Brian expressed concern over Arthur’s mother’s situation and he was disappointed that they wouldn’t both be in Guatemala. He changed the subject, telling Arthur that one of his oldest friends had left the United States many years ago, giving up the corporate boardroom for a more serene life as a charter boat captain on the Belizean island of Ambergris Caye. More recently he and his new wife Odette had decided to buy a hotel in San Ignacio, ironically the same jungle town from which Captain Jack Borland’s expeditions had always begun. Not surprisingly, Brian’s friend Sam Adams knew Captain Jack, just like almost everyone else in the area.
Brian laid out his plans. “I’m going to San Ignacio before the end of the month. I’ll look around and see what I can learn. I can’t promise results but I’ll go into the jungle and give it a shot. I’ve taken my friend Sam into my confidence about this whole thing and he’s happy to help. He’s met your dad and he’s nosing around San Ignacio right now to see what rumors are out there. I’m planning a brief trip to the mountain in Guatemala and he’s trying to work out things so he can come along. His knowledge and background could be a big help.”
Arthur agreed and then mentioned payment. Since he had no funds to contribute to the cost of the expedition or to reimburse Brian for his time, they quickly reached an agreement. It was possible Brian might discover something valuable during his quest to find Captain Jack. If he did, and a sale subsequently occurred, Arthur and Bijan would split the proceeds. Bijan would handle any future sales of items by the Borland family and receive a standard commission for its work. Brian promised within a couple of days to prepare and forward a contract for execution by Arthur and his mother.
Arthur was pleased that at long last something was going to happen. He said, “I wish I had his map, but at least I’ll hire the same two guides who accompanied me, if that’s acceptable. They know which paths not to take and they know how to cut a swath through a forbidding jungle.”
Chapter Two
During the next two weeks the contract was executed and Arthur lined up the Belizeans who would accompany Brian into the Guatemalan highlands and up the mountain.
Over the past weeks Brian had told Nicole everything he knew about Captain Jack and that he was going to Belize and Guatemala very soon.
“Come on this trip with me. We haven’t been anywhere interesting in months and this will be exciting to say the least. Our accommodations will be good – we’ll stay in San Ignacio at my old friend Sam’s hotel – we’ll have a proper martini and a great meal every night we’re in town.”
Nicole had recently finished the trial of her high-profile client in the stock fraud case. The jury couldn’t agree if he was simply naïve or deceptively conniving, so he went free. The government dismissed the case and Nicole’s near-perfect record of acquittals continued. She always enjoyed the frenzy of trial preparation much more than routine client problems and now that trial was over she was feeling a little down. A trip to Central America could be the elixir she needed both for her professional life and her personal involvement with Brian. She agreed to go with the caveat that she could only stay a week.
“I’ll come back when you leave San Ignacio to go into Guatemala,” she told him.
Brian called the San Ignacio Inn and spoke with Sam’s wife Odette. She expressed how much they both looked forward to seeing him and meeting Nicole. He bought two round trip first class tickets on American including a night in Dallas before the early morning flight to Belize City.
Everything he needed fit in a carry-on rolling bag and a backpack. Everything was on time and by 1:30 he was having a glass of wine at Seaview, the hottest new restaurant in Uptown Dallas. Nicole would be arriving soon.
Uptown is a compact area of shops, apartments and office buildings just north of downtown Dallas – this chic restaurant was only three blocks from Nicole’s office and just slightly further away from Brian’s old building that had housed the investment banking operation of Warren Taylor and Currant where Brian had been a broker. Not long after Brian left for Bijan Rarities the firm had shut down after a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation. He occasionally was reminded of those exciting crazy days selling penny stocks and winning huge prizes like convertibles for stupid things like spelling someone’s name correctly. Those were heady, exciting, greedy days – a time when Brian learned the hard way that everything comes with a price. Then his thoughts drifted to the amazing turn of events that allowed him to meet Darius Nazir, move to New York and assume the ownership of Bijan Rarities after Nazir’s untimely death just a couple of years ago.
