Path of the Jaguar by Vickie Britton, Loretta Jackson
Authors: Vickie Britton, Loretta Jackson
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Yes, that she would easily remember! On hands and knees, with fingers that trembled, Lennea worked loose this stone from the others. She took the money, wrapped the plastic around it tightly, and slipped it in the hollow behind the jaguar stone. Then she moved the heavy block back into place.
There. Hidden. The ruins lay about her, isolated and abandoned. No tourists were likely to stumble upon them. The money would be safer here than in her room at the LaTilla's home. She had thought when she started back that she would feel relief; instead, she felt increased anxiety. The huge purse felt empty now without the money she had guarded for so long.
Lennea reached the first clearing. She would soon be back now. She felt more uneasy, however, as she started into a gloomy section of path that seemed to narrow and close her in. She stopped to glance fearfully over her shoulder, back at the clearing. Only a glimpse of a form appeared to her.
Quickly the man ducked back into the forest area. But not before she had seen him. She had clearly recognized him—the broad head and short neck against stocky shoulders. He was here, too! He must have followed her from the Guererro Hotel. With mounting anxiety, she realized that she had been right! This Maya— whoever he was—had been tracking her. He might have even been watching her as she hid the money!
* * * * *
Chapter Five
"Did you enjoy your walk?" Goldie's innocent inquiry caused Lennea to look up, startled. "I saw you leave from my window," she explained as she passed Lennea a platter of warm tortillas. "Did you go out to the ruins?" Without waiting for a response, she added, "Not much out there. Just a few crumbling walls."
Lennea felt a tightening in her chest. She hadn't known anyone had seen her leave the house. "Do you ever get any tourists out there?"
"Oh, no. Not with a big attraction like Chichen Itza so near. There are ruins scattered all over the jungle. Nobody pays them much attention."
"You'll get your fill of ruins tomorrow," Frank put in. "I can't wait to visit Tikom. Now that'll be something to see." Latilla's eyes gleamed at the prospect; it was obvious that he was looking forward to the trip with great anticipation.
"Haven't you been out to the site yet?" Lennea asked. She knew that Wesley had been working at Tikom for over a week.
Frank looked surprised. "Why, no. I don't even know the exact location. No one's been out there but Wesley. Our professor's been very secretive." A playful smile dimpled his heavy cheeks. "What do you suppose he has hidden out there?"
"I don't know."
"Well, since I'm going to do the driving tomorrow, I guess you'd better fill me in on the details."
"I have the map he gave me. I'll show it to you in the morning."
"I'd like to take a look at it tonight," he said, his smile vanishing. "If you leave it with me, I can map out our route."
"I hope you like you room, Lennea." Goldie suddenly cut in. "Oh, yes. Of course I do."
"I know it's a little plain. Delores simply hates it. And here we call it her room. I always thought I'd let her decorate it herself someday."
"We invited Dr. Hern, too," Frank said. "We wanted him to stay so badly." The lingering traces of hurt in Frank's voice reminded Lennea of the rejected wood carving as he added rather sadly, "But he likes to stay at that dumpy place in the village. He says he likes the privacy. I guess all geniuses like to be alone so they can sit and think." Lennea watched as Frank spooned more hot sauce over his food. He was shaking his head as if Wesley's desire for solitude increased his respect for him.
Lennea took another bite of the spicy meat wrapped in the flour tortilla, and her eyes watered. Whether it was good or bad, she couldn't say. The sight of Frank still spooning red sauce over beef drenched in chili peppers made her lips and tongue burn even more.
Lennea's thoughts kept going back to the Mayan man and the hidden money. She would have to go back. As soon as
There. Hidden. The ruins lay about her, isolated and abandoned. No tourists were likely to stumble upon them. The money would be safer here than in her room at the LaTilla's home. She had thought when she started back that she would feel relief; instead, she felt increased anxiety. The huge purse felt empty now without the money she had guarded for so long.
Lennea reached the first clearing. She would soon be back now. She felt more uneasy, however, as she started into a gloomy section of path that seemed to narrow and close her in. She stopped to glance fearfully over her shoulder, back at the clearing. Only a glimpse of a form appeared to her.
Quickly the man ducked back into the forest area. But not before she had seen him. She had clearly recognized him—the broad head and short neck against stocky shoulders. He was here, too! He must have followed her from the Guererro Hotel. With mounting anxiety, she realized that she had been right! This Maya— whoever he was—had been tracking her. He might have even been watching her as she hid the money!
* * * * *
Chapter Five
"Did you enjoy your walk?" Goldie's innocent inquiry caused Lennea to look up, startled. "I saw you leave from my window," she explained as she passed Lennea a platter of warm tortillas. "Did you go out to the ruins?" Without waiting for a response, she added, "Not much out there. Just a few crumbling walls."
Lennea felt a tightening in her chest. She hadn't known anyone had seen her leave the house. "Do you ever get any tourists out there?"
"Oh, no. Not with a big attraction like Chichen Itza so near. There are ruins scattered all over the jungle. Nobody pays them much attention."
"You'll get your fill of ruins tomorrow," Frank put in. "I can't wait to visit Tikom. Now that'll be something to see." Latilla's eyes gleamed at the prospect; it was obvious that he was looking forward to the trip with great anticipation.
"Haven't you been out to the site yet?" Lennea asked. She knew that Wesley had been working at Tikom for over a week.
Frank looked surprised. "Why, no. I don't even know the exact location. No one's been out there but Wesley. Our professor's been very secretive." A playful smile dimpled his heavy cheeks. "What do you suppose he has hidden out there?"
"I don't know."
"Well, since I'm going to do the driving tomorrow, I guess you'd better fill me in on the details."
"I have the map he gave me. I'll show it to you in the morning."
"I'd like to take a look at it tonight," he said, his smile vanishing. "If you leave it with me, I can map out our route."
"I hope you like you room, Lennea." Goldie suddenly cut in. "Oh, yes. Of course I do."
"I know it's a little plain. Delores simply hates it. And here we call it her room. I always thought I'd let her decorate it herself someday."
"We invited Dr. Hern, too," Frank said. "We wanted him to stay so badly." The lingering traces of hurt in Frank's voice reminded Lennea of the rejected wood carving as he added rather sadly, "But he likes to stay at that dumpy place in the village. He says he likes the privacy. I guess all geniuses like to be alone so they can sit and think." Lennea watched as Frank spooned more hot sauce over his food. He was shaking his head as if Wesley's desire for solitude increased his respect for him.
Lennea took another bite of the spicy meat wrapped in the flour tortilla, and her eyes watered. Whether it was good or bad, she couldn't say. The sight of Frank still spooning red sauce over beef drenched in chili peppers made her lips and tongue burn even more.
Lennea's thoughts kept going back to the Mayan man and the hidden money. She would have to go back. As soon as
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