Otomi pulled the car to a stop in the shade of trees and jumped out to open Lily’s door. Her aching knees made the exit painful, and her spine groaned as she stood. Carter rubbed his lower back and grimaced as he too slowly rolled upright.
As Otomi wrestled his squealing rooster from the car and carried him in the crook of his elbow toward the building, Lily prayed the bird wasn’t intended for the menu. She followed their driver up a set of weathered stairs, and Carter’s heavy footfalls sounded behind her.
Warm breezes drifted from the water and crossed the broad expanse of the veranda. In the distance Lily spied a boat motoring away, and shuddered at the thought of being on that muddy water.
Otomi led them to one of the tables already set with plates and cutlery and indicated they should take a seat.
“May I wash my hands first?” Lily asked.
“Sí, sorry, retrete around corner.”
She turned to Carter. “Do you want to go?”
“Ladies first.”
Graciously accepting his offer, she waddled away. To her relief, the bathroom was clean and stocked with ample toilet paper. Able to breathe again, she washed her hands twice and headed back toward the table. Carter had a camera with a large lens set up on a tripod and was gazing through it, across the water.
“You don’t waste any time.” Lily shielded her hand against the sun in an effort to see what he was focused on.
“Have to be quick to catch these kinds of shots.”
“What’re you looking at?”
“Crocodiles.” He clicked off a few photos.
“What? Really?”
“Yep.” He stepped back. “Want to see?”
“Yes, please.” She leaned over to look through the lens. On the opposite side of the river in a small muddy patch where there was no greenery, she counted seven crocodiles basking in the sunshine. The largest one at the front had its mouth wide open, as if panting.
“Wow. They’re enormous.”
“Nah, they’re about average. I’ve seen much bigger.”
“Really? Where?” She stepped back from the camera.
“Australia. Africa. Help yourself.” He indicated to the lens again. “My turn in the bathroom.”
Through the lens, she stared across the river at the enormous beasts and was only distracted when delicious aromas had her stomach twisting into angry knots. Otomi appeared from a doorway and placed several plates on the table. “I hope you like my sister’s cooking.”
Lily wasted no time in choosing a chair to sit. Just looking at the food had her salivating. She was ready to eat and was more than tempted to drink the ice-cold beer too, but resisted, waiting for Carter’s return.
“Will you be joining us, Otomi?” She smiled up at him.
“No. No. My sister, she kill me.” His rotund belly nearly wobbled out of his belted pants with his laughter.
“What’ve we got, Otomi?” Carter walked toward them, rubbing his hands together.
He took a seat and Otomi pointed at the whole fish on a silver plate. “Pescado frito. Leticia’s own recipe.”
The fish had four diagonal slits across the body, and it’d been heavily seasoned with herbs and spices before being fried to a crisp.
Otomi pointed at each dish, naming them. “Tamales. Arroz poblano. Buñuelos de queso, pollo motuleño. Okay, I leave now. Enjoy.” He waddled away.
Lily eyed the food. “This looks so good.”
“Sure does. Dig in.”
She reached for a tamale, took a bite, and it was everything it promised to be—sweet, juicy, and spicy.
Carter placed a bit of everything on his plate. “Have you been to Mexico before?”
“No. First time.”
“Have you done much traveling?”
Lily wiped a trickle of sweat from her temple. “First time outside America.”
His eyebrows shot up. “And you chose the middle of the Mexican jungle. You’re keen.”
“When I saw Agulinta on the news, I just had to see it.”
He huffed. “I can relate to that.”
She felt the need to elaborate, but had no intention of mentioning her father’s journal. It was hard enough for her to comprehend, let alone explaining it to a complete stranger. Using work as the motivation seemed the perfect answer. “My boss wasn’t keen though.”
He took a bite of his chicken. “Why’s that?”
Lily could still hear her boss’s cackle when she’d pitched her concept for an article on Agulinta Temple. “My usual reports involve the latest lipstick trends.” She cringed at the embarrassing admission.
Carter’s laugh was deep and hearty. “Who do you work for?”
“I worked for Curve magazine in Seattle for three years, but two months ago I started a new job with the magazine More to Explore. Have you heard of it?”
“No.” He licked his fingers and reached for his beer. “So you wanted to show them what you’ve got.”
“Something like that.”
“So, why wasn’t your boss keen?”
She shrugged. “Because I’m new there. Because I’ve never done anything like this before.” She cocked her head. “Because I’m a woman.”
“Ahhh, he underestimated you, hey?”
“When I told him I’d take leave without pay, he looked like his kidneys had been ripped out.”
Carter laughed, and when he wiped his hands on a napkin, she noticed he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. “So what’s your story?”
He indicated the chicken dish. “Would you like some?”
“Yes, please.”
He ladled a large portion onto her plate and claimed some more for himself. “Like I said, I’m a photographer. I travel the world looking for the next best shot.”
“By yourself.”
“Usually.”
Carter was older than her; based on the lines around his eyes, she’d say he was at least forty. “Ever had any photos published?”
