Belmopan

by B French

  “Can I take a seat?”

  “What do you want with Shawna?”

  Brian, unsure how to answer, wondered at this man’s involvement with Shawna, and did not reply.

  “You were at my sister’s office yesterday morning. Why were you there?”

  Putting the pieces together, “You are Maria’s brother?”

  Not answering, Mundie watched closely Brian’s eyes and autonomic reflexes to determine his intent.

  “I had asked Maria for some information on a colleague of mine from Canada.”

  “So, both of you are from Canada.” Edmundo stated, looking over to Steve who had not changed position or expression of face. He picked up the pistol and waved Steve over to the table and holstered it. “Maria got the impression that you were alright and,” he stopped momentarily, “Shawna has mentioned a friend whom she owed her life to from Canada, many times. I know it is you.”

  Brian caught a momentary show of emotion in his inquisitor that could have signaled regret. This fellow had feelings for Shawna.

  Ocho had lowered his rifle and collected up the bags holding communication devices and headed through the back archway. Jack brought a couple more beers to the table.

  “What can I get you fellas to eat?”

  San Ignacio

  Owen had eased himself from the shadows and crossed the road to where the two Canadians had left the fellow in the bushes. Creeping into the flowerbed and to the spot by the wall, he half shouted, “Are you alright?”

  With no response, he crouched low and nudged the prone figure, then gave him another stronger shove.

  With no warning, Juan lashed out with his fist just grazing Owen’s shoulder.

  “Hey, whoa, I’m just trying to help,” Owen returned.

  “Outta my way, gringo,” spurted from Juan’s foul and rum fumed mouth.

  Owen backed away and protected his bag and camera that was silently snapping pictures of the brute that was now struggling to get to his feet. “I’ll get those bastards,” flowed from his mouth along with a barrage of Spanish, flavored metaphors.

  Owen watched as the pitiful creature staggered toward the downtown area, retreating to the shadows of the dark, under-bellied nightlife that this man was apparently accustomed. Scanning the direction the Canadians had gone in, it was obvious he had lost them for the night. He approached the Hotel that the couple had entered earlier and decided, this was as good a place as any to spend the night, in fact quite luxurious. The American, who he had seen earlier with the British contingency in Belmopan, was an interesting lead. He would get to the bottom of this. The foyer was delightful.

  The Aguada

  The chicken enchiladas, refried beans and salsa were delicious, and disappeared as soon as they hit the table. Ocho and Mundie kept one eye each on the Canadians and the others on the patrons and strangers that flowed through the tabled area. Patrons that were staying at the Aguada, freely filtered in and out of the dining area to the outside bar that thrived beneath the grass-thatch roof that covered the open and roughhewn beams that supported the structure. The music had started, and the colored patio lights hanging from the bar’s beams gave the open air place a mood of gaiety, some bongo drums and a steel-pan sat idle on a make-shift stage in the corner.

  Brian, while eating, talked of his past involvement with the jade bowl and the escapades that had brought him to meeting Shawna, Peter and ultimately down to Belize. He spoke briefly of Vincent and the studies he had spearheaded along with theories he held for the intrigue surrounding the jade bowl. Edmundo intently listened and interjected with his own archaeological involvements once in a while. He had also mentioned Magnus, which of course initiated a whole different line of stories and humorous embellishments. Ocho had disappeared after supper and undoubtedly wished to confer with his men in the field. A young, vivacious waitress had kept the table in snacks and nonalcoholic beverages for the duration of their meeting while Edmundo, who described his earlier involvement with the military in Belize, told of how he came to be at Caracol, the site of Shawna’s abduction.

  “I have a meeting at the San Ignacio Resort,” Brian stated getting up from the table. Steve looked up as he finished the last morsels of nacho chips in the basket center-piece.

  “Would you like some company, “Edmundo asked?

  Brian looked at Steve who replied, “I need to get this seen to.” referring to his now swollen hand.

  “Yeah, it looks broken, Mundie stated. “Why don’t you get Jack to look at it. He was pretty good as a field medic in his day. He’ll fix you up.”

