He nodded. "It represents everlasting life. This is further proof that some kind of connection exists between Egypt and South America."
* * *
The more Catalina was around Eric the more she realized what a complicated person he was. He didn't fit into any category. He wasn't the stereotypical academic-even though she assumed he could function in those circles. There was something raw, something primitive about him that defied description. She was glad they were having this discussion because the scientist in her was seeking the same answers.
Catalina saw Eric stiffen. Was it something she said that had made him tense? She was about to ask him what the problem was when he placed a finger to his lips.
Whispering, he said, "I hear something. It's probably nothing, but I want to check it out. I need you to walk normally and fetch Chris. Tell him to bring a gun. Then I want you to move to the far side of the fire. Make sure you stand close to the flames."
Catalina tensed. "I want to go with you."
"No," Eric said through clenched teeth. "You'll be safer by the fire." He shoved a metallic object in her hand. "Here, take this."
Catalina stared at the magnum revolver as if she had never seen a gun before. "What do you want me to do with it?" It was only after she had asked the question that she realized she already knew the answer. "What about you? Aren't you going to need a weapon?"
Eric unsheathed a hunting knife. "This is all I need. It's quieter and just as deadly. If anything stirs out of those bushes, I want you to shoot. The safety is off. Just hold the gun in both hands, cock the hammer, and pull the trigger."
Before she could protest, Eric slithered away and disappeared into the jungle. Catalina looked distastefully at the large gun. She'd fired a .22 pistol before at a target, but never a gun of this caliber-and certainly not at anything living. Afraid, but wanting to follow Eric's wishes, she went to wake up Chris. The minute Catalina relayed Eric's instructions, Chris disappeared.
She grasped the revolver in both hands and cautiously returned to the fire. With each croak of a marsupial frog or a cry of a finch, she tensed and pointed the gun toward that particular sound. Her hands shaking, she realized she would be an easy target for whoever or whatever was out there. Could she pull the trigger if she had to? The few minutes that passed seemed like an eternity. Finally, Eric's voice pierced the air. "It's okay, Catalina. Don't shoot. We're coming out." Prodding Phillip, Eric entered the clearing.
"I really don't see what the fuss is all about," Phillip argued. "All I did was go into the jungle so I could take a leak."
"I want you to know you almost got yourself shot," Eric said gruffly. "I thought I made it quite clear that no one is to leave camp!"
"But I wasn't more than twenty feet from my tent."
"What do I have to do to impress upon you that I don't make needless rules?"
"You didn't really expect me to expose myself in front of Catalina, did you?"
"Come on, Phillip. It would've been pitch-dark ten feet from the fire. You didn't have to leave the campground to have some privacy."
"All right. All right. You've made your point. Now, do you mind if I go back to my tent? I'd like to get some sleep."
When Phillip left, Catalina walked over to Eric and handed him the gun. "I don't know if I could have pulled the trigger."
"Animals aren't the only species that have an instinct for self-preservation. If someone had appeared out of those bushes and went after you, you would have used it all right."
"What made you think the noise wasn't made by an animal?"
Eric placed another capsivella shrub on top of the fire. "I suspected it was Phillip."
"Why?"
"I could hear him. I'm pretty adept at distinguishing sounds in the jungle. If Indians had been stalking us, they wouldn't have made a sound. I didn't think it was a predator because a cougar wouldn't have come that close to the fire."
"If you knew it wasn't a predator or an Indian, then why did you hand me your gun?"
"I was pretty sure it was Phillip; however because a couple of Indians had been following us, I wasn't about to take any chances."
"Couldn't it have been Chris?"
"No. Chris knows better than to go walking around the jungle at night."
"To tell you the truth, I believe Phillip was trying to overhear our conversation."
Eric laughed. "You took the words right out of my mouth, but I didn't want to exacerbate the situation by accusing him of snooping." Eric paused, then added, "I don't want to frighten you unnecessarily, but there are marauding Indians in this part of Mato Grosso. They wouldn't be brave enough to venture near us in the daytime, but they've been known to attack people at night."
