As we approached, one of the men stepped out into the middle of the road, a pistol in his hand. I didn’t recognize him, of course, but from his build, I guessed it was El Cobra. I increased my speed and kept going at a pretty steady clip straight at him. At about thirty feet, I saw a flash of panic in his eyes. I squeezed hard on the brake levers, sending the four-wheeler into a long slide, creating a spray of sand, dust, and gravel. I was pleased to see that I had stopped no more than fifteen feet in front of him.
As the dust drifted away, I had my first clear look at the man I had come to fear and hate. Instead of green scrubs, he was dressed in black slacks, a red shirt that showed how muscular his upper body was, and fancy designer shoes. The top three buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing two heavy gold chains around his neck. He also had what looked like a Rolex watch on his wrist.
His skin was olive brown, but not dark—about the same color as Rick’s. His eyes—just as I had seen them through the ski mask—glittered like black marbles. His hair covered the collar of his shirt and glistened like oiled ebony in the sunlight. When he smiled, which he did as he put the pistol back in his shoulder holster, I saw that his teeth were flawless. I estimated his age as thirty. He was strikingly handsome, in an Italian Mafia kind of way. I guessed he was no more than half-Hispanic, maybe only a quarter.
“Hola, chiquita.” His voice was so warm and welcoming you would have thought Cody and I were honored guests at a family reunion. As soon as I heard that voice, there was no more question. This was El Cobra. And that brought my thoughts back to the situation at hand.
I looked around. The man nearest the Jeep was almost certainly Gordo—short, fat, balding—though he was younger than I had pictured him. But none of the others were tall enough to be Doc. That didn’t bode well. What rock was he hiding under?
I got off the four-wheeler, motioning for Cody to stay where he was. I reached down and got the pouch, slinging it over my shoulder. Then I withdrew the rifle and levered a shell into the chamber. The men behind him stiffened, but he waved them away with a nonchalant flick of his hand. I might as well have pulled out my electric toothbrush and aimed it at him for all the concern he showed.
“Stand easy, compadres,” he called over his shoulder. “She’s not going to shoot anyone.”
“Not anyone. Just you, if somebody does something stupid. Where are my father and grandfather?”
Without turning around, he snapped his fingers. One of the men opened the door to the Jeep, and Grandpère and Dad climbed out. Both had their hands cuffed behind their backs.
“Dad, are you all right?”
“Yes. We’re okay.”
Immediately, they were pushed back into the Jeep.
“Satisfied?” El Cobra sneered. When I nodded, he waved a hand in the direction of the Jeep. “With your permission, then, they’ll be on their way or they won’t make their Moab connection in time. They’ll be accompanied by their two new ‘employees,’ of course.”
I nodded and lowered the rifle a little.
Two of the men got into the front seats, started the engine, and the Jeep roared away in a cloud of sand and dust.
El Cobra was oozing confidence. “Okay, Cody, your turn. Walk over to the other vehicle.”
I raised the muzzle of the rifle. “Don’t move, Code. We’re going down to the Temple of the Moon. The exchange will take place there as previously agreed.”
“Sorry, chiquita. Change of plans. I think we’ll just take both of you with us right now. I don’t like the idea of you running free for the next few days.” His voice turned icy. “You were a fool to come alone. ¿Comprendes?”
I heard footsteps behind me and jerked around. A tall, muscular man with a face pitted and scarred from acne was coming up behind us. He had a large pistol in his left hand pointed directly at Cody. He brushed dirt and sand off his clothes with his free hand. Without the ski mask, he was even more chilling than with it. It was Doc, no question about it.
I tried to repress the shudder that went through me. I held up the pouch and waved it at El Cobra. “Do you never learn?” I said. “If he comes another step, you’ll be the first one to go down. ¿Comprendes?”
He tossed back his head and laughed. “Did you hear that, Raul? Our chiquita here claims to have claws.”
