the catalog.
Whether it was from his swelling eye or the fury that threatened to take him over, Brett looked at him through a red mist. He stared hard at the pistol pointed at him. It’d take more than that to stop him.
Still gripping the jade stone, his fists shook as he looked at Frederico’s face–the toady face of the man who’d rented him the boat, who’d come here looking for treasure, who’d hurt Jesse. As he turned to face him squarely, Frederico quickly pointed the gun at Jesse.
Brett froze.
“Drop the rifle,” Frederico said. Brett hadn’t even realized he was still gripping the barrel of the broken gun. He let it drop. “Where is the Red King?”
Brett stared at the pistol, glanced at Jesse, and then took a deep breath as he looked back to Frederico.
“In the seventh cave,” he said.
“Brett, no,” Jesse breathed.
Frederico smirked.
“Where in the seventh cave?”
“In the pyramid,” Brett said.
“Brett,” Jesse pleaded. “Please don’t!”
He wanted desperately to turn to her but he didn’t dare take his eyes off Frederico, who was eying the two of them. Then he focused back on Brett.
“So you think you found the Red King?”
Brett tossed him the blue jade carving of the Jester God. Even a looter–especially a looter–would know what that meant: a Maya king was never far away.
Frederico caught it on his stomach and then looked down at it.
“Oh my god,” Jesse whimpered. “Brett.”
This time, he looked at her. His heart thudded in his chest and blood pounded in his temples as he looked at her face–and saw the pain. Tears were welling up as she stared at the blue stone.
Now Brett could clearly see the outline of the machete blade in the welts, several of them. His jaw tightened and he felt his teeth grinding. He couldn’t see the bottom of her foot but he could already guess what had happened. Frederico had used his machete on one the most sensitive parts of the body. He remembered the long wail that the man with the rifle had turned to hear.
As he looked back to her face, their eyes met and she blinked away tears.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice choked.
“Then don’t do it,” she pleaded quietly. “Don’t tell him.”
“That’s not what I’m sorry about,” he said.
With a sudden jolt, he realized how easily he’d given up the Red King–and how much it didn’t matter.
“Let’s go,” Frederico said.
They both looked at him.
“Untie the girl,” he said, indicating Jesse with the pistol.
Brett shook his head.
“Leave her here,” he said. “You don’t need her.”
“No, gringo, but you do. You won’t cross me because, if you do, she’ll die. Untie her or watch her die right here.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“Don’t look,” Brett said, as they passed the looter’s body.
As she limped, Brett supported her with an arm around her waist. The pain in the bottom of her foot was excruciating and she could hardly put any weight on it. She hung on to him with an arm around his neck and they both carried lanterns. Frederico followed them with the gun.
Jesse had already turned her head away from the horrific sight, sure she’d pass out if she saw it. The dark stain that spread out from the man’s head had to be blood.
The Blood Gatherer would have his blood.
Suddenly, Jesse remembered the translation.
She glanced behind at Frederico, who was looking at the body as they passed. Then she looked up at Brett, his expression grim.
“I have a confession,” she said quietly.
He looked down at her, his eyebrows furrowed.
“A what?”
“A confession,” she said, continuing to limp along. “I am bringing my confession.”
Understanding had just begun to dawn in Brett’s face when Frederico shoved them from behind.
“Silence,” he said.
She stumbled and landed on the injured foot. Although Brett immediately lifted her with one arm, the pain shot up her leg.
Brett had already tried to carry her but Frederico hadn’t allowed it. Maybe it made them easier to control if she limped or maybe he just liked the pain. She didn’t know why. She only knew it hurt.
She sucked in a breath as her body went rigid but, rather than be pushed again, she quickly hopped with Brett’s help. They proceeded past the other caves and finally paused at the electrical box for the seventh cave. Brett turned on the lights.
• • • • •
As they entered and left the noise of the engine behind them, Brett heard Frederico chuckling. He didn’t need to see him to know what was happening. He’d nearly done the same thing the