Connie stared into Megan’s cold blue eyes. This woman who stood before her was not the one who had left River Valley, and for the first time since they’d met, Connie was a little afraid her. “Megan, you’re not a killer. Zahn’s not worth…”
“Jack shit. He’s not worth the lowest of slugs in the rainforest, Connie, but if you think you can talk me out of this, you’re wasting your breath. I want his blood on my hands. Period. End of story.”
“That’s what I was afraid of.” Connie stroked Megan’s hair and brushed it away from her cheek. Even Megan’s face was different. It looked older, harder somehow. “You really have changed, haven’t you?”
Megan nodded as she folded her hands in her lap. “I’ve learned so much about myself, about my lover, about what I want in life. I want a life with Delta Stevens; even if that means taking the back seat when she pursues some child molester or rapist, even if that means tending to her stiches and bullet wounds when she gets reckless. I want that life.”
Connie inhaled slowly, realizing no words would change Megan’s mind. A woman just doesn’t suffer sexual abuse and then forgive and forget. Some stay damaged for life; others try to drown the memories with alcohol or pills.
But for Megan, her choice was clear: to get even. “If I have anything to say about it, honey, you’ll get that life and then some.”
Megan’s voice softened. “You know, I never thanked you for taking care of her while I was down here ‘finding myself.’ God, Connie, that’s such a fucking cliché.”
Connie sighed. “You seem to have both managed to change and grow while you were gone.”
“I’m sure she was quite a handful.”
Connie grinned. “Quite. But then, that’s what makes her so darn adorable; the way she gets in trouble.”
Megan smiled. “Is that what it is? I thought it was the way she gets out of trouble. Guess she fooled me, eh?”
The expression on Connie’s face suddenly changed. “That’s it.”
“What?”
Connie’s fingers rapidly flew over the computer keys. “You gave me a great idea.” She typed madly. Screens whizzed by, until she came to one Megan didn’t understand.
“What’s that?”
Connie studied the encryption on the laptop before rubbing her hands together. “I say we call Manny’s bluff.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning, we fool him and his government drones into believing we’ve chosen to leave the country instead of playing into their hands. We’ll make him think we gave up.”
“How?”
“Easy. I can get into United’s reservation databank and tell it we did, indeed, board the flight to LAX. If they check the flight log, they’ll think we really returned home. It will take a few minutes to get in the back door of their system, but that ought to do the trick. When Manny checks to see if we went home, it will show that we have.”
Megan beamed. “Brilliant!”
“We’re not taking the fall for anybody.”
“But what about the goons at the door?”
Connie shrugged. “The more red herrings we toss out to Manny, the better. We’ll drop them, sneak out of here, and meet in Rivas, just as planned. He’ll be looking all over for us and will be surprised to see that we’ve left the country.”
“And just for good measure, I’ll make it look as though Josh and Sal flew to Panama instead. Manny won’t be able to find his butt with both hands!”
“Don’t you think they’ll have someone at the airport waiting for us?”
Connie shook her head. “Nope. He’s not expecting us to take that flight. He’s expecting us to jam out of here. Take my word for it; those two goons in the hall aren’t the only two guys waiting for us to make our move. The most important thing is that none of us allows a tail. If Manny gets a tail on any of us, we’re screwed, and he’ll know where we’re headed.”
Megan chuckled to herself. “So, you’ve got him chasing his own tail, is that it?”
Connie nodded, a spark of reserved energy shooting from her eyes. “Wake everybody up and tell them we finally have a plan we can sink our teeth into.”
Delta sunk her teeth into the piece of chicken Flora’s grandmother insisted she eat. She hadn’t been hungry all day; the anticipation of returning to the mainland was filling her stomach with bat-sized butterflies.
“I wish I go, too,” Flora said, as they walked to the boat.
Delta finished her chicken leg and tossed it in one of the trashcans the Ticos were fond of. Warriors, it appeared, came in all shapes and sizes. “It’s too dangerous. Hell, even I shouldn’t be going.”