Brian glanced up and saw a flash of blonde hair heading his way. Nicole could turn heads just by walking into a place and today was no exception. Everyone knew when Nicole Farber arrived. Men and women alike paused to watch this beautiful woman. She made a statement with no effort whatsoever. She carried herself as though she were a woman on top of the world – a girl in her thirties who was already a success. And it was true. She was all those things and far, far more to Brian Sadler.
Nicole was dressed more casually than usual, wrapping things up before her trip, working with her office door closed and no client appointments scheduled. She was wearing designer jeans and black spike heels. A black blazer topped her white button-down shirt – she looked absolutely incredible, just the way she always did to Brian.
She paused and spoke casually to two men at a table nearby. She waved to Brian and walked to his booth. As he kissed her cheek she said, “Hi, baby. Long time no see.”
The waiter appeared. “Good afternoon, Ms. Farber. A cocktail perhaps? Or do you prefer to enjoy the wine the gentleman has ordered?” She chose the wine.
Brian asked the waiter to give them a few minutes, promising to signal when they were ready.
“I’m finished at the office. Let’s catch up, enjoy our lunch and skip dinner. I have ideas for you tonight, Brian Sadler. And they don’t involve sitting in a restaurant. In fact, they don’t involve sitting at all!”
She winked at him and patted his leg. “Glad you got a booth instead of a table. I always want to be as close to you as I can. Especially when I haven’t seen you in a couple of months.” She moved closer and snuggled up. “Man, I’ve missed you.”
As they chatted they finished half the bottle before they ordered lunch. They had plenty of time – it was a leisurely meal followed by coffee. Around four pm Brian gathered his suitcase and backpack and they walked the five blocks to Nicole’s condo at the Ritz-Carlton on Pearl Street. Her assistant had delivered her stuffed briefcase there so she wouldn’t have to carry it to the restaurant. As usual, it was full of work she could handle while she was out of town. The concierge handed the case to her as he held the elevator door and welcomed Brian back to town.
Nicole had bought her two thousand square foot condo on the twentieth floor at the perfect time and from the perfect person. A dip in the real estate market and a motivated seller who was facing foreclosure meant that she paid half what the six-room condominium was worth only a few months later. She had windows on the north and south and a small terrace opening from her living room on the east.
“Care for another glass of wine, Mr. Sadler?” She smiled at him and tossed her jacket on the back of the couch.
“I think I’d rather have you.” He took her in his arms and kissed her deeply. They held each other close, enjoying the moment. She moaned as his hand moved inside her blouse, caressing her breasts. “Good thing you forgot your bra,” he whispered.
“Oh, I didn’t forget. In fact it was very deliberate. Wait’ll you see what else I forgot.”
While they kissed, she deftly removed her shoes and belt and unzipped her jeans. She backed away from Brian for a moment as she wiggled out of her pants. She had nothing on from the waist down. Her shirt came off quickly – now Nicole was totally naked and Brian was incredibly aroused.
“Look what you’ve done. You’ve made me feel like I have way too many clothes on.”
“Then le
t’s get them off.” As he cupped her breasts, Nicole began unbuttoning his shirt. She removed it and unbuttoned his slacks, zipped them down and off. “Uh oh,” she said, smiling. “You forgot something too.”
“Seems like boxers just get in the way around you.”
Bending down, she took off his socks and now they were both naked. “Brian Junior’s really happy to see me, I think,” she said, running her fingertips up his shaft.
By now Brian could only moan in agreement.
“Follow me,” Nicole said, leading him out to her terrace. “I love this condo because no other owner can see my patio. I’ve told you it makes a great place to sunbathe au naturel. Tonight it’s a great place to get together for something I really want, with someone I really want.” She told Brian to lie on her chaise lounge and she sat on the floor beside him.
