by Cullen, Ciar
The doctor patted the woman’s hand and thought of the mess that had been brought in from the site of Pacal. The Mexican archaeologist, Ramirez, was dead. There had been very little blood left in his body. Orlando Rinaldo was luckier, but not as lucky as Professor Twaine. Rinaldo would need additional surgery to repair damage to his shoulder and collarbone. He had lost a lot of blood, but would no doubt recover fully.
The story had been incredible, and the doctor thought that the inquest might be rather interesting, hoping he might have to get involved. Evidently, this Ramirez had been quite a character. If he weren’t dead, he’d face a variety of charges in Mexico City, including embezzlement as well as rumors about a rather young male student. It was ugly. The last pieces of the puzzle weren’t together yet, though. The police were beginning to take the case of the missing Martin woman more seriously now. They hadn’t launched a search, but would probably do so in the morning. He sighed. Hopefully she was off with another man. The alternative was unthinkable.
He reassured the matron again and left her to keep her unnecessary vigil at the Professor’s bedside.
* * *
SinJin woke a few hours later and saw Rosa asleep in a nearby chair. He was foggy and tried to sip some water to clear the horrible taste from his mouth.
“Rosa,” he hissed quietly. The woman stirred and looked at him. “Oh!” She hugged him, a little too tightly, and he winced in pain.
“Have they found her?”
“No, SinJin. They won’t even look until morning.”
“Fucking assholes. Get this off me.” He indicated the IV needle and Rosa looked at him in horror.
“The bag’s empty, Rosa, it’s okay. I’m full of blood now.” He saw he’d have to remove the needle himself. He was in agony. Whatever painkiller they had given him was wearing off, or hadn’t been strong enough. Then he remembered vomiting from the drug. No wonder his mouth was so foul.
“Where’s my wallet, my keys?” She glanced at the table near him and shook her head violently.
“Is the Land Rover here?”
“Si, Orlando’s brother brought you both in it.”
“Is Orlando alive?”
“He will live, but he must have surgery.” She saw the pained look in his eyes. “No, no, the bone here,” she pointed to her collarbone. “The doctor says he will be quite well.” SinJin sighed.
“Ramirez?” His eyes burned.
“The son of a bitch is dead.” SinJin lifted a brow in surprise. He had never known Rosa to curse.
“I think José shot him, but I can’t quite trust my memory. That’s when I passed out.” SinJin shook his head, not able to take it in. Well, he would hear about José later, God bless the boy.
“No, no, please SinJin, you need rest.” She was crying and he sat up, head spinning. He took her hand and kissed it.
“Mamacita, listen to me. Look into my eyes. I am fine. A little groggy, that’s all. I know I must look bad, but you have to trust me. I would not lie to you. I will be fine. Okay?”
“No, no, no, not okay.” She continued crying.
“Rosa, I can do this with you, or without you. It’s your choice. I need you to drive.” Her eyes widened at the prospect and she shook her head vehemently. “Well, it’s time you learned now, isn’t it? I should have taught you a long time ago. You are a modern woman, Rosa, we both know that.” He did his best to smile. Even smiling hurt. Son of a bitch Ramirez.
The duty nurse ran after them as they passed her station, but SinJin held up his hand.
“You are part of a criminal case, Senor Twaine. I will notify the police if you leave!” The nurse picked up the phone and brandished it at SinJin.
“The Playa del Carmen police don’t seem to give a damn about a woman in danger. See if they care about me.”
SinJin began questioning his decision to have Rosa drive as they weaved and lurched down the highway, but after a half-hour or so, she seemed to have gotten the hang of it. He encouraged her, but took over when it was time to navigate the bumpy side road to Cozmano. As they drew up to the house, they saw someone on the porch. It was Jack Peders.
“What the hell?” SinJin ran his hand through his hair and groaned, the gesture sending waves of pain through his shoulder and arm.
“Any news?” Peders offered his hand. SinJin took it and shook his head. “Son of a bitch, what happened to you? You look like death.”
