"Diaz?"
"I called her this morning and told her that there might be a connection between Montalvo and Diaz. It would be a very nasty combo. Drugs and weapons." He paused. "I think she was at the airport this morning when I called. The noise…"
Diaz. Jesus. What Joe had heard about him was ugly and lethal. "Montalvo is nasty enough. He played Eve like a maestro."
"Eve doesn't manipulate easily."
"He promised her Bonnie."
"Christ. That would do it. I'll get on the phone and see what I can find out for you. When are you leaving?"
"Tonight."
"Call Venable before you go and see if you can find out any information from him. It can't hurt. We may need all the help we can get."
"We?"
"I'll meet you in Bogota and we'll go from there."
"No."
"Screw you. I'm going with or without you. Eve asked me to do a job and I haven't finished it. You try to operate without me and you'll be going in blind. My sources wouldn't trust anyone but me."
And Galen had the best information sources Joe had ever run across. "Then I won't argue with you. Eve probably would. She was looking very mushy and sentimental when she was talking about your Elspeth."
"I've no intention of not coming back. We go in, we get Eve, and we get out." He paused. "If we can persuade her to go. That's up to you."
"Thanks. She'll come back with us if I have to tie and gag her. I'll call you when I have my flight information." He hung up and sat there for a moment. Fight the panic. Galen was right. The big battle would be to persuade Eve to abandon her deal with Montalvo and come with them.
He'd find a way. He had to find a way. Stop sitting here and start moving. He'd call Venable on the way to the airport. He stood up and headed for the door.
San Cristal
It was after midnight when the helicopter Eve had switched to in Bogota set down on the landing strip of the small village that was only a dot in the middle of the blackness of the jungle.
She drew a deep breath, trying to ease the tenseness of her muscles. Now wasn't the time for nerves. Being here was her choice. So she felt isolated and uncertain. Suck it up and face it.
"Welcome, Ms. Duncan." The door slid open. "Did you have a good journey?"
Montalvo. In the lantern light he looked younger, stronger, more vibrant than his photographs. Also, considerably more dangerous; the photographs had not shown the gun that was holstered at his hip.
"Considering where I was going." She unfastened her seat belt. "And why have I become Ms. Duncan when you were calling me Eve the last few times you phoned?"
He chuckled. "I thought it would put you more at ease if I was more impersonal. No?"
"No. Nothing is going to put me at ease until I get out of here. Call me what you like." She ignored his hand and jumped down from the helicopter. "Where's the Gonzales family?"
"Inside the hut. The children were frightened."
"Of you?"
"Possibly." He grabbed her two bags. "Is this all?"
"Clothes and my equipment."
"I should have told you that you didn't need the equipment. I have all you'll need at the compound."
"I like my own equipment."
"I can understand that. I have weapons that I've used for years and the familiarity is comforting." He threw the bags in the back of the jeep. "There's a certain feel…"
Her gaze went to the gun on his hip. "Death?"
The smile never left his face. "I never thought about it. Don't you think that your tools would reflect death more than mine? You actually work with human skulls."
"Not to destroy them."
"Good point. I do destroy on occasion." He waved his hand at the hut. "We'll get the Gonzales family on board and then get you to the compound. You must be tired."
"I'm perfectly fine."
He turned and met her eyes. "No, you're not fine. You're tense and a little frightened. Oh, not of me. I don't frighten you. But you're wondering somewhere deep inside if you've made a mistake. If it's worth quarreling with your Joe. If I'll do what you want me to do."
Jesus, he must be a mind reader. That was exactly how she felt.
"And the answer to all those questions is no," he said softly. "And yes, and yes. You've done the right thing for both of us. And I won't let you regret it."
She tore her gaze away from his. "We'll see." She shifted her eyes to the woman who was hurrying toward the helicopter with two children in tow. She stiffened. "Where's Gonzales?"
"Ye of little faith. Not that I don't approve of suspicion." He waved his hand again. "Soldono is bringing Gonzales separately. I wanted the bastard to sweat up to the last minute about whether I'd actually let him go."
"Cruel."
"He deserves it. He betrayed me. He's lucky to get out with his skin."
She watched the thin, dark man bolt out of the hut and run toward the aircraft. He cast one panicky glance at Montalvo and then dove into the helicopter. A moment later the door was closed and the rotors whirled. "I'd say he was sweating even enough to please you."
"No. I don't like traitors. Even Soldono didn't object when I decided to punish him a little. He knows Gonzales got off lucky." He turned to the man coming toward him. "Don't you, Soldono?"
Soldono was a tall, lean, sandy-haired man in his thirties who looked rawhide-tough. "I guess you could say that. He's not dead." He held out his hand to Eve. "Mark Soldono, CIA. I'm sorry for my part in involving you with this mess. I hope you'll let me do everything to make your stay easier at the compound."
She felt a surge of relief. "You're coming with us?"
He grimaced. "Montalvo wanted to provide you with a sense of security. I guess that's me." His glance shifted to the helicopter that was lifting off the ground. "Though you've done a better job than I have so far. I don't like the price you paid but thanks anyway."
"It wasn't all about Gonzales," Eve said. "He was just a fringe benefit."
Montalvo chuckled. "I enjoy your turn of phrase. 'Fringe benefit'…" He got into the driver's seat of the jeep. "I'll have to see what other fringe benefits I can find for you."
"You can't beat a human life."
"Yet neither of us is here because of life, but death. What does that say?" He started the jeep. "Never mind. It's not fair to argue philosophy when you're so tired. Sit back and relax. It's ten miles to the compound. The last mile has three checkpoints."
"You're very careful."
"It's how I've stayed alive for all these years. I'm an old man for my business."
"Forty-two?"
"You've been asking questions. Forty-one, actually."
"And running guns is so dangerous?"
He shrugged. "Everyone in this part of the world wants weapons, and if they can get them without paying, then they'll do it. Weapons are like drugs. The more you have, the more you think you need."
"How very profitable for you."
"Yes, it is." He turned to look at her. "Do you want to discuss it? I'll be happy to do it, but it's not a subject that's going to make us get along with any degree of harmony."
She gazed at him for a moment before glancing away. She hadn't expected him to be like this. No anger, no ugliness, every antagonistic remark met with calm control. She had realized he was intelligent and persuasive, but often when people got what they wanted they changed. "I don't believe anything is going to make our relationship harmonious. But there's no use doing anything to make it worse." She leaned against the back of the seat. "All we have to do is survive each other."
"Very sensible." He looked back at Soldono. "Perhaps I didn't need you after all, Soldono. She doesn't seem at all nervous with me."