The Death Relic

5

Maria showered and changed into a sundress before heading downstairs to meet her new employer, an American scholar named Terrence Hamilton. Knowing little about him except his work in the field of anthropology, she was a bit nervous and more than a little curious. They were scheduled to meet for drinks at Isla Contoy, a casual poolside restaurant at the Fiesta Americana, where he had promised to explain why she’d been summoned to Cancún on such short notice. The details he’d given over the phone had been vague at best, but she’d been willing to play along because of his sterling reputation and the first-class accommodation he’d arranged. Not to mention the tropical location of their meeting. For Maria, that had been the clincher.

When she walked out of the rear entrance of the lobby and saw the view, she knew she had chosen wisely. Running parallel to the beach was a lagoon-style pool that stretched as far as the eye could see. Bisected by an arched bridge that led towards the turquoise waters of the Gulf, the pool was surrounded by swaying palms, white lounge chairs and multiple tiki bars. Guests in various states of undress relaxed in the water and around the stone deck, soaking up the last rays of the day as the sun inched across the sky, casting a golden hue over the entire resort.

The temperature was in the low 70s, but felt cooler thanks to a gentle breeze that smelled like the sea. For Maria, the scent stirred up childhood memories of a family vacation on the Mediterranean. Though it had happened a lifetime ago, she could remember it clearly. She was playing with her brothers near the water’s edge while her parents looked on from a picnic blanket, where they were eating cheese and drinking wine. There was no screaming. Or crying. Or drama of any kind. Nothing but fun, love and laughter. It was a stark contrast to the way things became in the years prior to her father’s murder.

‘Excuse me,’ said a voice from behind.

Maria blinked a few times, then turned around, fully expecting to see her new boss. Instead, it was a member of the hotel staff, who was dressed in a tropical shirt and khaki pants. He had a broad, flat nose and hair the colour of coal. A beach towel was draped over his left shoulder.

He smiled warmly. ‘You are Maria, no?’

She nodded. ‘Yes, I’m Maria.’

‘I thought it was you, but I wasn’t sure. You were wearing different clothes earlier,’ he said with a thick accent. ‘My name is Carlos. I am a friend of Ernesto.’

‘Nice to meet you, Carlos.’

‘Nice to meet you, too. I like meeting pretty women, and you are muy bonita.’

Suddenly uncomfortable, Maria thanked him for the compliment while brushing the hair out of her eyes. It was a nervous tic she had developed as a schoolgirl. ‘Did you need something, Carlos? Or did you just want to say hello?’

‘Do you have a mobile?’ he asked.

She took a deep breath, worried that Carlos was about to ask for her number. How in the world was she supposed to relax if the staff kept asking her out? ‘Of course I do. Why?’

Carlos pointed at the scenery. ‘This is perfect time for photo. If you like, I can take picture with phone. Beautiful woman with beautiful view. Make all your friends jealous.’

Maria flushed with guilt. She had been this close to brushing off Carlos, yet all he’d wanted to do was help. Obviously her people-reading skills had suffered from her recent lack of social interaction. ‘Actually, that would be great. Thanks for offering.’

‘No problemo.’

Using her cell phone, Carlos took pictures of her from three different angles, making sure her smile was perfect before he snapped each one. When he was done, she thanked him with a quick hug, which he considered far more rewarding than a handful of pesos. The love-struck grin on his face was proof of that. Afterwards, she asked for directions to the restaurant. He pointed to the open-air structure between the beach and pool and explained how to get there.

Maria thanked him again, then hustled to her meeting.

Shaded by a massive thatched roof known as a palapa, Isla Contoy offered fabulous views of the ocean and the hotel’s sandy beach. In the distance, to the east, she could see the red-and-white-striped lighthouse at Punta Cancún, which is built on the tip of a rocky shoal that juts far into the channel. Waves crashed against the rocks, sending spray into the air like an angry whale. Yet somehow the water at the nearby beach was as calm and clear as a bath. Unsure how that was possible, she decided to spend the next few days doing research — while wearing a bikini and working on her tan.

Maria scanned the restaurant and spotted her employer at a small table near the back, as far from everyone else as possible. Wearing a panama hat and an open-collared shirt, he could have passed for a tourist if it weren’t for the briefcase at his feet. In a restaurant filled with beachwear, it stood out like a surfboard on Wall Street.

‘Dr Hamilton,’ she said as she approached.

Deep in thought, the American took a few seconds to react to the sound of his name, but once he did, he hopped to his feet with so much energy he nearly knocked the table over. ‘I am indeed. Which means you must be Dr Pelati.’

She smiled and shook his hand. ‘Please, call me Maria.’

‘Only if you call me Terry. All my friends do.’

‘OK, Terry.’

A few inches taller than Maria, he was in good shape for someone twice her age, even though he hadn’t been inside a gym in decades. Blessed with good genes and a high metabolism, his years in the field had kept him toned and tanned. A week’s worth of whiskers covered his cheeks, but couldn’t hide the smile lines near the corners of his mouth. They peeked through the grey every time he grinned, which was quite often during their conversation.

Always the gentleman, he pulled out her chair and urged her to sit down. ‘So, what are you drinking? I’m halfway through a strawberry daiquiri, and let me tell you, it’s heaven in a glass! They make it with fresh strawberries, Cuban rum and clean ice — which is very important in Mexico. Coming from Italy, are you familiar with the term Montezuma’s revenge?’

She shook her head.

‘Trust me, you don’t want to become familiar with it. It’s a miserable condition that affects nearly forty per cent of all foreigners who visit this country. Down here, bottled water is a must. Never — and I mean, never — drink from the tap, even if the locals say it’s clean. And unless you’re in a nice resort like this one, stay away from the ice. It will get you every time.’

‘Good to know.’

‘And fruit,’ he said as an afterthought. ‘Only eat fruit if you peel it yourself.’

‘Why’s that?’

‘Because the fruit is washed with local water. Apples, pears and the like are OK if you remove the skin, but I’d avoid grapes. Those rascals are tough to peel.’

She laughed at the thought.

‘So,’ he said as he called over the waiter, ‘what’ll it be?’

‘Tap water, extra ice. And a side of apple skins, please.’

He burst out laughing, glad she had a sense of humour. ‘I can tell already we’ll get along fine. For me, that’s my biggest concern on any project. Not the academics or the science — those things tend to sort themselves out in the long run — but the personalities of my co-workers. I’ve been on digs where we’ve found nothing, yet I couldn’t have been happier because I enjoyed my time in the field. On the other hand, I’ve made some major discoveries that were ruined by the miserable bastards I had to share my tent with.’

Maria ordered a daiquiri as he continued to talk.

‘When you reach a certain age — and mine shall remain a secret until it’s chiselled on my tombstone — you learn there’s more to life than your achievements. If at any point you find yourself not enjoying the journey, you need to find a different path.’

She nodded in agreement. ‘It’s funny you should mention that because I’ve been struggling with that problem in recent months. Don’t get me wrong: I love my work. But there has to be more to life than late nights in the library. There has to be something to balance it out.’

He held up his drink. ‘You mean like daiquiris on a beach in the middle of winter?’

‘That’s a start. But I was thinking something bigger.’

Hamilton smiled and leaned in closer. ‘In that case, this is your lucky day. Because I’ve stumbled across something that will blow your mind.’