Meanwhile, there was one reality that had to be addressed. He and his wife were about to travel hundreds of miles across remote areas of a foreign country where they would stick out like sore thumbs. While Nedra might believe that faith would see them through to their destination, he was more practical. The weapon laws were strict in Mexico. Americans caught with them were subject to harsh penalties, so he had to be creative in figuring something out to protect his wife and himself.
Arriving at the shop, he entered its tiny interior where a round faced man behind the counter greeted him with a gap toothed grin.
“Buenos Dias! ¿Cómo le puedo ayudar?
“Yes, you can help me,” Sin answered in Spanish. “I need to buy a screwdriver.”
****
Nedra was tired of Sin’s pouting. It was time to put an end to it. Like most married couples they’d had their share of disagreements over the years, but they usually came to some sort of compromise, and it was time they did that.
When Sin entered the hotel room he found his wife clad in a black satin teddy and matching boxer shorts. She was dancing around the room listening to an iPod. He stood for a moment, watching her well toned frame moving effortless to a song only she could hear.
“I know that’s not church music you’re listening to, not moving like that.”
“No, it’s some old school,” she answered with a suggestive thrust of the hips.
He lifted a brow. “Oh, really. What?”
“Percy Sledge’s song, When a Man Loves a Woman.”
She proceeded to sing a few lines as she sidled toward him. Sin tried not to smile at her antics.
“You’re shameless.”
“When it comes to you, yes I am.” She stopped in front of him, her light brown eyes holding his black ones.
He tried to hold on to his anger, but found himself weakening. “The preachers’ union ought to throw you out on your ear.”
She placed a quick kiss on his lips and squeezed his manhood. “I don’t belong to a union.”
Sin jumped. “You ought to belong to one. Somebody needs to reel you in.” Hooking an arm around her waist he pulled her to him.
Nedra gave a triumphant smile. “Do I need reeling in?”
He kissed the tip of her nose and then leaned back. “Yes you do. You’ve got us running around here in Mexico on some wild goose chase.” He cupped her chin. “It’s dangerous, Nedra. If anything happens to you…”
She placed a silencing finger to his lips. “You won’t let anything happen to me.”
“It’s just not worth taking this chance for some stranger I don’t care about. I say let the dead rest.”
“It’s not the dead I’m concerned about. It’s the living. If there are answers to any of the questions you or I have about this man, I want to know them. And this might be our only chance.” Nedra put her arms around his neck “I really didn’t mean any disrespect by planning this without you. Can you forgive me?”
Sin rolled his eyes skyward. She knew the answer to that. His love for her overshadowed all rationale.
“You have a reprieve, but I’m asking two things in return. I want you to say one of those powerful prayers of yours for our safety.”
“That’s already done. What’s the second request?”
With a wicked smile, he slid his hands beneath her satin boxer shorts and squeezed her round buttocks.
“I think you know.”
He was right. She did.
CHAPTER 14
The Reasoner’s arrival at the Puerto Escondido airport was uneventful. Sin did most of the conversing with the local citizenry. The Spanish Nedra had learned in school was pretty good, but the Spanish Sin had learned on the streets of New York, and later perfected in college, was better.
At the tiny airport they caught a taxi into town. From there they would take a bus to Rio Grande. Their cab driver was a colorful character who called himself Gato and talked nonstop. Noting that they were Americans, his questions about their country seemed endless. Seizing the opportunity to practice her Spanish, Nedra patiently answered each one. After exiting the taxi, Sin gave his wife a look.
“What?” she quizzed.
He smirked. “You are just too good to be true. I used to wonder if you were just naturally personable or did you have to work at it because you’re a minister and it’s expected.”
Amused, Nedra cocked her head. “So what is your conclusion?”
“It’s natural.” He looked resigned. “Let’s get something to eat before we catch the bus.”
Rolling their luggage behind them, they found a hotel on the beach with a restaurant. As they dined, Sin and Nedra entertained themselves by watching scurrying lizards and recalling other trips they had taken together, most of which had been with their children in tow.
“I know you’re not happy about being here, but this is one of the few times we’ve traveled outside the country alone,” Nedra reminded him. “I say we take full advantage of this.”
Sin gave a noncommittal shrug. “I suppose.”
A short time later they were on the bus headed to Rio Grande. The aged vehicle wasn’t crowded, but it managed to stop at every town and hamlet along the way letting people on and off. Since this was their first visit in this area of the country, Nedra and Sin watched the people and the passing scenery with interest.
“I haven’t been on a bus since I was in college,” Sin said gazing out the window. “The ride’s a bit bumpy, but it’s not half bad.”
“Well, if I tell you something, will you promise me you won’t laugh?”
“Promise.”
“This is the first time I’ve ever been on a bus.”
Sin looked incredulous. “You’ve got to be kidding!”
“No, I’m afraid not.”
“How about when you were a little girl living with your mother in Kansas City?”
“Sometimes my mother took a bus to work, but she had a car and drove me to school and everywhere else.”
Sin thought hard. “But what about when you were in college at Berkeley?”
“I’ve had a car since I was sixteen years old.”
