I shake my head and let out a small laugh. It’s not a big mystery, though. They must have gotten something on him and this was his way out.

It’s either that or he’s just doing this to screw me, I decide, letting out a deep sigh.

“Well, fuck you, Art, I’m not going down that easily.”

I grab my suitcase and take one last look around the place. I will miss it here.

I hope that when all of this blows over, I can come back. This isn’t going to be the last time I’m here.

The golf cart masquerading as a cab meets me outside my door and takes me to the ferry terminal where I get onto the last boat going to Belize City.

The waters are choppy and I bounce around the plastic seat below deck the whole way there. Half an hour later, when I get onto solid ground, I feel sick to my stomach but I’m not sure if the bumpy boat ride is the sole culprit.

I’m tempted to get a hotel in town and get some rest but I decide against it. This country is English-speaking and the majority of the television programs are piped in directly from the United States.

No, it’s much better for me to get into Mexico as soon as possible. Mexico is a huge country where it’s much easier to get lost than in Belize.

I take an actual cab to the bus terminal and buy a ticket to Merida, Mexico. Twenty minutes later, I climb onto the pristine ADO express bus along with all of the other passengers and put on a sweatshirt as soon as I take a seat. I stare out of the window, wondering how I can’t see my breath in this extremely air-conditioned vehicle. After everyone’s bags are stowed and locked away underneath, we take off.

I have cell reception for a little bit of the way, enough to find out that I have become quite a crime celebrity. Everyone is suddenly consumed with the case of what happened to my partner and there are a number of podcasts devoted to his missing persons case.

This is unusual given that most of these shows focus on missing attractive blonde women in their twenties who disappear under unusual circumstances. My partner’s case is neither unusual nor suspicious.

He worked for the mob. He stole jewelry and other expensive products. When he started to work for himself, the mob got angry and decided to take him out. It’s a story as old as time and yet thanks to Art now suddenly everyone is concerned and everyone thinks I did it.