Chapter 27
Scott’s hearing slowly returned. Javier was speaking to the Dogs, who stood in stunned silence. “He said I would never be able to take over the cartel. He said I couldn’t be trusted.” He stood over the Hyena’s body and spit on him. “Maybe he was right.”
Javier turned to Doc and Scott. “The police will be coming soon. Carlos was killed by a masked assassin. We could not save him. Do you understand?” Doc nodded.
“Just follow my lead, kid,” Doc whispered to Scott.
Sirens echoed from the distance, then police cars appeared on top of the hill.
Soon dozens of Acapulco police officers descended on the scene, led by a detective in a suit with gray hair and a mustache.
He told the officers to keep the guests away from the crime scene.
Scott felt like he was watching a movie.
The detective huddled with Javier first, nodding as Javier did most of the talking.
The paramedics came down the hill with a gurney.
More and more guests gathered on the hill to watch.
A forensic officer in a blue jumpsuit snapped pictures while Carlos’s body was lifted into a body bag, placed on a gurney and carted away.
The detective didn’t bother speaking to witnesses, nor did he write anything down. He asked one of his men to fetch him a Coke from the restaurant.
He approached Doc and Scott with a friendly smile.
His metal nametag read, ‘Gonzalez.’ He wore a brown sportscoat, gray pants, and brown leather shoes.
He was movie star handsome, in a cop sort of way.
Nothing about what he’d seen seemed to trouble him, his expression as untroubled as if he were investigating the disappearance of a plant from the hotel lobby.
“I hear that a masked man pulled up on a wave runner and shot Carlos, then took off,” Detective Gonzalez said. “Sound about right?”
Scott and Doc nodded.
“Looks like another tragedy of the drug war,” the detective said, shaking his head. He handed Doc his card and asked them to call if they thought of anything else. He smiled in a way that said, best not to call.
Just like that, the detective and his men walked back up the hill, got in their cars and drove off. No sirens this time. Javier spoke to the Dogs and they dispersed. Daniela and her father huddled together on the pier, holding each other as Daniela cried.
Javier approached Scott and Doc. “That was wise of you not to say anything. You can tell Contessa that we will be leaving the hotel soon. Keep silent about what happened today and we won’t return.”