"Now you tell me! I'll never be able to sleep."
"You'll be fine. I won't let anything happen to you. Believe me, I'd know if any of those thieves approached our camp. You see, I always sleep with only one eye closed. It's a trick an old Indian taught me."
"Oh, sure, one-eyed Shade."
Eric laughed, then added, "Seriously, don't forget that Chris and I take turns standing guard. Don't worry. You'll be safe as long as you are with us."
Catalina left Eric feeling better, but she now knew the Amazon was certainly no place for neophytes.
CHAPTER 21
It had stopped raining, but the chill factor was up because they were now at a higher altitude. The cold, dry air pierced through Catalina's fur-lined jacked causing her to shiver. She was having difficulty just walking, much less using her machete. At this elevation it was much more difficult to cut through the heavy underbrush that had a stranglehold over the terrain, probably because there was less oxygen.
Walking single file, they trudged toward Muela Del Diablo's northwestern slope. By that afternoon, they had managed to hack their way up an incline to an area Eric called the espada?a: a reed-like grass that grows to twice the height of a man. Eric told them that because of the wet, tropical climate, the espada?a flourished in large quantities in certain sections of the Amazon. "Be careful not to fall into it," Eric warned. "Don't even touch it!"
"How come? Is it poisonous or something?" Catalina asked.
"It's not poisonous, but it has razor-sharp edges. I saw a man fall into that stuff once."
"What happened?"
"He bled out before anyone could help him."
Catalina shivered again, but this time it wasn't from the biting wind. Fortunately it wasn't her turn to wield the machete, nonetheless, she took great pains to stay as far away from the espada?a as possible.
Finally, they approached a ravine where rubber and mahogany trees grew side by side among some giant ferns. Eric called for a much-needed break. He approached Catalina who was running in place trying to stay warm. He pointed upward past the jungle-choked terrain. "Do you see those dark spots that look like blotches?"
"Are they caves?" Catalina asked.
Eric shook his head. "No. They are tunnel openings. Muela Del Diablo is riddled with them. I entered one the last time I was here. It led deep inside the mountain. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to explore it fully. One of these days, I'm going back to have another look." Eric lowered his hand. "Those tunnels were built by someone for a reason so there has to be an explanation for their existence." He began to walk toward Chris who was standing near Phillip. "Are you two ready to do some more climbing?"
"I'll lead the way," Catalina said.
They had been forging their way up the slope single file when Catalina let out a piercing shriek. She had been walking on what appeared to be solid ground when suddenly it turned into a quivering mass of unstable soil. Panic-stricken, she began to sink slowly into the dirt. Instinctively, she reached out and grabbed a nearby capsivella shrub. The bush helped her gain some leverage, but no sooner had she tried to climb out of the muck than she uprooted the plant. Sinking fast, she let out a second yell. Keep calm, keep calm, she kept reminding herself. She desperately tried to reach firmer ground, but all she could do
was flail her arms. She knew Phillip had been walking behind her. Doesn't he hear? The earth looked like a mass of jelly, which made her realize that unless someone reached out to help her, she was going to be buried alive.
Phillip stood motionless, paralyzed by fear. She was facing him now, only her neck above ground. She took what would be most likely a last breath of air, lifted her chin, and waited for the inevitable to happen.
She saw Eric appear with a rope tied around his waist. He shoved Phillip aside, threw one end of the rope to Chris and shouted, "Wrap it around your arm and whatever you do, don't let go!"
Using both of his hands, he formed a cradle and gently held Catalina's head. Knowing full well that it would only be a question of time when the weight of her body would suck her head beneath the sand, he said in as calm a voice as he could muster, "Raise your arms. You have to lift one of them."
Catalina strained with all her might. She knew Eric needed some leverage if he was going to extricate her from the quicksand. She managed to bring her right arm to her waist. Then, using all of her strength, she raised it above ground.
