Page 66 of Fear No Evil

“General Rojas has agreed to your latest offer.”

The team members gave a unified gasp and shared eye contact.

“My men and I will escort Señor Mayer and Señor Arias to a pueblo, just down the mountain. Arias may be seen by a doctor there, and SeñorMayer will have access to a computer, the Internet, and a phone to make his arrangements. The rest of you will remain here with David and his soldiers.”

So Gallo was leaving, as well? Maggie shared a hopeful look with Jake. Then again, was that a good thing?

“Once the arrangements are finalized, we will return for you. I cannot vouch for your safety if you venture beyond thiscasita, so stay put. This should not take long‍—a day or two at most.” He swept one more look at the lot of them while avoiding eye contact with Maggie.

Her instincts niggled.Why won’t Marquez look at me?

When the commander took his leave, everyone shook Boris’s hand, wishing him luck. A short while later, the same stretcher Arias had used the day before was brought into thecasita. TheArgentine’s expression of hope sent an arrow through Maggie’s heart. She hoped he would make it home to his family alive.

The team trailed the stretcher outside to bid farewell to those leaving.

“Godspeed, Boris!” Rushing up to the German, Esme embraced him.

Watching the couple, Maggie realized a romance had bloomed between them. How more likely were they than she and Jake to share a future together? The question depressed her.

“¡Vamos!”Marquez bellowed, and the group set off, headed in the direction ofKi-Kirr-zikis.

Watching Gallo go with them, Maggie waited for hope and relief to wash over her. Instead, she was all too conscious that her time with Jake was dwindling.

Following their midday meal, the remainder of the team lolled in their hammocks. What else was there to do? Going outside became impossible, as a swarm of blood-seeking mosquitos surrounded thecasita,driving David’s squad indoors with them while David alone suffered the mosquitos to keep watch. Julian, Chucho, and Estéban hovered by the cold hearth, talking quietly amongst themselves.

Jake, lying in the hammock next to Maggie’s, had turned himself around so they faced each other. Over the wovenhamakfibers, Maggie met his steady blue gaze. What was he thinking? Did he wonder, like she did, how he was going to feel when they went their separate ways? Did that put a weight on his chest, as it did hers?

In the strained, dull silence, Charles tossed out a general question. “What’s the first thing you intend to do when you return to civilization?”

Maggie, whose hip was aching, had a ready answer. “Sit in a jacuzzi.”

“Hah.” Bellini, who owned a vineyard, offered, “Open my best bottle of pinot grigio.”

Esme held up a stockinged foot. “Get a pedicure.”

Jake finally chimed in, “Take my wife on a‍—how do you say?‍—a honeymoon.”

The unexpected comment startled Maggie into staring at him. She received, in return, a loving smile, which flooded her with tingly feelings, until she remembered he was role-playing.

“You never had a honeymoon?” Bellini sounded confused. “But you were off celebrating your ninth anniversary when I visited the Secretariat just a few weeks ago. Why wouldn’t you call that a honeymoon?”

Uh-oh.Maggie offered a quick excuse. “Jacques is being facetious. Every anniversary, he takes me on vacation and calls it a honeymoon. He wants another one, is all.”

Charles backed her up. “Yes, every year, they take an elaborate vacation. Where will you take her next, Jacques?”

Jake looked back at Maggie. “Well, I was picturing something memorable with a white‍—er, a white, sandy beach‍—and clear water.”

He was so good at pretending not to speak Spanish well.

“I know.” Esme shot them a bright smile. “You could take her to Istanbul. We have some beautiful beaches in Turkey.”

Too close to Morocco.Visions panned through Maggie’s head, but they weren’t as crisp and debilitating as they used to be.

“Mmm.” Jake tipped his head. “I was thinking maybe Phuket, in Thailand.” He raised his eyebrows, looking for her reaction.

Knowing it was expected of her to play the loving wife, Maggie raised the bar by rolling out of her hammock and bending over Jake to reward him with a kiss. Lingering purposefully, she hoped to rattle his cage. But when he slippedhis fingers through her hair, keeping her mouth trapped against his and deepening the kiss, it was she whose head was spinning by the time he released her. A honeymoon in Phuket looked mighty appealing in that moment.

Fighting to keep a smile on her face, she eased back down in her own hammock before narrowing her eyes at Jake. That was a low blow‍—tempting her with visions of what could never be.