He shrugged. “A few.”
The dish was delicious, delicately spiced and finished with a hint of citrus. “Are you freelance or employed?”
“I’m freelance.”
“So where do you live?”
“Hey, hold off a bit. I feel like I’m being interrogated.”
She huffed. “Just making conversation.”
Carter sat back, patted his stomach, and reached for his beer. “Well, we don’t want to run out of things to talk about. We’ve got four whole days together.”
Lily copied him with her own beer. It was bitter, cold, and refreshing.
He raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you normally a beer drinker?”
“Yeah. Other than Mom, I grew up with seven men, so there wasn’t much choice.”
“Seven men?”
“Six older brothers and my dad.”
He whistled. “Where’d you grow up?”
“Now I’m the one being interrogated.”
He held his palms up. “Just small talk.”
Lily leaned forward and reached for more chicken. “I grew up in Montana. On a dairy farm.”
“Ha. You don’t look like a farm girl.”
“Really? What do I look like?”
He swigged his beer, maybe stalling his response. “I don’t know . . . you just seem more like a city chick.”
She was happy with that answer. Even though she’d grown up on a farm, she much preferred living in the city. Farming was hard work, and while she wasn’t against getting dirty, she much preferred using her head than her hands.
She finished the chicken, and as she hadn’t tried the beans yet, she spooned some onto her plate.
“Hungry, hey?” Carter said.
“Always.” The beans had a distinct smoky flavor, and like everything else on the table, they w
ere spicy. “Yum. You should try these.”
He rattled his lips together. “No thanks. I’m full.”
Otomi returned to the table, grinning. “Our boat is ready.”
Lily choked on her beans. “Boat! What boat?”
Chapter 4
Carter lugged his backpack down to the water’s edge. The boat Otomi had referred to was a ten-foot wooden craft painted in uneven green and red stripes. A small cover, made of grass thatch and hemmed in with black plastic, offered some protection from the sun.
As much as Otomi grinned at their new form of transport, Lily scowled. She stood on the riverbank, hands on hips. “Nobody mentioned a boat.”
“Only way to get there,” Otomi said.
“Well, nobody told me.”
“It okay. We do this many time.”
“But we saw those crocodiles, and what about pirates?”
Otomi chuckled. “No worry about pirates. They down near Esperanza—not here.”
“And the crocodiles?”
“They no worry in boat.” Otomi reached for her pack, but Lily clutched its handle as though it were a lifesaving device.
“What if we fall out?” She spoke through clenched teeth, and Carter saw past her initial anger over not knowing about the boat. Now he saw her fear.
He walked to her side. “You don’t want your boss to win, do you?”
Her blue eyes blazed at him. “No, I don’t want him to win.” She brushed her bangs off her forehead. “But we must be able to get there some other way.”
She turned to Otomi, and the guide shook his head. “This only way.”
Lily sat on the ground and hugged her knees to her chest.
Carter squatted in front of her. “What’s wrong with taking a boat?”
Her shoulders sagged. “Would you give me a minute, please?”
“Okay.” He stood and stepped back. “We’ll get the rest of our gear from the car.”
Otomi and Carter left Lily to her brooding and made their way back up to the hut and out to the car. “How bad are the pirates along this stretch of river, Otomi?”
“Here, not bad. We protected by the curve in the river. If they attack here, they be caught and killed. Very safe.” He was casual enough; he could’ve been talking about beer choices.
They plucked the gear from the trunk and Carter hesitated when he reached for Lily’s pack. Whatever was driving her fear appeared to be deep-seated, and he wondered whether she’d carry on with the journey. For decades, he’d done his traveling alone, but for some reason he hoped Lily would continue. He picked up her pack and was surprised at how light it was. He’d never met a woman who traveled this light before.
Between the two of them, he and Otomi managed to transport the rest of their luggage and the camping gear down to the waiting boat in one trip. When they arrived Lily wasn’t there, and Carter assumed she’d gone to the bathroom again.
Otomi disappeared into the building and returned seconds later carrying the rooster in a metal cage.
Carter frowned. “You’re taking the bird.”
“Of course.”
“Can’t you leave it here?”
“No.” Otomi’s eyes bulged. “My sister will eat it . . . then my wife kill me.”
Otomi loaded the rooster cage onto the boat and positioned it at the front of the bow. Carter helped Otomi distribute the gear evenly, and soon the only item left on shore was Lily’s backpack.
When Lily finally appeared, she’d transformed dramatically from the woman who’d sat on the riverbank just five minutes ago. Her smile was broad, her step was lively, and her approach to the boat was without hesitation.
“Okay, time for a boat ride.” She picked up her pack and tossed it so hard, Carter grappled to remain upright. Lily climbed aboard looking the happiest he’d seen her, and he decided she was either putting on a brave front or she’d popped a happy pill in the bathroom. He hoped like hell it wasn’t the latter, because he wouldn’t put up with that shit.
Otomi pushed off the shore with an oar and started the engine. Black smoke spewed from the noisy contraption, it chugged once, then roared to life, spearing them across the brown water with ease.