As soon as Eric spotted Catalina's hand, he grabbed hold of it. "Pull, Chris. Pull as hard as you can."
Inch by inch, Eric dragged Catalina from the deathlike grip of the bog. Had it not been for all of his arm wrestling, he didn't think he would have been able to save her. Finally, with Chris's help, he pulled her completely out of the quagmire.
Catalina, who wasn't aware she had been holding her breath, exhaled a mouthful of air. She was shaking and sobbing hysterically. Finally, she managed to gain control of her emotions. "What happened?"
"You stepped into a bog," Eric said. "I didn't think there were any on this mountain, but that just goes to show you that in the Amazon, one can never take anything for granted."
Phillip, who was still standing where Eric had shoved him, went on the attack. "What the hell were you thinking of? We almost lost Catalina. I am paying you and Chris big bucks to prevent just such a thing from happening."
"I blame myself for not exercising more caution," Eric said. "The problem with quicksand is you never realize you are in it until it's too late. I'm going to tie my climbing rope around the three of you and connect one end to my waist. That way, if something happens, at least we'll be able to help one another."
"No way!" Phillip retorted. "Catalina and I are out of here."
Catalina had always known Phillip had his faults, but she would have never guessed him to be a coward. She decided now was not the time to comment on his remark. Instead, she looked at Eric. "You saved my life. You know that, don't you?"
Phillip's cheek twitched violently. "Did you hear what I said? I have all the money I require-enough for both of us. There is no reason for either of us to risk our lives over a mirror that probably doesn't even exist!"
Tired of listening to Phillip's litanies, Eric interrupted, "It's not up to you to decide whether we leave or stay. We all have a vested interest in this place-you, Catalina, Chris, and me." He turned to face the others. "Do you want to talk about it more, or are you ready to take a vote?"
Phillip was the first to speak. "I've already said my piece. But since I'm the one providing the money, I don't see why anyone else should have a say."
Catalina forced herself to remain calm as she was still shivering from fright. "Eric did tell us this would be a dangerous place, but I never thought I'd be staring death in the face."
"We can quit if you like," Eric said. "Chris and I could always come back later to look for the gold. If we found it, I'd honor our agreement."
Phillip spit out the words, "Not with the derrotero you won't. Valverde's instructions belong to me!" Grabbing Catalina, he pulled her away from Eric. "This is between Catalina and me."
Eric took a step forward, fists clenched.
"Wait," Catalina urged. "Phillip is right. This is between the two of us."
Eric continued to glare at Phillip. Then he shrugged his shoulders and walked away, leaving the two of them alone.
In that moment, Catalina knew she had made a mistake in agreeing to marry Phillip. Until now she had always considered him to be her protector. She hated to admit it, but ever since she met Phillip, she had allowed him to control her, maybe manipulate was a better word. Now she realized she had been a fool to accept the diamond ring. Her fear of dying wasn't as strong as her regret that she had never had the chance of experiencing true love. She no longer placed Phillip on a pedestal. The man who presumably loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her had failed her when she desperately needed him.
Catalina thought of Eric. He hardly knew her, yet he risked his own life to save her. When Catalina spoke, she felt as if someone else was doing the talking. "If I decide to quit, I'll give Eric the derrotero, even though it's not really mine to give. Valverde apparently braved these mountains. If he had known that someone like you had his instructions, he'd probably wish he'd never put them down in writing."
Phillip's cheek began to twitch. "How can you say these things after all I've done for you? I nursed you back to health-or have you forgotten? I've taken care of you for so many years. A college education, clothes, jewelry-anything you wanted." He placed his hand on Catalina's shoulder, but she yanked it away.
"No, Phillip. You didn't give me what I desired. You've given me material possessions because it pleased you to do so. One of the reasons you took me in was because of the guilt you've always had for running me over. I never asked anything from you. I haven't been out with another man since I met you. Although you never showed any romantic interest toward me until recently, you've always made me feel guilty whenever I mentioned someone else."
