‘Where?’
He ignored the question. ‘Each kid will be wired with explosives. If I see anything that looks suspicious — and I mean anything — I’ll blow the little fuckers to smithereens.’
‘I swear to God, if you—’
‘What? You’ll do what? Now isn’t the time for threats. Now is the time to listen. I’m in charge and I’ll stay in charge until we make the exchange. Once I have the ransom and you have your kids, you can threaten me all you want. Until that moment, you need to do exactly what I say, or I’ll start cutting off limbs. Do you understand?’
Hector clenched his jaw. ‘Yes.’
‘Excuse me?’
‘Yes! I understand.’
The caller laughed. ‘Is Angel there?’
Hector glanced at Angel, confused. ‘What?’
‘Is Angel Ramirez, your lieutenant, there with you?’
Angel answered. ‘Yes, I am here.’
‘I figured as much. Hector had to trust someone; I thought it would be you. After all, I know how damaging it would be to your organization if word got out that Hector’s children had been kidnapped. He wouldn’t seem so powerful after something like that. Am I correct?’
Angel reluctantly nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘I also assume that a man in his position will want revenge.’
‘Yes.’
‘And because of his distress, he’ll probably assign you with that task.’
‘Perhaps.’
‘Do me a favour. Look at your phone. I sent you a gift.’
As if by magic, Angel’s mobile vibrated in his pocket. He quickly pulled it out and stared at the screen. A picture file had been attached to a text message. To view the photo, he pushed a button on his phone. Suddenly, he was staring at a woman pushing a baby stroller through a local park. He gasped when he saw it. He quickly showed it to Hector, who started to curse.
The caller laughed. ‘From your reaction, I’ll assume that we found the correct Ramirez woman. That is your wife, is it not?’
Angel cursed loudly. ‘Yes.’
‘And your baby boy?’
‘Yes.’
‘Right now, they’re safe. Well, maybe not safe, but they are currently free. They’ll stay that way as long as this exchange goes smoothly. If not, we’ll scoop them up quicker than you can kill me. Am I clear?’
‘Yes.’
‘Good!’ the caller said. ‘Now be a good amigo and start loading the money into the back of Hector’s SUV. Oh, in case you were wondering, I know all about its custom features: the armour plating, the bulletproof glass and the fuel-tank safety system. I mention that in case you think it gives you some kind of tactical advantage. Trust me, it doesn’t.’
Angel stared at Hector, and Hector stared back.
Neither man could understand how the caller knew so much.
The caller laughed at their silence. He knew he had them on the back foot. ‘Come on, Angel! Time to get moving! The money won’t load itself.’
Hector nodded his approval and Angel ran off.
The caller waited a few seconds. ‘Is he gone?’
‘Yes,’ Hector replied.
‘Despite my deterrents, I know you’ll be tempted to put up a fight at the exchange. You’re tired and stressed and thirsty for revenge. If I were you, I’d be tempted, too. But keep something in mind: the guilt you feel now will be nothing compared to the guilt you’ll feel if you force me to incinerate your kids. Do you understand?’
‘Yes. I understand.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes,’ he said definitively. ‘I understand.’
‘You have thirty minutes; the clock is ticking. I’ll meet you near the Mexican flag in the center of Zócalo. Do you know where that is?’
‘Yes.’
‘Don’t be late.’
34
The drive to Tulum was a simple one. The decision on what to drive was not.
Neither vehicle was large enough to accommodate the artefacts, weapons and three people, and everyone had a different opinion on the best solution. Payne wanted to cover the items with the tarp and leave the H2 in an all-day parking lot in Cancún, but Jones and Maria thought that was too risky. Maria was most concerned about the artefacts, which she felt might provide valuable clues about Hamilton’s research. Meanwhile, Jones was focused on the weapons. He figured that if Hamilton was lugging them around for his team’s safety, maybe they should, too. Eventually, Payne got sick of arguing and made a decision for the group. They would take both vehicles to Tulum — if only to give himself some time alone.
Relishing the peace and quiet, Payne led the way in the Hummer. He made a single turn in Cancún, onto Federal Highway 307, then headed southwest along the coast. Jones and Maria followed a quarter of a mile behind in the SUV, both of them looking for potential trouble. The journey took them through a number of tourist towns, including Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Paamul, Xel-Ha and Akumal. They stopped briefly at a beachside restaurant, where they ordered grilled fish tacos, Mexican rice and Pepsi served in old-fashioned glass bottles. For Payne, the Pepsi brought back so many childhood memories — listening to baseball games with his grandfather while drinking soda from glass bottles — that he ended up buying an entire case in a fit of nostalgia. He also loaded up on water, snacks, sunscreen and insect repellent, just in case they had to trek through the jungle to get to the ruins at Tulum.
Conversation was limited during lunch, but not because of any lingering tension. All three of them were so mesmerized by the tropical scenery that words weren’t necessary. The turquoise water, white powdery sand and warm winter sun relaxed their bodies and calmed their minds. Suddenly, the anger that had been pushing them apart temporarily drifted away. It had been replaced by a solitary goaclass="underline" finding information about Hamilton.
First discovered by the Spanish in 1518, Tulum was a walled city built on top of a 39-foot bluff, overlooking the Caribbean Sea. One of the last cities occupied by the Maya, it flourished between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries and served as a port for Cobá, a major city to the northwest. Because of its position along the shore and the strength of its fortified walls, Tulum managed to survive seventy years after the Spanish occupation of Mexico. Ironically, its downfall wasn’t attributed to war, but to the Old World diseases brought by the settlers.
Once the Maya got sick, they were no match for the Spanish.
Payne and Jones parked their vehicles on opposite sides of the parking lot and met outside the visitor centre, which sat near the western wall of the city. Maria bought a map of the site and a guidebook of the region, hoping to increase her knowledge of Mayan Civilization. She figured the more she knew about the Maya, the better. Before she left the centre, she asked the clerk if he was familiar with Dr Hamilton. She even pulled out her phone and showed him a photo she had downloaded from the Internet, but the clerk didn’t recognize him.
Maria thanked him, then headed outside.
‘Any luck?’ Jones asked her.
‘No. Not that I was expecting any. I know this is a long shot at best.’
‘Better than sitting around the hotel, waiting for a call from Randy. Besides, I’ve always wanted to see this place.’
She studied his face, trying to gauge his sincerity. ‘You’re familiar with Tulum?’
He nodded. ‘Of course I’m familiar with Tulum. Isn’t everybody?’
Payne grimaced. ‘I’m not.’
‘Actually, you are,’ Jones assured him. ‘They filmed that movie here. You know, the one with Jeff Bridges and James Woods. Both of them fall in love with the same brunette.’