For the Good of All (Law of the Lycans Book 7) (13 page)

He fixed her with a steady stare, the grey of his eyes appearing colder than usual. For a moment she thought he was going to deny her deductions. Instead, he leaned back in his chair. “Our food is here.”

Sure enough, their server was crossing the room, arms laden with dishes.

“Don’t think I’ve given up.” She murmured. “This is only a reprieve.”

He raised a brow yet made no comment, instead picking up his fork and beginning to eat.

Silence fell between them. For a while she didn’t mind, focusing on her food, but eventually the quiet began to irk.

“You don’t like seafood?” She noted that he was eating like an automaton, no enjoyment of the meal evident on his face.

He shrugged. “Food before a job is solely for sustenance. It’s like fuelling a car.”

She sighed as he resumed eating, his gaze fixed out the window. What was he thinking? Was he going over strategies? Rehearsing the route they’d take? Her attempts at starting a conversation were met with monosyllabic replies so she gave up and, when the owner appeared to see if they were enjoying their meal, she started chatting with her instead.

The woman was a font of information and she soon learned about the best beaches, craftsmen to buy from, food that would be too spicy for her palette, the names of local birds and butterflies.

“Oh, what’s that called?” Tina pointed to a bird with iridescent green feathers on its back and a red belly.

The woman glanced out the window and gave a gasp of surprise. “A quetzal!”

“Are they rare?”

“Well, they’re usually seen in the mountains and some say that if a tourist spots a quetzal, it means they will have good luck and an unforgettable adventure.” The woman’s gaze lingered on Stone’s gun before shifting away.

Tina smiled. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“It’s only a saying, of course. Either way, I hope you enjoy your time here.” The woman smiled and moved on to another table.

“Did you hear that, Stone? We’re in for good luck.” Tina turned to look at him. He’d been listening quietly the whole time.

“If you believe in luck.” He nodded towards her plate. “Are you done?”

“Yes. I couldn’t eat another bite.”

“Then we’d better be on our way. The sun sets in a little over an hour. We want to get to the mission church before dark.”

Chapter 5

Tina studied Stone out of the corner of her eye. His face was set, his concentration fixed on the road. Didn’t the man ever relax?

“So what are the names of the children?” Tina tried to start a conversation.

“Names?” Stone flicked a glance her way.

“Yes, names. I’m assuming you know basic information about them.”

“Uh, yeah. I think Reno mentioned it.”

“You think?”

“Okay, I’m sure he did.”

“So?”

Stone furrowed his brow. “Paul, Junior. That was one of them.”

“Named after his father.” Tina nodded. “What about the other one?”

“Er…it was a flower.”

“Rose? Violet?”

“No.”

“Daisy? Heather? Ivy? Lily?”

“That’s it. Lily.”

“Okay. Paul and Lily. You said they were two and four years old. Which one is the older one?”

He shrugged. “Paul.”

“Do you really know or is that a guess?”

“If it is I have a fifty-fifty chance of being right. If my guess is correct, you’ll never be any the wiser.”

“Stone!” She rolled her eyes and he smirked.

“The boy really is older.”

Tina gave him a suspicious look. He appeared entirely too pleased for his own good. At least he seemed more relaxed. She eased back in her seat, glad to have accomplished her goal.

After a few short miles, Stone slowed the vehicle and then stopped completely. “I think this is the road we turn on to next. Let me see the map.”

Tina pulled the maps from the backpack where she’d stowed them and handed them to Stone. While he studied them, she peered down the so-called road. If she stared really hard she could almost make out two parallel indents that might have been tire tracks…or maybe not. It was difficult to see very far. The overhead canopy blocked a lot of the light and vegetation crowded the roadway from both sides creating deep shadows. Lianas were draped overhead like large snakes waiting to drop down on unsuspecting travellers and she was sure she could see spider webs hanging between the branches. All that was needed was a sign saying ‘Beware all ye that pass this way.’. A shiver swept over her.

“
You okay?” Stone looked up from the map.

“Nervous.”

“I thought you said you weren’t worried.”

“I wasn’t. I mean, I’m not. Not exactly.” She rubbed her hands up and down her arms to sooth the goose bumps that had arisen. “I have a confession. I’m not that good with spiders and snakes.”

“If you’ve changed your mind—”

“No. I’m going to go with you. You’ll need help with the children.”

“Here.” He handed her the map and a compass. “Navigate. It will keep you busy.”

She glanced at the map. “It looks pretty straight forward.”

“It should be. I’ve marked down how many miles we have to travel before we turn.” He pointed to a spot on the map. “Help me keep an eye on the odometer. Five miles then we head north.”

“Got it.” Tina clenched the papers in her hands as Stone steered the jeep down the sorry excuse of a road. She kept a smile pinned to her face, determined not to think about spiders or snakes. Only a week ago she’d been wishing she had something more exciting to do. Somehow this kind of adventure had never even entered her imagination.

Leaves and branches slapped against the side of the jeep as they drove down the narrow road, clouds of insects stirring as their resting place was disturbed. The vehicle bounced and rattled as it made its way over the rough, dirt track, the noise likely scaring away any animals or birds that had been in the vicinity. She hoped it scared spiders and snakes as well.

The thickness of the vegetation blocked out the refreshing breeze she’d felt at the beach. Instead, humid, cloying air seemed to encircle her, making her clothing stick to her body. She brushed a few loose strands of her hair from her sweaty face. At least it felt a bit cooler, the overhead canopy filtering the sun so that only dappled bits of light showed on the road.

Neither spoke, both wrapped in their own thoughts. Eventually the five mile mark approached and Tina indicated this to Stone. He nodded and slowed down.

