Human Sacrifice
Page 32
They collected Claire’s luggage at the hotel and rode in uncomfortable silence to the airport. Claire, for her part, was exhausted. She did not want to talk about Brad or Eduardo or their questionable futures. She was done with them.
Her thoughts involved her own future, in the short term, as chair of a department from which she had felt disengaged for the past two years. In the long term, she wondered about her personal life. Would she ever find happiness again like she had felt with Aaron? How did she feel about the man sitting next to her now, driving her to the airplane that would transport her to another world? She couldn’t really conceive of an intimate relationship with anyone new…not yet…not ever? How did he feel about her? What did his silence mean?
At the airport, Roberto parked the car and took her large suitcase while she pulled her carry-on behind her. Inside, she checked her luggage through and got her boarding pass. They stood awkwardly near the security area.
“Will I see you again, or will you disappear like you did before?” Roberto asked. His smile was tinged with uncertainty.
“I promise to email. And besides, I’ll always come back to Merida. It’s my second home.”
“And what if I wanted to take a vacation, or accompany Marta on her university search?”
“I would love it, but don’t come in winter,” she said, smiling. “You won’t like it.” They stood close together, uncertain.
“I have to go,” Claire said. She tugged at the handle of her rolling carry-on.
Roberto reached down to give her a hug and she moved in toward him. He kissed her briefly on the cheek, very lightly.
Claire said, “Hasta que te vea de nuevo.”
“Que le vaya bien, Clarita.”
Acknowledgments
Throughout my life, I have loved mystery novels, from Nancy Drew to my current favorites. My fascination doesn’t lie with bloodthirsty serial killers and horrific crime scenes, but within the dynamics of family and social ties; where murders are solved, not by car chases or gunfights, but by careful investigation and intuition. I am hooked on stories where murderers may live among us and perhaps live perfectly normal lives, except…something happens. To me, these murders may be the most terrifying.
When I retired from academia, I resolved to write a mystery novel. I had read thousands, what could be so difficult? I learned very quickly the discipline and organization necessary to plot a murder mystery and develop characters that resemble real people. I have benefited from workshops offered by local mystery authors Aaron Stander and Elizabeth Buzzelli, whose enthusiasm inspired me to keep writing: thank you! I also would like to thank authors Mardi Link and John Pahl, who read early versions of the manuscript and offered valuable comments and suggestions.
I am forever grateful to my husband LaVail, who has read multiple versions of the book and has been a compassionate editor. Many thanks also to my son, Nathan, who has been a patient reader and consultant on crime scene and police procedures—for both Human Sacrifice and my current project, Culture Shock. I am lucky to have friends who share my love for mysteries and who were willing to read early drafts of the manuscript: thank you, Sandy Seppala Gyr, Valerie Hover, and Susan Grant. Thanks also to new friends and “old” colleagues who read the pre-publication versions: Mary Kay Eastman, Marina Call, Dr. Janet Brashler, and Dr. Heather Van Wormer.
Two wonderful writing groups nurtured and encouraged me during this journey. In Big Rapids, Michigan, the ArtWorks Group guided me through the beginning stages of my first draft; in Traverse City, the Old Town Writer’s Group both challenged and encouraged me through the late drafts of Human Sacrifice and the early drafts of Culture Shock. Two more eclectic and awesome groups of people I have not had the pleasure to know! Thank you!
Thank you to the staff of Mission Point Press for their guidance throughout the process: Heather Shaw, Doug Weaver, and especially Scott Couturier, whose hard work and excellent editing strengthened this book. I am forever indebted to Sandy Seppala Gyr, an expert in all things murderous, for her careful copy-editing and proofreading. A very special thank you to Jim DeWildt for his great artwork, his friendship, and for his patience in working with a fretful author.
Author’s note on the locations described in the novel
Merida, Yucatán is a beautiful colonial city. The plazas I described exist, as do some of the restaurants, though some are fictionalized. The Casa Montejo also exists but has been renovated several times since my first visit. The general floor plan remains, but I have made some artistic adjustments to facilitate the movements of people and plot. The Intercontinental Hotel is a composite of the many tourist and conference hotels that exist in the city, but where I never stay. The police station is a figment of my imagination.
Uxmal is an extraordinary archaeological site, and the Sound and Light Show is a real event. Until recently, visitors to Uxmal have been allowed to climb the Magician’s Pyramid. That changed prior to my last visit in 2018. Now, the stairways ascending the Magician’s Pyramid have been blocked off, though the other buildings are still accessible to tourists. These sites are national treasures that require protection from the elements—and humankind.
The three villages that Claire and Roberto visit—Dzab, Tixbe, and Yaxpec—are composites of the types of villages and towns visitors will find beyond the colonial cities. Motul and the towns that Claire and Madge race through are real towns, but their descriptions are fictionalized.
All the names and characters in the book are fictional, and any resemblance to real characters is coincidental. There is no Keane College, nor is there a Keane College Mayanist Program. Any resemblance to an existing program is also coincidental.
A note on Compadrazgo: Compadrazgo (co-parenthood) resembles our concept of godparents. In Mexico, it represents a social relationship between the godparents and the parents of the child. Families seek compadres for all special events: baptism, confirmation, weddings; and these sets of compadres share responsibility for the child throughout his or her life. It is a special bond that links families and friends in a complex social web.
You can read more about stolen artifacts and the ownership of national treasures in the following academic sources, among many:
Loot: The Battle over the Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World, Sharon Waxman, Times Books, Henry Holt and Co., NY (2008)
Art and Crime: Exploring the Dark Side of the Art World, N. Charney, ed., Westport: Greenwood Publishing (2009)
About the Author
Dr. Cindy Hull is an anthropologist and retired Professor Emeritus from Grand Valley State University. She has published two ethnographies: Katun: A Twenty-Year Journey with the Maya; and Chippewa Lake: A Community in Search of an Identity. Human Sacrifice is her first novel. It takes place in the Yucatán Peninsula, where she lived and studied among the Maya. Cindy currently lives with her husband and night-stalker cat in Traverse City, Michigan.
(Photo: Keith Vandenbergh)
Copyright © 2019 by Cindy L. Hull
All world rights reserved
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior consent of the publisher.
Readers are encouraged to go to www.MissionPointPress.com to contact the author or to find information on how to buy this book in bulk at a discounted rate.
Published by Mission Point Press
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Traverse City, MI 49696
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Library of Congress Control Number: 201991723
Cover design: Jim DeWildt