The young man hugged Rosa. “It’s good to see you, Rosa. I wish it were under better circumstances.”
“Yes, Jack. Thank you for coming.”
“Yes, thanks for coming, Peders. You never got word from her?”
“No.” SinJin headed into the house and Jack ran in front of him to block his path.
“Professor Twaine. You have company.”
“Obviously.”
“No, more company. Tam’s parents, the Martins. They’re asleep in one of the bedrooms.”
“What the hell did you bring them here for?”
“They have a right, Twaine. They’re her parents.”
SinJin sighed and nodded. Jack was right, of course. He wasn’t up to meeting his future in-laws. Or perhaps they’d never be his in-laws? He squeezed the thought down.
“What did happen? You were shot?” Jack indicated the bandage.
“It’s fine. Alberto Ramirez is dead. Before he died, he shot our crew chief, Orlando.”
Jack looked stunned. “The head of the service? How did he die? What’s going on?”
“He’s the one who took her, Jack. One of my boys shot him, or I’d be a dead man. It’s complicated, and I’m not sure I understand it all, but I’ll tell you and the Martins what I know.”
“And he didn’t tell you where she is? Before he died?”
SinJin shook his head and saw Jack pale.
“God, she could be anywhere.”
“Professor Twaine?” SinJin turned to find a man of about sixty years in his doorway. Professor George Martin, the most famous astrophysicist of his generation.
“Yes, Sir.” He shook the man’s hand. “I’m going to find your daughter.”
“Yes, we will. What the hell happened to you? You’re very pale. Come in here, boy.” Canterbury, Tam had said. Of course, her parents were British. SinJin felt a bit dizzy and thought the man was right—it was time to sit down for a few minutes. He wouldn’t do Tam any good if he was unconscious.
Rosa brewed coffee and joined the group in the living room. SinJin told Jack and the Martins what he knew, and Rosa filled in more details. Sandra Martin cried as her husband comforted her.
“So, SinJin, may I call you that?” Tam’s pretty mother reached to take his hand.
“Of course, Dr. Martin.”
“Call me Sandra. My daughter isn’t only your assistant, is she?”
“No, Sandra.”
“I didn’t think so. You would be exactly her type. Brilliant, extraordinarily good looking, a little obsessive about your research.” She tried to smile through the tears.
* * *
Tam looked at the stars through the window of the hut and fantasized about being with SinJin, sitting on the serene porch of Cozmano, sipping wine after one of Rosa’s fantastic meals, talking about their fabulous discoveries. They would whisper through the night, and kiss, then SinJin would take her to bed, and make all her pain go away.
“Don’t worry, storyteller, I am with you.”
The voice was getting annoying now. All through the night, she had heard it, each time she had woken from her troubled naps. Tam knew that she was hallucinating. It was thirst, hunger, and fear. Tam had always thought she was tough, but one day without food and water had felt like a month. Her stomach clenched furiously. Her clothes were soaked with sweat and covered in dust. The air in the hut was stifling even in the cooler night. When the sun hit its zenith later in the day, she knew it would become unbearable. Tam had managed to remove the duct tape from her mouth by rubbing it against the pole. Screaming had done nothing but make
her voice hoarse.
At least the phantom voice was encouraging and the horrible dreams of Shield Jaguar had stopped. She wondered idly how long it took to die of thirst. Her parents would know, she thought. And Jack, that’s the sort of thing Jack would know. But Ramirez would kill her before she died of thirst.
Tam heard a rustling outside the hut. Ramirez! He had come for her. The tears flowed again and she struggled uselessly to free herself from her bonds. Then she saw it—a paw, scratching at the earth under the door. A huge paw, as big as her hand. God help her! A wild creature would maul her before Ramirez got his chance. She saw a dark nose and watched it sniff the air.
She screamed as it jumped onto the high open window ledge. A jaguar! Its eyes burned into her and she saw the fury of the night predator. Her last thought before fainting was that she had finally managed to see a jaguar.
