“Don’t worry about me, Connie. I won’t blow it.”
Connie cast a questioning glance at Gina, who said, “Megan, we all agreed we’d get these women out and then beat it out of there. Don’t let your vengeance put us in danger. It won’t be worth it.”
A pair of scarlet macaws flew noisily above them, cawing the entire time.
Megan shrugged. She couldn’t expect any of them to get it. As much as she loved them, Megan knew no one could understand having been a prostitute didn’t mean she could handle being raped and sodomized. “Until you’ve been fucked up the ass by a man who thinks you enjoy it, Gene, don’t tell me what’s worth it and what isn’t.” Megan’s voice was harsh and biting.
Gina glanced down at her belly and placed Megan’s hand on it. Pressing firmly on Megan’s hand, Gina didn’t let up. “You tell me, Megan. Isn’t she worth it? Would you honestly put her or us in danger just to kill him?”
Him. She saw his face around every corner and through every darkness.
Megan stared up at the clouds sprinkled overhead, remembering his filthy hands groping her breasts, the way he rammed his dick into her so he could feel her breasts move. She remembered his foul odor and having to bathe him before giving head. And she remembered him on top of her and pulling out as he came all over her stomach as if doing so somehow displayed his machismo.
Megan remembered, all right. Her memories, like a glowing brand, were seared into her soul. “I won’t put anyone at risk, Gina, but I am going to kill him.”
Connie shook her head, but said nothing.
“What?” Megan asked. “You expect me to roll over and pretend it didn’t happen? Well, it did! And we either get him now or I get him later. The choice is simple.”
Looking up, Connie shook her head sadly. “You do so remind me of Delta right now, Megan, and I know there is no way in hell we can talk you out of this.”
Megan stared down hard into Connie’s eyes. “Absolutely no way.”
Connie looked into a pair of eyes she did not know. Whatever force of rage had changed Megan’s spirit, it had overwhelmed the soft, sweet woman she knew and loved, and turned her into something unfamiliar and harsh.
“Don’t be blinded by your anger and hatred, Megan, okay? Think clearly.”
“Clearly?” Taylor muttered, walking away from the intensity of the moment. Sal was on her heels in an instant.
“They’re all loco,” Sal explained to Taylor as she, too, sought respite from the tension.
Taylor stopped and stared at Sal. “From what I gather, dear heart, you could afford a couple hundred trips to a psychiatrist yourself.”
“Being part of Delta’s life really is to embrace a little lunacy,” Sal agreed. “There’s not a sane one of us in the bunch.”
“Sane?” Carducci queried, joining Sal and Taylor. “Try flat-out nuts. Did you know,” he said, turning to Josh, who had just finished loading his rented Subaru, “that Delta gave her gun up when not one, but two men had weapons? Now, that’s insane. All the shit they teach us in the academy about never giving our weapon up, and she does. Delta doesn’t follow rules. She breaks them.” Carducci, Josh, Sal, and Taylor returned to Megan, Connie, and Gina, forming a small circle.
Megan nodded. “And she would kill Zahn, wouldn’t she?”
Everyone looked around at each other, until all eyes settled on Connie, the only one who knew, for sure, if Delta would find a way to kill Zahn. One silent minute turned into two as Connie studied each waiting face.
“Well?” Carducci asked, jamming his hands into his pockets.
Connie nodded slowly. “Yes, Megan, Delta would go back and kill Zahn.”
Megan folded her arms. “And you’re all okay with that, but you have a hard time with the fact that soft, sweet, sodomized Megan wants to? Delta’s not the only one among us capable of killing.” Megan looked into the eyes of every one of them. “With the exception of Gina and Taylor, every one of us has killed a man.”
Taylor shook her head. “You don’t know I haven’t killed anyone,” she said softly. Everyone stared at her, but no one said a word.
Megan nodded. “Then stop giving me shift for wanting that fucker’s head removed from his body.”
“Meg…”
Megan held her hand up to stop the protest. “No. If I have the opening to take him out, I will. End of story. Do not try to stop me.”
