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  “Well, well, well, there may be hope for you yet.”

  “Just get going.”

  “Aye, aye, sir.”

  “If it’s locked, head up to your dad’s house and have a look around. Searching the church isn’t as important as looking through your dad’s possessions. You’re primarily looking for letters he hadn’t sent you yet. I think we can reasonably assume he discovered something Macanas didn’t want anyone else to know.”

  “I’ve kind of come to the same conclusion. He wasn’t killed solely for helping the miners.”

  “On your way over to Mateo’s, did you see the dam we located on the aerials?”

  “Yes, the trail goes across it and up the canyon to my father’s house. I’ve hiked it a couple of times.”

  “We’ll be able to see you once you reemerge north of the trees. One of the farmhouses between you and the church has a light on.”

  “I saw it. I’ll give it a wide berth. I’ll stash my NV in the pack. If anyone sees me, I don’t want to look too suspicious.”

  “Estefan, you’re in a woodland combat uniform with a sidearm and face paint.”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I already look out of place.”

  Nathan gave him a click and swung the scope toward Mateo’s house.

  All quiet.

  Estefan retraced his steps along the creek. The damp fallout allowed him to move quietly. He didn’t think anyone had come out here in the last fifteen minutes, but he’d never assume that. As he had on the way over, he stopped every so often and looked around. He knew he was approaching the pond because the frogs were getting louder. Crossing the riprap dam wouldn’t be difficult. Allowing the water to flow between them, five-hundred-pound boulders were strategically placed like stepping stones. River crossings like this were common around here. After heavy rainfall, the water rose above the stepping stones, but it always receded back to a manageable flow. Every so often a hurricane would devastate the area, washing out the dams. Sometimes it took years before they were replaced.

  Estefan looked to the west and spotted the church’s abbreviated bell tower. If he left the creek here, a little sooner than he’d planned, he could avoid getting too close to the farmhouse with the glowing window. Not everyone in Santavilla was dirt poor; a few people had TVs with satellite subscriptions. Analog TV and cell signals weren’t available this far north.

  “I’m leaving the tree line. You should see me in a few seconds. Give me a click when you’ve got me in sight.” Because of the towering trees between himself and Nathan’s perch on the mountainside, he’d have to traverse more than seventy-five yards before he’d be visible.

  Estefan received his acknowledgment click about where he’d estimated. Maintaining a northbound vector, he followed a narrow dirt track with barbed-wire fencing on both sides. The nearest he could tell, all the farms were approximately four acres in size. Estefan didn’t see any livestock, but some of the fields had been plowed recently. Always scanning the immediate area, he maintained a steady pace. If all went well, he’d reach the church in the next three minutes.

  Nathan kept his eye firmly against the rubber boot of the scope and aimed his rifle back toward Mateo’s house.

  He saw movement and froze.

  There it was again.

  A human form—moving slowly toward the main road.

  “Harv, we’ve got movement.”

  “What’ve you got?”

  “That girl I saw before. She’s walking west toward the main road. She keeps looking over her shoulder.”

  “I see her. Can she get eyes on Estefan from there?”

  “Not yet, but if she turns south toward the church on the main road, she’ll be able to.” Nathan pressed the transmit button. “You’ve got company. I’m pretty sure it’s Mateo’s daughter. She’s walking toward the main road. I want you to do an all-out sprint for the stone wall east of the church. I think you can get there before she gets a clear line of sight to you.” He heard his radio click and watched Estefan hustle down the dirt track. He hoped his friend’s footfalls wouldn’t be heard. Although he doubted any people would hear them, dogs were a different matter.

  “Crap, she turned south at the road.”

  “Can he make it in time?” Harv asked.

  “I’m not sure.” Nathan kept alternating from Estefan to the girl, gauging her visual line of sight. Estefan needed to cover another two hundred yards which ought to take around twenty seconds. At the girl’s current pace, she’d have a clear line of sight at about the same time. Her visual window wouldn’t be large—an opening between a couple of houses lining the road—but if she looked in Estefan’s direction, she might see him. Seconds counted.

  “Nate, he’s not going to make it.”

  “Estefan, drop!” Nathan watched his friend sprawl out on the ground and hold perfectly still.

  “I’m on Estefan, Nate. What’s the girl doing?”

  “She stopped walking. She’s just standing there, staring in Estefan’s direction.”

  “Think she saw him?” Harv asked.

  “I don’t think so, but I’m not sure. At best she might’ve seen movement in the corner of her eye. Estefan, did you mention you were heading over to the church during your meeting with Mateo?”

  “No, not really.”

  “Not really?”

  “I just asked if it was locked at night. That’s why I asked about breaking in.”

  “And . . .”

  “Mateo didn’t know.”

  “Did you see the girl before you went prone?”

  “No.”

  “I want you to low crawl due north for about twenty-five yards until you reach the cover of the waist-high rock wall. It’s about forty yards east of the church’s playground. You should be able to see it.”

  “Copy. I’ve got it.”

