Expedition to the Unknown

Chapter 8-1

Owen pulled back the sliding steel door and entered the claustrophobic bridge of the Lírio do Rio. “Bom trabalho, Lino,” Owen said, patting the captain on the shoulder.

The middle-aged, dark-skinned man smiled. “O seu nada. We"ll dock here for a couple days to take on supplies and fuel. So, my passengers, they are comfortable?” He added, looking over the ragged shoreline cloaked in evening shadows. He turned the large wooden steering wheel of the boat two and a quarter turns.

“Good as gold,” Owen said, looking out at the overcast sky that was darkening over the main channel. In the distance, he saw a bank of tiny yellow lights. The city of Iquitos was not far away.

Although the first 500 kilometers had been easy, Owen knew that guiding the large boat on the moody sss was never a small feat.

“I"ll be needing your fare before we dock,” Lino said.

Owen reached into the inside pocket of his bomber jacket. “How much?”

Lino leveled a narrow gaze at him. “Don"t give me that crap. You know how much.”

Owen laughed. “Just checking. I never know when ya gonna raise my rent. Fifteen hundred, right?”

Lino stared back.

“All right, eighteen-hundred,” Owen said, peeling off a handful of notes and handing them to him. Unexpectedly, he heard a tap on the window outside on the gangway. He turned and saw Manny motioning for him to come out. Owen gave Lino a friendly jab in the arm. “Looks like I"m needed.”

When Owen opened the bridge door, Manny furtively nodded toward the back of the boat. “You have a problem.”

Owen slipped past him and came to the rail over-looking the stern. Down below, Claire came marching toward the ship"s ladder with one of his modified compound bows in hand. When she saw him, she thrust the weapon upward and yelled to him. “Care to clue me in?”

Manny, who had followed him, quietly said, “She went below decks.”

Owen sighed and started down the ladder. “I believe it"s a compound bow,” he said, hopping off the last rung.

“Don"t patronize me,” she snapped back. “I know what it is. There are two crates of them down there. What"re you trying to pull?”

Owen marched forward, taking in her fierce gaze, flared nose and rigid jaw. Angry as she was, she still took his breath away. He took the weapon from her, smiled and said, “Nothing, Luv.” But the minute he said it, he regretted it.

She drew a thin breath and through clenched teeth, said, “Just … don"t!”

Oh-oh. I put my foot in it now. He braced himself for what he called the "princess tantrum", which he had been on the wrong end of more often than he liked over the years. “Now don"t get ya nickers all in a lather. I didn"t mean anything by it. Just trying ta be friendly"s all.”

Oh-oh. I put my foot in it now.“Stop the bullshit, Mr. Macleod. I"m not in the mood. What are these things doing here? I want to know right now!”

There was no way he was going to tell her the truth; that the bows were for the Manaqüi. That was none of her business. His responsibilities were to guide and keep her team out of harm"s way.

He stared back at her and said, “Tell me, what business ya have snooping in my gear, eh?”

Claire"s expression iced over. “It"s my expedition!”

“Yeah? Well, it"s my charter here, Luv, an" out here an" in da bush, I"m da boss,” Owen said. He held the bow up. “An" if you"ll excuse me, I"ll be putting this back where it belongs now.”

Claire looked off over the water. Turning back, she said, “You think I"m stupid, Mr. Macleod? You think I don"t know what you"re up to? You can"t arm primitive cultures with advanced technology.”

“What"d"ya know about "em, eh? You don"t live here,” Owen said, jabbing a finger at her. “Everything ya know, ya read in some rag up in da states. Spend time down here, get ta know "em; then come talk ta me. "Till then, keep ya preaching ta yourself.”

Claire shook her head. “If you think they"re going to use them for just hunting, you"re quite mistaken.”

Owen couldn"t help but chuckle at her allegation.

“Go ahead, laugh,” Claire growled. She opened her mouth to say more, but stopped and shook her head. “Why am I wasting my time?”

“I don"t know. Why are ya?”

She narrowed her eyes at him, but beneath her fierce expression, Owen sensed something else. What was it? She looked back off over the water. Quietly, she said, “I took you for someone who gave a s**t. Apparently, I was wrong.” Her gaze drifted back to him, and it was exactly the same gaze Monica had given him the day she walked out of his life. “You"re not interested in anything except yourself. So, what are you getting in return? No, never mind, I don"t wanna know,” she said. She shook her head and stalked off.

“Yeah, that"s right, cast ya verdict an" walk away. God, save me from a righteous woman!”

Claire spun around. “And me from a Neanderthal.”

From under the upper deck canopy, Owen heard Manny chuckle. “Yeah, that"s right. I"m a Neanderthal, but when it comes ta bringing ya back in one piece, I"m da best ya got.”

“I"m sure that"s what you think, Mr. Macleod,” she said over her shoulder.