When they reached the boat, Flora’s father, William, waved Delta on board.
“I’m sorry the Colombians make your father work for them,” Delta said as she watched him throw a plank over the side for her to walk on.
“If he did not, they kill him for boat.”
Delta nodded. “I’m sure they would.”
When the boat was ready, William said a few words to Flora, who translated for Delta.
“Papa say you good person. God be good to you.”
“Tell him thank you, and that I hope to repay him someday.” Delta took Flora’s hands and looked deeply into her eyes. “And thank you so much, my friend, for taking such great care of me. I will never, ever forget you.”
Flora blushed. “No good bye. Come see me. Send me picture cards. Flora Monge Murillo.” Flora handed Delta a bota bag filled with water. “Water importante.” Then, Flora pulled a small pouch from her pocket and handed this to Delta as well. “Eat. These will make you strong. They are cashews.”
Delta took the proffered gifts and nodded. “Thank you. I will send you much more than postcards, Flora Monge Murillo. Gracias, mi amiga. Mi buena amiga.” Clutching her bow and arrows, Delta watched flora disembark and then wave as William pushed the boat away from the dock.
It seemed that Delta met incredible women no matter where she went. She vowed that she would do whatever she could to help Flora realize her dreams of returning to the States for her education. It was the least she could do for the woman who had pulled her through the worst fever Delta had ever suffered. Flora had proved wise beyond her years, and Delta knew she would forever have a warm spot in her heart with Flora’s name on it.
Turning, Delta was startled to find William standing very close to her with a very sharp Bowie knife.
“Por usted,” he said, handing her the knife, hilt first. It was about ten inches in length with an abalone-inlaid handle, and it was beautiful. Then, he wrapped a leather belt around her with a sheath attached.
“Mate los,” he said, making a stabbing motion.
Delta understood exactly what he said, even though her vocabulary didn’t stretch that far. His action was enough. William, who was tired of being threatened and used, wanted her to kill them. He wanted the Bri warrior to protect him and his family.
“Gracias, William,” Delta said, taking the knife and returning it to the sheath. “Well, it looks like I’m about as armed as a girl in the jungle can get, eh?”
William grinned and went back to steering the boat. Delta wondered how he managed the pitch-back sea. He must be an exceptional sailor to be able to navigate in complete darkness.
Complete darkness. Delta had been there and back and apparently, was going there again. What a strange life she led. Staring down at the black water, Delta sighed.
First, Miles, her beat partner and best friend, was killed before her eyes, dying in her arms from a shotgun blast. That darkness had been the loneliest moment of her life. After hunting down his killers, she had been forced to blow one away in a dark warehouse. Then, a psycho from Connie’s past had kidnapped Gina and terrorized River Valley until Delta and Connie had managed to end his little game. Elson Zuckerman had killed a child, and the darkness Delta had felt as she held the lifeless little body in her arms was second only to the intense grief she’d experienced when she cradled Miles’ dead body. T
hey had exposed a child pornography ring specializing in snuff films, and Delta had been forced to kill her second perpetrator. That darkness did not last long, as she and Carducci had each killed, and this had somehow brought them together.
Carducci.
The thought of him made her smile. That young man had so much potential. He had come through for her when she most needed it, had done what few human beings are capable of doing. He had shot a man right between the eyes, managing to save both Delta and a little girl. He’d grown a great deal since she’d first been paired with him, and Delta actually found herself missing him. In the darkness of her beat, she had counted on Carducci and he had not failed her.
Delta had seen her fair share of darkness, but General Zahn and the things he had done to Delta’s lover were darker than evil, darker than the feelings Delta had experienced at the brink of death. No, his was a darkness that had to end. And, one way or the other, it would end at her hands, hands far different from those that had first arrived in Costa Rica.
