Tourist Trapped (24 page)

“Book it for Cooper.”

“Will do.”

“Thanks, Jaz.” Amanda hung up and looked at her phone. “I have messages from my accountant and housekeeper.” She dialed again and pressed the speakerphone button.

“Amanda, I’m glad you returned my call.”

“What is it, Rich?”

“We received a bizarre communication. Someone tried to pull money from your closed accounts. A lot of it.”

“Do you know who?”

“The man said he was your attorney, a Chad Cooper.”

She looked over at Chad. “Unless he’s mastered the art of cloning, it couldn’t be Cooper. He’s in Cancun with me.”

“This is Chad. Did they give you a description?” He stuffed his spare clothes into his backpack.

“An older man wearing a Hawaiian shirt and designer eyeglasses. Gray hair and brown eyes, about six feet tall.”

“Did he succeed?” Amanda said.

“Your new bank accounts were untouched and nothing looked out of the ordinary with your investments today when I made the arrangements to liquidate your assets. Whoever tried to take your money did it based on old and limited data, so we’re not dealing with a sophisticated thief. I’ve added extra security on your accounts.”

“Let me know if you find out more.”

“Will do. And, as for the other matter, do you want me to forward this money anywhere?”

“Sit on it for now. Thanks, Rich.”

Amanda hung up and dialed again. “Natalia, hi, it’s Amanda Sloane. You left a message?”

“When I cleaned your apartment today I found papers strewn all over your office. I knew you were out of town, so I got worried.”

“Was the apartment broken into?”

“No, and everything else looks normal.”

“Thanks for letting me know—how are you feeling?”

“I’m a little sore, but I’m okay. Is there anything you want me to do? Should I contact the police?”

“I have it from here, and I’m glad you’re all right.”

She hung up and dialed. “Jaz, it’s Amanda again. Someone snuck into my apartment and tried to steal documentation to access my accounts. Can you call my condo office and see if they caught anything on video?”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes, but I want to confirm the idiot who thought he’d run this scam.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

She looked at Chad. “So much for fatherly love.”

TWENTY-NINE

Wednesday December 16, Midday

The emergency had
to be urgent; Amanda noticed Cooper hadn’t stopped fidgeting from the moment he received the texts. She parked in the lot of an OXXO convenience store. “Can you go straight to the airport?”

“I have to pick up my passport at the hotel.”

“You’d better hurry. I’ll ship the rest of your things back to Chicago, and I’ll contact Lucia about the car. Text me with the location once you park at the airport.”

“Will do. Thanks.” He stuffed his laptop in the beach bag she’d given him and handed it to her. “I didn’t bring a flash drive and I have files on the laptop you’ll find useful. Keep it with you.”

“You won’t need it?”

“I have my phone.” He stepped out of the car and met Amanda on the driver’s side.

She grabbed the bags she needed—including the pink one—and handed him the keys. “Good luck, Cooper.” Part of her wanted to pummel him for his cruel remarks, each one a body blow, but another part of her wanted to drop to the ground, wrap her arms around his midsection and scream “Don’t leave me!” Instead, she hugged him with her free arm. “Let me know how—whatever this is—goes, okay?”

“Okay.” He fiddled with the keys. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean what I—oh hell.” He pulled her close to him, enveloping her in his arms. He smelled of Aramis. Cooper held her for a long time, then kissed her forehead and released her. “Good luck, Boss. I’m really sorry I have to leave. If it weren’t so important…”

“Go. You don’t have a lot of time. I’ll be all right. The police and I’ll get to the bottom of this.”

“Amanda, I think…” He shook his head. “Never mind. Stay safe.” He stared into her eyes so deeply she felt it in her toes. He jumped into the car and drove off.

She stood in the parking lot and wished for a different life. One where her mother walked the earth, her father adored her, and she loved an unmarried man. An existence where Amanda spent more time relishing the joys in life than she did bracing for its struggles.

But the realities defining Amanda’s world included a kidnapped sister, a stalker, probably a den of murderers, and a father who viewed her as the family’s money pot. Every minute counted, which meant the pity party had to end. She hailed a cab and spent the short ride looking out the window, trying to distract herself from her fears.

Playa del Carmen reminded Amanda more of downtown Cancun than the hotel zone. Resorts dotted the shoreline and melded into the landscape, far more modest that the monoliths of Cancun.

Watching the scenery didn’t quell thoughts about her dad. As much as Amanda despised many of her father’s actions, she couldn’t comprehend that he’d try to rob her. She’d always thought he loved her—just not enough to stay with her and her mom. Evidently she had been fooling herself.

At least one thing was certain: Don Sloane didn’t shoot at them in the park. While a bullet penetrated Cooper’s flesh, her dad tried to pilfer her finances.

A pain ripped through her gut, as she pictured her dad ransacking her condo for her accounts, willing to empty them all—whatever it took to free Rebecca. Her sibling. The adored one.

