down there,’ she announced. ‘I think we’ve found Paititi!’
9
The Toyota Land Cruiser picked its way along the narrow track, mud squishing out from beneath its tyres. Another vehicle, a twin save for its colour, followed.
Eddie was driving, Nina beside him and Macy and Kit in the rear seats, the young woman yawning from the early start. Valero piloted Osterhagen’s group in the second 4×4, the two men having the most off-roading experience. Even so, it was slow going. The day before, Valero had flown back along the track to find where it joined the road, but this morning, even knowing the approximate location, it took some time to discover the trail; it had been concealed, bushes and a mouldering log covering the turnoff. And the track itself constantly twisted between the trees, bushes and low branches swatting the Toyotas as they crawled past.
Eddie checked the odometer. ‘Five miles since we left the road. Can’t be much further.’ He hauled the wheel over to avoid a large jutting bough, the vehicle lurching over the ruts carved by dragged logs.
Macy liberally spritzed herself with insect repellent. ‘I just had a thought—’
‘First time for everything,’ Eddie cut in.
She slapped his shoulder. ‘No, but what if the people who found it come back? They might be armed.’
The same had occurred to Eddie, who had been less than pleased at the Venezuelans’ refusal to let him or even Kit bring weapons into the country. However, he tried to sound reassuring. ‘Oscar’s got a gun.’
‘If he knows how to use it. I was chatting to him last night. You know what he used to be before he joined the militia?’
‘A pilot?’ Nina suggested.
‘Well, yeah,’ Macy said peevishly, ‘but before that, I meant. He was a chef! That’s not exactly like being in the SAS.’
‘Depends how bad a cook he was,’ said Eddie. ‘If he got a lot of complaints, he’d have to— Whoa, hang on.’ He slowed sharply. ‘End of the road.’
They entered a clearing, ragged stumps showing where the loggers had chainsawed down several valuable hardwood trees. A steep bank of earth rose ahead. Layers of tyre tracks in the dirt showed that the area had seen a fair amount of traffic.
‘There’s another path over there,’ said Nina, indicating the bank.
‘Not sure it’s drivable, though,’ Eddie replied. He stopped the Land Cruiser. ‘It’s probably better to go on foot from here . . . and there’s something I want to check.’
‘What?’ Nina asked, but he had already hopped out, eyes fixed on something on the ground nearby. Curious, she followed.
‘Oh, ew,’ said Macy, wrinkling her nose as she stepped into the mud. ‘What’s that smell?’
‘That would be the jungle,’ said Cuff patronisingly as he got out of the second Toyota. He closed his eyes and waved a hand under his nose as if wafting the scent of some delicious meal into his nostrils. ‘The most diverse ecosystem on the planet. The lungs of the world. Just smell that life.’
‘I can smell something,’ Macy said, adding ‘like bullshit’ under her breath. Despite the repellent, small insects were swarming round her; she flapped a hand before treating them to a burst of spray.
Osterhagen emerged from the Land Cruiser behind Cuff. ‘Why have you stopped? We can go . . . ’ He tailed off as Eddie waved urgently for silence.
‘What is it?’ Nina whispered.
Her husband crouched and pointed at the mud. ‘These tyre tracks, they’re recent. Less than a day old – there hasn’t been time for any rain to wash them out.’ In the humid equatorial climate of the rainforest, downpours were an almost metronomic occurrence. He went to the nearby path. ‘And there are some footprints here.’
The others joined them, the atmosphere suddenly tense. Kit peered at the impressions in the soil. ‘Different sizes – two men.’
Eddie nodded. ‘They go into the jungle . . . but they don’t come back out.’
That produced consternation amongst the group. ‘Are you saying there are people here?’ asked Loretta nervously.
‘Guards, maybe,’ said Nina. ‘A treasure trove of Inca gold . . . they’d want to make sure nobody else found it.’
Eddie checked the surrounding trees. No signs of movement, or sounds beyond the chatter of birds and buzz of insects, but he was now very much on the alert. ‘Oscar, you might want to keep that gun handy.’ Valero hurriedly drew his weapon and checked it was loaded. Loretta gasped in alarm.
‘Oh, come on,’ said Cuff. ‘Why would they post guards when nobody else knows this place exists?