“I don’t like this,” Warren said. “These guys look like kids.”

“Stay cool,” Jack said. He rolled his window down. “Hi, guys. Nice day, huh?”

The soldiers didn’t move. Their blank expressions didn’t change.

Jack was about to ask them kindly to open the gate, when a fourth man stepped out into the sunlight. To Jack’s surprise, this man was pulling on a black suit jacket over a white shirt and tie. In the middle of the steaming jungle it was absurd. The other surprising thing was that the man wasn’t black. He was Arab.

“Can I help you?” the Arab asked. His tone was not friendly.

“I hope so,” Jack said. “We’re here to visit Cogo.”

The Arab glanced at the windshield of the vehicle, presumably looking for some identification. Not seeing it, he asked Jack if he had a pass.

“No pass,” Jack admitted. “We’re just a couple of doctors interested in the work that’s going on here.”

“What is your name?” the Arab asked.

“Dr. Jack Stapleton. I’ve come all the way from New York City.”

“Just a minute,” the Arab said before disappearing back into the gate house.

“This doesn’t look good,” Jack said to Warren out of the corner of his mouth. He smiled at the soldiers. “How much should I offer him? I’m not good at this bribing stuff.”

“Money must mean a lot more here than it does in New York,” Warren said. “Why don’t you overwhelm him with a hundred dollars. I mean, if it’s worth it to you.”

Jack mentally converted a hundred dollars into French francs, then extracted the bills from his money belt. A few minutes later, the Arab returned.

“The manager says that he does not know you and that you are not welcome,” the Arab said.

“Shucks,” Jack said. Then he extended his left hand with the French francs casually stuck between his index finger and his ring finger. “We sure do appreciate your help.”

The Arab eyed the money for a moment before reaching out and taking it. It disappeared into his pocket in the blink of an eye.

Jack stared at him for a moment, but the man didn’t move. Jack found it difficult to read his expression because the man’s mustache obscured his mouth.

Jack turned to Warren. “Didn’t I give him enough?”

Warren shook his head. “I don’t think it’s going to happen.”

“You mean he just took my money and that’s that?” Jack asked.

“Be my guess,” Warren said.

Jack turned his attention back to the man in the black suit. Jack estimated he was about a hundred and fifty pounds, definitely on the thin side. For a moment Jack entertained the idea of getting out of the car and asking for his money back, but a glance at the soldiers made him think otherwise.

With a sigh of resignation Jack did a three-point turn and headed back the way they’d come.

“Phew!” Laurie said from the backseat. “I did not like that one bit.”