“How about a little fingertip massage?” she said as he lay with his eyes closed. She began at his forehead, lightly grazing his skin with her fingers as she moved in circles, first along his cheeks, then his ears, his neck and his chest, moving to his nipples and caressing them until they were hard, then sliding slowly around and around down his chest. He moaned as she moved further.
Brian softly said, “I’m getting all the attention here. What about you?”
“I’m fine, Brian. I’m so glad you’re here with me and I’m so glad we’re going on a trip tomorrow. Tonight’s your treat. I’ll get my turn tomorrow night. I promise. You owe me!”
She climbed on top of him, facing him so he could see every inch of her tanned body. As she slowly settled down on him she groaned with anticipation as she felt his shaft go higher and higher inside her. She moved up and down very deliberately as he joined her rhythm, meeting her and moving together until in one huge rush they both climaxed. In the afterglow, she laid her body on his and he held her tightly.
“I love you. I’ve never told you exactly how I feel, but I love you, Nicole.”
“I know you do, Brian. And I love you too.” She began to cry. “I want to be with you all the time but I don’t see any way we can do it. We’re fifteen hundred miles apart and it might as well be a million. Our lives are a million miles apart too. I can’t live where you live, Brian. And you can’t live where I live. We have to figure this out somehow.”
Chapter Three
The flight from DFW to Belize City’s Philip S.W. Goldson Airport is an easy two-hour trip. Brian and Nicole ate a light lunch in first class and were first down a set of stairs to the tarmac. The humidity and temperature were high but not unlike that of Dallas. They walked to the small terminal building and were guided toward immigration. Soon they cleared customs and walked outside where a jumble of taxis and greeters waited.
“Brian!” Nicole saw a nice-looking guy Brian’s age in a linen shirt and khaki shorts walking toward them. He smiled broadly and hugged Brian. “This must be Nicole,” Sam Adams said, hugging her too. “Welcome to Belize!”
Sam guided them through the parking lot to his pickup, loaded their bags and pulled two brown bottles from a cooler. “Have a Belikin. You’re now officially in my country!”
As Nicole took the cold bottle Brian told her that Belikin beer was an institution in Belize, brewed locally and served everywhere in the country. They sipped on the brews as Sam drove through the busy streets of Belize City then onto the Western Highway, heading toward San Ignacio and the Guatemalan border two hours away.
Nicole checked emails on her iPhone while the men talked about Captain Jack. Sam said that he hadn’t heard anything new about the missing explorer but that Arthur had done his job. The two guides who had accompanied Arthur a few months ago had already contacted Sam and were awaiting further instructions. Brian was also glad to hear Sam was coming along too.
“Everything worked out and I’m in for your expedition up the mountain. I hope my extra set of eyes and ears, and hands for that matter, might help you out. Plus it gets a tiny bit boring playing Bob Newhart the innkeeper. I need a little spice in my life!”
“I’m really glad you’re coming. How soon do you think we can leave?”
“We have to get the provisions. I’ve already begun a list of supplies we’ll need. This kind of expedition isn’t as rare as you’d think so there’s a pretty basic checklist of essentials, and everything’s available in the stores in town. One good thing about the particular mountain we’re climbing is a midpoint rest stop called the Jaguar’s Call. It’s a good place to regroup before the hard climb and we can replenish water and other stuff we need. Back to the original question, I’d say we leave in four days.”
Brian mentioned he’d been told about Jaguar’s Call and its proprietor from Arthur. It was an essential stop, he said, because Jack Borland had been there too. They needed to interview Lucky Buncombe. He might have been one of the last to see Jack before his disappearance.
Nicole tuned in as they talked. “OK guys. When you explorers leave for the boondocks this gal is winging her way back to Big D.”
“Let’s plan to leave on Tuesday,” Brian said. “That gives us four days to get everything ready and enough time for me to show Nicole the sights.”
Sam thought that was fine. “Done deal. On a different subject, I’ve lined up something interesting. There’s a great guide I use whose name is Alfredo. He’s discovered a cave that has ancient pottery and even a Mayan skeleton. He’s been back to it a couple of times since but it’s virtually pristine from the standpoint that no tourists have been there so far. Since we have a little time to kill and I’ve really wanted to see this cave, are you guys up for a mini-adventure on Sunday before our real jungle adventure even starts?”
Brian replied immediately, “Sure!” Suddenly he glanced into the back seat where Nicole was frowning.
“Sweetie, you can stay at the hotel if you don’t want to do this. I know you didn’t plan on visiting an unexplored cave, so make it easy on yourself.”
“I’ll think about it. Sounds a little scary but hell Brian, half of the things you do sound scary to me.”
Finally they turned off the main highway onto Burns Avenue, the main street in San Ignacio. Within five minutes they arrived at the San Ignacio Inn where Sam introduced them to Odette. She greeted them warmly.
“Sam has told me so much about you, Brian. He’s really been anticipating your arrival so I’m glad you’re finally here!” She showed them to their second floor room, one with a balcony overlooking the street. “Usually there’s not much noise from down below but Saturday nights in town can be drunk and late so if you decide you want to switch to a room on the back it’s no problem.” They decided to stay with this one – the balcony gave them a great view of the town and the open French doors provided a cool breeze.
Brian had left Jack Borland’s box and its contents securely locked in his vault in New York City. He brought pictures of the things that were in the box – the gold sheets and the letter to the King of Spain along with a translation into English. Everything was in a manila envelope that he stuck behind a mirror on the wall of their room.
They walked downstairs to the bar just off the lobby. “You must be Mr. Brian and Miss Nicole,” the Belizean bartender said with a broad smile. “I’m Leo!”
Before the evening was over Brian was convinced Leo was the best bartender in Belize if not the entire world. It was hard to get XO Vodka in Dallas or New York and impossible here. But somehow Sam Adams had arranged it and Leo had made an extra dry martini up with a twist, exactly as Brian preferred it. Life was good, Brian decided, ordering a second one and later a third just for good measure.
On Saturday Sam took Nicole and Brian a few miles on the Western Highway to the site of a hand-cranked ferry that took cars and pedestrians across the Mopan River. Nicole took over the crank and moved the ferry slowly across the narrow canal. Soon they were at the ancient ruin of Xunantunich. It was a beautiful morning and Nicole was fascinated to see her first Mayan temples rising over a hundred feet high around a central plaza. Although sh
e professed to have a fear of heights she gamely accompanied Brian, Sam and a guide from the plaza to the top of the highest structure. From there it was easier to imagine the size and former grandeur of this ruined city.
They sat outside for lunch at Rosita’s, a little Mexican place nearby. Nicole went to the restroom after lunch and when she returned Brian and Sam were deep in whispered conversation. “What’s up, guys?”
Brian smirked and winked. “Just planning our afternoon. You’ll have to wait and see.”
Sam drove a few miles down the Cristo Rey Road out of San Ignacio, turned off onto a deeply rutted dirt road and stopped when they reached the Macal River. “End of the line,” he said to Nicole as Brian jumped out and held the door for her. Sam opened the tailgate of the truck and got out two lawn chairs and two towels, handing them to Brian. “See you in an hour and a half.” Nicole watched as the truck headed back on the road they had just taken.
“What are we doing?”
“We’re going to have some sun and some fun in the water.”
“OK. Did you bring our swimsuits?”
“Please, Nicole. Swimsuits? Do you really think we need those out here in the jungle?” Grinning at her, he walked to the edge of the river and looked out. “The bottom is flat and sandy right here, only about a foot deep. Let’s take our chairs out and sit in the river.” He pulled his t-shirt off, unbuttoned his shorts and dropped them on the shore. He was naked except for his tennis shoes. “Come on. Nothing like sunbathing in the nude.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice.” She pulled her tank top over her head, unhooked her bra and pulled off her shorts. She took off her shoes and socks. “I want to feel the sand between my toes.”
Brian Sadler Archaeological Mysteries BoxSet Page 33