The sunbaking crocodiles on the other side maintained their stance as the boat cruised right by them. For Lily’s sake, Carter was grateful the river was wide enough to keep them at a distance.
He reached into the pack at his feet and removed his camera. It was his prized possession.
Otomi navigated the plethora of rocks protruding from the water, and after a slight bend in the river he accelerated away, elevating the bow out of the water. Pompa wrapped his claws around the rungs on the bottom of the cage and spread his wings to the breeze, like he was flying. The rooster seemed to be enjoying the ride, and Carter had a feeling the bird had done it many times before.
Lily rubbed suntan lotion over her long, tanned legs and, determined to ignore her flash of skin, Carter tested his camera’s settings and adjusted it according to the boat’s speed. His passions were animals, nature, and history. He’d yet to find a sport that was more interesting.
They carved up the water in their noisy craft, and the river and dense vegetation lining the banks whizzed by in a blur. He fired off a series of shots, taking in the murky water, the lush vegetation lining the banks, the intense indigo sky, and Pompa, the crazy orange-and-black rooster that was still flying in its cage.
Conversation over the engine noise seemed impossible. Even so, once Lily finished with the lotion, he joined her under the shady canopy with the intention of doing exactly that. However, after a few fruitless attempts he drew his hat down over his face and succumbed to a quick nap.
The shift in the engine noise woke him, and when he lifted his hat, he noticed they were heading toward a levy tucked in amongst the foliage. “What’re we doing?” He pushed upright.
She shrugged.
Otomi cut the engine and as they drifted to the riverbank, he moved from the back of the boat to the front. Like a true expert, just before they crunched into shore he jumped off and eased the boat onto land. With Otomi’s help, Lily climbed out first and Carter followed her to the grassy clearing.
Otomi grinned at them like they should applaud. “Our campsite.” He spread his arms, showing off the tiny area.
“What? Here on the edge of the river?” Lily’s dropped jaw highlighted her horror.
Carter studied her fright-filled eyes and once again wondered why this trip was so important to her. She was clearly out of her comfort zone. “It’s okay, the crocodiles only live on the Guatemalan side.” He struggled to keep a straight face.
At first, he thought she’d believed him, then she reared back. “Very fun—”
An ear-piercing screech erupted from the jungle behind them.
“What the hell was that?” She edged back toward the boat, easing in behind Carter.
“Monkeys,” Otomi said. “But it okay, we stay here.” He reached for the rope at the front of the boat and proceeded to tie it to the nearest tree.
Otomi moved with fast efficiency despite his rotund belly, and between the three of them, in a very short time, three one-man tents were set up and a campfire was blazing. Lily held her own with the setting up, and Carter was impressed by the way she wielded the hammer. Once the campsite was complete, Lily claimed her tent and vanished inside with her things.
Otomi carried Pompa to his tent and let the rooster free inside. The bird crowed at its release and the monkeys set off again like they were protesting. Their ferocious roar had Carter wondering if the rooster’s presence was a good idea.
Contemplating that thought, Carter chucked his things into his tent and set up his tripod in the hope of catching the monkeys on film before nightfall.
Otomi set about making the fire bigger, then carrying a large pot, he went down to the riv
er, and Carter was grateful Lily didn’t see him fill it with the muddy water. The pot went onto the flames and Otomi steadied it with a few large boulders that he manipulated into place with thick branches. Their guide added a few more ingredients, then squatted by the fire and began singing to himself as he stirred the pot with a large metal spoon.
Carter peered through his lens at the tree canopy, determined to find something photo-worthy. But the moment Lily reappeared, he lost all focus on the jungle. If he didn’t know better, he would’ve assumed she’d had a shower in that tent. Unlike how Carter felt, Lily looked refreshed and clean.
“Something smells good.” Lily ambled toward the fire, scooping her long hair up into a high ponytail.
“Tomato, rice, and beans.” Otomi showed off yellowed teeth with his cheesy grin.
“Fabulous. I’m starving.” Lily looked into the pot. “Yum.”
Carter couldn’t believe she was hungry; he was still full from lunch. He didn’t know where she put it; she didn’t have an ounce of fat on her.
Otomi scooped the meal into three bowls and handed one to each of them. Lily sat on a towel she’d placed near the fire and Carter sat cross-legged on the grass. The second Carter took his first mouthful, the monkeys belted out a cacophony of screeches that made the hairs on his neck stand on edge.
“It is sun going down. Not my cooking.” Otomi laughed and pointed at the darkening sky.
“So they’ll settle once the sun sets?” A frown corrugated Lily’s forehead.
Otomi wiggled his head from side to side. “Sometimes yes. Sometimes no.”
Her shoulders sagged, and Carter had to bite his tongue before he offered to share his tent. His body was reacting to her presence like a randy teenager, and given that she looked to be a similar age to his daughter, it was totally inappropriate. His head told him to get his ass up to the temple, take the bloody photos, and get the hell away from her before he did something stupid.
Out of Reach Page 4