“We turn here and then it’s straight to the border with Cantala.”

“Is there a chance of a border patrol catching us?”

“Not much. Cantala’s forces are poorly organized and most are probably on the drug cartels’ payrolls. Those that aren’t are likely guarding the government buildings, or concentrating their efforts on the airport and coast hoping to intercept drug shipments out of the country.”

“Good. I’d hate to think we’d have to explain what we’re doing here.”

“Getting to the border will be a bigger problem than crossing it. The road will get progressively worse from here.”

“Worse?” She rubbed her hip which was already sore from frequent contact with the side of the vehicle.

“Yep.” He pressed on the accelerator and steered the jeep down the path.

It actually was in rougher condition than the previous road.

“I’ll never complain about the potholes in Chicago again.” Christina shouted the words so as to be heard over the noise of the vehicle. She had herself braced with one hand on the dash and the other on the door.

“It does make you appreciate home.” Stone grimaced as he wrestled with the steering wheel. Tina took a moment to admire the corded muscles showing on his arms as he tried to keep the jeep under control. The vehicle kept skidding to the side whenever they encountered a muddy bog.

“How long do you think—” The rest of her statement was cut off by a curse from Stone.

“Hell and damnation!” His foot slammed onto the brake pedal and the jeep fishtailed wildly in the mud before coming to a stop. A fallen tree was blocking the way.

Stone rested his arms on the steering wheel. “It likely came down in the storm that went through a few days ago.” He climbed out of the jeep and moved closer to inspect the obstacle.

Tina followed him, picking her way through the mud. The closer they got to the tree, the bigger it seemed.

“We can’t go around it.” She surveyed the area on either side of the road. A tangle of dense vegetation made the way impassable.

Stone tested the trunk for weight, straining to move it. “No use. It’s too big to lift and it would take too long to cut through.”

“So do we turn back or try to walk to the mission?” Tina bit her lip as she stared at the road on the other side of the tree. It disappeared around a curve, large fronds and vines making it impossible to see what lay ahead.

Stone checked his watch then glanced at the sky. “Not much daylight left, such as it is under this canopy. We could try to turn around, but travelling at night on these roads is hazardous. If we start walking, there’s not much chance of us reaching the mission before dark. Our best bet is to spend the night in the jeep and start hiking at first light.”

“Will that put us very far behind schedule?”

“Enough but it can’t be helped.” He returned to the vehicle, rummaged around in the back seat and pulled out a machete and one of the woven bags she’d bought as a souvenir. “I’ll find some food and we’ll top up with the rations. Wait here.”

“Can’t I go too?” She wasn’t keen on being left alone for too long. There was something ominous about the jungle, something that brought out primitive fears she couldn’t begin to understand.

“I’ll be in sight the whole time. When the tree fell, it took some of the smaller ones with it. Bad luck for the trees, but I won’t have to do any climbing to reach the fruit.”

She leaned against the hood of the jeep, swatting at bugs as she watched Stone wield his machete, deftly hacking through the tangle of underbrush to reach the fruit on the felled trees. In a matter of minutes he returned, the bag full of food.

“The bananas are green—there might not be much to eat there—but I found these.” He pulled out a strange, yellowish-green fruit covered in prickles.

She peered at it dubiously. “I’ve never seen anything like that before. Do you know what it is? It might be poisonous.”

“Yes, I know what it is. Do you really think I’d give you something poisonous to eat?”

“Sorry. Dumb question. What’s it called?”

“Guanabana”

“Guano? Like in bird poop?”

“Not quite. It’s also called soursop.”

“Sounds like sour slop.” She made a face. “That’s not much better. You’re sure it’s safe to eat?”

“If you need proof, look up in that tree. Do you see that squirrel monkey?”

She peered in the direction he indicated, finally locating the small furry creature. “Oh, there it is. Cute little guy.”

“He’s eating the fruit. A general rule of thumb is that if it’s safe for a monkey to eat, it’s safe for humans.”

“Good to know.”

Reassured, she began to eat. It was a simple meal of fruit and some kind of dried meat Stone had taken from the rations in his backpack. Water from young coconuts he’d found helped wash the food down. It wasn’t the most exciting meal she’d ever had, but the ambiance helped make up for it. The jungle wasn’t nearly as foreboding when you had someone with you.

“Are we going to set up a tent?” She wiped her sticky hands on her capris, sadly realizing that no amount of stain remover would ever make the pants a pristine white again.

“No. We have the jeep right here. It’ll provide good protection.” Stone rose to his feet and tossed the remains of the fruit into the bushes. “It might not be the most comfortable place to sleep, but we won’t have to worry about snakes and scorpions visiting us during the night.”

She shivered, not liking the idea of nocturnal visitors. “Do they come out when it’s dark? The sun’s starting to set.” Between the leaves overhead, streaks of pink could be seen staining the sky.

“Snakes and scorpions? They’re around day and night.”

“Gee, thanks for trying to make me feel better, Stone.”

“Any time. Climb in the jeep and roll up the windows.”

She complied reluctantly. “Won’t it get stuffy?”

“Preferable to the bugs. We have to keep them out. For the most part, it’s not the wild animals or snakes that will get you in the jungle. It’s the bugs and the diseases they carry.”

She subsided into her seat, resigning herself to an uncomfortable night. “You know, it
is
awfully early to be going to bed.”

“Here.” Stone pulled out a small flashlight and suspended it from the rearview mirror.

“Thanks, but don’t we have to worry about the battery?”

“Crank generator.” He demonstrated how to charge the battery before handing her a book. “You can read this if you can’t sleep.”