Watching the water skim past the hull, Delta touched the jaguar tooth on her necklace. She was a Bri warrior now. If she believed the things that happened to her during that ceremony, she should be able to make her way back to them. She wasn’t just going into the jungle. This time, she was a part of it. And only the Bri could tell her where Zahn was. Every hour that went by meant one less hour for his hostages.
“So, we’ve found a way, then.” Carducci said as he packed up the rifles. “I like it. It’s something Delta would do.”
All agreed.
“Indeed. I’m afraid she’s rubbed off on me,” Connie said.
“You could do worse,” Taylor grinned.
“So that’s it, huh? Everyone packed and ready?”
The room was still as everyone nodded solemnly. They were like athletes before a big game. There were nerves, butterflies, tension, and even a sense of relief as they put into action the first leg of their plan. It was game time.
“Great. We split up and head for Rivas from several different directions. Once there, we’ll double-check our equipment and then get moving. Have I forgotten anything?”
Josh shook his head. “Got weapons, maps, compasses, night scopes, machetes, flare gun, first aid, and a whole lotta energy. I haven’t been this stoked since Da Nang.”
Gina slid her hand inside Connie’s. “You just be sure you get your ass to that beach, you hear me?”
Connie nodded. “Loud and clear.”
As they approached the beach, Delta felt the boat’s motor shut down, and she saw William extinguish the lantern. The bow of the boat was dark and creaking as the water slapped against the sides.
“Ahora, aquí,” William said.
Delta grabbed her bow and put it over her shoulder. She checked the arrows and made sure the knife was securely tied.
“Gracias, William,” she said, shaking his hand.
“Bueno suerte, amiga,” William said quietly.
Lowering herself into the warm water, Delta pushed away and began a slow, strong sidestroke to the shore on the east side of the boat. It was like being in a vacuum again. There were no lights other than those from the men on the north shore, and she had no intention of going near there. The good news was that as long as there was gold, she figured there must still be hostages. General Zahn obviously discounted her as a viable opponent and boy, was that a mistake. From this distance, she could use their nighttime drops to her advantage. But first, she needed to find the Bri and see if they could help.
Quietly treading water, Delta figured another hundred yards or so, and she’d be back in the rainforest. Alone again. In the dark, again. Swell. At least she would be able to put this behind her. One way or the other, she would finish what she had started.
Not yet at shore, Delta was surprised when her feet hit bottom. It amazed her how shallow the shelves were in the Caribbean, and she was grateful she hadn’t fallen into one the day she had dropped from the helicopter.
Stepping out of the water, Delta closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. The air on the island had seemed so salty and thick, but this air felt fresher. She’d noticed how good the air smelled once she got away from San Jose. The jungle air smelled like nothing she could remember.
“Now what, Storm?” Delta said aloud. She knew it was safest to travel at night, so she would have to push it while the darkness gave cover. Taking one last look out at the Cimmerian sea behind her, Delta descended into the dark heart of the rainforest.
It didn’t take long for her eyes to adjust and, soon, she was moving at a pretty rapid pace, even though the dense brush. It surprised her how much easier it was to move through the jungle since she’d become united with the Bri. No longer did the strange noises bother her, or the moving shadows scare her. She was no longer a visitor to this place; she was a part of it. She felt a part of the twisting, gnarled root system of the forest floor. She sensed the movement of creatures she could not see. Inhaling the soft scent of the jungle, Delta wondered if there was any air purer than this. And although she was no native, she still knew she belonged. Just knowing that filled her with a sense of peace and contentment, which helped her move rapidly through the underbrush with only a dim light from the moon reaching the forest floor. She had not idea where she was headed, but she was sure that, one way or the other, the Bri would sense her presence and come get her. It was only a matter of time.
Time.