"I've never said you couldn't see other people."
"Not in so many words you didn't, but you are good at conveying displeasure in other ways. You've always disapproved of my having friends, male or female."
Phillip began talking faster. It was as if he wanted to unburden himself of all the things he had wanted to tell her. "That's because I've always loved you-always wanted you, but I knew I couldn't have you."
Catalina backed farther away. "What are you saying? At one point I longed to be in your arms. I wanted you to hold me, to caress me, to make love to me." Catalina's eyes welled up with tears. All of her pent-up emotions poured out. "I don't believe you've ever desired me, at least not physically. Have you?"
Phillip's cry of pain pierced the air. "I've always wanted you!" He realized he had been shouting so he lowered his voice. "I dreamed and hoped that someday I could make love to you, but you see, I'm-" He stopped in mid-sentence.
"You're what, Phillip? Tell me. Why haven't you shown any real affection for me?"
"Because I was afraid."
"Afraid of what? I know now you're scared of physical danger. Are you an emotional coward as well?"
Phillip's voice was laced with pain. "All right. If you really must know. It's because?.?.?. It's because?.?.?. I wasn't sure if I could please you."
In all the years Catalina had known Phillip, she had never seen him act so indecisively. "What are you trying to say? For once in your life, level with me."
"I was ridiculed once by a girl, and I couldn't bear the thought of you making fun of me."
"Now you are talking in riddles. Why would I make fun of you?"
"It's because?.?.?. well, it's because?.?.?. I'm impotent!"
Although the word came out as a whisper, it cut the air like a knife.
"Impotent? You're impotent?"
Phillip's face turned red. "Would you lower your voice, please?"
Ignoring Phillip's request, Catalina continued, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I tried to tell you so many times, but I just couldn't."
"Why couldn't you?"
"I was afraid you would laugh at me."
Catalina tried to find her voice. "You're pathetic. Do you know that? You asked me to marry you, and you didn't even have the guts to tell me you were impotent."
"I was too ashamed."
"You don't know what shame is. Don't you realize you've brought all this upon yourself? Don't you know if you'd have had the courage to tell me about your problem when we first met, things might have worked out differently? I would have been patient, and with love and understanding we could have worked our way through the situation."
"It's not too late, Catalina. We can still try. I promise you I will do whatever you say." He reached for her.
"Don't you dare touch me! You disgust me." She was trembling as she turned her back on him and walked away, surprised she had spoken to him so harshly.
Soon Eric approached her. "Are you all right?"
Catalina nodded. "I'm fine. I've decided to continue our search. I, for one, am not willing to quit. I don't know what Phillip wants to do nor do I care, but I'm determined to find the treasure. Are you still willing to guide me to it?"
"If that's what you want. We had better camp here for the night, under the circumstances." Eric smiled. "The mountain will still be there tomorrow."
* * *
Catalina sat by the fire reflecting on what had happened earlier that day. Shivering from the cold, she was thankful the rain had stopped. Ever since her confrontation with Phillip, they avoided one another. Feeling a jacket being draped across her shoulders, she turned, pleased that it was Eric.
"I thought you might need this," he said. "It's an old army jacket of mine. It'll keep you warm." He sat next to her and pulled out a flask. "Care for a shot?"
Accepting the flask gratefully, she took a swallow. Coughing, she spit out most of the liquor.
"Is it that bad?" Eric laughed.
"This stuff is absolutely horrible! How can you drink it?"
"It's a brew the Indians make. The couple of Indians who live behind Chris's house distill it themselves. The first few sips are kind of rough, but a person gets used to it after a while."
There was an awkward moment of silence between them. Catalina handed Eric his flask back. "I guess you got an earful, didn't you?"
"I'm glad you finally came to your senses. I could tell that man was trouble the minute I laid eyes on him."
Catalina warmed her hands over the fire. "Do you know where he is?"
"He went to his tent. If I had known what I know now about Phillip Nash, I would never have agreed to take this job."