“We don’t have a choice,” I replied brusquely. “We can’t take him with us.”
“I know…I just…” she broke off, chewing on her bottom lip.
“Do you have a better idea?”
I knew I was being too rough on Senora Stanton, but I was sorely disappointed that she was not only married, albeit separated—the sisters had insisted she pretend to be a nun for her own protection—but obviously had developed such a strong attachment to her patient that she couldn’t bear to be separated from him.
“No,” she admitted reluctantly “but he only has one leg…”
“Yeah that kinda stood out to me.”
“Not funny.”
“Are you staying or going?”
“Going…” she whispered.
“Then if you don’t mind, I’m in a hurry.”
She nodded silently and I turned away from the outer stone wall, moving quickly and silently into the rainforest, tempering my speed to allow her to keep up.
We had a long hike ahead of us and depending on how well she traveled, might end up even taking two whole days. I cursed the luck that had forced her presence on me.
Valerie, as I had taken to calling her in my mind, not only knew the area well, but was well-known by just about everyone, and had informed me that the nearest available phone was quite a distance away in the house of an American missionary and his wife who lived on the edge of the closest established town.
She would have attempted to get help through them before I arrived, but Vasquez wouldn’t allow it, refusing to put her or anyone else in harm’s way any more than he already had. He was also unsure who could be trusted.
I would have gone alone, but I needed Valerie to make the call to Montez so I could remain invisible, besides the fact that they knew her and I wasn’t exactly…presentable…at the moment. Vasquez and I both agreed that to send her alone was unthinkable.
Vasquez had enough ammo to survive a small assault thanks to the Mendoza’s weapon cabinet and supply closet, which he had broken into before escaping with the ledger, as well as food to last him five days, compliments of Senora Stanton, if he was careful.
I hoped it was enough: we weren’t leaving much leeway for the unexpected.