  “Once you reach the wall, take a look over it. You’ll see some abandoned vehicles. Hold your position east of the wall until you hear from me.” He checked Estefan’s position but detected no movement. The only indicator that his friend was making forward progress was the slowly decreasing distance between Estefan’s prone form and rock wall. It seemed their friend hadn’t lost his low-crawling skill.

  “The girl’s walking south along the east side of the street. At her current pace, she’ll be at the church in less than a minute.”

  Harv asked, “Is she empty-handed? Do you see a gun?”

  “No, I doubt most people own them here, besides farmers and ranchers. She keeps looking behind, like she’s worried she’s being followed.”

  “Maybe she snuck out of the house. How old is she?”

  “It’s impossible to say. Best guess, maybe twenty.”

  “That’s a little old for sneaking out, don’t you think?”

  “Not in the Hispanic community.”

  “Then she could be going out to meet someone. Maybe a boyfriend.”

  “Stay on Estefan, Harv, I’ve got the girl. Under normal circumstances, I’d agree, but her timing is suspect. Give me a correction to the church.”

  “Seven down. No wind correction, just hold two inches left.”

  “Copy.” Nathan clicked his elevation and answered Harv’s unspoken question. “No, I’m not planning to shoot her. If she does anything weird, I’ll put one at her feet.”

  “We’ll need to relocate if you have to shoot.”

  “Let’s see how this plays out.” Nathan pressed his transmit button. “Estefan, you’re good to go. I want you to hop the rock wall and advance to the abandoned vehicles. They’ll screen you from the girl’s position. You should have an unobstructed view of the church from there.”

  His radio clicked.

  “What’s your plan?” Harv asked.

  “I’m open to suggestions.”

  “I’ve got an idea to determine
the girl’s intentions, but it means blowing Estefan’s stealth.”

  “You want Estefan to let her see him?”

  “She’ll either make her presence known or try to avoid detection. She already knows Estefan’s out there. She saw him back at the house.”

  “That’s a good idea, but since we have no idea what her intention is, I want Estefan to keep a safe distance. I doubt it’s a coincidence she’s walking toward the church, especially after Estefan asked Mateo if it was unlocked.”

  “What do we do if she’s spying on him?”

  “We give Estefan a chance to practice the field-interrogation techniques we taught him.”

  “You serious?”

  “Yep.”

  “I thought we weren’t going to add to anyone’s misery in Santavilla.”

  “Let’s just say I have a personal distaste for snitches. Hang on, Harv. Estefan, we’ve got a plan. When I give you the word, I want you to double-time over to the east wall of the church. We’re going to let the girl see you and see what she does.”

  “Copy. She doesn’t have a gun, does she?”

  “We don’t think so.”

  “You don’t think so? What do you mean you don’t think so?”

  “Relax. Stand by.”

  “He’s still high-strung,” Harv said.

  “He’ll be okay.” Nathan had to time his command precisely. “Harv, as soon as the girl reaches the front door of the church, I’m going to tell Estefan to make his sprint to the rear wall. It’s less than twenty yards from the wrecked cars to the church, so Estefan should be able to cover that distance in about five seconds. She’s almost there . . .” He pressed the transmit button. “Now!”

  Nathan watched Estefan weave his way through some playground equipment before dashing across the rear yard of the church and flattening himself against the east-facing wall.

  “Hold position there.”

  His radio clicked.

  “Okay, on my command, walk around the corner and head in a southwesterly direction across the vacant lot. At the main road, turn left. I want it to look like you’re leaving town. She should be able to see you.”

  “Copy.”

  “Don’t look behind. I’ll keep you updated.”

  “If she shoots me, I’m going to be really pissed.”

  “I can’t see a gun.”

  “You’re six hundred yards away looking through an NV scope!”

  “I’ve got your back. If she makes a threatening move, I’ll drop her.”

  “Well, that’s reassuring. When was the last time you made a—”

  “Now!” Nathan said.

  As instructed, Estefan walked around the corner and angled away from the church toward the road.

  “She’s trying the front door. It opened and she went inside. Keep going. She’ll see the sanctuary’s empty and come back out. Move your radio around to the front of your belt. We don’t want her to see it.”

  Estefan needed to trust Nathan’s ability to take the woman down if she made a threatening move. He felt insecure with a potential threat behind him, but if Nathan missed the shot, he’d have time to whip around and drop the girl in less than two seconds. Very few shooters possessed handgun skills equal to his own. His long-range rifle skills had waned over the years, but he’d practiced with his Sig often enough that he’d shot out its barrel. He’d replaced the barrel and the firing pin last year.

  Estefan’s earpiece sounded off. “Okay, she’s back outside. She sees you. Maintain your current pace, and don’t look back.”

  He casually reached down and clicked the radio. Since the girl was now twenty yards behind him, she’d have to speak somewhat loudly to be heard, assuming she wanted to make her presence known. So far, she hadn’t said anything. He felt her eyes bore into his back and wondered what was going through her head. Like Nathan said, she was either out here to make contact or to spy. Maybe both. Either way, it was a bold move on her part. For all this girl knew, he could be a rapist, or worse.

