by Dan Smith
‘If you want to shoot me, you’re going to have to shoot me.’ I was sick of him now. Sick of this whole trip. ‘If I don’t put this boat in, we’re going to get caught out here and we’re going to be screwed. I’m not going to be able to see and, at best, we’re going to get beached. At worst we’re going to hit something and the boat’s going to sink. Either way I hope you can swim, and both ways you’re not going to get your guns to Mina dos Santos on time.’
And then the boat lurched as the hull came into contact with something in the water, something smooth like a raised hump of sand. The engine sputtered as we passed on, the boat groaning as it ground over the obstruction.
Leonardo put out a hand to steady himself on the gunwale and stared at me as if I had drawn a gun and shot him.
I grabbed the wheel and took us away from the shallows, and when I looked back at Leonardo, he had pulled Daniella close to him and was holding his pistol to her waist. ‘Don’t do that again.’
‘I didn’t do anything other than take my eyes off the river. Now do you understand? In a few minutes I won’t be able to see anything. We need to stop.’
‘Keep going.’
‘I saw your face just then. You were afraid. How much worse do you think it will be when the storm is here? You’re frightened by a small bump like that, think what it will be like in the rain.’
He didn’t reply.
‘You’re afraid of the water, aren’t you?’ I released the wheel. ‘You can’t swim.’
‘Watch where you’re going.’
‘Oh, you mean you want me to steer the boat?’ I took advantage of his fear. ‘You want me to watch where we’re going?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then let her go.’
Leonardo thought about it. He looked to the bank, then at the unmanned wheel.
‘So,’ I said, lowering my hands, letting the boat find her own course. ‘What’s it going to be?’
Leonardo shook his head and forced himself to smile as if this was going to be his decision. He was telling himself he was still in charge, that he could laugh it off. Truth was, though, none of us was in control any more, not as long as that weather was bearing down on us.
‘OK,’ he said, pushing Daniella away from him. ‘Do what you have to do.’
I guided Daniella past me, indicating that she should go to the bow. There was fear and anger in her eyes, her hair falling forwards around her face, her shoulders hunched as if something wild were trying to inhabit her. Her usual poise was forgotten, and I squeezed her hand, hoping that it would instil just a little reassurance. When emotions like fear and anger mix, they can blind people into taking risks. Daniella had already struck out at Leonardo once, and I didn’t want her to do anything else that would endanger her.
‘Stay calm,’ I whispered. ‘Save your anger.’
Once she was out of Leonardo’s reach, I turned back to the wheel, putting my hands on it and giving my attention to the riverbank. ‘You made the right decision,’ I said to Leonardo as I scanned the shoreline for something with a little shelter – perhaps a small inlet, a sandbank behind which I could tuck us – but on this side of the river there wasn’t much. ‘A few more minutes and we’ll be blind. You thought that bump we just had was bad? That’s nothing. In the storm, I reckon you’d shit yourself.’
‘Don’t try to play me,’ Leonardo said. ‘You won’t win.’
‘Why don’t you just sit down,’ I replied. ‘This isn’t a competition.’
And then, over the sound of the Deus e o Diabo, I heard the engine of another boat. A higher-pitched drone, coming from behind, growing louder by the second.
A smaller, faster boat.
31
I stopped the engine and hurried back to the gunwale, leaning out and waving to attract the attention of the smaller vessel.
‘What the fuck are you doing?’ Leonardo gripped my shoulder, dragging me away. ‘What now? Get back here and control this damn boat.’
‘They can take the old man,’ I said to him. ‘Take him back to Piratinga for us.’
I raised my arm to wave again, but Leonardo grabbed it, pulling it down. ‘No one’s getting off this boat. Let them pass.’
‘They’ve seen the rain, too,’ Daniella said, coming to stand with us, keeping away from Leonardo. ‘They’re trying to outrun it.’
‘They stand a better chance than we do,’ I agreed. ‘They’ll be in Piratinga in no time. Let them take the old man. Please.’
The boat was gaining on us and, for the second time in two days, we could see two men, both sitting near the back. One of them was controlling the outboard, the other holding onto his hat with one hand, his shirt open to the wind. I knew that Raul would be better off with them. Their boat was much smaller, and it would skip across the water. It would take us close to an hour to reach Piratinga if we were going that way, but they would be there in half that time. They’d probably get there before the rain.
