On Tenterhooks (44 page)

When Steve heard Biker
say, “So
,
let’s
recap,”
he
snapped back to the moment.

“I’ve told you as much as I can about what’s to come. I know you’re scared
.
I understand
.
I would be surprised if you weren’t
.
If this is too much, too soon, just walk away
.
I
will
not let you go unattended
,
and I swear to you that I will continue to do my best to protect
you
from anything Preacher throws your way. Get on a plane, go back home and do your damnedest to live the normal life you
deserve
. I wouldn’t blame
you
, nor would
anyone
look down on you.”

The
table
was very quiet
,
as each of them pondered the choice that was set before them. After several long moments,
Veronica
spoke first
,
“Steve,
I want to know what you think.”

Steve
nodded, “Okay
, b
ut I can only speak for myself
.
You each are going to have to make your own decision
.”

They all
nodded
.

“To me,
it
boils
down
to a question of faith. I believe Biker has given us a true picture of what lies ahead if we make this decision. We know the odds and the challenges we’d face.
I don’t want to think of a lifetime of wondering
who is behind me or who I will be
fighting off
in
my nightmares.
So
,
I have to ask myself, do I trust that I’ve got what it takes to make it?  Do I have
enough
faith in God to see me through? 
Julie had faith
—
in
herself .
.
. in
me .
.
. in
us .
.
. and
in God
.
If she were here, she’d tell me to do it.
In
her letter
, Julie told me to
be strong
.
I
feel
strong
.
I
feel
faithful.”

He looked at each of them as they hung on his
words. “I
am gonna do it.”

Abby let out an audible sigh of relief.
“I am with you Steve,” she said, before anyone else
could
speak
.
“Yesterday, I was terrified
at the idea
of having to face him again
.
But
now,
well .
.
. it
just
feels like the right thing to do.”

Looking at Steve and Biker, she continued:
“I trust you both
.
And I trust in myself to do what’s right
.
Just like Julie, Zack told me to be strong too
.
I think this is what he meant!”

She pounded the table.
“I am up for it
!
”

Steve
nodded;
Abby smiled and leaned back in her chair.

“And I don’t think we’ve got much
of
a choice here
,” said Martin
, chewing on his straw
.
“Biker has laid it out for us with no
niceties
.
We’re not going to ever get rid of this unless we do it right. Plus, the good book talks of
‘
an eye for an eye
.
’
I am looking forward to giving that thing back some of the pain he caused all of us
.
Count me in.”

“So now everybody’s gonna turn and look at me,”
Veronica
muttered
.
T
hey did.

“Well I sure as hell am not gonna be the one to break up the band,” she said, twirling her napkin around her finger. “Everything you all have said make
s
sense to me. I’ve made mistakes in life
,
and I have regrets
.
But
with you all, I seem to click.”

She surveyed her companions at the table.

“
No matter what happens, I do not ever want to be old and gray, and look back on this moment and regret not seeing this thing through ‘til the end. Together, I think we can stand tall and
show
that old bag of bones
that he picked the wrong fou
rsome
to mess with
.
And I am v
ery much looking forward to
doing just that. I’m in.”

Steve turned to Biker
,
“So there you have it.”

Biker nodded
,
“Yep. I’m impressed
.
And I’m humble
d
.
You people are the reason why I keep doing what I do. You’ve got grit and cajones big enough to sink a ship. It is an honor to know you.”

Despite his colorful phrases, Steve knew Biker’s word were sincere
.

“
So here’s what you’re gonna do
.
Tonight, we’ll go back to your hotel
,
and
y’all
will get some sleep. I’ll be right outside your door
. Y
ou
won’t
be dist
urbed. Tomorrow morning,
a ferry
leaves here for the mainland at 6:20 AM
.
I want
you to be on it.”

The table was so quiet that Steve could hear Abby’s pen scratching across the page of her notebook.

“
It’ll take you to a town across the water called Playa Del Carmen.
When you
dock
, you’ll see Juarez Street across the beach f
rom the ferry landing. Walk up ‘
bout a block
,
and you’ll see the 5
th
Street Bus Station. I want
y’all
on the first southbound bus, bound for Chetumal. It
usually
leaves
right
a
t 8AM, so do not be late. There’s
only one per d
ay. It won’t be full, but there’
ll be tourists on it with y
ou
—
other Americans, Europeans
.
You’ll blend in well
.”

“Playa Del Carmen
. . .
Chetumal,” Abby repeated as she jotted her notes.

“
The ride to Chetumal is long
—
about five hours
, but
you ain’t
goin’
that far
.
The bus will stop in a town called Felipe Carrillo Puerto
to let the passengers stretch their legs
.
I
want y’
all to get off the bus there
.
It’ll
probably stop somewhere in the main square
.
There’s a car rental place there
.
Get a car and
drive south on the Federal 307.”

“Federal 307,” said Abby.

Biker paused and let Abby catch up
.

“Got it,” she said, looking up from her notes.

“
After about an hour, the road’
ll fork
.
You nee
d to take the left fork. This’
ll
getcha
off the highway and onto a much smaller road
.
The signs will tell you that you are heading for Majahual
.
After about 20 miles, you’ll see a huge rock outcropping on the left hand side.
Across from it is a small dirt road.
”

He traced the route on the table with his finger
.

“
Take that road. It’ll
take you up into the hills abo
ve
a small town called Costa Maya
.
The road ends at a campground
.
Most likely, it’ll be abandoned. I want you to drive of
f the road and into the woods.”

He wagged his finger at them: “
It is
very
important that no one see
s
the car
parked there
.
”

“Why?” asked Steve.

“Because I don’t want anybody else involved in this. Call it being overly cautious,” Biker replied. “
From there, you’ll find a path at the campground that’ll lead to
a
hiking trail that runs through the scrubby woods in that area
.
It’s a rough trip, so wear some comfortabl
e shoes, if you’ve got ‘em.”

“
About
two
miles in, you’
ll see a
c
ampechy tree on the right of the trail
.
It’s got yellow flowers and stands about 15 feet tall
—
taller than anything else in the area. Turn off the trail at that tree and look for an even smaller trail. It’s been a while since anyone’s used it, so you’ll have to look hard
.
You should be able to pick it up on the side of the campe
chy
opposite
from the main trail.”

He continued to trace the route on the tabletop.
“
Take that for about another mile and a half
,
and you’ll arrive at your home base, La Casita Del Paloma.
”

Veronica
’s eyebrows furrowed for a brief moment.
“The Little House of the D
ove?”

“Yep.
Kinda like a
safe house
,
I suppose. I
h
aven’t used it in years, so it might need a little bi
t of TLC when you get there
—
no power, no running water
.
There’s a
well out back that should be plenty full with all of the rain around here lately.”

Steve
chuckled
,
“So,
y
ou’re sending us off for a fight to the finish at a place named after a symbol of peace?”

“I know,” Biker grinned. “The irony’s a bitch
,
ain’t it?”

“Indeed,” Martin
agreed
.

“
Anyways,
there’s a shed out back with some
oil
for the lamps in the house.
Next to the shed is a red rock. U
nder it is the key
to the house. There’s a bunch
of canned goods and stuff like that in the kitchen, enough to hold you for
a couple weeks
, which should be
plenty
.
They
’ve
been there a long time
—
might taste a little bit like the inside of a cow’s ass, but
they should be edible at least.”

“
If you want anything else,
fresh
fruit ‘n stuff like that, get it in Felipe
,
because that’ll be the last place to get any groceries. But don’t waste
any time
.
This is essential.”