The Sooner the Better
Page 10

Jason shrugged. His own hair was dark and clipped short and he didn’t wear glasses. “I don’t know what to tell you. It isn’t me.”
“I’m not sure I’d have made it to El Mirador without his help,” Lorraine told her father.
Thomas leveled his gaze on Jason. “Like I said, lucky for you Lieutenant Jacinto believes you.”
Jason sighed with relief.
“I’ve been able to convince them to let you go back to your hotel room for the night, but they might want to question you again in the morning.”
“Of course. I’ll do anything I can to clear my name,” Jason said eagerly.
“I’ll be here if you need me,” Thomas added.
“Thank you, sir. I appreciate your help more than I can say.”
“Jason won’t disappoint you,” Lorraine said with confidence. “He’ll do whatever he’s supposed to do.”
“Well, for tonight you’re free to go back to the hotel,” Thomas reminded him.
“Thank you again,” Jason said.
Jason, Lorraine and her father left the police station together. The police had repacked his bag and returned it. Her father insisted on walking Jason to his hotel and stopped to talk to the proprietor, an old man who greeted Thomas warmly.
Although Lorraine couldn’t understand what was being said, the gist of the conversation was obvious. The man in the hotel was to keep an eye on Jason.
Thomas didn’t refer to her role in this fiasco until they were almost back at the house. “Why’d you lie about being Jason’s wife?” he asked her point-blank.
“I…I didn’t know what else to do.” She knew she’d displeased him, but that couldn’t be avoided. “I certainly hadn’t planned on doing it,” she qualified. “But when he said I was his wife…” Lorraine gave a helpless shrug. “Anyway, I know Jason’s innocent.”
“You’re that sure?”
“Yes, positive,” she replied without further thought. “Yes,” she said again for emphasis.
Her father was about to say something else, then stopped abruptly. “Antonio,” he called as a youngster ran toward him with an older boy she didn’t recognize.
Antonio had been one of the children playing in the yard at the house, she recalled. Something was clearly wrong, because the boy burst into a torrent of Spanish almost as if he couldn’t get the words out fast enough.
Her father listened and his body language confirmed her guess. He turned, gripping her arms tightly. “We have to get you out of here.”
“Get me out?” Lorraine was nearly too stunned to speak.
“One of the policemen searched your suitcase while we were at the station.”
“But that’s not legal!” she cried in outrage.
“Raine,” he said, shaking her hard. “They found the artifact.”
Five
Jack sat on board Scotch on Water watching the sun sink into a friendly pink sky. This was his favorite time of day. Soon the moon would rise over the water, its reflection silver-bright. He propped his feet on the side of the boat and held a bottle of his favorite Mexican beer. A clear sky, a beer in his hand and his mind free of worries. Life didn’t get any better than this.
With nothing more than the sunset to distract him, Jack let his thoughts wander back to his friend Thomas Dancy. When Thomas had learned of his daughter’s visit, he’d raced back to the school, promising he’d see Jack later. Jack hadn’t even known Dancy had a daughter. Her visit sure wasn’t expected if Dancy’s reaction was anything to go by. He hadn’t heard from his friend since, but he would; Dancy was a man of his word. Jack had delayed having dinner, preferring to let Azucena spoil him with one of her specialties. Man, could she cook! His mouth watered just thinking about what she could do with a fresh fish, a couple of tomatoes, peppers and a few spices. Her tortillas hot from the grill were the best he’d ever tasted. If she was feeling up to it, he’d ask her for a haircut, too. He should shave before dinner, he mused, rubbing his hand down his face. The stubble scraped his palm.
He’d enjoyed seeing Thomas again, even if their visit was cut short. He’d forgotten how much he liked Dancy’s company. Jack had laughed more in the half hour he’d spent with Thomas than he had in weeks. He’d make a point of sticking around until the kid was born. He wanted to be sure he saw lots of Antonio and Hector, too. Those two were pure fun. It didn’t hurt that they worshiped him, either.
His evening plans might have fallen through, but the afternoon hadn’t been wasted. He’d filled the boat’s 480-gallon fuel tanks with diesel and paid for his supplies. They’d be loaded on board first thing in the morning. Given the option of heading toward Florida or Belize, he’d decided to return to the Central American country and would set his course southward as soon as the mood struck him.
“Jack!”
The urgency of the voice caught him off guard. He dropped his feet and stood, tensing with sudden wariness. Then he leaned over the boat’s side, peering toward the dock.
Thomas ran along the waterfront, tugging a blonde in a white pantsuit by the hand. Jack noticed that the woman was having trouble keeping up. Briefly he wondered if she was Dancy’s daughter. Her purse swung wildly at her side and threatened to slip off her shoulder. Both were breathless and appeared to be arguing. As they drew closer, Jack was able to make out their words.