Tam came to and screamed again. The jaguar lay a few feet away, licking its paw, rubbing its ear. It was exquisite. Powerful muscles were apparent under his gorgeous coat. He turned to her suddenly and stood. The jaguar growled fiercely and Tam squeezed her eyes shut and prayed. Then she felt the pull at her bonds. The cat gnawed at the ropes, soaking her hands and wrists with his huge tongue. Tam shook in disbelief and fear.
“I’m losing my mind. Have you been speaking to me? Are you…”
The cat tilted his head and growled softly.
“Shield Jaguar?”
He growled again, more loudly, and Tam could have sworn the cat sounded annoyed with her for asking. She felt the ropes fall and rubbed her raw wrists, bringing painful life back to her hands as she looked at the jaguar. He pushed at her ankles with his nose and she began the difficult process of extracting her legs from the rope. The jaguar pushed her hands aside and pulled at the knot with his strong incisors, never scraping her skin. She was finally free, and fell to the ground. Tam cried as she stretched her aching legs. She looked at the cat, who seemed to be waiting for her.
“I don’t know where I am, Shield Jaguar.”
He growled again and hopped onto the window ledge. Of course, the jaguar certainly couldn’t open the door’s padlock. She’d have to get through the window. She pushed a huge empty barrel against the wall, every muscle in her body screaming in pain at the movements. Tam scrambled up and forced her body through the narrow opening. The drop wasn’t very far, but she decided to start over and go through legs first so she could land on her feet. When she landed, the jaguar was again laying on the ground, grooming.
Well, Tam thought, I may be hallucinating, but it’s better than sitting in that damned hut.
The cat stood and moved into the jungle, taking one of three paths spreading out from the hut’s entrance.
“Hurry, he’s waiting.”
Tam followed on shaking legs. It was all she could do to keep up with the jaguar, even though his pace was slow.
Chapter Twelve
SinJin woke in a sweat. Damn, he hadn’t meant to sleep, but had lain down for a moment to gain some strength, let his head clear. Two hours, and nearly light. He washed his face and hair and wiped down his body, wishing he could take a shower, but knowing the shoulder wouldn’t take it.
Jack and George were on the porch, drinking coffee with Rosa.
“You look a bit better.” George poured him coffee and pulled a pill out of his pocket.
“What is it? Painkillers make me sick.”
“Not this one.” He winked.
“Thanks. Listen, I think Ramirez was completely alone in this, but on the off chance someone else is out there, you should probably stay behind.” SinJin knew what the answer would be, but had to try.
“Not a chance.” George stood, draining his cup.
“Are you armed?” SinJin presented his revolver.
“Take the pill, I’ll drive. Where are we going?”
“To the site. I don’t know where else to start looking.”
“Twaine, do you have another gun?” Jack surprised SinJin.
“Do you know how to use one, Jack? It’s no game.”
“I evidently shoot better than you. You missed me last year.”
George looked taken aback. “You shot at our boy Peders here, Twaine?”
Jack waved him off. “It’s an inside joke.”
SinJin reached into the glove box of the Land Rover, handing Jack a small handgun. He was surprised when Jack comfortably checked the clip.
They were at the site at sunrise.
“This place still creeps me out,” Jack said. “Oh, wow, you cleared this side. Look, One Smoke Rabbit, Two Smoke Monkey. Spear Jaguar? Hey, they’re backwards!”
“How well do you read Mayan, Jack? I can’t do that.”
“You never gave me a chance.”
“Asshole.”
“What?”
“You mean, you never gave me a chance, Asshole. I can hear it in your voice. You may as well say it. Tam calls me that all the time. At least she did.”
Jack flushed a little and SinJin wondered if he had been premature with Dr. Peders. There was something about the slender handsome dark-haired man that reminded him a little of Ramirez. Perhaps Jack’s sexual preference had put him off, he thought regretfully. That would make him an asshole.
“Jack, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for last year. I really didn’t know it was you, and I thought with someone plundering the site, perhaps he had made his way to the house… I don’t generally shoot my assistants.”
“Glad to hear it,” George mumbled.