  Steve got to his feet and approached the bar where Jack was busying himself with drinks ordered from the patrons outside.

  “We’ll have to get changed. We can’t go looking like this.”

  “I don’t have much, but I’m sure I can scrounge something,” Edmundo returned.

  They left through the rear archway that led to the pool, and rooms, where they all had accommodations.

  The entrance to the San Ignacio Resort Hotel was well lit up and flash. Light-colored, marble tiles adorned the floors throughout and shined impeccably in the evening light. The wrought-iron railing that skirted the stairs along the eastern wall, led to the second floor and suites. Various ferns and tall, potted plants adorned the perimeter of the walls and accented the already bright and colorful foyer. Through the glass wall and doors, that exposed the exterior to the back, a scent-laden, gentle breeze blew from rear to front and up to the upper floors. The tops of palm trees, and the colorful bushes accenting the pool area, highlighted the deepening evening sky with its surrealistic, violet hue. To the right, the calming sounds of a waterfall, that delivered the clean, filtered water back to a pristine, aqua-blue, freshwater pool that rippled with the motions of patrons within.

  Feeling a little underdressed, Edmundo and Brian passed the front desk and through the foyer to the lounge in its anterior. They found a table that would afford them a panoramic view of the main floor, and ordered drinks from the passing waitress. Brian proceeded to the balcony that overlooked the exotic pool and surroundings below. Scanning the lounge chairs, he caught a glimpse of Doug, the Americano, perusing a paper that lay across his lap as he reclined. At the water’s edge, a black trail of hair floated on the surface and lay down on the shapely, muscular back of a woman he vaguely recognized. Her lean, dark shape edged out of the water with a quick sweep and up onto the deck with one motion. Her lean body and leg muscles rippled under the direct lighting from the lower balcony. She reached for the towel that rested on the chair beside Doug who paid no attention and began to gently towel dry her shoulder-length hair. Amalia stopped, as she noticed Brian watching her from above and felt his eyes upon her. She was stunning.

  While Edmundo had watched Brian watching Amalia dry herself off, he had withdrawn to the upper foyer to determine where she and Doug would have rooms. Brian returned to the table and waited patiently while Edmundo made the rounds of the hotel, taking note of the patrons, and who might be guards, or lookouts. Doug and Amalia had entered one of the balconied state rooms on the top floor, off to one side. Edmundo returned to Brian at the bar.

  “Did you find what you were looking for?” Brian asked, swirling the ice in his empty glass.

  “Yeah, they’re upstairs. I’m hoping they’ll be down soon for food and drinks.”

  “Did you know you had company all the time you were walking around?”

  “Yeah, a fair-haired fellow around five-foot-eight, carrying a small camera!” retorted Mundie.

  “A guy after my own heart; I’ve more or less given up on any camera shooting. He was watching you while you were wandering after Amalia and Doug. He’s a news-paper guy we met in Belmopan when Steve and I found out about Shawna.”

  Mundie nodded his head and looked around to see if he was still present.

  “I think he is following Amalia and Doug. This could be difficult if I can’t get Amalia alone for a few minutes.”

  “You leave it t
o me,” stated Mundie taking another sip of his drink. “Just let me know when you are ready to make your move.”

  The shack Nodding off lightly, Shawna and Magnus were kicked awake by a pair of size-ten work boots.

  “Get up! Get up!”

  One of the guards pulled them to their feet and corralled them by the door. The other had exited and was searching the sky, turning in circles with his rifle directed upwards. In the distance, Magnus heard the sound of the continual, thumping cadence of helicopter rotors. Inaudible to the average person’s ear, the sound blended in with the surrounding noise ambience of the forest’s natural resonations. The guards new the sound well.

  “Get to the truck!”

  Hesitating slightly, Shawna yelled above the din of the wind, “I have to go to the bathroom.”

  The guards looked at each other and then to Magnus, “Get in the truck!”

  With the butt of his rifle, one of the guards forced them to the waiting, open doors and paused while Magnus helped Shawna onto the deck. Scanning the sky for the last time and noticing shafts of light emanating from behind low clouds, he cursed and jumped into the back with them. The doors slammed.