‘You’re not making the decisions,’ Leonardo said. ‘We keep moving.’
But he was too late. Both men had noticed us and turned their boat towards us, slowing the engine.
‘Jesus Christ.’ Leonardo raised his pistol a touch more, as if he was considering putting it to use, then he kicked the gunwale and swore.
‘Try not to kill anyone this time,’ I said.
‘I will if I have to.’
‘You won’t have to,’ I said. ‘Let them take the old man. Daniella, too. After that, I’ll do whatever you want.’
‘No one’s getting off this boat. And don’t you forget – I’ll kill her.’ Leonardo moved to stand beside Daniella. He put one arm around her waist and pressed his pistol against her hip so I could see it, but it was shielded from the approaching vessel. ‘Or maybe kill you first and have some fun with her. She’s pretty. Maybe enough to make me forget about the guns altogether.’ He stared at me for a moment, listening to the sound of the motor coming closer.
‘Let them take the old man,’ I said. ‘Please. He’s of no use to you. After that I’ll do whatever you want.’
‘Get rid of them.’
The outboard sidled up to us, and the man at the front took hold of the tyres while the one operating the outboard dropped the engine to an idle and picked up a rifle which he set across his lap.
I recognised the man at the front, but couldn’t place him. He was tall and dark, sinewy like a labourer, with a distinctive mark on the cheekbone under his right eye, where the skin was much darker. And then it came to me: I’d seen him drinking in Ernesto’s a few times, talking with the others. I wasn’t sure what he did, but I’d seen him hanging around with the men who worked over at the soya factory, so I guessed maybe he was a worker from there, too. He wasn’t a pistoleiro, but I found myself looking at his clothing, searching for the tell-tale bump of a concealed weapon. Leonardo would be doing the same.
The only thing I could see was the hunting rifle, lying across the second man’s lap. It was a standard twenty-two, the type of gun people used for hunting paca in the forest, maybe shooting a caiman, but if he was a good shot and he raised it quickly enough, he could protect his friend from where he was sitting. There were other things too; some lines, hooks, three good sized tucunaré wallowing in the inch or so of water which slopped in the bottom of the aluminium boat.
‘Marcio, isn’t it?’ I said, aware of Leonardo watching me.
‘Marco,’ he replied, standing up and putting his hands on the gunwale so he could look into the Deus and survey our boat.
‘Yeah, Marco. Sorry.’
‘You’re Zico, right? Raul’s friend.’ His eyes lingered on Leonardo for a moment, before he looked at Daniella. ‘And you’re the girl from the shop?’
Leonardo nudged her and Daniella nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘You I don’t know.’
Leonardo smiled as if he were the luckiest man on the river. ‘I’m her boyfriend.’
Marco considered his words, looking from me to Leonardo. ‘What hap
pened to your leg?’
‘Bitten by a jacaré.’
‘For real?’ Marco didn’t look convinced.
‘Sneaked up on the beach last night and grabbed him in his sleep,’ I said.
Marco whistled and shook his head, then looked at Daniella. ‘You OK? Need some help?’
Beside me, Daniella grunted as Leonardo prodded the pistol into her.
‘No,’ I told him. ‘We’re good.’ I was desperate to ask for Marco’s help, but it might lead to something unspeakable, and I couldn’t let that happen.
Marco came to the front of their outboard, climbing up onto the tyres so his face was level with my chest. He brought a rope with him and tied it off to one of the cleats on the Deus.
Leonardo shifted, keeping his gun hidden.
The man in the boat sat up a little straighter and rested his hands on his rifle.
‘This is Raul’s boat. Where’s Raul?’ Marco eyed me with suspicion.
‘He’s sleeping.’ I hated saying it. I was betraying the old man instead of helping him.
‘Sleeping?’ Marco hesitated for a moment, maybe wondering if I was trying to trick him, then he took his eyes off me and leaned over to see along the boat. ‘Is that him there? He looks sick.’
I turned towards the old man as if I hadn’t known he was there. He was slumped in the wheelhouse, his head resting on the dashboard, one arm dangling down. Rocky was tied beside him, looking forlorn.
‘He’s fine,’ Leonardo said. ‘A little fever is all.’
‘What kind of fever?’ Marco asked. ‘Dengue? There’s been dengue in Piratinga, you know.’
