“Yes.” He tore his eyes from the television set. This wasn't the time to be distracted. He was only grateful Alex was so absorbed in trying to figure out the location of Z-3 that she wasn't one of those people behind the fence. He turned to Marco Salazar. “You're sure Leary will be alone?”
“Well, he won't be with anyone from the Matanza group.” Salazar shrugged. “Cordoba doesn't approve of gays. This bar is the hangout for homosexuals in Guatemala City. Leary was here last night and went home with someone he met. He'll probably be back. He didn't impress me as the faithful type.”
“He's not. I remember when we were in San Francisco for a couple weeks, he hit practically every bathhouse in town.” He got off the stool. “Time to make myself a little less conspicuous. I'll be back in that booth in the corner. When he comes in, let me know.”
Salazar nodded absently, his gaze focused on the TV set and the miners being carried out of the shaft.
Ten minutes later Al Leary walked into the bar.
Morgan didn't have to see Salazar's signal to know Leary was in the room. He blew in with his customary swagger and immediately began to talk to the bartender.
He was on the hunt, Morgan thought. He had seen Leary operate in dozens of cities around the world and it was always the same. Make contact with the bartender and let him know he was available, then get a line on the most attractive men who frequented the place.
He was turning toward Salazar, Morgan realized. He'd thought that would be his response to Salazar's dark good looks. Leary was all flashing white teeth and aggressive charm as he sat down on the stool next to Salazar.
Fifteen minutes later Morgan got up from his booth and moved toward the bathroom in the rear of the bar. It was empty, but no telling how long it would stay that way. He cracked open the door so that he could see the bar.
Come on, Salazar. Get the show moving.
As if he'd heard Morgan, Salazar got off the bar stool and touched Leary's arm and said something to him. Leary and Salazar left the bar and strolled toward the bathroom.
“It's good stuff,” Salazar was saying as he pushed open the door. “Enough to give you a high but not interfere with—”
Morgan's arm encircled Leary's neck and jerked him backward.
Leary gasped, gurgling helplessly as he tried to breathe.
“We're leaving,” Morgan said in his ear. “We're going to go out the back way and then get in the car in the alley. When we leave this bathroom, my arm's going to be around your shoulders and my hand is going to be affectionately on your neck. If you're not equally quiet and affectionate as we go through that crowd, I'm going to stop being affectionate and give you a shuto blow to the back of the neck and kill you. It will be over almost before you know it. You've seen me do it before.”
Leary's eyes were wide with terror as he tried to speak.
“Go and start the car, Salazar.” Morgan loosened his arm around Leary's neck. “We'll be along in a minute.”
“Morgan.” Leary's voice was hoarse. “Don't kill me. It wasn't my—”
“Easy does it. This isn't the time.” His arm slipped around Leary's shoulders. “Now, let's go. Salazar's arranged a place for us to have a little talk.”
14
November 10
8:45 P.M.
“Danley tells me you're in position, Runne,” Betworth said.
“Of course. We made a deal.”
“You checked in at Z-3 last night. But no one's seen you since then.”
“If they'd seen me, I wouldn't be doing my job, would I?”
“I want you to report to Danley again tomorrow. I have to know that you're ready. Not that I don't trust you.”
“Just have that helicopter ready to get me out of there. I'll handle the rest.”
“Report to Danley tomorrow or there won't be a helicopter.”
“Don't bluff me. You want me out of there as much as I want to get out. When do I get Morgan?”
“He's still on the loose. Who knows? You may run into him at the Kettle.” Betworth hung up.
And he might not, Runne thought. The surer bet was still the woman. He had been disappointed that she hadn't shown up at the mine. Time was running out. He'd been running back and forth between the mine and Z-3 for the last few days to placate Betworth and Danley, but now there were only two days left.
If he was going to have the opportunity to get Morgan, it might be necessary to escalate matters.
He reached for his phone.
9:05 P.M.
Kettle.
Dammit, Alex had stared at the atlas of the northeastern United States until she was almost blind. No mention of topographical features anywhere in this area that might fit. No lakes or rocks that could be—
Screw it.
Her phone rang.
“Alex. This is Sarah.” Her words came bullet-fast. “I'm only going to talk for a minute because I don't know if he's found a way he can trace the call. Hell, I don't know how he got my number. He must have finessed someone at rescue headquarters.”