There was nothing else to be said.
Connie stepped up to the group and inhaled deeply. “I guess this is it. We’ll all meet in Rivas tonight, with the exception of Gina, who is flying to the coast, where Logan will pick her up. You got everything you need, baby?”
Gina looked in her duffel and nodded. “I’m all set.”
“Okay then. Time for a few quick goodbyes, and then you guys gotta shove off.” Connie slid her arm around Gina’s thick waist and pulled her closer. Walking away from the group, Connie leaned in and kissed Gina’s neck. “I promise that when we get out of this, and we bring that beautiful little girl into the world, Delta and I both will start living for our families, okay?”
Gina reached out and stroked Connie’s face. “I love both of you for the excitement you bring into life. Just think of all the wonderful stories we have to share with our child. None of it would be possible if you and Delta didn’t insist on living on the edge.”
“Me?” Connie was genuinely aghast.
Gina laughed. “Oh, my sweetest love, you forget how well I know you. You’d like the world to believe that you just spend your life getting Delta out of jams, but the truth is you need her even more than you need me. You need her fire, her spirit, and her energy. She’s what makes you, you. Good, bad, or indifferent, I love you both for the way you live life. Don’t ever apologize for the gusto with which you live, my love.”
Connie wrapped her arms around Gina and hugged her tightly. “I love you so much.”
“I love you. And no matter what happens in that jungle, you remember that when this is through, we’re going to have a child to tell the story to.”
The boys and girls saw Delta before she saw them. After pushing her way through the jungle for most of the night, Delta had stopped just to rest, but apparently, by the looks of the dawn peeking through the trees, it had turned into more than a short nap. Delta cursed herself under her breath for not being at full strength.
The little Bribri boy stopped still when he saw Delta rise. The look of fear on his face immediately turned to one of recognition. It wasn’t every day that an indigenous tribe had the opportunity to see a 5’9” white woman inducted as a warrior. It had been a time of celebration, a time when a tribe could be strengthened by a warrior’s spirit.
Delta grinned at the children. “Hi there,” she said, knowing they would not understand her. The Bri still had their own tongue. At least, they would until the damned missionaries infested their lives and changed their culture forever.
As if understanding her plight, the little boy took her hand and, a half hour later, Delta found herself on the fringes of the Bri village.
This was not the tranquil scene she’d been brought to before. This time, a heavy pall hovered ominously in the air. Something had happened that affected everyone in the village. She could hear chanting in the corner where Shaman kept his home. There was definitely something amiss. She could feel it in her heart.
Taking Delta’s hand again and pulling her to the other side of the valley, the boy brought her to the bonfire area outside Shaman’s hut. Standing all around the hut were the warriors, handling spears, and wearing war paint and unreadable expressions.
Last time, Tamar was here to interpret. Unfortunately, Tamar fell victim a Colombian bullet, ending his young life far too soon. If Delta was going to communicate with her new people, she would have to do so on her own.
Pulling her hand from the boy’s, Delta waited. Whatever was going on in the hut must have included a deep sorrow because the warriors’ expressions were like death masks.
&nbs
p; Death masks.
Death.
Suddenly, Delta remembered thinking she had seen Shaman in the trees, alone, when they were forced to leave Tamar’s lifeless body behind. Was that her imagination, or had Shaman followed them that day that felt like years ago? Delta could no longer contain herself. Something terrible had happened, and she needed to know what.
“Itka!” Her voice cracked as she called the chieftain’s name. She had no idea what she would say beyond that, since verbal communication was virtually impossible.
Just then, Itka slowly exited Shaman’s hut, his face rigid in a frown. When he saw Delta, he gave her a slight smile and nod, as if he’d been expecting her.
When the short, wizened old man stood before her, Delta bowed her head. He was, after all, her chieftain, and submission was required. Delta did not need a rulebook to know this, but it was odd how familiar and normal being here was to her. In River Valley, Delta bowed to no man, which had gotten her into some of her troubles. But here, with this little old man standing before her, she knew her place and could acknowledge his.
“Del-ta,” he said, taking her hands in his thick, callused ones.
“Itka,” she replied, squeezing his hands. “What’s going on?”
Itka looked over at the warriors, who were swaying and chanting, and beckoned Delta to follow him.
She was not prepared for what she was about to see. She was not prepared for the reaction her heart and soul would have when Itka motioned for her to step through the door. As soon as she did, Delta’s heart sank.
“Oh no.”
“Oh no,” the little girl said, plopping down on a wooden stool. A black and white-faced Capuchin monkey hopped around in the trees behind her.
Connie nodded. “I’m sorry you had to find out from me, Bianca, but as you might have guessed, I’m desperate.”
Bianca, a sixteen-year-old Costa Rican girl, shook her head sadly. “I wondered why Manny always came and left. Mama wondered, too. I couldn’t figure out how he kept his tour guide job when he was gone so much.” Bianca stared out the window, deep in thought. “And then there was his English. Manny had never spoken English as well as I, and suddenly, he could. I guess I was too preoccupied at the time to give it much thought.”
Connie patted Bianca’s shoulder. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. Manny made a decision about his life. He didn’t need to discuss it with his little sister.”
Bianca sighed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if papa knew. My father’s a diplomat, you know. He probably helped Manny get the job.”
“I’m sorry.” Connie didn’t really know what else to say.
“We all change, I guess. I’m not one of those stupid little kids who don’t know that.” Bianca stared at a distant point before slowly turning around and locking eyes with Connie. “So, you’re going back after her?”
Connie nodded, amazed at how bright this young woman was. Delta had told Connie how much Bianca had reminded her of how Con might have been at that age, and Delta was right. Bianca’s eyes held maturity and wisdom beyond her sixteen years.
“I have to. She’s my best friend.”
Bianca nodded. Sixteen-year-olds understand the power and importance of friendship, and Bianca was no exception. She had taken a liking to Delta right off.
“When was the last time you saw any Colombians?” Connie asked.
“They were here for three nights a couple of days ago. I knew something had happened because they never spend one night, let alone three. They were obviously looking for someone. Two of the kids came to get me and told me they were asking about a tall American woman. They asked some of the adults if a helicopter had landed nearby.”
Connie felt her throat tighten. “What did they say?”
It was Bianca’s turn to offer solace, and she patted Connie’s shoulder. “The people of Rivas are good, kind people, Connie. We take care of each other and the people we love. No one said a word.”
Connie released a sigh. “So, the Colombians left?”
“Yes, and haven’t been back.”
“Good. I need a place with a phone.”
“No problem. My uncle is away and has a nice house with a phone. Hot water, even.”
“Excellent. I’ll need another pair of eyes to make sure my friends get here okay, and to show them where I am.”
Bianca pointed to her own eyes. “Check. I’ll put some of the kids on the main road, just in case.”
Connie cocked her head at this amazing young woman. “You sure you’re only sixteen??”
“Age is irrelevant. Next?”
Chuckling, Connie handed Bianca a list. “Those are the only supplies I didn’t pick up. Would you mind getting them for me?”
Bianca scanned the list briefly before sticking it in her pocket. “Needle and thread? In case you have to sew anybody up, eh?”
Connie nodded. “Let’s hope Delta’s already been repaired.”
Bianca rose and clicked her tongue. The monkey in the tree stopped eating the leaves and jumped through the window of the bar where Connie had found Bianca drinking a coke and talking to the bartender. “I’ll put one of the Vargas kids at the entrance to La Amistad. They’ll tell us if the Colombians come out. Those Vargas kids can really scoot.”
“Excellent.”
Bianca grunted, shaking her head. “Obviously, espionage activities run in the family. And here I thought Manny was just helping out a stranger when he offered to go into the jungle with Delta. I wondered why he went back after her. I thought maybe it was puppy love or something, but I never thought my brother was a special agent for the DEA.”