I tipped my head back and called out loudly. “Did you hear that, Rick? El Cobra thinks I am alone.”
The crack of the rifle shattered the silence. The bullet ricocheted off the gravel road with a sharp whine. It hit no more than a foot away from El Cobra’s designer shoes. Cries rang out as the men sprinted for cover. I turned my head in time to see Doc drop into a crouch, looking around wildly.
I spun around to face El Cobra. His right hand was hovering near the holstered pistol, but his face registered his shock.
“I wouldn’t do that,” I said easily. “He won’t kill you, but waiting for an ambulance to get here from Green River might.”
His hands lowered slowly, but otherwise he didn’t move.
“Tell Raul to drop his weapon,” I commanded.
He sneered. “You tell him.”
I turned, holding the pouch up high, as if I were shielding myself from Raul’s presence. There was another sharp cry, only this time it was one of agony. Raul immediately dropped the pistol and clutched his hand to his chest, moaning and whimpering in pain. At his feet, a wisp of smoke curled up from the pistol. There was the distinct smell of burning flesh in the air.
“Pick it up,” El Cobra screamed. But Doc was backing away from the weapon, his eyes stark with fear.
“Tell him to join the others,” I commanded. “Then we’ll talk.”
Doc didn’t wait for permission. He scuttled away from Cody and me, still holding his hand against his body. I waited until he joined the group, then looked at El Cobra. I held up the pouch in front of me. My voice was cold when I spoke. “Now, would you like to go back to the original plan?”
I held up the pouch again, extending it toward him. He shrank back with a gasp. I opened the flap, turned the pouch upside down, and shook it hard. “As you can see, señor”—I spoke the title with utter contempt—“the pouch is empty, just as it was the other night in our house.” I reached inside. I wasn’t sure what I would find, but was gratified when my fingers touched a small packet. I withdrew it and flipped it in his direction, where it landed softly in the dust.
He jerked away, staring at the item. Then he gingerly bent down and picked it up. His eyes went even wider than Doc’s. He held another packet of hundred dollar bills.
I kept my voice light and conversational as he ripped off the wrapper and counted quickly. “I believe you’ll find that to be two thousand dollars, but feel free to count it.”
When he was finished, he caressed the bills with his thumb. Then he held it up so his men could see what it was and waved it back and forth in triumph. There were a few smiles, but mostly they looked spooked. But not him. What I saw in his eyes was naked greed.
Suddenly there was something else in the pouch. “Hold on,” I said, reaching in again.
He jerked up, clawing for his pistol with his free hand. “Don’t! Keep your hands where I can see them.”
I didn’t, of course. I brought my hand out, and held up the next surprise. And surprise it was. When I saw it, I laughed out loud.
For a moment, there was dead silence, then the titters and chuckles began, turning quickly to open laughter. El Cobra was staring at my hand, looking bewildered. I turned the item around. I held a bobble-head doll, about six inches tall. The body wore clothes that exactly matched what El Cobra was wearing. The oversized head, which bobbed and danced in the sunlight, was capped with thick black hair combed straight back, just as his was. And the face? I could scarcely believe my eyes. It was El Cobra in miniature. Correct in every detail.
I pulled it closer. On the base I saw two words in block letters: Cobra Pequeño. For a moment, it didn’t register. When it did, I laughed with delight. The titl
e meant “little cobra.” It couldn’t have been more perfect. After all of the times he had called me chiquita—little girl—this was sweet justice indeed.
The men were still laughing, though nervously, as they watched El Cobra for what his reaction would be. He swung around and instantly the laughter died in their throats. When he turned back to me, his eyes were murderous. “Is this your idea of a joke?”
“A joke? No, I think it’s a pretty good likeness, actually.” I tossed it to him. He made no move to catch it, and it fell to the road. With a cry, he stomped on it, crushing it with the heel of his boot.
