“Get down,” Antía said. “They’ll see you!”
“Exactly.”
He moved serenely along the road, like a visitor taking the morning air. Ibaibarriaga, who was furiously rummaging around for the keys, looked up, his eyes widening in surprise.
“You!” he exclaimed. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Looking for these, Álvaro?” