek, accentuating the dust and grime accumulated there. Compassion softened him, and he cupped her cheek in one hand, smoothing away dirt and tears with a gentle stroke of his thumb. “Don’t let him get to you. We’ll be home by tomorrow night, and you won’t have to see him again.”

Manuel felt her stiffen, and she stepped away from his touch. The distance he’d sensed between them widened into a rift. “Isabel, are you all right?”

She nodded. “Sure. Just tired. Why don’t we finish unloading and find a place to make camp. The sooner I can eat and rest, the better.”

Isabel’s stomach churned as she collapsed her tent and packed her gear the next morning. Raúl had chosen to ignore them the night before. She’d considered his absence a blessing. While she needed to share the news of her discovery, she had no desire to talk with a drunken Raúl and an armed Manuel in the dark of night, separated from civilization by miles of untamed wilderness. She did not trust either man, and the men certainly held no affection for one another. The animosity between them felt like a volatile powder keg, and she was always waiting for the spark that would set off an explosion.

A deep weariness plagued her emotions, its tentacles reaching throughout her body, draining away her energy and resolve. She’d love nothing more than to go home to her grandmother’s hacienda and hide away from the turbulent feelings these two men stirred in her. Raúl whose beautiful face masked an unfaithful heart, and Manuel, who presented himself as a pillar of strength and virtue, yet seemed to bring danger into her life. At times, she had wanted to believe in them both, to love them and be loved by them.

Now, she only wanted time away to nurse the sense of trust so bruised and battered by the events in her life over the last months. Despite her reluctance to interact with either man, she had to tell them today. Perhaps telling them together would work for the best. She was certain one man couldn’t be trusted, only she didn’t know which one.

A vehicle rumbled up to their campsite a short time later. Raúl stepped out and swaggered toward her, looking jaunty despite his drinking binge the previous night.

Manuel’s hands went to his hips, a posture Isabel was beginning to recognize as a sign of impending confrontation. “Nice of you to come, Raúl. We waited for you last night, but you didn’t show.”

“Well, I’m here now. Let’s hear your report. Tell me all about your grand and pointless adventure.”

Manuel’s face took on a pinched expression. “I don’t know why Isabel didn’t just tell you last night. We didn’t find anything.”

Isabel saw her opportunity and interrupted before their bickering escalated into a fight. “That isn’t exactly true. I found something.”

Silence.

Both men stared at her, wearing similarly puzzled looks.

“Manuel, Raúl, sit.” She pointed at the chairs near the fire pit. The men complied in silence.

Taking the remaining seat, she clasped her hands tightly in her lap. “A few nights ago, I was up late reading the journal, and I found something we missed before. I found a paper sewn between the two pieces of leather that make up the cover of the journal. I translated it, and I know where the treasure is hidden.”

Manuel’s expression showed shock and hurt at her failure to confide in him sooner while Raúl’s burned with something akin to hunger.

“Where is the page now?” Raúl asked.

“The original page and my rough translation are here.” She reached into her front pocket and pulled out the folded slips of paper. “Let me read it to you.”

September 13, 1523

During our years together, I have explained the tenets of my faith to Karwa. She understands the beliefs which caused me to intervene on her behalf and rescue her from the Spaniards’ cruelty. Karwa has accepted my God, yet she desires to receive the blessing of an official of the church. Word has reached us that white men have set up a mission on the coast. Karwa wishes to visit them and make her commitment to God known.

But as we journey to where the priests have set up a mission, Karwa grows feverish and weak. The jungle, though beautiful and generous to mankind, carries the taint of sickness that now plagues Karwa.

My son, now 20 years, travels with us, offering comfort and help. I pray the remainder of our journey passes quickly and the priests can help her.

September 27, 1523

The Franciscan Friars did all they could to save her body, but in the end they could only minister to her soul. I held her hand and stroked her fevered brow as death passed over and carried her away from me. I long to follow her from this earthly sphere, but for the sake of our son, I will press on.

Life afforded me one truly great and priceless treasure, that love which Karwa freely bestowed upon me. Perhaps God has chosen to punish me for the sins I committed in order to love her.

As I laid her to rest, I buried the pearls beside her. Because of the evil they wrought, the pearls never seemed a treasure to me, but Karwa thought them lovely and enjoyed making baubles and trinkets from them. I left them with her, along with my heart, the best of my life buried beneath the cold hard ground.

Isabel glanced up and tried to gauge the men’s reactions.

Manuel fidgeted with anticipation. “Cumaná. There was only one mission in Venezuela during the early 1500s. The ruins are still there today. We can return to Caracas to regroup and put together supplies for another trip.”

“There won’t be any
we
.” Raúl glared at Manuel. “I funded your expedition, and you failed to find the pearls. This new development takes us outside the boundaries of our original contract, so I am under no obligation to include you. Consider yourself fired.”

Manuel stared at Raúl, incredulous. “Now, wait a minute. You can’t just dismiss me after all the effort I’ve put into this project. The new information was uncovered during the course of the expedition. So technically, my team and I did discover the location of the pearls. You aren’t cutting me out of this.”

Raúl jumped to his feet, his face flushed with anger. “I can and I will.”

Manuel took Isabel’s hand. “Maybe we’ll cut you out, Raúl. Isabel and I fulfilled our part of the contract, and now we’ve decided to continue on our own. In fact, we’ll be so generous as to offer to repay you with interest and a sizable bonus for your support, but we no longer wish to partner with you.”

Raúl shook with anger. “You have no right to exclude me.”

Manuel approached Raúl and jabbed a finger into his chest. “The journal and all the information inside belong to Isabel. You don’t have any say over how she chooses to pursue the search after today. We’re through with you and the trouble you’ve caused.”

Raúl shoved Manuel away then bent and fumbled with the hem of his pants. When he stood and lifted his hand, the sun glinted off the smooth metal surface of a gun.

Isabel’s chest clenched with fear. The situation had become more dangerous than she had imagined it could, Raúl more a wild card than she realized.

“Raúl, put that away.” She tried to keep her voice calm and reassuring, but the quiver of fear was noticeable. “We’ll work out a deal that is acceptable to all of us.”

The muzzle of the gun jerked her direction, sending a flood of ice water through her veins and locking up her knees so she couldn’t have run if she’d tried.

“That’s not possible now.”

“Sure it is. Just put the gun down and we’ll talk,” she coaxed.

Raúl laughed, a chillingly desperate sound. “You don’t understand, Isabel. I can’t afford a deal. If I don’t get my hands on that treasure, I’m dead. A cut or percentage won’t be enough. I need it all if I want to survive another week.”

Isabel noticed Manuel inching toward Raúl, and she tried to distract him in the hope that Manuel could disarm him. “I don’t understand, Raúl, but if we can sit down and talk about this calmly—”

“No!” Raúl whirled and the gun exploded, pummeling Manuel to the ground with the force of the bullet.

“Manuel!” Isabel rushed to his side and dropped to her knees. Tears streamed down her face as she examined the bloody wound in his shoulder. She ran to the main tent and emerged seconds later with a small medical kit. Fumbling through packages of gauze and tape, she tried to assemble a makeshift bandage from inadequate supplies.

Raúl stood over them, his gun trained on her as she desperately tried to stop the bleeding.

“He needs medical attention, Raúl. Help me get him to the airstrip.”