  “Anything from her?” Nathan asked.

  He kept his voice just above a whisper. “Not a word.”

  “Let’s see if she follows you. Did you mention your father’s house?”

  “No, but Mateo did. He asked if I’d been over there to look through his things. I said I hadn’t.”

  “Then she might think you’re heading up there.”

  “It’s possible Mateo mentioned it to her after I left, but she didn’t hear that part of my conversation with him. We were down at the river.”

  “Either way, heading up to your father’s house is a reasonable next move on your part. Turn east at the next road, then turn south at the trail leading up to your father’s house. If she follows you, ambush her in the tree line. Restrain her quickly and don’t let her scream. Reassure her you’re not going to hurt her—you just want to know why she’s following you. Nothing rough, okay?”

  “Copy. Nothing rough.”

  “Estefan, when you get to the creek, remove your radio again. We want the girl to think you’re alone.”

  Nathan studied the girl’s movements carefully. Using the waist-high foliage to conceal her pursuit, she followed Estefan confidently, often running in a crouch.

  “Estefan, she’s definitely on your six. I want you to look left and right, but don’t look behind.”

  Nathan’s ear speaker clicked. He didn’t relish the idea of shooting this girl, but he’d do it without hesitation if she produced a weapon. Dressed in only shorts, open-toed shoes of some kind, and a T-shirt, she still didn’t appear to have a handgun, but at this distance, he couldn’t see enough detail to rule out a compact weapon in her shorts pocket. There was something about her demeanor that concerned him. She wasn’t acting nervous, just the opposite. She advanced with a confident stride, and her movements looked almost . . . what? Rehearsed? Could she be an off-duty cop? Nathan thought that unlikely. This wasn’t the US, female officers here were extremely rare. She also looked too young. At this distance, Nathan couldn’t accurately estimate her age, but he trusted his first impression. She was late teens to early twenties.

  He felt confident Estefan could restrain her silently. During their Echo missions, it was something they’d practiced countless times. A large part of Estefan’s training had involved taking prisoners for interrogation.

  Nathan watched Estefan turn right at the trail and walk at a good clip toward the creek.

  “She’s still behind you. One hundred yards. She keeps looking over her shoulder, clearing her own six.”

  “I’ll set up my ambush once I drop below the river’s bank.”

  “Be ready for a struggle. Watch for a head butt and guard your groin. We don’t want to carry your ass back to the truck.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  “I’m serious. Something tells me she’s more capable than she looks.”

  Estefan reached the tree line a minute later and hustled down the sandy slope. He chose a large tree two yards to the right of the trail and used it for cover. He quickly removed his pack and stashed the radio and wiring. When the girl passed his position, he would take her from behind, clamp his hand over her mouth, and get her off balance at the same time. He hadn’t done this sort of thing in many years, but it was a simple enough technique. Nathan was right though: if by chance she was a skilled fighter, she’d react quickly and try to head butt him. Maybe it would be best to wrestle her to the ground and use his weight.

  “Stand by, Estefan. I’ll let you know when I lose sight of her. We’ll go radio silent right after that. Do you have eyes on her from your current position?”

  “No, the river bank’s too high.”

  “Okay, sit tight and wait for her to come to you.”

  Nathan watched the girl sprint toward the river. She obviously knew that anyone down at water level
wouldn’t be able to see over the bank. Her actions suggested she was trying to advance before Estefan crossed the dam and climbed the opposite side. She was playing a dangerous game against an unknown opponent. What was worth taking such a risk? Perhaps she thought Estefan hadn’t given all of his cash to Mateo, and she planned to rob him. Was that likely? Estefan looked like a special forces soldier, complete with face paint and a sidearm. Challenging him to a physical contest didn’t seem like a wise move unless she were highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat. What were the odds of that? Anything was possible, though. A few years back, Nathan had come close to losing a wrestling match against a woman half his weight.

  Estefan peered around the tree but saw no sign of the girl. He ought to be able to see her by now.

  Something felt wrong.

  The crickets behind him had gone quiet, which could mean only one thing.

  He slowly pivoted to his left.

  Incredible!

  The girl was standing a mere thirty feet away with her arms crossed. She’d managed to maneuver down the bank and get behind him undetected. If she’d been armed . . . He couldn’t see a lot of detail, but she was beautiful, that much was clear. Long black hair accented strong cheekbones, and her shorts and tank top were tight in all the right places.

  Estefan spoke in Spanish. It was unlikely this girl knew English. “That’s a good trick, sneaking up on me, but it’s also a good way to get yourself killed.”

  “I knew you’d hide down here.”

  “How’s that?”

  “On your way over here, you weren’t looking over your shoulder to clear your six. You knew I was behind you. You’re Tobias’s son, aren’t you.” It wasn’t a question.

  “And if I am?”

  “He talked about you, said you were a soldier.”

  Estefan brought his gun up. “Do I need this?”

  “Hardly, I’m not here for a fight.”

  “What’s your name?”

  “Antonia.”

  “Well, Antonia, ‘clearing six’ is a military term.”