The time for playing around was over. “Now do you understand, Cobra Pequeño?” I shook the pouch at him. “In Spanish, I think you would call this la bolsa encantada, the enchanted purse.” Wow! Where had that come from? It even sounded like I’d pronounced it perfectly. “It is enchanted. You saw it before when it produced a pistol. Now you see it again. This pouch has great power. And that is why you will not take me back with you today. I will honor my word, even though you have dishonored yours. Do that again, and you will live to regret it.”
His tongue flicked out, and he licked his lips quickly. “Go on.”
I nodded. “This is how it will play out. Day one—today—Cody and I will drive to the Temple of the Moon and park in the turnaround area, as you previously instructed. You—and only you—will come halfway down the road between here and there, and then I will send Cody to you. If you make any more attempts to take me with you, you will see for yourself the full power of the enchanted pouch.”
Wow! Even I was impressed with how ominous that sounded.
“You will then leave with Cody. As a guarantee to you that I have not—unlike you—gone back on my word, you will leave two of your men here at the Temple of the Sun. All the rest can go with you. I will stay at the turnaround until your two men hear from you that you are safely out. That way you will know I have not set a trap for you. Once they give me the signal, I will leave on my four-wheeler.”
He started to protest but I kept talking. “If they should attempt to hold me against my will, then . . .” I shrugged.
His eyes were hooded and dark. “They will have no vehicle.”
“Ah, yes. That. Well, I see several options. One, they can walk out. It’s only about eighteen miles to the highway. If they’re lucky, maybe someone will happen along. Two, you can send someone back for them. Three, you can call for a limousine service. I really don’t much care either way.”
He finally nodded. “Then what?”
“Day two. Sunday. Grandpère and Dad, along with your two thugs, will show our Canadian clients the rhodium mine. If they finish in good time and all is in order, they may go up to Salt Lake that afternoon or evening. If not, they will drive up on Monday.”
The lines around his mouth were pinching tighter and tighter. “You think you’ve got this all figured out, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I think so. Day three. Monday. While Dad and the others make sure everything is in order for the closing on Tuesday, you and I will work out the details of the next exchange.”
“What exchange?”
“Me for my mother and Cody.” I smiled innocently. “I’m sorry. Didn’t you see that coming?”
“You are muy loco. Why would I exchange two hostages for one—especially one who has been nothing but trouble?”
I held up the pouch and wiggled it a little. “Because with me, you get this.”
I heard several gasps, including one from Cody. One thing was certain, I had everyone’s undivided attention.
“Day four. Tuesday. Once the sale of the mine is closed, we’ll make one final exchange. Me, my grandfather, and my father in exchange for twenty million dollars and la bolsa encantada.”
That finally broke through his veneer. The hunger in his eyes was palpable, but he was still suspicious. “You would give that up? I do not believe it.”
To my surprise, Cody suddenly burst out from behind me. “She would to save our family.”
El Cobra’s eyes narrowed, and I could see his mind was weighing what that would mean. “Tell me, chiquita. What game are you playing?”
I gave him a pitying look. “You have my family. This is not a game. Think about what I’m offering. I’ll be waiting for your answer.” I climbed back on the four-wheeler, started it up, shoved the gearshift forward, and gave the machine full throttle. He jumped to one side as Cody and I roared past him.
Chapter 60
The Temple of the Moon was another hundred or hundred and fifty yards down the road. As I swung the four-wheeler into place and turned off the engine, I looked around. Then I called softly, “You there?”
Off to my left, I heard Rick’s voice, low and soft. “I’m here. Fifty yards to your left, behind the sand dune. I’ve got your back.”
“Great.” Cody and I climbed down.
“You were awesome, Danni!” Cody said.
I didn’t feel awesome. I was shaking pretty badly. “It was the pouch, Code. Not me.”
“How much did you hear, Rick?”
“Most of it. I agree with Code. Awesome. You really had him off balance.”
I looked back toward the Temple of the Sun where El Cobra and his men were gathered in a tight circle. “Will he buy it?” I asked.
