Vacation Therapy (10 page)

The boat entered a canopy of overgrown trees and plant life. The mangrove closed in and slowly darkened. Branches interwove into a low ceiling of green and brown. The temperature decreased a few degrees, but the humidity increased as the tunnel of trees moved in closer. The brackish water smelled of decaying plants and animal life. Even in the full sunlight, the water appeared black, unlike the ocean's bright blue transparencies. Here, the sun didn't penetrate the brine.

"I wonder what's underneath the water's surface. It's so dark. You can't see anything."

A flash of silver splashed out of the water next to me. I jumped in my seat, and almost landed in Tom's lap. My heart throbbed in my chest.

Tom laughed. “I know there are supposed to be piranha in these waters.” He moved closer to me and pressed me closer to the side of the boat.

I pushed back against him. “I was wondering what could live in there, but I doubt there are piranha."

"It's true. They have piranha. I read it in the resort's pamphlet."

I stared at him, not believing a word.

"You know the pamphlet that told us all about the things to beware of while outside of the hotel.” His eyebrows rose up, questioning.

"Next thing you'll be telling me that we're right in the middle of Jurassic Park. Hurry folks, come to Club Fred. It's better than Disneyland. The lines are shorter because our attractions eat the visitors."

"You got it.” Tom laughed.

"But I don't want it, remember? A friend of mine signed me up for this."

"And you're telling me you're not having fun?"

"Don't get me started."

"Duck!” Gary shouted.

I ducked as the canopy closed in on us.

Tom didn't duck in time, and a low branch slapped him in the side of the head. “Oww!” he said, rubbing the area.

"Did it hit you in the eye?"

"I don't think so.” Tom pulled his hand away and turned to face me. “Any blood?” His eye was tearing and a scratch ran along side of his cheek, along with a red spot where the branch hit him.

"Your eye looks fine. There's a little scratch with a few drops of blood..."

"Blood. Won't that attract sharks?” Tom asked.

Gary turned around and scowled at us.

"I hope it does. Maybe I'll get to use my camera after all.” I brought it to my eye and peered through the lens. “Go ahead, stick your head in the water, and we'll see what finds you."

The older traveler looked around the jungle and snapped a few pictures, and the magnetic boys held a lip lock that made me wonder if their pierced tongues were stuck together.

The boat changed directions sharply and scraped up against another tree branch. A shower of dead leaves cascaded down into the boat. The river continued to twist and turn, sending us deeper into the swamp. More fish—at least I hoped they were fish—jumped in the water alongside. A heron flew overhead with a crab dangling from its beak.

For the next forty-five minutes, we dodged and ducked tree limbs, enjoying the various shades of green and the variety of exotic foliage as it floated by.

Our boat rounded a bend, and the bow of another yellow boat, just like the one we rode in, poked out of the water to our left. The paint was faded, and the hull was covered with mud and vegetation. How long had that been there, I wondered, and what had happened to its passengers?

Everyone else on board must have been thinking the same thing, because we all leaned forward, trying to see if a skeleton was inside, floating just below the water's surface.

The feeling someone was watching me returned. Before I could turn around, I thought I heard a low grunt and a sharp
snap
.

Glancing up, a flash of gray-white contrasted against the dark green canopy. Something came sailing through the air. It looked like a tree limb falling, but this wood was moving, wiggling. Another shower of leaves cascaded around us in all directions as the large brown and gray object coiled and uncoiled. It almost caught hold of a branch. It hung there for a second and then landed right in the lap of the skinny guy in the bright yellow shirt.

My mind flashed.
Snake
.

The man shrieked in panic. “Black Mamba! Black Mamba!” he cried, beating at his lap.

The confused snake rolled around, trying to right itself. Its light underbelly flashed with each turn.

The skinny guy thrashed around in his seat, rocking the whole boat wildly from side to side, threatening to tip us over.

Everyone grabbed on to the sides of the boat, trying to stabilize it. I glanced to the right where I thought the snake had come from and thought I saw a shadow dash off into the jungle.