Was Miriam in on it with her father? Probably not. Miriam deferred to her husband continually—in some ways she reminded Amanda of a wallflower. One with a wedding ring.

Her dad had attempted theft, but was he involved with the kidnapping? Would he authorize somebody—probably Rodriguez—to shoot at Cooper…and her? Would her dad risk injuring her? Or kill them both?

She shook her head to clear it. How ridiculous—her father, Trent and Rebecca scheming to steal her money. It had to be Trent’s involvement with some faction of the dark underbelly of society. But she couldn’t discount that her dad had exchanged emails with some Marty guy, rummaged through her home, and tried to bleed her accounts dry.

The ferry terminal came into view. She slipped the pink satchel into the beach bag with Cooper’s laptop. She hoped Cooper would make his flight. He’d been such a godsend over the last week. Without him, she couldn’t have scratched the surface.

After paying the cabbie, she walked to the outdoor ticket counter, admiring the water’s jewel tones on the way. A beach bum tossed a float into the sea for his dog to retrieve. Swimmers skimmed over the waves with boogie boards. All innocence and beauty.

And yet, on an island less than an hour away, Amanda might finally face the kidnappers who abducted Rebecca and Trent, shot Cooper, and murdered a bartender.

On her own. Alone.

* * *

Amanda sat next
to a window in the air conditioned ferry. Tourists scurried to the top of the boat to grab an outdoor seat, leaving plenty of room for locals and elderly visitors to spread out inside the hull. The early morning and late afternoon ferries would be full, but at midday Amanda had a row to herself.

She sighed and powered up Cooper’s laptop. It would be tough trying to make heads or tails of her situation without him nearby. Amanda hadn’t realized how dependent on him she had become. She already missed his calm, objective take on every episode.

When her dad had left their home, Amanda had experienced unbearable loneliness and betrayal. She had spent weekend after weekend crying, trying to understand the new, broken family landscape.

She wore the loneliness and betrayal again, slipping them on like a well-worn pair of jeans. Her heart ached as an empty void expanded within her. Amanda’s overly cerebral friend Terry had bored her over the years with theorems such as “there’s a reaction to every action.” What had Amanda done to start such a chain of events in her life? Or as Cooper put it, pissed off her family so much they decided to shake her down for a wad of cash. What had been the catalyst that triggered the god-awful line of dominoes that fell over, day after day, culminating in her father hating her so much that he attempted to steal her money and possibly instruct someone to shoot at her? Poor Cooper and the mutt, taking the bullets that might have been meant for her.

The dog—how’s the dog?
Amanda called the veterinary clinic for an update. Nothing serious had been damaged. The vet removed the bullet and the dog was resting. Amanda directed them to give the pooch a complete physical and to treat anything they found. She told them her assistant would handle the payments and gave them Jaz’s telephone number. She texted instructions to Jaz, including making arrangements with Wiggles and Wags to place the dog into foster care in the Chicago area. Amanda couldn’t leave the poor thing roaming the streets of Cancun.

She turned her focus back to Cooper’s laptop, typing in the password he had written in the corner of an overused Post-It Note stuck next to the keyboard. The address of a motel in Jackson Hole and the comment “spotted Jason and Skye” covered most of the square of paper. Was this part of Chad’s family emergency? But then why did the note indicate Wyoming while he planned to fly to Oregon? Who were Jason and Skye?

Lucia’s number appeared on her phone.

“Amanda, I want you to meet with Officer Yesenia Delgado this afternoon, but not at the police station. I’ll text you with the time and place. She and I talked and we agree there’s a risk. Rodriguez has friends on the Cozumel force.”

Amanda’s chest tightened. “Who knows I’m on my way to the island?”

“Miguel, Yesenia and me. I’ve told no one on the force, not even the captain. I don’t know who we can trust.”

“Which means, for the time being, I’m going solo.”

The ferry slowed, nearing Cozumel. She gathered up her bags and said a quick prayer. Time to see where the dominoes led.

* * *

Finally emerging from
a gauntlet of stoplights, Chad pulled up to the front of Fiesta Oasis Royale, flipping on the hazard lights and letting the engine run. He threw on the new Cancun cap and sunglasses, and slapped ten bucks into the hands of a bellhop standing in the doorway. “Keep an eye on the car? I’ll be back in a sec.”

Chad sprinted through the lobby to the stairs and started up them, checking his watch for the millionth time. The window to make his flight continued to shrink.

“What’s going on? Why are you running?” Miriam hurried up the stairs behind him. The woman must have walked miles in the hotel every day, waiting for news.

“Nothing to do with Rebecca. I have to fly to Oregon to get my kids. My wife took them away a few years ago and I’m trying to get them back.” Why was he telling her this? Didn’t Miriam have enough troubles of her own?

“Chad, I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Thanks, no. I need to get to the airport—and don’t mention my situation to Amanda, she has enough on her mind.”

“Where is she?”

“Looking for Rebecca.”

“Where?”

“Miriam, I’m sorry; I can’t tell you.”