‘We’ll get him home soon enough,’ Leonardo replied.
‘Not as fast as I can,’ Marco answered. ‘Storm’s coming. You want me to take him?’
Beside me, I could feel Leonardo’s tension. He was losing control of this situation and his temper was rising. These two men were not as easy a target as the two he had killed yesterday. Those men had been close together, lined up below him, easy to pick off. These two were separated, and suspicious. It would take seconds for the man in the boat to pick up his rifle, so Leonardo would have to shoot him first, but that would leave three of us for him to control and he didn’t know whether or not Marco was armed. Even for a man like Leonardo, those odds were not good.
‘We’ll make it,’ Leonardo said, struggling to keep his tone level. ‘We’ll get there in time. Before the rain.’
‘In this shit heap?’ Marco said. ‘Come on, you know how slow this is.’ He looked at me. ‘We put him on my boat, I can get him to Piratinga in no time.’
Marco studied Leonardo for a moment, as if he didn’t quite trust him, then hauled himself up onto the Deus.
I took the opportunity to show Leonardo a discreet and questioning look.
Are we going to let them take him?
Leonardo clamped his jaw tight and blinked hard in frustration. There was a pause, then he nodded once, almost imperceptible, but enough to give me the tiniest sense of relief. As soon as he had done it, though, he dug his pistol a little harder into Daniella’s ribs, making her wince in pain.
Marco heard the sound and turned to look at them. Leonardo smiled at him and the two watched each other before Marco turned back to the old man.
‘How long has he been like this?’ He was barefoot, his feet wet from the water in his own boat, and he left prints on the boards of the Deus.
‘A while,’ I said.
‘And why is Rocky tied? She’s never tied’
‘He doesn’t like dogs.’ I tilted my head in Leonardo’s direction.
The air was growing darker and cooler now. It was a strange grey-blue light, with the sun still above us, and the black, brooding clouds in the distance, rumbling and flashing. The breeze was picking up and carrying the smell of the forest across the water. It was damp and earthy, as if being brought from the centre of the storm, rushing along the course of the river, swelling around the Deus and moving on towards Piratinga. It would be on us soon and, judging by the smell and the speed of the wind, it would be bad.
I followed Marco, but Leonardo hung back where he could see the man with the rifle. He tried to appear relaxed and sat on the bench seat, bringing Daniella down beside him, keeping his arm around her so his pistol was blocked from view.
‘Some kind of fever.’ I said. ‘Been getting worse, but he’s been like this for an hour or so.’
‘Looks like it could be dengue.’
‘I still say he’ll be fine.’ Leonardo shifted on the bench.
Marco watched him for a few moments then squatted beside Raul. The old man was drenched with sweat, despite the cool breeze leading the oncoming storm, and his face was flushed bright red.
‘He’s not fine.’ Marco scratched Rocky’s ear when she stood to greet him. ‘He needs a doctor. Shit, he looks really bad. You want him to die because you can’t get him to a doctor in time?’
‘You’re probably right,’ I agreed. ‘With that rain coming up behind us, we’re not going to make it back to Piratinga. This boat’s not fast enough. We’re going to end up stuck out here.’
‘So you want me to take him?’
‘Yes.’
Marco lowered his voice. ‘Is everything OK here?’
I considered asking for a different kind of help, but I thought about what Leonardo had done yesterday, and how he had shot at Rocky, and I remembered the gun in his hand and where it was pointed.
‘Yeah. Everything’s fine. I just need you to help the old man.’
We remained still for a beat, Marco with his body facing Raul, his face turned back towards me, then he spoke. ‘Of course I’ll take him. Raul’s a good man.’
‘Yes he is.’
‘Then we’re wasting time. Come on, help me.’
‘He’ll slow you down,’ Leonardo interrupted. ‘Leave him here.’
‘Let him go,’ I said to him. ‘Rocky too. That way we’ll have no more problems.’ And I looked him right in the eye, letting him know that if he did this for the old man, I would do what he asked of me. I would get him to Mina dos Santos.
The muscles in Leonardo’s jaws tensed. I could see them bulging and working, his upper lip lifting a fraction so that a wrinkle appeared beside his right nostril. Then he sighed and waved with his free hand. ‘Take him. For Christ’s sake just take him. And take the damn dog too.’
