Page 54 of No Hope of Rescue

Trent folds his arms after turning off the digital recorder. He, too, senses a red herring.

Then Riley starts with an explanation I can hardly believe. That Codie told her she believes she was let go on purpose. That they left her unguarded and the window unlocked, and with the three men in the living room, it was the perfect time to escape.

“They claim they have a fourth man in town,” says Riley before glancing at me. Sensing half truths littered all through here, I ask, “This is what my sister told you?”

She nods.

I lean my hands on the table and look at Trent. “Have you heard anything about this? A fourth man?”

Trent shakes his head. “There’s been zero chatter here on the ground about an active player here. If there was another guy, I would have heard about it.”

“If there’s another smuggler out there working for those assholes, those two women shouldn’t be left alone.” Ross uncrosses his arms and stands. “I’m going over there right now,” he says. “Excuse me. I can’t add anything more to what they both told you.” His glance to me is pointed. “I was just the pilot.”

After he leaves, Trent sighs and leans back in his chair. “I’ll caution you to be careful. I suggest you and your family stay put.” Trent reaches for the small figurine with wide-set eyes and wraps it in a clear plastic bag he retrieved from a pocket.

I wave my hand. “I have a business to run, and we’re waiting on a huge grant. If we land it, we’ll have to respond right away. I’m not sitting around twiddling my thumbs.”

Done with wrapping the artifact, Trent slips it deep into a pocket and sits quietly for a moment. When he raises his gaze to me, he seems like he’s looking for answers.

Trent shakes his head. “I get the sense you think you’re going to do something about all this. I get it. They took your sister. But I can’t let you do that. You’re a civilian.”

This sets me off. “Correction. I’m a former Air Force captain with thousands of hours in flight time and just as many on the ground. You can’t toss a plane up there. You’re going to need a chopper. You’ll need me—or Ross.”

Trent suddenly smiles. “Tell you what. If something happens before my pilot shows up, it’s your job. If not, then let us handle it.” He pauses. But “I strongly caution you to not act alone. These are dangerous men.”

He sets down his empty mug of coffee, stands, and prepares to leave. But I can’t let him. I tap the table. “What’s the big-ticket item here?”

“Come again?”

Come again. If he hadn’t said Canadian, I would have guessed East Coast.

“You heard me.”

“I’m afraid I can’t discuss that—”

“We need to know what we’re looking for.” I tuck my hands into my back pockets. “Or, I guess, looking at.”

Trent glances at the two of us, then makes a decision. “The artifacts are a piece of the haul. But there’s a T-Rex skull worth three-quarters of a million dollars. Stolen.”

Something pings in my memory. “Like a while ago, right?”

Trent pockets the recorder. “Five years ago. We traced it to this combined stash from several smaller heists to a man named Leon.”

“This was from Mexico City, right? I remember talking about it.”

Trent looks out into middle distance. “I’ve been on these guys for almost eighteen months. It’s like trying to catch ghosts. This is the closest I’ve ever gotten. My sources believe there’s a local man involved too. Neither of you recognized either voice? Couldn’t place it?”

Both Riley and I shake our heads.

“Good. Because I was afraid when I first stepped in that it might have been one of you.”

I’m suddenly feeling better about this guy. He’s honest.

“Shit.” Riley claps a hand over her mouth. “Sorry.”

“Ms. Delgado, no need to apologize.” Trent lays a hand on her arm. Then he smiles, a real smile, and my reservations about him disappear. “I’m just glad you asked me for my badge for all the right reasons.” He brushes a crumb from his suit.

She frowns. “What do you mean?”