When he made it to the fourth floor, he dashed out of the stairwell. He opened the door to his room and ran to the safe, pulled out his passport and house keys, and headed back to the stairs. To his relief, Miriam had disappeared.

Chad tore through the lobby to the car…and Miriam.

“I’m sorry, I’m sworn to secrecy,” he said.

“Why can’t you tell me?”

“I…I…can’t.” He jumped into the car and so did she. “Miriam, I don’t have time for this. I have to catch my flight.”

“Drive, but I’m riding with you.”

He stared at her, unsure what to do.

“Chad. Drive. Now.”

The hard edge to her voice startled him into action. He sped along the drive to Kukulcan Boulevard, swerving around a couple who assumed the vehicle’s driver would be courteous enough to let them pass. He cut it close, but he didn’t think he ran over any toes.

“I won’t tell Donny.”

“Huh?”

“Whatever you tell me, I won’t say a word to Donny. That’s why you’re keeping information from me, aren’t you? Amanda and you are afraid I’ll tell Donny and he’ll react as he did when you visited the fisherman’s wife. But I’m not taking his calls. I’m so mad at him for not being here that I refuse to speak to him.” She rested her icy hand on his arm. “I have to know what’s going on. Donny hasn’t made any headway and tomorrow’s the deadline for the ransom. I need to help—I can’t lose my Becky. Please.”

He had suppressed thoughts of Amanda on the ride back from Playa del Carmen—thinking about her gave him heartburn. Chad realized he had made an ass of himself, hurting her with his remarks, and none of it mattered because she loved somebody else. End of story.

It had sliced through him, abandoning Amanda in that hot, dusty parking lot. He had wanted to tell her he didn’t mean the cruel things he said and that he wanted her to phone him with updates. He’d try to help if he could, putting his team on any leads they could investigate from Portland. But, after his biting comments about Amanda’s relationships, he ended up tongue-tied. He had grabbed her, to feel her in his arms one last time, and prayed to the Almighty that He keep her safe.

“Who’s with her, Chad?”

“Amanda’s working with the police.”

“Can they protect her? Will she be safe?”

“I don’t think you can help her more than the authorities.”

“Someone needs to watch over her. I can do that. I can take care of Amanda,” Miriam said.

“How? What can you do?”

“I’ll make sure you know what’s going on. And I can call that Miguel fellow if we need help. I’m not proud, Chad. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep both Rebecca and Amanda safe. I’ll kick and scratch and bite our way to freedom, if I have to.”

Chad assumed there had been nothing more he could do, but now Miriam sat next to him, fighting to toss off the mantle of chief worrier to become a warrior.

“I don’t know, Miriam. I’m afraid you’ll be more of a burden than a help.”

“Chad, how will you feel if something happens to Amanda? Something that I could have prevented. Will you be able to live with yourself? Can you imagine your life if Amanda is killed?”

Maybe Miriam could help. Amanda would never forgive him, but Chad couldn’t bear the thought of her going through the next few days alone. “Amanda is on her way to Cozumel. The ransom call came from the island and we think Rebecca is being held there, but we don’t know by whom. And, last night,” he said, raising his bandaged arm, “we were shot at. In downtown Cancun.”

“So Donny was right. He was certain the kidnapping wasn’t a prank. But he’s positive Becky’s alive—and so am I. If she were dead…I know I’d feel it.” Her eyes glistened, filling with tears. She dabbed at them and took a deep breath. “Okay, so I need to get to Cozumel to help Amanda. Where is she staying?”

“Good question. Other than planning to book a boat, I don’t know much.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Text her. She’ll think the message is from me.” Amanda would kill him once she found out Miriam was on the other side of the conversation, but he knew their relationship had irrevocably changed. Stabbing at something already dead made no difference.

Miriam’s thumbs danced across the keys, sending messages to Amanda. Each time she received a response, she jotted down notes and then texted again.

“We’ve been trailed, Miriam. You’ll have to be careful if you’re planning to help. When I get out of the car, I’ll leave the hat and sunglasses for you, along with one of the T-shirts. You can’t look like you if you’re to keep Amanda safe.”

“Okay, let’s see what I can do.” The woman grabbed a T-shirt out of the knapsack and put it on over her tank top. It swallowed her whole until she knotted the bottom. She shuffled through her handbag and pulled out a rubber band and a small hairbrush and put her hair up in a ponytail. Miriam brought out a tube of bright red lipstick and applied it to her mouth. She pulled the baseball cap down over forehead and put on the oversize sunglasses. And smiled.

The combination of the sunglasses and lipstick made Mrs. Sloane resemble every other Americana vacationing in paradise. “I think it’ll work,” Chad said.

The traffic lights glowed green at most intersections, giving them an opportunity to make up time. They arrived at the airport and Chad grabbed his mangy Cancun cap and backpack and jumped out of the car. He hugged Miriam. “Good luck. Next time I see you, I expect to meet this daughter of yours.”