“I’m really sorry you had to find out this way. Family issues should remain in the family.” Connie understood the special nature of Latino families and the importance of privacy. In her family, airing family laundry was a good way to get a whipping.
Bianca shrugged, and the monkey on her shoulder appeared to do the same. “My family is this country, Connie. I may be going to school in Canada, but my heart is here. This forest, the animals in it, the Bribri, all of it make me who I am. I only wish Manny had felt the same way. The important thing is to get those poor people out.”
Connie heaved a loud sigh. She was pushing the envelope of exhaustion and needed some rest. “Thank you so much for your help, Bianca. Seems we’re going to need it.”
“Not a problem. Someone needs to stop them. There’s been too much loss and pain already.”
Connie reached out and touched Bianca’s shoulder. Kiki eyed Connie’s hand with interest. “I wish there was something I could say to ease your pain, Bianca. I know how disappointed you must feel.”
Bianca looked away and nodded. “If we can help get those people out, I’ll feel a whole lot better about the pain in my heart where Manny once was.”
Connie thought about the pain in her heart as a result of Delta’s absence. If this was a permanent condition, she was afraid she didn’t know what true pain was, yet. She hoped she wouldn’t ever have to find out, because if Delta was dead…
“Is he dead?” Delta couldn’t believe it. Lying on a hammock in the middle of the tiny room, Shaman was dotted with red bullet holes. Miraculously, the bleeding had subsided, but Delta knew he didn’t have much longer on the secular plane.
His wounds had taken their toll on him and even the Bri’s great knowledge of medicines could not bring him back.
Dropping to her knees, she took his frail hand in hers and brought it to her cheek. This man had singularly affected her life. He had taught her so much in such a short amount of time. He had taught her just how precious life really was, and now he was dying. This loss shook her every nerve as she leaned over him and studied his pale features.
“No,” she said softly, looking at his riddled body. “Not you. Please, not you.”
Shaman’s eyelids fluttered open briefly, and he turned his head toward Delta. She so wished she had the words, any words, to convey how sorry she was to have involved these people in this mes
s.
“I am so, so sorry,” she said, pressing her cheek to his palm. “Not you.”
Shaman whispered several sentences to Itka before looking back at Delta. He stared at her for a long time before smiling at her. Then, he motioned for Itka.
Rising, Delta turned to Itka, who led her outside.
“Oh, Itka, you don’t know how sorry I am.” Delta didn’t care that they couldn’t comprehend her words; sorrow had a universal tone that she was sure Itka understood as well as felt.
Itka turned to Delta and gazed into her eyes for several moments before squatting on the ground. Delta followed suit, trying desperately not to cry. How could this have happened? These were gentle people; they meant no one harm. Shaman was their wise man, their spiritual hub, their center. Why had this happened?
Then, she knew. It was Zahn’s way of keeping the Bri in line and out of the way. He took out the one person the tribe relied on. No wonder everyone was so quiet, so sad. Their rock had been shattered, leaving them to find another who was worthy enough to take his place. Zahn knew the Bri would try to heal their tribe first, expending energy on a burial, on choosing a new leader, on repairing their wounds. By the time they had finished, Zahn would be gone, leaving the rainforest and its people raped and bloody.
Itka grunted at Delta, causing her to rise from her pain and focus on him. He had drawn some figures in the dirt. He pointed to the figure lying down and said, “Tamar.”
Then, he pointed to a group of three men with guns and made bullet marks going toward the figure that was obviously Shaman. He stopped to look at Delta to see if she followed him. She nodded, and he continued. Pointing to the lone figure to the left of Tamar, Itka said, “Delta.” Then, he made a circle around Delta and the group on the left and drew an arrow pointing to the group on the right. When he looked up at Delta, she shook her head. There was no way she was going to lead these people with spears, bows and arrows, and blow guns against fully-armed Colombians. Hadn’t they suffered enough already? In the dust, Delta drew her response.
Storm Surge (Delta Stevens Crime Logs Book 6) Page 9