He made a face. “Man! I never knew anybody who hasn’t been on a bus before. You were spoiled rotten.”
“I was not,” Nedra protested, poking him in the ribs, but knowing he was probably right.
After their arrival in Rio Grande, they took a cab from there to a hamlet named Zapatalito. There they took a skiff that ferried them down the river to their final destination.
It was on this leg of their journey that Sin was in for a surprise. The squat, muscular man manning the boat to the island looked African American, without a hint of Mexican lineage.
Short in stature, his skin was a rich coffee brown. His graying hair was woolly, framing a round, weather beaten face, graced by a wide, prominent nose and generous mouth. Displaying a mouth full of crooked teeth, he introduced himself as Gabriel.
Sin couldn’t conceal his surprise. Curious, he asked Gabriel if he spoke English and his answer was no. Glancing at Nedra to gage her reaction, she didn’t appear to be as surprised at the man’s appearance as he was.
The ride to the island wasn’t long. Nedra and Sin were the boat’s only occupants. Like the cab driver they met earlier, Gabriel was talkative, but he wasn’t inquisitive about America. He was curious about their reason for coming to the island.
“We’re looking for a woman named Mrs. Ruiz,” Nedra informed him.
“Which one?” he wanted to know. He named a dozen of them before the boat docked.
“The one who works for a Mr. Hardman,” she explained.
“Awwwww,” was Gabriel’s only response.
After landing on shore, they still had quite a walk to get to their accommodations for the night. Helping them with their baggage, Gabriel led them through sand strewn streets, past small, wood and cinder block houses topped with thatched roofs. Exotic plants and flowers filled the yards. Children played soccer in the san
d and residents with black and brown faces greeted Gabriel and the two strangers with wide, friendly smiles.
By this time, Sin’s curiosity had reached its peak. He nudged Nedra. “Who are these people? They look like African Americans.”
“I know,” was her only reply.
A short while later a cluster of colorful wooden buildings came into view. They were spread at intervals along the sandy white beach.
“We’re here.” Gabriel announced. “These are the cabanas that hold our guests.”
The couple gazed at the shanty like structures, trying not to react. The accommodations were humble, to say the least.
“We’ll go in here.” Gabriel drew their attention to the opened door of a building that appeared a bit sturdier than the other structures. Built of grey cinder blocks, it was adorned with peeling green shutters and topped by a thatched roof. The word café was scrawled on a wooden sign nailed above the entrance.
Gabriel waved them inside. The breeze coming from the ceiling fan in the interior was welcomed. It offered some relief from the sweltering heat outside.
The place was small. There were six tables with two chairs each and a long wooden bar with a half dozen bar stools pulled up to it. The bartender greeted the trio with a wide grin and Gabriel explained that the couple wanted to rent one of the cabanas. They were invited to examine the accommodations.
As soon as they stepped into the red, blue and yellow building, they knew that their visit to paradise would have its challenges.
“Hell no!” Sin declared looking around at the white washed walls and cement slab floor. “We’re not staying here.”
The room contained two double beds, both with lumpy looking mattresses. Clean, but faded, linen was folded neatly at the end of each bed along with thin, thread-bare blankets. Mosquito nets were gathered over the beds.
“You gonna need the nets,” Gabriel warned. “We got big mosquitoes,” he said as if he was proud of the fact.
There was only one window. Two shutters covered it, and they were closed. A single lamp, placed on a table between the beds, provided the only light. The air circulating in the stifling interior was provided by a box fan sitting on the floor.
“If you open the window and the door together, the breeze from the ocean will cool it off in here quick,” Gabriel assured them.
Nedra had suspected that they might be residing in modest conditions, but she hadn’t expected anything like this! She tried to be diplomatic in addressing her husband’s concern.
“We won’t be staying here long.”
“You’re damn right!” Sin declared.
After bidding Gabriel goodbye, they returned to the café to pay for the cabana. The café owner turned out to be a wealth of information.
“Gabriel tells me that you are looking for Rosa Ruiz, the one who works for Senor Hardman.”
Nedra brightened. “Yes, we are,”
“Both of them live on the other side of the lagoon,” he said as if they knew where that was. “The lagoon divides our island and most people live over there.”
He described the house Hardman lived in and how they could get there.
Thirty minutes later they were standing in front of a small brick house that they were told belonged to Thomas Hardman. Nedra couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment.
“Let’s check and see if Mrs. Ruiz is here first,” she told Sin. If so, maybe we can kill two birds with one stone, meet her and look around the place if she lets us. I just hope she hasn’t packed his things and gotten rid of them.”
Sin wanted to say that she should have thought about that before they came to Mexico, but instead he grumbled, “The sooner we do whatever you plan on doing, the sooner we can go home.”
Nedra knocked on the door. No answer. She knocked again. Movement could be heard coming from the inside. She and Sin stood poised to greet the woman whose initial contact had brought them to their destination.
The door opened slowly and to their surprise the person standing before them wasn’t a woman, but a man, one who Sin recognized instantly—Thomas Hardman.
CHAPTER 15
“You ass hole!” An irate Sin started toward the man who looked as shaken by the couple’s appearance as they were by his.
