He pulled out his phone and stared at the screen for a few minutes. Still high, it wasn’t making a lot of sense to him.
I took the phone from his hand, swiped through the recent messages and texts.
There was nothing new from the kidnappers.
I handed the phone back to him, then JD and I sealed up the crypt.
Once everything was back in place, I said, "Let's get out of here.”
Flynn led the way outside. He was eager to get out of the mausoleum.
I brought up the rear.
As I stepped outside, I realized we had company. Four thugs with AR-15s surrounded us. They wore bandannas and all black. I recognized them from Gator Island. It was the same guys. All of them had survived the shootout. The familiar tattoo on the ringleader’s forearm sealed the deal.
I knew they would come back to haunt me.
“Good evening, gringos,” the ringleader said. “So good to see you again. We didn’t get to say goodbye last time.”
49
The ringleader nodded to one of his underlings, who frisked us. It didn't take him long to find our guns and our badges.
"They’re fucking cops, Rico!" the runt shouted.
Rico glared at him. "Man, keep your dumb mouth shut." His angry eyes found mine. "That would explain why the county showed up on our island and torched our crops. The way I see it, you owe me a lot of money. I'm going to collect.”
Rico glanced around.
There was no one in sight. The moon hung low in the sky, and the stars twinkled above. An eerie mist covered the ground. An owl hooted in the distance.
A beat-to-hell blue-gray cargo van was parked behind the Revenant. I’m sure it belonged to the thugs. The right front quarter panel looked like someone had spilled brake fluid on it. The paint bubbled and peeled.
I'm not sure where the groundskeeper was. If he was still on the premises, he didn't want any part of this.
"Into the crypt," Rico commanded. "Move!"
We did as instructed.
Rico and his gang followed us in. "I know the money is here. You wouldn’t be out here if it wasn't. We've been following you dipshits. It wasn’t hard to track down a washed-up movie star and an over-the-hill drug dealer."
“I’m not washed up,” Flynn replied.
"We just came to pay our respects to loved ones," I said.
"Bullshit,” Rico snapped. “Open the crypts. I ain't playing games with you.” Rico took aim at me, and his finger wrapped tight around the trigger.
I put the cordless drill to work and started unscrewing the marble plate. With a hand from JD, we removed it and set it back on the marble bench.
Rico's flashlight beam spotted the bricks of money, and a smile curled his face. "Now that's what I'm talking about. Tell you what, I'll take this money, and I'll forget all about the crop that was destroyed.”
"That money belongs to Pepe Sandoval," I said.
"Pepe's dead. And if his son wants it, he can come and take it."
Rico’s crew laughed.
"All of you. On the ground,” Rico commanded. “Now!"
