“I cannot thank you enough, Tom,” he said. He had tears in his eyes. “You found my girl and kept her safe.”
“She’s very tough—and very brave.”
Rob translated for Amelia, who grinned. “She gets that from her mama,” he said.
“I’m glad you’re okay too, sir,” I said. “Jack told me he’d ordered a hit on you. One of his goons took off on a jet ski to set it up.”
“We picked him up on our way here. He was happy to talk,” Rob said. “My men in Cancun picked up my would-be killers. We have also taken into custody the two men who were planning to hurt Kat’s father.”
“So Mike’s safe? Are you sure?”
“He’s fine,” Kat said. “Your dad made it to the hospital just as Alex and I were leaving. Alex stayed with Daddy. I texted her a few minutes ago to say you’re okay. Daddy’s good. And they aren’t alone anyway. Your dad made sure some of their ‘friends’ stayed in the hospital to guard him.”
I looked at Dad. “Friends?”
“I got permission for a few of Mike’s agents to meet me in Cancun. We pulled a few strings. And as great as Alex seemed, I wasn’t leaving Mike alone with her. For all I knew, she could have worked for Jack. With all this crazy double-crossing stuff, I wasn’t taking any chances. But it turns out she’s just a nice lady from Virginia after all.”
I had to laugh. Like father, like son. No wonder my radar was always on high alert.
“Mike’s buddies were allowed to come,” Dad continued. “But we did get stopped at Immigration. Seems passports of people in their line of work are getting some extra attention right now.”
I thought of Mike getting pulled in at the Cancun airport. They must have flagged his passport too.
“I’m afraid you have me to blame for that.” The voice came from behind Kat and Dad. They moved aside to make room for the speaker. When I saw who it was, I couldn’t believe it.
Red Shirt.
Rob was smiling. “This is Eric Cohen, the security expert we brought in from the States,” he said. “I hear you met him already.”
Red Shirt was Eric Cohen, the guy I’d read about in the paper? My brain was spinning again.
“So your meeting on the marina yacht was about security?” I asked.
Red Shirt—Eric—looked surprised. “So you did hear us?”
“Not really. I thought maybe you were with the cartels. You talked about your plans—” I stopped, feeling stupid.
“You really aren’t a regular kid, are you?” Eric sounded impressed. “If you ever want a job, come see me. I’m based in Detroit.” He turned to Rob. “In the meantime, I need to get going.”
“Jack’s meeting with the cartels is going ahead tomorrow night. Since he kept his real identity secret, we have someone taking his place,” Rob explained. “With luck, we will be able to grab the leaders of the cartels at the meeting. The word Cancun actually means ‘the nest of the snakes.’ Hopefully we will cut off a few snakes’ heads tomorrow night. And then we can drive the cartels out of the Mayan Riviera.” Rob looked at Amelia. “But tonight we’ll just have a quiet evening at home.”
Amelia hugged me again. Then she and her dad went below.
“We’re getting dropped off at the resort,” Dad explained. “I can’t wait to see that suite in person. And that marina!” He grinned like a kid. “How late are the bars open? I could really use a drink.” With that, Dad wandered below, probably looking for one.
“We’ve created a vacation monster,” I said.
“That’s okay. Then he’ll want to come back here again.” Kat wrapped her arms around me. She put her head on my shoulder. “After the last two days, I feel like I need a whole new vacation.”
I nodded. “Me too. At least we have tomorrow. And they’ll need us back to testify as some point, I guess.”
“True. Daddy’s talked them into letting him out of the hospital first thing tomorrow. I tried to argue. But you know what he’s like.”
“Well then. Here’s to one more full day for now. We’re all safe. And we’ll all be together soon,” I said. “Most importantly, I’m with you. As lame as it sounds, that’s my definition of paradise.”
“Back at you.”
Then Kat gave me a very long, very hot kiss.
Paradise was looking up.
Acknowledgments
Any good teacher-librarian will tell you that research is important. I was very blessed to have some great research companions helping me out with Mayan Murder and its prequel, River Traffic.
My boating and marina enthusiasts: Cynthia Goddard, Alexander Mickle, the Mancinis, Terri Patterson, Rob Ferguson and Rob Wilkie.
My Detroit River experts: Rob Ferguson, Vicki Petras and the Pattersons.
My law-enforcement connections: Michael Martin and Joe Rafuse.