“And you hated that I’m gay.”
SinJin took a deep breath. “And I suppose I hated that you’re gay. I’ll try to explain sometime.”
“No need. I think I may understand better than you think. Apology accepted. But Twaine?”
“What?”
“You owe me another apology. I’m a good archaeologist.”
“So Tam says.” SinJin pulled at his hair, looking around the site, at the fringe of jungle that seemed endless.
“Fuck you, Ramirez!” He sat on the step of the pyramid, looking helplessly at his companions. “I don’t know where to start. There’s nothing in any direction for at least two miles. She could be anywhere.”
George sat next to SinJin. “Twaine, listen, be logical. He certainly didn’t carry her very far, and not from Cozmano, correct? So, if he was in a vehicle, there’s no reason to suspect that she is near the site?”
“No, she’s close. He didn’t have the time to take her very far and be here at the site when I met him. His car was here. Anyway, I know she’s close.”
George looked at Jack, who shrugged. A lover’s intuition wasn’t much to go on.
“Are there any other roads leading away from the site?”
“Quiet!” They all heard it, a rustle in the underbrush. SinJin motioned with his gun for the men to join him behind a pile of tumbled building stones.
“Oh my God!” Jack whispered, unable to believe his eyes. A large cat strolled from the jungle, and stopped suddenly, focused in their direction.
“Don’t shoot it, Jack, it’s a jaguar.” Impossible, SinJin thought.
Favoring one leg, the beast made its way up the pyramid, winding side to side amongst the vines and branches. Perched on the top, he looked down at the men, who stood now in clear view to get a better look. And in an instant, he was gone.
“Tell my story, SinJin!”
A chill ran down SinJin’s spine and he felt Jack grip his arm in desperate fear.
“Bloody hell.” George looked as if he would faint.
Well, SinJin thought, for once, everyone had heard the voice. But what did it matter? She was gone.
“Help me find her, Shield Jaguar! Damn it, help me find her!” He dropped his face into his hands and looked as if he would weep.
“I’m here, Professor.” The three turned. Tam clung to a tree trunk. She was bloody, filthy, and scratched, her face badly bruised. “And I think I’d really like to go home now.”
And unlike the fir
st time she passed out in front of him, SinJin reached Tam in time to catch her.
* * *
Dr. Martinez breathed out deeply, sounding relieved.
“Move aside, Professor Twaine, or I cannot examine her. In fact, you should join the others in the waiting room.” He glanced at SinJin as he took Tam’s pulse and listened to her heart, thinking that it would take an army to pull this man away.
“Professor, let me begin by saying that if you are going to take care of this girl, and I assume from the look on your face that you intend to do so, you will have to take better care of yourself. I’m in charge here. Now sit down and shut up!” SinJin sat, startled by the man’s manner.
“She is a little dehydrated,” he motioned for the nurse to set up an IV for fluids. “She is a little abraded here and here.” He wiped away some blood. “She has been hit by an object here, but nothing seems to be broken.” He snapped out an order for the nurse to arrange for an X-ray of Tam’s cheek. “Her heart rate is normal, and her blood pressure is slightly low, probably because of the dehydration. That should change rapidly.”
“That’s it?”
“Yes, that seems to be it. She’s exhausted, and is sleeping. I have given her something to ensure that she stays asleep for a while longer. I see people in worse shape from Spring Break parties. Actually, Professor, you are in far worse shape than she is. I would strongly suggest that you allow me to readmit you to this hospital and continue the treatment that you so recklessly abandoned. Am I clear? Look man, you’re deathly pale and in shock. Now that she’s safe, your body is starting to shut down. I’m not exaggerating your condition. The surgeon who removed that bullet would be stunned to know what you did last night. Why not get better for her as quickly as possible?”
“Can I have that bed?” SinJin indicated one a few yards from Tam.
The doctor laughed. “I somehow expected you would ask that. This isn’t a resort, now, keep that in mind. But room service is open twenty-four hours a day.”
SinJin managed a weak laugh. “Thanks, doctor.”