“It"s what I know,” Owen shot back defiantly. He gave her long, retreating legs a last look and took a deep breath. This woman had gotten under his skin unlike any he had met in a long time. He stood there at a loss for words for a couple of minutes before heading for the galley door where Manny stood watching the whole thing. As he pulled the door open, Manny gave him a knowing smile.

“Naff off,” Owen said, giving him a sidelong glance. He marched down the corridor and pushed through his cabin door into the tiny dim lit room. Eyeing his nightstand, he went over and picked up the silver hairpin he"d bought for Claire the morning they"d left Tarapoto. He"d been planning to give it to her tonight, but that was out of the question now. He stuffed it into his backpack, the jerked his hand back and sucked his finger. The pin had stuck him, drawing a bead of blood.

Later that night, Claire followed Thad, Jorge, and Molly down the wooden gangplank onto the long timber pier jutting out into the river. The sun had fled over the mountains an hour ago and in its wake left a black sky glittering with stars. From the distance, came the sound of mandolins. But Claire was not in a festive mood. Compound bows! As if they"d use them for just hunting. Stupid Kiwi.

Compound bows! As if they"d use them for just hunting. Stupid Kiwi.A string of tiny green lights winked at her from somewhere out in the middle of the river. She watched them slowly move upstream as the smell of diesel and rotting bananas wrinkled her nose. What was Owen up to? Was her expedition a means to an end for him? She felt like that boat in the middle of the river, groping in the dark to find its way. Since she and Owen had parted, she had tried to make sense of things. But at this point, there were more questions than answers.

Twenty minutes later, she sat at a table in front of a little adobe restaurant. Beside her sat Molly and across from her were Thad and Jorge. Lively salsa notes flowed out through the open doors of a cantina down the street. Milling around outside of it was a group of leggy young women in colorful cotton skirts. As the sounds of laughter dribbled in the warm spring air, Claire felt Molly shift beside her.

“Look at Poppy with his fecking tongue lolling out of his mouth. He"s like a bloodhound,” Molly said leaning toward Claire.

Thad shot Molly a sneer and nudged Jorge with his elbow. “Look at the one in the short green dress. Man, is she sweet!”

“Not bad,” Jorge answered picking at the label on his beer bottle.

“Oh, really?” Thad said, eyeing him.

Jorge took a long pull on the bottle. Wiping his lips with the back of his hand, he turned a furtive eye to Molly.

Claire c****d a brow. Seems like Molly has another admirer.

Seems like Molly has another admirer.Thad said, “Think I"ll buy them a drink. You coming, Jorge?”

Jorge shook his head. “I"m good.”

“Suit yourself,” Thad said, and downed the last of his beer. Getting up, he winked at Molly. “Don"t wait up, kid.”

Molly saluted him with a middle finger.

Claire polished off the last of her drink. As the tangy cocktail passed her lips, her tongue shriveled. Jorge wasn"t kidding when he said pisco packed a punch. She set her glass down and gave her troubled thoughts over to Molly"s pained expression. She aimed a thumb towards Thad"s retreating back. “Don"t let him get to you.”

Molly pulled back and looked at her quizzically. “I don"t.”

Claire shook her head. Oh, yes you do. It"s written all over your face. He"ll come around eventually, unless a certain somebody beats him to it.

Oh, yes you do. It"s written all over your face. He"ll come around eventually, unless a certain somebody beats him to it.Molly was quiet a minute, then got up. “I"m going to the lady"s room.” She pointed towards Claire"s empty glass. “You want another?”

Claire looked up. “Sure, why not.”

“What about you, Jorge?” Molly said, as Claire dug a twenty note out of her pocket.

“Yes, but I will escort you,” he said, then quickly added, “to the bar that is.”

Claire smiled, handed her money over to Molly and watched them weave through the chattering crowd into the restaurant. Alone now, she sat back and closed her eyes, and as she did, her thoughts returned to Owen. Sure, he"s a friend of a friend of Thad"s, but that"s no excuse, girl. You know you should"ve have researched him more. Now you"re stuck with a … what? A mercenary? Jesus!

She was sitting, fingers drumming on the table waiting for Molly to get back with their drinks when she heard the Kiwi"s lilting voice ring out down the block.

Owen!

Owen!Her breath caught in her throat. Great! Just what I need. She crossed her arms, wanting to get up and leave when Molly and Jorge came back to the table.

Great! Just what I need.Molly handed Claire her drink. “Uh-oh, don"t look now, but the tool from down-under"s here.”

Oh, he"s a tool all right, Claire mused picking up her glass.

Oh, he"s a tool all right,“Hey, there ya are! Figured ya guys would find Hilario"s. Having a good time?”

Claire took a deep breath and caught a whiff of his sandalwood cologne. It was a favorite of Jason"s. She tried to ignore the effect it was having on her and stared ahead.

Molly said, “Marvy.”

Which was Claire"s sentiment exactly, although for different reasons. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Owen pull a chair up. Felt his eyes on her back. So, we"re mister friendly all of a sudden. Hide behind a smile and dare me to strike first. Well, I"m not biting.