“Only time will tell. All we can do is wait.”
It didn’t take long. Three or four minutes later, Cody poked me. “Here he comes.”
I looked up. Sure enough, El Cobra was walking down the middle of the dusty road toward us. I turned to Cody. “Okay, big guy. You up for this?”
He nodded, but he looked pretty scared.
“This is for Mom, Code. She’ll be so relieved to have you with her. When it’s safe, tell her everything that’s happened.”
“Okay.”
I pulled him close and clung to him. “I love you, Code.”
“I love you too, Danni.”
Fighting not to choke on my tears, I turned him around, laid a hand on his shoulder, and gave him a gentle shove. “Take care.”
“I will,” he said as he started away. I took the rifle out of its case, then knelt down behind the ATV and rested it on the seat, training the sights on El Cobra’s chest.
El Cobra came more than his half of the way. He came almost to the turnaround, stopping in the center of the dirt road about thirty feet from me. He had a sardonic grin on his face, as if he found the idea of me pointing a rifle at his chest amusing. He had fully recovered his swagger and his coming so close to me was nothing but “in your face” bravado. Mostly for the benefit of his men, I guessed.
Cody went to him. El Cobra tried to lay a hand on his shoulder but Cody jerked away.
El Cobra stepped in front of him, then turned back to me. “One more question, chiquita.”
“No more questions. And just for the record, I don’t like being called chiquita.”
It was like spitting into the wind. He totally ignored me. “Could it be that the reason you offer me the pouch so willingly is because you know it will work only for you?”
I had expected this question and had rehearsed the answer in my mind. “I am not the first to own the pouch, nor will I be the last. It has been in our family for nearly two hundred years. The pouch responds to whoever carries it. The reason I am willing to give it up is to get you out of our lives and to have my family together and safe again.”
I could see in his eyes that his mind was examining the issue from every angle.
“But there is one thing.”
His eyebrows lifted.
“Before I turn it over to you, I will require that you take a solemn oath.”
He didn’t like that. “What kind of an oath?”
“That so long as you live, you will never come back into our lives again or seek in any way to use the pouch to bring harm upon me or my family. As long as you honor that oath, it will be yours to do with as you will. But know this—before I turn it over to you, I will place a curse on the pou
ch that should you ever go back on your word, your life will become one of endless torment.”
I would have given anything to be able to see inside his mind at that point. His face was unreadable, but at last, he nodded. “Okay, chiquita. You leave me little choice. We’ll do it your way.” He motioned for Cody to move. “Back to the car.” As they started away, he turned back. “We’ll see you again soon, chiquita.” And then with a smile that sent a chill up my back, he added, “You are like the chipmunk, little one. You stand on your hind legs and chatter at anything that moves. But underneath you are afraid. You are frightened. The tiniest thing makes you scamper for cover.” He grinned, and his face was filled with hatred and pure malice.
Then, quick as the snake for which he was named, both hands shot up, his fingers curling into talons. He leaped forward one step, clawing the air. “Boo!” he cried.
I jumped. It was so unexpected that I couldn’t help it.
Laughing at his joke, he strode quickly to catch up with Cody, then waved back to me over his shoulder.
I gritted my teeth. If he wanted to play macho, I was game. I was tired of his condescension, his superiority, and his arrogance. I bent down, took careful aim, and squeezed the trigger. BLAM!
The bullet hit about eighteen inches to one side of him. He jumped and swung around, his eyes wild. “You are loco!” he yelled.
I stood up and cupped my hands to my mouth. “Boo!”
Chapter 61
Once the Yukon left, leaving two men sitting in the shade of the temple with their rifles, Rick came in. I heard a soft rustling in the sand, and I knew he was right behind me. I didn’t turn around, but about a minute later, he came crawling on his belly, his dad’s rifle cradled in his arms.
“Hi,” I said with great feeling. Though I had known he was out there, it was wonderful to have him right here beside me.