“Let’s go and find out then,” Atticus said from just behind Riley. “And let’s get on with the adventure!”
They stepped out of the Avalon into the thick, sucking Belize humidity and made their way over to the customs official. He was housed in a small building just beside the airport and after a few moments asking questions and stamping passports, he allowed the crew to walk back out into Belize and over to the rental yard.
A short man in white shorts and a black short-sleeved shirt strolled over to them with a big, toothy grin on his unshaven face. “Mitch!”
“Mauro! How are things?”
“Always good.” He raised his two hands palms up, as if weighing something. “But only so long as I keep the sunshine and stress in the right balance.”
Riley looked out at the rain-soaked airstrip. “Sunshine?”
“And Stress?” Charlie said. “In a place like this? Seems like paradise to me, even with the rain!”
Mauro’s face darkened. “You would be surprised what can happen even in a paradise.”
Decker pushed his hat an inch or two up his forehead to get a better look at his old friend and then pointed his finger at the Jeep. “Is that the only one you’ve got?”
“Sorry, but yes.”
“But you said you had several to choose from! We have to drive out to the ruins today.”
“This is not a far journey, Mitch. Just a few kilometers. No more than thirty minutes’ drive.”
“I know where it is,” Decker affirmed. “I can read a map, Mauro. The point is, what if we need to go farther? Sometimes our investigations lead us onto other locations.” He took another look at the old heap beside them. “I’m not convinced this vehicle could make it to the edge of the airfield.”
“Of course she can!”
Selena rolled her eyes. “Why do men always have to refer to machines as she?”
“It’s a term of endearment,” Decker said. “The Avalon is a ‘she’.”
“And don’t I know it...”
‘And just what is that supposed to mean?”
Selena opened her mouth to speak but Riley stepped in.
“I think we may be straying from the point,” he said. “Which is that this Jeep is a heap of crap.”
“No, it’s fine,” Mauro said. “I drove her in the forest reserve just south of here a few days ago. She’ll do anything you want her to do with no complaints and minimal cost, except for maybe a little wear to the rubber.” He kicked the tires with his tennis shoe. “I swear.”
A wistful smile spread on Riley’s face as he sighed. “Reminds me of a chick I once knew in Nha Trang.”
“Oh, please!” Selena said with disgust. “I do wish you’d have the courtesy to keep the contents of your sordid little mind to yourself.”
“You’re just jealous,” he said.
“I think not, Mr Carr.”
Mauro, said, “It doesn’t matter one way or the other. This is the only Jeep. Take it or leave it.”
“I guess we’ll take it,” Selena said.
“I’m sorry,” Mauro added. “Men came here earlier and took the best Jeeps. The money they offered was top dollar and they threatened me. I couldn’t turn them down!”
“Men, what men?” Decker asked.
“Mexicans, I think. Several tough looking characters, lots of gang tattoos. One of them, I think it was their leader was a very strange man, but he had lots of dollars and threatened my life so I looked the other way in a hurry.”
“How was he strange?”
“Something about the look in his eye maybe, I don’t know. You know how these things are.” He tapped his chest. “Instinct. Anyway, this really is my next best Jeep.”
“It’s your only Jeep,” Selena said.
“It’s still very good, I promise.”
“Really?” Decker said. “Because it still looks like a heap of crap to me.”
Atticus frowned. “Tell me more about these men though. I’m intrigued? Where is their aircraft?”
“They arrived in a chopper. Said they had flown into Belize City on a private jet and that they were a team of treasure hunters from somewhere in Mexico. They had guns, too. Lots of guns.”
“Guns?” Decker said. “This sounds like trouble. I mean, why here? Why now? We find evidence that Montesino’s Doomsday Machine was real and buried out in Xunantunich, and by the time we get here, a small army of men have already arrived armed to the hilt?”
“They’re probably just on a hunting trip,” Riley said.
“Yeah, right.” Decker leaned in and picked at a flake of rust on the rear wheel arch. “Did they say where they were heading?”
Mauro nodded. “Sure, the ruins out at Xunantunich.”
“Quelle surprise,” Atticus said.
Decker sighed. “Great. And this is definitely your next best Jeep, right?”
“My very best,” Mauro said with a grin. “I swear to you. Only the very best for Mitch Decker.”
Decker straightened himself up and squared up to him. “Because if I didn’t know you any better, Mauro, I’d say you reneged on the deal you made with me just to make a buck out of these guys with guns, keeping this heap of rusting junk back just for me.”
“What is this?” Mauro said. “You insult me. You offend me. Your words cut me deep. How long have we known each other?”
“Seems like forever.”
Mauro grinned at Selena. “Nearly ten years. That’s how long. We met in the Caribbean. You want to know how much credit, trust and faith ten years buys you?”
“Go ahead, Mauro. You tell her,” Decker said, checking the tires’ pressure.
“Nothing,” he said. “Not with Mitch Decker. Not a thing. See how he distrusts me?”
“He has a point about the Jeep, Mr Lopez,” Selena said. “It does seem somewhat worn.”
“As I said, take it or leave.”
“Gee thanks,” Decker said sarcastically.
