Chapter 22
The next day Scott showed up to Oceania as Daniela and the Gatos were setting up for their afternoon show.
“I was hoping you’d come by,” she said, planting a kiss on his lips. “You’re smiling from ear to ear. Why are you so happy?”
“I just made a lot of money,” Scott said.
“How’d you do that?”
“I made a deal with Carlos.” He averted his gaze. “But it’s an easy job, Daniela, and I’m going to make a lot of money fast. The kind of money that can help you and your father get out of here.”
She paused, then walked right up to him and looked into his eyes. “No, Scott, you don’t understand. Taking money from the Hyena is a trap. Many innocent men got caught up in his deadly game. The same thing could happen to you. You cannot trust him.”
She put her hands on his face and lifted it toward hers, her lips almost touching his. “Scott, I don’t need money. God will take care of that. I just need someone to love.”
She leaned in and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her. The electricity between the two could’ve powered Oceania. She reached around and squeezed his butt, then laughed.
“Stay away from the Hyena, Scott. Promise me.” He looked down at the ground. “Promise me.”
“I promise,” he finally said.
Just then a few of Carlos’s Dogs came into the restaurant and sat at the bar.
A storm brewed across Daniela’s face. “Did you hear the news about the harbor last night?” she said to Scott.
The larger of the two Dogs had a silver earing in his nose and a tattoo of a machine gun on his arm.
The smaller one wore cowboy boots and had a scar across his face that stretched from his cheekbone to his chin.
The smaller Dog yelled at the bartender: “Una cerveza rápido!”
“What happened at the harbor?” Scott said.
“There was a shooting,” she said. “Carlos’s Dogs ambushed a rival cartel.
The cartels fight like animals for territory.
Three men are dead.” She kicked at the ground.
“God, I hate this place, the Hyena, and this stupid drug war.” She made a fist and looked ready to slam it on the counter.
“The press say they don’t know who was responsible, but every Acapulcan knows who did this.
“That’s why I need someone like you, Scott, someone who’s different.” One of her bandmates whistled at her. “I’ve got to go.” She kissed him. “I’ll talk to you later.”
Scott returned to his room to think. He decided to call his boss, Henry Winkle. He was staying in Acapulco for a little longer to work on the deal, he told Henry, making no mention of Hyena and the Dogs. No need to worry him.
“Glad to hear you’re staying a few more days in Acapulco, Scott!” Henry said. “But don’t sit in your room all day. You better have a good story when you get back!”
After he hung up the phone, Scott sat on the bed thinking about what Daniela had said and what he should do.
He finally made up his mind and lay down for what he thought would be a short nap. But a man in love, with nothing left to decide, can sleep through the night as easily as a sailboat anchored under the moon on Acapulco Bay.