  Grabbing a loose bottle of water that rolled aimlessly within the trucks confines, the rear guard took a long gulp and screwed the lid back on. Looking toward a cowering Shawna and Magnus, a little more defiant, the guard tossed the bottle to him and nodded to Shawna.

  “I have to go pee,” Shawna stated once again only with more urgency. The bumpy ride was doing nothing for her self-control.

  “We have to stop; even for just a couple of minutes,” Magnus requested with longing in his voice.

  The guard considered for a moment and called to the driver to find a secluded place to stop. Within minutes they had pulled off the gravel, side road into a sheltered, wooded clearing. The treetops swayed and the leaves rustled as she squatted low, trying to ignore the eyes that watched through the shadows to her nakedness. Magnus tried to block her from their vision and sidestepped on occasion as the two sallied back and forth to watch her movements. As he heard her zipper being pulled up, he took a deep breath and charged for the guard closest to him. Completely unprepared, the fellow doubled in pain as Magnus, head dipped and butted into his solar plexus. With a quick sweep of his rifle butt, the other surprised guard cracked Magnus between the shoulder blades, and sprinted after Shawna. Lying on the ground, Magnus watched as the pursuant, chased blindly into the darkness after Shawna; then all went dark.

  When he came to, Shawna was sobbing in the corner at the rear of the truck. He could see by the light of the street-lamps that flashed through the rear, door windows that she was covered in mud and blood. The scrapes on her legs and arms showed that she had given a good fight, but had failed to escape. The half-empty bottle of water continued to roll aimlessly throughout the rear of the van.

  The resort:

  It took another half-hour, but from his concealed, seated position, Brian could see Amalia, with Doug by her side, in the reflection of the glass, front doors. Carefully, she sauntered down the stairs in her anklestrapped high-heels, exposed as she lifted the hem of her gown. The full-length, aqua-marine, satin dress that hung loosely from her shoulders barely covering her breasts, clung defiantly to the crevices and contours of her taut body. Her muscles rippled flawlessly beneath the cool fabric that shimmered provocatively as she walked slowly and gracefully toward the dining area. Large, silver and turquoise, pendulum earrings swung rhythmically as her body swayed with each step, her neck long, exposed from her hair secured high upon her head with enameled hairpins; a few, wispy strands fell loosely, caressing her shoulders.

  “Wow!” escaped from Edmundo lips.

  “Yeah, I know. She looks just as good naked.”

  Edmundo gave a side-glance to Brian that echoed reams of innuendo and gave a sigh.

  Within moments of Amalia and Doug being seated at a table, the duplicitous Owen crossed the foyer and entered the lounge. Making no moves to interfere with the events unfolding, Brian and Edmundo watched from the distance as the two ate their sumptuous, seafood dinner unaware of the intrusion to their privacy of two tables over. Owen had taken several photographs of the unsuspecting couple.

  Brian and Edmundo were just about to order another drink when two burly, coarse fellows entered the foyer, almost knocking a potted fern over; they headed to the dining room. A young bellboy ran forward from his station by the front entrance to stop them, but was swept aside with the regard of a small dog entreating them with a nip. Forcing the door open with a sweep of the hand, one entered the room and approached Doug with no concern for atmosphere or countenance, the other stood off to one side of the doorway as sentry. Few words were spoken at the table with the intruder standing ominously above an embarrassed Amalia. Doug, wiping his mouth with a linen napkin, and rising from the table, appeared to give Amalia an apology and retreated from the room with the stranger. Once out into the foyer, Doug and the other two slowly walked to the front doors. Out into the night air, they slowly walked to one side of the decorated pillars and continued their conversation; the bellboy cowered to one side.

  Brian and Edmundo looked at each other inquisitively, and then back to Amalia, and Owen who was indiscreetly looking toward Amalia, then out to the doors again that Doug and the two had retreated. Brian sat for several moments, obviously torn between the two arenas; a decision would have to be made.

  ‘Want to lay a bet?” asked Edmundo, looking to the three outside and Amalia sitting impatient and alone at the table.

