Paulo swallowed nervously. “Rico was watching the hotel as you wished, but Logan and the girl managed to slip off without being seen. They still have a room, but they have not yet returned.”

Arturo could feel the fury burning into his face. “You are telling me you don’t know where they are?”

“They haven’t checked out. Rico thought they would be back by now.”

Arturo shot up from his chair. “This is exactly what I was afraid of!”

Paulo’s hand shot out as if to protect himself. Arturo noticed with satisfaction that it trembled.

“The drive is little more than an hour,” Paulo said. “I will go to the hotel myself. I will find out where they’ve gone, and I will personally deliver the letter.”

Arturo sat back down, his mind running over the possibilities. There was no way to know for sure that the girl knew where to find the treasure. At least not until he talked to her. His lips thinned. If she knew, sooner or later she would tell him.

“You have twenty-four hours,” he said. “Not a minute more. If you have not found them, you and Rico will take up residence in one of the cells beneath the house.” He allowed his lips to curve in a smile that showed his teeth. “And your fate will be far worse than that of the old man.”

Paulo gave a single brief nod and strode for the door. It closed soundlessly behind him.

Zuma rose from her chair. “If he finds them, can you not just follow them to the gold?”

“They may not know where it is. They may just be searching, following in the old man’s footsteps. Or they may know exactly where it is and find a way to elude us—as they have already managed to do. I will find them—and I won’t let it happen again.”

“What if Abigail doesn’t know the location of the gold?”

Arturo shrugged. “Then she will become expendable.” He gave Zuma the same fake smile he had given Paulo. “Just like your old friend, King Farrell.”

* * *

At Gage’s insistence, Abby sat in the shade for half an hour before returning to work. Mateo had armed her with a six-inch knife so she could cut through vines or deal with another vicious rodent.

Abby smiled.

By the end of the afternoon, they had managed to secure a safe way into the chamber below the hacienda. Gage stripped off his shirt to work in the heat, and Abby found herself mesmerized by the sexy display of hard male muscle.

Soon Edge and Mateo were also working shirtless, and since she was a woman and not yet dead, she allowed herself to enjoy the view. Eventually, they were able to clear enough of the floor of debris to get into the chamber.