CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Beneath the Old Dock
The vehicles stopped before they reached the market.
Four of them.
Dark windows.
Engines running.
Men stepped out one after another.
Gila counted six.
Then seven.
Then an eighth man emerged from the last vehicle.
She had never met him.
Yet she knew immediately who he was.
Rymus.
He stood beside the vehicle without hurrying.
He wore a dark shirt, plain trousers, and the expression of a man who had never needed to raise his voice to make people obey him.
His eyes moved across the settlement.
Then stopped on Gila.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Gila felt Thelma's hand close around her arm.
"Don't," Thelma whispered.
Gila didn't answer.
Rymus smiled.
Not warmly.
Almost as if seeing her confirmed something he had suspected for years.
Then he began walking toward them.
Elias stepped between them.
"She isn't going anywhere."
Rymus stopped.
"Elias."
"You weren't supposed to come."
Rymus looked at him.
"Plans change."
His eyes moved to Gila again.
"Especially when people become curious."
Gila stepped forward.
"You know my mother."
Rymus's smile disappeared.
"Yes."
"She's alive."
"Yes."
The answer struck her harder than she expected.
No denial.
No hesitation.
Just confirmation.
"Where is she?"
Rymus looked at the river.
"Closer than you think."
Gila's voice shook.
"You've known all this time."
"I knew where she was."
"Why did you let me believe she was dead?"
"Because your mother wanted it that way."
"That's not an answer."
"It is the only answer that matters."
Gila moved closer.
"You used us."
"No."
"You followed me."
"Yes."
"You sent Elias."
"Yes."
"You wanted me to find this place."
Rymus nodded.
"Eventually."
"Why?"
His eyes hardened.
"Because you have something I need."
"The box."
For the first time, something flickered across his face.
"Your mother told you."
Gila said nothing.
Rymus looked toward the dock.
"You remember more than I expected."
"I remember enough."
"No."
He shook his head.
"You remember fragments."
He took another step.
"The truth is still buried."
Gila felt anger rise.
"You don't get to decide what I remember."
"No."
Rymus looked at the river.
"The river does."
He turned toward his men.
"Search the house."
Two men moved toward the old building.
Gila immediately understood.
"They're looking for the box."
Rymus nodded.
"Yes."
"You said it was under the dock."
"I said the box was connected to the river."
Gila stared at him.
"Then where is it?"
Rymus smiled.
"That's what I came to find out."
Elias looked at him sharply.
"You told me you knew."
"I told you what I needed you to believe."
Elias's expression darkened.
Gila understood then.
Nobody trusted Rymus.
Not even the people who worked for him.
She looked at the dock.
The old wooden structure extended several meters into the river.
Parts of it had collapsed.
Water moved beneath it.
She remembered her mother's voice.
The river will keep it until you're ready.
She suddenly knew what she had to do.
She grabbed the man's hand beside her.
"Come with me."
"What?"
"Trust me."
They ran.
"Gila!" Thelma shouted.
Rymus's men reacted immediately.
"Stop them!"
Gila reached the dock.
The wood groaned beneath her weight.
She kept moving.
Behind her, footsteps thundered.
The man followed.
"Where are we going?"
"Under the dock."
"That's your plan?"
"It's the only one I've got."
They reached the end.
Gila dropped to her knees and looked into the dark water.
Nothing.
Only reflections.
She closed her eyes.
Her mother's voice returned.
The river will keep it.
Until you're ready.
She opened her eyes.
Then noticed something beneath the dock.
A metal chain.
It disappeared into the water.
"There."
She reached down.
Her fingers closed around it.
The chain was attached to something.
"Help me."
The man grabbed it.
Together they pulled.
The chain resisted.
Then suddenly released.
A wooden box surfaced.
Gila's heart stopped.
It was exactly as she remembered.
Small.
Dark.
Bound with metal.
Her mother's box.
Behind them, Thelma appeared.
"Got it?"
Gila nodded.
Then a gunshot cracked across the river.
The wood beside Gila splintered.
"Down!"
The man pulled her to the dock.
Another shot struck the water.
Thelma dropped behind a wooden post.
Rymus stood on the riverbank.
He wasn't holding the gun.
One of his men was.
"Give me the box!" Rymus shouted.
Gila held it against her chest.
"No."
Rymus's expression hardened.
"You don't understand what you're holding."
"Then explain it."
"I will."
He stepped forward.
"But first, bring it here."
Gila shook her head.
"Tell me about my mother."
Rymus stared at her.
"She's waiting for you."
"Where?"
He pointed across the river.
"Belize."
The word stunned her.
Belize.
The name had barely left his mouth when a boat engine roared somewhere beyond the settlement.
A small boat emerged from behind the trees.
A woman stood at the front.
Gila couldn't see her face clearly.
But something inside her recognized her.
The boat came closer.
The woman raised one hand.
Gila froze.
Thelma whispered:
"Gila..."
The woman was crying.
Even from a distance, Gila knew.
Her mother.
Alive.
Standing on the river.
And looking directly at her.
Rymus turned toward the boat.
"Take them."
His men began moving.
Elias suddenly stepped in front of Gila.
"Go!"
Gila hesitated.
"What about you?"
"Go!"
He pushed her toward the boat.
The man beside her grabbed Thelma.
They ran.
Behind them, shouting erupted.
The river became chaos.
Gila jumped into the boat.
Her mother reached for her.
Their hands touched.
For one second, Gila couldn't move.
Then her mother pulled her close.
"My child."
Gila broke down.
She buried her face against her mother's shoulder.
All the anger.
All the years.
All the grief she had carried.
It came out at once.
"You were dead."
Her mother held her tighter.
"I know."
"You let me believe you were dead."
"I had to."
"Why?"
Her mother looked at the box.
"Because of what is inside."
Gila pulled away.
"What is inside?"
Her mother looked toward the riverbank.
Rymus stood there watching them leave.
"He will never stop."
Gila tightened her grip on the box.
"Then neither will I."
Her mother looked into her eyes.
"You don't know what you're saying."
"Yes, I do."
The boat moved farther from the settlement.
Rymus became smaller in the distance.
But his voice carried across the water.
"You cannot hide forever!"
Gila looked back.
She knew he was right.
They couldn't.
Not anymore.
The boat turned toward the wider river.
Toward Belize.
Toward the Amazon.
Toward the answers that had been stolen from them.
Gila looked down at the box.
For years, her mother had hidden it.
For years, Rymus had searched for it.
Now it was finally in Gila's hands.
And whatever was inside had the power to explain everything.