  “Oooo! Tough one,” retorted Brian, considering the two scenarios. “I bet he goes for the girl.”

  “You’re on.”

  Owen looked toward Amalia, and then out to the doors again and reached back to lift the chair from under his weight to get up. Amalia simultaneously got up from her chair, reached for her purse and made a move to exit. Owen intercepted her half way to the door and tried to make conversation, but Amalia brushed him off and struggled with the weight of the doors. Ephemerally, she swept across the foyer to the ladies room just off of the lounge area to the rear of the foyer. Side glancing the sitting area, she noticed Brian at the table and hesitated at his recognition. Owen pursued her through the doors and wavered due to her swiftness.

  Taking the opportunity of the separation of Amalia and Doug, and her transitory response, Brian rose to his feet, but she continued and disappeared through the door to refresh herself. Edmundo, taking the occasion of Owen’s diversion to advantage, he slowly edged his way along the wall to come up behind Owen should he choose to pursuit Amalia. Reaching in his pocket, Owen looked toward the slowly closing door and thought of his dwindling chances and took a cigarette from the confines of its package. Looking toward the front door, and then back to the where Amalia had disappeared; he turned briskly and headed for the front doors. Edmundo slowly shadowed him as he proceeded out into the fresh, cool night air.

  Brian looked toward the bellboy who had disappeared from the front doors and scanned the area as he crossed the marbled floor to the alcove that housed the doorways to the washrooms. Confident the slow evening would allow him several moments alone with Amalia; he entered the women’s quietly and looked toward the shapely woman as she bent forward over the sink to highlight her makeup.

  “Well,” she sighed as she side-glanced the movement to her left, “You have a lot of nerve.”

  Without saying a word, he quietly slid over to where she stood and leaned against the next sink and watched as she continued. Struck by her beauty and the openness of her dress as she leaned forward, he caught himself becoming aroused.

  Sensing his attraction to her, she gently licked her lips and laid her hand upon his arm.

  “I know you, don’t I,” she stated, with a measure of uncertainty.

  “Yes, the Royal Reef.”

  “Ah yes. You and that little pervert Jose, who likes to watch me.”

  “He’s no pervert. He’s just enamored with such a
beautiful woman as you.”

  Her gaze softened at his words and dropped her hand from his arm, “And what about you?”

  “I am equally as smitten,” he replied, with a slight smile that showed the whites of his teeth.

  She gently moved closer toward him, lightly rubbing the firmness of her breast against his arm. Her eyes sparkled slightly as she looked up to him; her breasts reacted to the light caress and became firm beneath the silk fabric. Brian lightly laid his hands on her hips and gently squeezed the muscles that lay beneath. She responded by leaning against him and wrapping her arms around his waist. She laid her head against his chest as she could feel his hardness against her belly and gave a sigh.

  She hugged him close for several moments then eased herself from the embrace, “What is it you want?”

  Hesitating, taking note of the discoloration of skin beneath her make-up and a slight swelling in the area, “I need your help.”

  As Doug exited the front doors into the lighted portico, he could feel his anger building. “Why would you come here and jeopardize the operation knowing full well you’re wanted by the San Ignacio Police.” He felt his hand form into a fist, but was able to restrain the urge to strike out. “What happened?”

  “Choppers in the area! We heard choppers and thought it best we move to another area.”

  “What! Did you guys move the girl and the doctor?” Doug felt his anger welling up inside again to an uncontrollable height.

  “We have them in the truck.”

  Doug ran his fingers over his face and then through his hair, “Ok, it will be alright. Just let me think.” He stopped short and fumbled in his pocket for a cigarette. Just then, a guest from the hotel walked out and lit a cigarette, not three feet distant. One of the big fellas slowly walked over and stood in his way until the patron moved to the opposite side of the entrance to continue smoking there. Just inside, off to one side, another fellow stood looking through the glass to the foliage and the road beyond.

  Just ahead, a little further up the hill away from the resort, Doug noticed the dirty, white van sitting motionless. “Let’s go for a walk.”