Marco and I pulled Raul to his feet. He was conscious and his eyes opened, but he was feverish and delirious and weak. He was unable to walk without our help, and he was barely able to speak. ‘What’s going on?’ he asked, his voice quiet and dry.
‘Getting you home faster,’ I said. ‘Marco will take you.’
Raul turned his head, his neck moving like it was on a ratchet. ‘Marco?’
‘Sure.’ Marco patted Raul’s shoulder. ‘We’ll get you home, old man. Don’t you worry.’
Raul nodded and allowed us to guide him to the edge of the boat, where we helped him over the side. Marco and I took most of his weight, while the other man came over and held onto the Deus with both hands, pulling the smaller boat against it.
‘Take him to Ernesto’s,’ I said, grunting with effort as we finally manoeuvred Raul into the smaller vessel. ‘Ernesto will call his wife, take him to the hospital.’
‘Sure,’ said Marco. ‘I’ll make sure he’s OK.’
‘Thank you.’
I went back for Rocky, untying her and lifting her down into the outboard where she went straight to be close to the old man.
Marco was sitting beside Raul, keeping him from collapsing into the water, while the other man revved the engine, preparing to leave. ‘You want to come, too?’ Marco looked up at Daniella. ‘A storm’s no place for you.’
‘She’s fine right where she is,’ Leonardo told him. ‘Just take the old man and get the hell out of here.’
Marco narrowed his eyes at Leonardo before turning to me. ‘By the way,’ he said. ‘You seen another boat on the river? Anyone
passed you?’
I shook my head. ‘No one.’
Marco nodded. ‘My brother was out fishing for a couple of days.’ He glanced back at the approaching storm. ‘I saw him yesterday but there’s been no sign of him today. I don’t want him to get caught in the rain. You sure you haven’t seen any one?’
‘Sure,’ I said.
‘He’s a little taller than me, wears a red cap. He and his friend were in a boat like this one.’
‘Maybe he already made it back to Piratinga,’ I ventured.
‘Hmm. Maybe.’
32
‘You killed his brother,’ I said as the small boat became nothing but a trail of disturbed water.
‘You do something like that again, I’ll kill you,’ Leonardo said. ‘Or her.’ He pushed Daniella away from him. ‘And you’d better hope we get to Mina dos Santos before the old man sends someone after us.’
‘He won’t send anyone, he hardly even knew where he was. Anyway, we’re here to make some money and that’s what we’re going to do. He knows it and I know it. And you don’t need that.’ I inclined my head towards his gun. ‘Not any more. I’ll do what you want now.’
‘Well, I’ll keep it handy all the same.’
‘You can trust me to make your delivery if that’s what you’re thinking. We will make it to Mina dos Santos. There’s no way it’s not going to happen now. We’re going to make your delivery and your people are going to pay me. The old man needs that money.’ And I needed to get there before Sister Dolores Beckett. I had to be waiting for her, but any more delays and I might end up having to chase her up the Rio das Mortes after leaving Leonardo and his cargo. It would be difficult to explain that to Daniella. And thinking about the nun reminded me I had another weight on my mind; another tough choice to make.
‘The Rio das Mortes is up ahead,’ I told him. ‘We’ll get on it and stop. After that ...’ I shrugged. ‘After that we wait for the sky to clear.’
Behind us, the rain was a stampeding herd, unstoppable in its advance, so I took the wheel, guided the Deus to the mouth of the Rio das Mortes, and took us as far upriver as I dared before steering us well inshore. The course was wide where the two rivers met, but narrowed as we headed deeper, as if the world was closing in on us. With the darkening sky and the thick forest reaching up on either side, there was a very different sensation to be had from being on the Rio das Mortes. There was still the loneliness and isolation, but there was a more imposing and threatening feeling. The openness was gone, replaced by the dark embrace of the wilderness. It was as if the country was gathering itself around us in the way the shadow gathered itself around me. The beaches were fewer and smaller, just tiny strips of white sand. Some were marked with the tracks of turtles that had pulled themselves ashore at night, others were untouched, but all would soon be drowned by the rising water. There were shallow inlets, but in most places the forest grew right up to the edge of the water and the undergrowth was thick and impenetrable. The air was different here, too; it carried a darker, earthier smell as the odour of living trees mixed with the decaying detritus that lay at their roots.