“They could still be in transit,” Meyers said. “Perhaps they were on their way to the West Coast or Mexico.”

“Looks like you have your work cut out for you, Elizabeth,” Sandecker said. “All right, let’s get after it. I’ll want an update, same time tomorrow.”

The Vice President’s visitors rose to leave. As they walked to the door, Meyers approached Gunn. “I’d like to see that e-mail as soon as possible.”

“Of course,” Gunn said. But not, he thought, until he and Yaeger had deciphered the full meaning of the message.

Chapter 61

61

THE CABIN DOOR BURST OPEN WITH A BANG. ANN was sitting atop a corner writing desk, peering out a small porthole at the sea rushing by. She had spent most of the journey perched there. Aside from an early bout of seasickness after leaving the Mississippi Delta, the trip had been a voyage of tedium. Her only excitement was the two meals a day brought by an ugly bald man who she presumed was the ship’s cook.

From her hours of staring out the starboard port, she had determined they were sailing south. Guessing their speed was somewhere between fifteen and twenty knots, she figured that put them roughly a thousand miles south of New Orleans by the second day. Her southern geography wasn’t that great, but she figured they weren’t far off Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.

She hadn’t seen Pablo since coming aboard but had braced herself for his appearance. When the door sprang open, she knew it was him. He plodded into the cabin and slammed the door behind him. He appeared more relaxed than Ann had seen him before, and when he stepped closer, she could tell why. He reeked of cheap rum.

“Miss me?” he asked, grinning like a shark.

Ann retreated farther into her desktop corner, pulling her knees beneath her chin.

“Where are we headed?” she replied, hoping to redirect his thoughts.

“Somewhere hot and steamy.”

“Colombia?”

Pablo cocked his head, surprised that she knew—or guessed—his nationality.

“No, but perhaps after we make our delivery the two of us can fly to Bogotá for a long romantic weekend.”

He moved closer to the edge of the desk.

“When will the delivery occur?”

“Always the questions.” He leaned over to plant a slobbery kiss on her face.

Ann raised the soles of her feet to his chest and pushed with her legs. To her surprise, the big man stumbled backward, falling onto her bunk.

Ann shuddered. Would he kill her for refusing him? But the alcohol had mellowed him and he rose from the bed, laughing.

“I knew you were a wildcat underneath,” he said.

“I don’t like being caged like one.” She held up her cuffed wrists. “Why don’t you take these off first?”

“Both wild and smart,” he said. “No, I think that will be the one thing I let you leave on.”