Time had such a different meaning down here than at home. Time governed her life in the states. She had certain places to be at certain hours. The clock was everyone’s worst enemy, dictating when life began and ended. Here, the more time one had, the richer everyone thought you were. Time, here, meant doing something or nothing, as long as it was your choice. The Tacos weren’t concerned about owning the latest VCR. Hell, few of them even owned television sets. They didn’t drive fancy cars, and Delta remembered how she had laughed when she saw several motorcycle riders wearing football helmets in order to obey the helmet law.
These people understood what life was really about. It wasn’t ownership, or trying to fill voids with electronic gadgets. It was about the quality of the time you could spend with the people you loved.
Now, it was time to round up her family and head home. It was time to take a really hard look at her life to see where it was going, what she could do to change the things that weren’t working for her.
Stopping in a little clearing, Delta smelled the air. There was the distinctive scent of death lingering like a black cloud, and it was close to where she stood. She had smelled this odor too many times in her life not to have it permanently embedded in her olfactory system. Was the source of this rotting, fetid stench?
Carefully parting two palmetto branches, Delta saw a canvas bag lying open with various items strewn about the ground. She carefully picked her way over, grabbed it by the bottom and dumped everything on the ground. Squinting through the dark, she spotted a canteen, a first aid kit, and a flashlight. Plucking the flashlight up like she’d just discovered a fine jewel, Delta smiled before placing the head of the flashlight against her stomach and briefly turning it on. “Yes!” she hissed, lowering the beam so as to not give herself away. Sweeping the ground with the light, Delta saw two corpses lying face down on the ground. She looked up through the dark foliage and wondered how far light could travel in the jungle and whether or not turning the flashlight on was wise.
Still, curiosity got the best of her, and Delta shined the flashlight on one of the corpses.
“Aw, yuck,” she muttered, bending over for a closer look. As soon as she saw their clothes, she knew who they were. Poachers, men who caught exotic and endangered species to sell on the black market. They were the reason she was in this mess.
Well… sort of.
When Megan took her internship with a law practice down here, she had become interested in the preservation of scarlet macaws. She and her friend Augustine had entered the jungle in the hopes of finding these poachers.
While in the jungle, Megan had been captured by Zahn, and Augustine was killed.
Coming after Megan brought Delta, Connie, and Sal into direct contact with these poachers, whom the three women had left gagged and bound to a tree.
Apparently, these two had escaped, but by the look of the bullet holes in their shirts, the Colombians, or someone else, had gotten to them anyway.
What was left of them now was barely enough to fertilize a kitchen sill herb garden.
Delta quickly checked for weapons, but these two had been cleaned out. They’d been shot and robbed. An ending, Delta surmised, fitting for men who stole animals from the forest. Grabbing their canteen and knapsack, Delta remembered Flora’s words about the importance of water, and sipped some from her bota.
Looking around, Delta wondered what had happened to the other guy they had left taped up. Had he escaped and gone home to tell the tale? Had he been caught or killed by the Colombians? Perhaps a jaguar had carried him off. In the rain forest, just about anything was possible.
Glancing up through the trees, Delta remembered letting the scarlet macaws free after taking duct tape off their beaks and feet. One of the birds had only one eye and Delta had guessed that it lost the other fighting these two maggot-condos now lying on the floor of the jungle.
“Karma,” Delta whispered, straightening up. “You boys got exactly what you deserved.” Turning the flashlight off, Delta continued through the rainforest, knowing she was ready for anything.
“Ready?” Connie asked Megan for the twelfth time, as they prepared to execute their plan. Josh had taken care of the two government officials with a chokehold that had rendered them unconscious long enough to put them into a cab and have them sent to the other side of the city. Now, it was time for action.
“I’ve been ready for nearly a week,” Megan said slowly. “I can’t wait to see that bastard again.”
Connie held Megan’s hand, looking uneasy. “Meg, this isn’t about Zahn. It’s about Delta and those women, and I need you to remember that. Revenge is not the goal here.”
Storm Surge (Delta Stevens Crime Logs Book 6) Page 8