The magnetic boys jumped into action. One of them spun the panicked guy around and slapped him in the face, trying to calm him down. After he was stunned into silence, the other magnetic guy reached into his lap and snatched the snake up. He grasped it by the neck and turned it around to look into its black eyes. He growled at it once, and then tossed it into the water.

The snake swam off into the grove.

"Everything all right up there?” the captain called from behind us.

"Yeah,” the magnetic boys answered in unison.

"Okay,” the captain said, and continued grumbling in Spanish as he made on our way, as if nothing had happened.

Had someone just thrown that snake into our boat?

"Are you all right?” Tom asked. “You look pale."

I whispered. “I don't do snakes and I think someone threw that snake into the boat."

"What?"

"I think I saw someone on shore run into the jungle right after the snake landed in that guy's lap."

"Are you sure?” Tom looked into the foliage.

"I don't know, but on the way to the jungle cruise, I had this strange feeling that someone was following me, but it disappeared once I got into the boat."

"Was that before or after I arrived?” Tom asked.

"It disappeared right after you showed up."

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Once our boat docked, everyone huddled around Gary as he checked over the snake-shocked skinny guy. He continued mumbling about Black Mambas and wiping at his pants. Gary pulled the guy's yellow shirt off and inspected his quivering body for any visible bite marks. Each rib stuck out under his pale skin, but no red spots marked his torso.

Stepping forward, I asked Gary, “Are his pupils the same size?"

He tipped the guy's head back and examined his eyes. “Yeah, they're about the same.” He turned the guy's head to the side and revealed an angry red spot, which had risen up on the cheek where the magnetic boy slapped him.

"Sorry man,” the magnetic boy apologized, his tongue clicking a stud against his teeth.

"I panicked,” the skinny guy said. “I needed it.” His eyes still held a blank stare and tremors racked his slender frame.

"Is there a blanket on the truck?” I asked Gary. “It may help prevent him from going into shock."

The group helped move him toward the truck as Gary ran ahead and returned with a serape. He wrapped it around the guy and pulled him next to his broad body.

Seeing that everything was under control, I veered away from the truck and turned to Tom. “How did you get here?"

Tom motioned to a path that cut through the trees. A white arrow reading “Beach” pointed in the same direction. “I came through there,” he said. The crash of the surf rolled through the foliage.

"Gary,” I called over my shoulder. “I'm walking back to the resort. I need some fresh air.” Before Gary could respond, I headed into the narrow opening in the scrub trees and pushed my way through. I wasn't waiting for Gary to take a head count for our return trip.

"I'll keep you company.” Tom scrambled to keep up.

Great. All I wanted was to be left alone for just a few minutes to process what had just happened. But how could I tactfully refuse Tom without hurting his feelings? For all I knew, he was the one who had followed me to the jungle cruise.

Pushing through the brushwood, my mind raced. Was Tom stalking me? Why would he do that? The feeling of being watched had disappeared as soon as he appeared. Maybe he had been watching me from the trees, but why?

And why had he tried to get me to stay in that front seat of the boat? Did he know that the snake was going to land there? Had he somehow signaled someone to drop that snake on the guy sitting in the front seat? But how could he have done that? Cell phone?

Now I was starting to sound like one of my patients with a head injury.

As the undergrowth scratched at my legs, the thought struck me: Tom wasn't the only one who had wanted me to stay in the front seat. Gary had yelled at me when I stood up and moved to the back of the boat. He said he was worried that I would tip the boat over, but I don't think that I could have with him and that heavyset guy sitting there. The boat had seemed pretty stable when I got in and out.

Could they both have tried to drop that snake on me? But they didn't know that I was afraid of snakes. Or did they? But what would their motive have been? Well, I hadn't listened to either one of them, and moved to the back of the boat.

But if Tom hadn't shown up, I probably would've stayed in the front seat. My body shuddered at that thought. So in a way, Tom had saved me from that snake. A branch snagged my yellow T-shirt and refused to untangle. I jerked my shoulder hard and heard my shirt rip. The twig cracked and broke off as I stormed through the brush. It dangled from the tear and I reached up and pulled it free. Throwing it down onto the ground, I grumbled under my breath. “Molly, I'm going to kill you when I get home."

