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Regan Harris
Tegucigalpa Airport, Private Terminal
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and back again. The customs agent inspecting everyone’s passports was taking too long. Didn’t he understand we were in a time crunch?
I resisted the urge to wave my hand in the air, indicating he should speed up. Liam and Jax had been cleared and stood to my right while Ben and Gracie stood behind. I was the only one showing my disapproval and worry. Ben held his bag in his hand. I glanced at it, knowing my gun was safely tucked away with his. He swore the concealed compartment wouldn’t be found by any inspection or x-rays, but my nerves were frayed with worry. We’d be arrested and sent to jail immediately if caught. Going to prison, any prison, let alone a foreign one, was not on my bucket list. I’d forgotten about the gun in my waistband until the captain had announced it was time to land. Ben’s reaction to my being armed had been surprising. He’d shrugged as if it didn’t matter. Liam and Jax had wanted me to leave it behind, but I’d refused once Ben gave me an alternative.
“Has estado ocupada esta noche?” Gracie said.
I looked at her in shock. My Spanish was limited. I was able to pick out ‘busy’ and ‘tonight.’ Gracie had spoken with a mild accent, perfectly enunciating each word. Her speech alone would trick people into thinking she was a local even if her blonde hair and fair skin gave her away.
Gracie patted my arm and explained. “When you don’t work a regular job, you learn to fill your time in creative ways. I learned Spanish.”
“Clearly,” I said. My Spanish was passable. I usually depended too much on Gray to do the talking for me when we were in Latin countries. Gracie’s knowledge would be very useful to us.
“Sólo unos pocos. ¿Qué te trae a Honduras?” the agent asked.
Gracie giggled and blushed. The color was very becoming on her. Was she flirting?
“I haven’t used my Spanish in so long. I’m truly sorry at how rusty I am,” Gracie said in English. Her hand fluttered to her throat.
“Your Spanish is excellante. I promise.” The agent quickly processed the rest of the passports once Gracie had him eating out of her hand.
“Gracias, Señor,” Gracie said, her voice airy and breathy.
We moved into the main terminal. No one was around except for one woman manning the front desk. Through the windows, I could see the night sky, now lightening with the approaching sunrise.
“Ben, why don’t you find us a rental car?” I suggested. I wanted him out of the way and occupied so the rest of us could look around. Ben turned toward the woman and asked her where to go. She pointed toward the main terminal building and commercial flights.
Fear shot through me when Ben suggested all of us go together. Jax stepped in.
“Do you mind if we wait here? You can get the car and drive around for us,” she said to Ben.
Ben eyed us warily before agreeing. I held my breath until he was out of sight.
“Let’s be quick,” I said. “Liam, check the men’s room. Jax, the women’s. Gracie and I will search this area. Remember, look everywhere. Last time it was written under the toilet paper dispenser.”
Everyone followed my instructions even though they didn’t need the reminder at the end. I started with the seating area. I flipped through magazines and skimmed the pages. We were searching blind this time, unlike last time when we’d seen video of Gray going into the men’s room.
I got down on the floor and looked under the chairs. I ran my hand along the bottom of the seats and tables. Gracie followed my lead and searched the other row. Jax and Liam returned from the restrooms.
“Nothing. We even searched the janitor’s closet and the hallway,” Jax said.
“Could it be outside?” I asked.
“Maybe. I’ll go look,” Liam said. Warm air blew inside as he pushed open the door to exit.
“Jax, do you still have Carl’s number?” I asked. She nodded. “Call him. See if he has any updates for us?”
Jax walked away and stood by the front desk. I watched as she dialed her phone. She bent over and picked up a discarded piece of paper. She crumpled it in her hand. The edges stuck out of her fist. Her natural exuberance showed even though Carl couldn’t see her on the other end. Jax smiled and flirted as if he were standing right in front of her. It made me smile.
The receptionist watched us as I returned to crawling around on the floor. My frustration mounted. We were so close. I knew it. I could feel it. I wasn’t giving up. If Gray didn’t leave us a clue or if we didn’t find it, we were lost. It would be like finding a needle in a haystack without his guidance. I kicked the leg of the chair as I stood up.