My on-site research team for River Traffic: Laura and Meaghan Wilkie, Emma Martin and Sophie the Smiling Research Dog.
My on-site research partners: the Schauer family and Carol Legge, who have been our frequent companions in the Mayan—and who witnessed the flabongo firsthand!
I’ve also been blessed to have some fabulous writer buddies I’d like to thank:
Marsha Skrypuch, who took my writing interest and turned it into a passion. Thanks, Sensei, for everything—from Kidcrit to Book Camp to contract help.
Eric Walters, who kept encouraging me to start writing again and then let me do it in my own way, in my own time. (You were right—Andrew is a “good guy.”)
Julie Kentner, who leaped into the breach to edit. We’ll always have Sir Henry and the Ho Inn.
Marina Cohen, who has never stopped being my cheerleader, beta reader, plot prodder and confidante. Thanks for sharing the journey with me and never losing faith that I’d be joining you on a fiction shelf someday! This book is especially for you.
Last but not least, I’d like to thank Andrew Wooldridge and the Orca pod for welcoming me with open dorsal fins and showing me how to navigate the shoals of fiction publishing. You guys rock!
Martha Brack Martin is the author of the Orca Soundings title River Traffic, which was chosen as a Best Bets for Kids and Teens 2017 by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre. She is also an award-winning teacher–librarian. She lives in a small town near Windsor, Ontario.
TOM LEFAVE is trying to hold his world together. His familyʼs marina is struggling. His dad is full of secrets. And the quarterback of the football team hates his guts. When a huge yacht docks at Tomʼs marina, things look brighter, especially when he meets Kat, the daughter of the boatʼs owner. Kat and Tom share a love of rum-running history. Itʼs not long, however, before Tom starts to realize thereʼs something more than history happening on the river. And if Tom canʼt figure it out in time, he just might be history too.
Chapter One
I had only seconds to spare. The other machine was right on my tail. If I turned too soon, I’d be dead.
I squeezed the throttle and pulled ahead a few more meters.
I risked a second glance back at the other Jet Ski in my wake. It was closing in! I carved the water as I swung my machine to the right…
And suddenly I was airborne.
I felt the yank on my life jacket as I flew off, taking the ignition key with me. Then a shock as I hit the cold river water.
Coming up, I checked on my machine. It was nearby, bobbing in the waves. Nate held the steering wheel. He didn’t look as thrilled as I thought he would. After all, he’d just won our race.
“You beat me! Why aren’t you happy?” I yelled. Nate was looking past me, over my shoulder.
I whipped my head around.
Dominik Oleg, the biggest jerk in the world, was in a sleek speedboat idling just behind me. His ride must have cost at least $80,000. He looked down at me as I bobbed in the water.
“Of course he won.” Oleg smirked, moving his boat closer as Nate brought my Jet Ski over. “You could never win any race with that piece of crap, LeFave.”
“He coul
d have if you didn’t swamp his machine!” Nate yelled over the motor.
“Hey, I can’t help it if your friend doesn’t know how to drive, Murphy. Maybe you shouldn’t hang around with losers. Stick with the guys on the team.”
Just because Oleg was the quarterback, he thought he could tell the rest of the team what to do. Especially the younger ones like Nate.
“I can pick my own friends, thanks.”
I was glad to see Nate wasn’t backing down. I just hoped Oleg didn’t make him pay for it later.
“Whatever.” Oleg pointed at my Jet Ski. “Did you borrow that from your daddy’s dumpy marina? Bet no one else wanted it.”
“Shut up, Oleg. At least I paid for my machine myself. I didn’t need my daddy to buy it for me.”
Oleg’s eyes flared. I knew I’d hit a nerve.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, LeFave. I’m making so much bank right now, I don’t need my father to buy me anything. And it’s only gonna get better,” he bragged.
“Yeah, sure it is. ’Cause you’re a high roller. In your mind at least,” I said.
“Listen.” Oleg pointed at Boblo Island behind him. I could just see the row of million-dollar mansions through the trees on the shore. I knew he lived in the biggest one. “You boys are playing in my backyard. And you’re way out of your league.” He suddenly honked his boat’s horn, scaring the crap out of Nate and me. His grin was a nasty threat.
“Don’t play with the big boys. You won’t like how the game ends.”
Mayan Murder Page 6