"Maybe I should call and warn her,” Tom said from behind me.

The vegetation thinned and pulled back, opening out onto the beach. The sun hung low in the sky and turned it a greenish pink. Thick heavy clouds clumped at the horizon. Stepping out onto the sand, I was invigorated by the ocean's cool breeze over my sweating body. The roar of the surf calmed my senses, but an electric buzz tingled over me, making all the hair on my body stand up on end. Now what was brewing? Or was I slowly bleeding to death from all the tiny cuts I received walking through the jungle?

Tom stepped into stride next to me. “So do I need to warn Molly or..."

"I'm sorry Tom, but I'm really not in the mood for company right now.” Looking down the beach toward the resort, I saw that only a few guys littered the beach. “Where did everyone go?"

A smirk played across Tom mouth. “I'm sure they're cleaning up for supper. Some
men
can be even more prissy than women, especially when they're on the hunt."

My forehead wrinkled in confusion, and then the light came on. “I see. So supper is going to be an event?"

"Of course. Everyone has to show off how much color they got today. They'll be comparing tans and darkening their tan lines in a big way, all week long."

My face itched from the sun, and prickles ran down my neck and across my whole body. A shower was going to feel great when I got back to the room, despite what had been in there last night. I looked down at my pink, scraped arms. The sunscreen hadn't blocked enough ultraviolet rays. I'd need my Benadryl to prevent an awful allergic reaction.

I grabbed my shirt and pulled it away from my chest. Yellow. Just like the yellow shirt the guy had on when the snake dropped on him.

"What?” Tom asked when we stopped in our tracks.

"My shirt... it's the same color as the one..."

"The guy was wearing on the boat,” Tom finished. “Do you think the snake was meant for you?"

I tried to read Tom's face, but because he was an actor, it made me question what was real and what was for show. Could I trust him? Maybe he was the one who had followed me to the boat? Why else had he shown up on the jungle cruise?

He must have read my expression, because he said, “You don't think that I had anything to do with that, do you?"

"I really don't know what to think anymore. It just seems like too much of a coincidence for a snake to be dropped in the same place I was sitting only a short time before.” I swallowed hard.

"But why would anyone do that?"

"To scare me off of the resort?” I asked.

"But why?” And the obvious answer came to him. “The body!"

"I was just starting to think that myself.” I ran my fingers through my hair.

"Do you think whoever killed him is after you?"

"What else can I think? If I hadn't moved to the back of the boat with you..."

Tom scratched his head. “I tried to make you stay in the front seat. I probably look pretty suspicious to you right about now, don't I?"

Nodding my head, we started walking toward the resort again.

Tom hit the side of his head with his palm. “Idiot! No wonder you look like you were going to jump out of your skin. I'm sorry.” He held up his hands in surrender. “You had a great seat, and I didn't want you giving it up to sit with me. I could've sat alone."

I looked into his eyes. Could he have planned to drop a snake on me during the cruise? But if he had, why did he get on the boat? To make sure I went? To make sure the snake fell on the right person? To scare the hell out of me? Throw me overboard? But why? Nothing seemed to be making sense.

The volleyball net whistled in the breeze. Ducking underneath, I tentatively glanced over at the spot where I tripped over Duane's body the night before.

Tom followed my gaze. “Is that where you found him? Then why the hell were we sitting so close to that spot?” Then he answered the question for himself. “Because that's where I chose to sit today, right?"

Before I could respond, he continued. “We can sit somewhere else tomorrow.” A pained look fell across his face when he saw my facial expression. “That is, if you don't suspect me of..."

Passing our chaise lounges and palm frond umbrella, I paused and glanced around. “It sure was a great place to lie out. Away from the pool and most of the commotion of the resort,” I said.

"But we can go wherever you want.” Tom waved his hand across the beach.

"Maybe I should stay in my room for the rest of this trip."