“Antonio’s your son, isn’t he?” She turned to Thomas and Jack could hear the anger in her voice.
“We don’t have time to talk about that now,” Thomas said.
“He called you Papa. How many other children do you have? How many wives?” Then, as if she should have realized it earlier, she added, “Azucena’s your…lover, isn’t she? Why, she can’t be more than three or four years older than me!” Shock and outrage sounded in each word. She lapsed into silence as they approached Jack’s slip.
Thomas’s face was tight with frustration. “I’m here to ask a favor,” he said, looking up at Jack.
“It’s yours,” Jack said, not waiting to hear what it was. Few people in this world warranted that kind of response, but Jack liked and trusted Thomas Dancy.
“Raine, this is Jack Keller.”
Jack nodded in her direction, choosing to disregard the fact that they’d been arguing. “Pleasure to meet you, Raine.”
She barely glanced at him. “I prefer to be called Lorraine,” she said with all the warmth of a rattlesnake.
La-di-da. “Lorraine,” he corrected, and resisted rolling his eyes.
Thomas didn’t waste words. “I need you to get her back to the States without the authorities here finding out.”
Jack read the panic in his friend’s voice and eyes. “In other words, you don’t want me to take her through customs.”
“You got it.” And then Thomas said, “You need to leave now. Right away.”
“Trouble?” Jack asked, ignoring the woman.
“Big trouble.”
“You’re overreacting,” Lorraine insisted. “Once I’m able to explain the situation, I’m sure—”
“We don’t have time to discuss it,” Dancy said, cutting her off.
“The last thing I should be doing now is running,” she countered. “Taking off like this makes me look guilty. I’d rather face the authorities than—” she paused and cast Jack a scornful look “—be stuck with him.”
Apparently Jack didn’t meet her dress code. Truth be known, he wasn’t exactly thrilled about being stuck with her, either.
“We’ve got to get you back to the States,” Thomas said forcefully. “If the police arrest you, I won’t be able to help. They’ll be here any minute. Now go! For the love of God, go!”
Police? Arrested? Her? Jack couldn’t imagine what she’d done to fall into such disfavor with the authorities, but whatever it was had to be major.
“Take her!” Thomas practically propelled her in Jack’s direction. “Get her out of here.”
“My suitcase…my clothes! I can’t just leave like this! Besides, there are things you and I need to talk about.”
“The police have your suitcase! Anyway, do you think they’ll let you keep it when Sergeant Lopez hauls you off to jail? Do you?” Thomas’s composure slipped as his voice rose in fear and anger. “Trust me, you don’t want to see the inside of a Mexican jail. Now go! Hurry. Get the hell out of here.” He was shouting, gesturing frantically for Jack to take her. Thomas untied the rope from the dock and tossed it onto the deck.
“The American Embassy will help me,” Lorraine said as she reluctantly climbed on board. Scotch on Water rocked slightly with her entry. “When I explain that I know nothing about the artifact,” she went on, “they’ll square everything with the Mexican government.”
Even without knowing her circumstances, Jack could see the woman lived in a fantasy world. Once she was in the hands of the Mexican authorities, there was little anyone could do to help her. The willingness—and ability—of the American Embassy to assist her was a matter best left to speculation. Thomas knew this as well as Jack did.
“Please—just go,” Thomas pleaded.
“But—”
The boat’s engine fired to life with a roar. A burst of exhaust fumes polluted the air.
“But I only just arrived!” she shouted. The high-pitched plea in her voice could be heard over the noise of the engine. “I—there’s things I need to know before I leave… This isn’t right. None of this.”
Jack heard her distress but felt no real sympathy.
“This isn’t what I want, either,” Thomas said. Slowly, as if it ripped his heart out, he stepped away from the slip. “I’ll find a way to reach you,” he promised. “You have precious cargo, my friend,” he told Jack, his eyes filled with pain. “Get her safely back to the States for me.”
The situation was urgent; that much was obvious. Without waiting any longer, Jack climbed to the flybridge. Thomas remained at the far end of the dock and watched them pull out.
Looking over his shoulder, Jack noticed that Lorraine stood at the rear of the cabin cruiser. He pushed the lever forward, easing the craft out of the protected waters of the marina. Lorraine leaned against the gunwale, arms crossed. Even from the back, Jack could tell how furious she was. She might be tempted to leap overboard and swim back to land, but he wouldn’t recommend it.
Not long afterward, the empty feeling in the pit of his stomach reminded Jack that he hadn’t eaten yet. Furthermore, there was almost no food on board. The supplies he’d ordered and paid for were back in El Mirador on the storekeeper’s porch. Not only was he out his supplies, but he was stuck with a woman who was sure to irritate him every time she opened her mouth.
No, this certainly wasn’t how he’d thought his evening would go. No, sir. Not at all.