“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“I’m serious. Something tells me she’s more capable than she looks.”
Estefan reached the tree line a minute later and hustled down the sandy slope. He chose a large tree two yards to the right of the trail and used it for cover. He quickly removed his pack and stashed the radio and wiring. When the girl passed his position, he would take her from behind, clamp his hand over her mouth, and get her off balance at the same time. He hadn’t done this sort of thing in many years, but it was a simple enough technique. Nathan was right though: if by chance she was a skilled fighter, she’d react quickly and try to head butt him. Maybe it would be best to wrestle her to the ground and use his weight.
“Stand by, Estefan. I’ll let you know when I lose sight of her. We’ll go radio silent right after that. Do you have eyes on her from your current position?”
“No, the river bank’s too high.”
“Okay, sit tight and wait for her to come to you.”
Nathan watched the girl sprint toward the river. She obviously knew that anyone down at water level wouldn’t be able to see over the bank. Her actions suggested she was trying to advance before Estefan crossed the dam and climbed the opposite side. She was playing a dangerous game against an unknown opponent. What was worth taking such a risk? Perhaps she thought Estefan hadn’t given all of his cash to Mateo, and she planned to rob him. Was that likely? Estefan looked like a special forces soldier, complete with face paint and a sidearm. Challenging him to a physical contest didn’t seem like a wise move unless she were highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat. What were the odds of that? Anything was possible, though. A few years back, Nathan had come close to losing a wrestling match against a woman half his weight.
Estefan peered around the tree but saw no sign of the girl. He ought to be able to see her by now.
Something felt wrong.
The crickets behind him had gone quiet, which could mean only one thing.
He slowly pivoted to his left.
Incredible!
The girl was standing a mere thirty feet away with her arms crossed. She’d managed to maneuver down the bank and get behind him undetected. If she’d been armed… He couldn’t see a lot of detail, but she was beautiful, that much was clear. Long black hair accented strong cheekbones, and her shorts and tank top were tight in all the right places.
Estefan spoke in Spanish. It was unlikely this girl knew English. “That’s a good trick, sneaking up on me, but it’s also a good way to get yourself killed.”
“I knew you’d hide down here.”
“How’s that?”
“On your way over here, you weren’t looking over your shoulder to clear your six. You knew I was behind you. You’re Tobias’s son, aren’t you.” It wasn’t a question.
“And if I am?”
“He talked about you, said you were a soldier.”
Estefan brought his gun up. “Do I need this?”
“Hardly, I’m not here for a fight.”
“What’s your name?”
“Antonia.”
“Well, Antonia, ‘clearing six’ is a military term.”
She raised her chin slightly. “I know. I have a friend who’s teaching me.”
“And…?”
“I saw you give my father some cash.”
“I see… What are you offering?”
She sucked her teeth. “Not that.”
“It’s past your bedtime, sweetheart. I’m over twice your age and not interested. Let’s try again. What’re you offering?”
She didn’t say anything.
“Nice meeting you, Antonia.” He turned to leave.
“I know stuff.”
“You’ll have to do better than that.”
“Something’s happening tomorrow.”
“Such as…?”
Again, she didn’t respond.
Estefan nodded toward the road. “The money’s in my truck. I trust twenty-five hundred córdobas will do?”
“It’s a good start.”
“So tell me about your friend.”
She cocked her head impatiently.
“Right… I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Estefan picked up his pack, climbed the bank, and walked at a good clip toward the road. He could make better time along the rim of the bank. He knew Nathan couldn’t see him because of his proximity to the trees lining the river. Nathan had to be wondering what was going on. When he reached a safe distance from Antonia, he pulled the radio.
“I’m heading back to my truck. The girl wants cash for information.”
“What kind of information?”
“She’s tight-lipped until she sees some green.”
“I guess the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Santavilla.”
“I’m heading over to my pickup to get it.”
“We’ll keep eyes on the area and make sure no one else approaches her position.”
“I’d appreciate it. I’m reluctant to admit this, but she got behind me.”
“How close did she get before you heard her?”
“That’s just it — I didn’t hear her at all. But to answer your question, ten yards. She said she has a friend who’s been teaching her. She knows what ‘clear your six’ means.”
“Interesting.”
“Tell me about it. She must know someone who’s a cop or in the military.”
“Your father’s letters spoke of her desire to leave Santavilla. Maybe this guy’s her ticket out of there. He must be the white shirt your father mentioned. How much money does she want?”
“I offered twenty-five hundred córdobas, and she told me it was good start.”
“Her friend could be Raven,” Harv added.
“Harv’s right. She could be the break we’re looking for. Tell her there’s more if she keeps the info flowing. What’s your take on her?”
“She’s confident but hard to read. If I had to bet, I’d say she knows a lot.”
“Play up to her ego, then. Keep her talking.”
“That shouldn’t be difficult.”
Eight minutes later, Estefan descended the creek’s bank and found Antonia in the same place, finishing a cigarette. She flicked the butt into the water.
He handed her a wad of bills. “We’ll start with this and see how far it goes. If I like what I’m hearing, there will be more.”
She tucked the money into her waist.
“A helicopter’s going to land at the lumber mill tomorrow. Everyone knows why.”
“Enlighten me.”
“It takes the gold out of here.”
“How do you know that?”
“The man who’s teaching me stuff is one of El Jefe’s white shirts. All the other white shirts report to him.”
Estefan knew about the white-shirt reference from his dad’s letters. El Jefe’s lieutenants wore white buttoned shirts to distinguish themselves from the other men. “Did he tell you that?”
She nodded.
“How many white shirts are there?”
“Five, I think.”
“How many men does El Jefe have?”
“Maybe twenty, but only a few stay in town.”
“At the lumber mill?”
She nodded.
“How many?”
“Usually five.”
“Do any of his white shirts stay in town?”
She made a pshh sound. “Hardly, they might get their shoes dirty.”
“The white shirt who’s teaching you stuff, what’s his name?”
“Franco.”
“Last name?”
“I don’t know it — he never told me.”
“What happened to your father’s ear? I didn’t ask him.”
“Franco came into town with a bunch of his men the night before Tobias was killed. They cut my dad’s ear off, because he was hoarding gold to pay for my mom’s medicine. Tobias tried to stop them, but they beat him up.”