“Sinclair!” Nedra screamed, clutching his arm trying to prevent him from seizing the man standing in front of them.
“This is him, Nedra! This is the guy who came to my office.” He tried to shake her hands loose. His face was a contorted mask of fury. “You’re supposed to be dead! Why aren’t you dead?” Nedra could feel the heat of anger radiating from Sin’s body. She held on to him as hard as she could. It was difficult.
“So you’re Mr. Hardman,” was all she could think to say. Her tone was matter-of-fact, but not her feelings. She was in shock. The moment felt surreal. “We need an explanation,” she demanded.
“You’re damn right!” Sin allowed himself to be restrained by his wife. His jaw was clenched. Veins bulged from his neck. He was breathing hard, ready to pounce on this liar at the slightest provocation.
Looking wane, Thomas Hardman swayed slightly as he clutched the wooden door. His eyes shifted from Nedra to Sin, visually assessing both their demeanors before opening the door wider and stepping aside.
“Come in.”
Nedra accepted the gesture and moved past him. Sin stood firm. Hardman’s eyes boldly held his eyes. Glancing back, Nedra noted her husband’s stance. He was livid.
“Sinclair,” she urged quietly, knowing that when they stepped over this threshold their lives would change.
Sin knew it too. He didn’t want to move forward. He wanted to turn and walk away. Instinct told him that this man could mean trouble. Retreat, a tiny voice inside his head whispered. Instead, tossing a malevolent glare at Hardman, he pushed past him and followed his wife inside.
The interior of the house was small. The living room, kitchen and dining area were all one room. The back wall consisted of a sliding door that stretched across the length of the room emitting a flood of sunlight and an idyllic ocean view.
The place was modestly furnished. A sofa fashioned out of natural wood and graced with colorful cushions took up much of the space. Two matching chairs were placed opposite it. All three pieces of furniture were clustered around a glass top table made of driftwood. The dining area contained a variety of potted house plants. An eating counter separated the kitchen from the living room. Two stools sat beneath it. Outside on the patio was a metal table with four canvass chairs, protected from the sun by a bright red umbrella.
Noticing a plate of half eaten food sitting on the counter, Nedra turned to Hardman. “We apologize for interrupting your meal.”
He shrugged. “No problem. I’d offer you something, but unfortunately Mrs. Ruiz only fixed a plate for one.” He directed Nedra and Sin to the sofa.
“Have a seat, please. Would either of you like something to drink?”
“No thank you,” Nedra answered, pleased that Hardman was treating them as though they were guest.
Sitting down, she expected Sin to follow suit. He didn’t. Stalking to the patio door, he stood with his back to the room trying to gain a hold on his anger.
Hardman took a seat in one of the chairs. With a cursory glance at Sin, he focused his attention on Nedra.
“I’ve met Mr. Reasoner before, although I must say the circumstances were unusual, but unfortunately I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you.”
“Nedra Reasoner.” She flashed a smile and they shook hands.
“You’re lovely, Mrs. Reasoner.”
“Thank you.” Nedra accepted the compliment graciously, impressed by his manners. They were those displayed by gentlemen from another era.
“To say that I’m surprised to see you both is an understatement,” Hardman confessed. “This is a long way from nowhere and the trip is not the easiest. So I must ask what brings you here?”
Turning abruptly, Sin faced the room. “Are you seri
ous? I think we ought to be asking the questions and the first one is why did you lie about being dead?”
For a split second, Nedra noticed a flash of something cross Hardman’s face. Was it uncertainty? He recovered quickly and the stoic mask returned.
“Please don’t blame Mrs. Ruiz for that. When she told me what had happened, I explained to her that she had made a mistake by contacting you. So she simply honored the request I made of her.”
“As if we couldn’t figure that one out,” Sin scoffed. He moved farther into the room. “Man, you’re good with the bull. So let’s see what you can come up with to justify you coming to my private office and taking a video of my family photos?” He moved toward Hardman. “And let me warn you, I’m about one step away from kicking your ass so the answer better be a good one.”Hardman didn’t appear intimidated. He looked at Sin steadily.
“I’m surprised that you remember me. That was a while ago. But if I recall correctly, I was sitting there alone and noticed the pictures of your family. They were so attractive that I simply wanted a memento. Plus, I have to admit that I recognized Darnell Cameron in one or two of the photographs. She’s my favorite singer, and her picture alone was like having a souvenir I could brag about. I figured if I asked if I could photograph them, you’d say no. I’m sorry I didn’t get your permission. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
Giving a disingenuous chuckle, Sin shook his head “You’re good. Real good.”
Nedra had to agree. Thomas Hardman was an impressive man. Not only was he nice looking, but his manner was refined and the sharp, crisp tone of his
speaking voice, which was infused with a nearly imperceptible accent, was mesmerizing. She could see where he could easily persuade anyone to believe anything he might say. But, she wasn’t buying it.
“My husband is right, Mr. Hardman. You had no right to invade his privacy like that. Your explanation sounds convincing, but I’ve got another question for you.” She withdrew the picture and handed it to Hardman. “Who is Joe? And why does he look so much like my husband?”
Shadows of Love Page 8