I started to scan the walls. I ran my hands along them as I moved, hoping to feel something out of place. I realized I was reaching at this point but couldn’t stop now. I ran my fingers along the back of an end table. I even picked up a lamp and looked under the base. It was a hiding spot that had worked for us in Chicago, but there was nothing there.
“Regan, we need to go,” Jax said as she ran over to us, her phone in one hand and the crumpled pamphlet in the other. Gracie and I turned to her. Liam entered the building again.
“Anything?” I asked.
“Nothing out of place,” Liam said. “We could search the garbage cans?”
“We may need to,” Gracie said.
“Wait. Listen. We don’t have much time. Carl said that Frank and Michael are on their way. They left right after us and will be landing soon,” Jax said.
I groaned. “Now we have no clues, no direction, and no time to look.” Tears welled in my eyes.
“Is there something I could assist you with?” the receptionist asked, her English flawless. Her eyes, skin and hair were varying shades of brown and very becoming.
“I don’t think so,” Jax said, defeat clear in her voice.
“I can take that for you.” The receptionist pointed to Jax’s hand. “I meant to pick it up earlier when the man dropped it, but it slipped my mind.”
“Someone dropped this?” I grabbed it out of Jax’s hand. “On purpose?”
“Yes. I thought it strange, but then Americans always seem strange to me.” She blushed when she realized her insult was inadvertently directed at all of us.
Hope surged through me again. She said American.
“Señora, could you describe this man?” Liam asked her.
“I really should not. Guests expect their privacy.”
“I’ll pay you.” I blurted the words out without thinking. I was grasping at straws here.
“How much?” Her greed was evident.
I dug around in my bag, grabbing the first cash I came to. “This much.” I didn’t even count it. If she could help us, it was worth every penny.
The receptionist tucked the wad into her bra before speaking. “Tall, dark hair, light eyes. Almost gray in color. They were very striking.” The receptionist blushed again at the mention of Gray’s looks. I just knew it was him.
I gasped. “That has to be our clue. He was here!” I looked down at the pamphlet. Liam, Jax, and Gracie crowded around me to look over my shoulder. G and G Brewery and Hostel. I felt a memory tugging on my mind. I opened the front cover. The pamphlet was a tri-fold. Inside showed pictures of the lodgings available and the attractions. I’ve been there! I opened the final flap. A group shot of the staff stared back at me. The owner’s smiling face front and center.
“Garcia!” I said.
“Guy!” Gracie said at the same time.
“What?” The word echoed as Liam, Jax and I said it together.
Gracie pointed to Garcia’s face. “That’s Guy. I’d know him anywhere.”
“That’s not Guy. That’s Garcia. Gray and I met him before. We’ve stayed here before.” I tapped the paper with my finger.
“I promise you, that is Guy. I know my husband.” None of us pointed out the fact that Gracie didn’t really know her husband. To her, he’d been dead for thirty years.
I stared at the picture, trying to see him without hair and with stubble on his face. My mind wouldn’t let me. The Garcia I knew had a full head of hair, a friendly smile, and was clean-shaven.
“G and G?” Jax asked.
“Guy and Gracie,” Gracie said.
A car horn outside drew my attention. Ben waved from the driver’s seat of a small SUV. I ignored him and continued to huddle with the others.
“Jax, could you send a picture to Carl? Maybe he could compare Garcia’s face with Guy’s? He used facial recognition software before,” I suggested. I still couldn’t believe Garcia and Guy were actually one and the same.
“I’ll do that. I bet he could get a photo of him off the G and G website,” Jax said.
“How long ago were they here?” Liam asked the receptionist.
“Oh, about two hours, maybe.” She flattened her hand in the air and tilted it from side to side. “Señor was polite and nice as always. I enjoy it when I see him.”
“Señor? You mean Garcia?” I asked.
“Of course. He is a regular here.”
“Did he say where they were going?” Liam asked.
“No. I assumed the hostel. I didn’t ask. It’s none of my business.” The girl’s face pinched close when she realized how much information about Garcia she had just shared with strangers. Señor would be upset with her if he found out. “You must go now. No more questions.” The receptionist shooed them away from her desk and toward the door.
“Thanks, anyway. You’ve been a tremendous help.” I smiled at her but her face flushed red. She was more helpful than she would ever know.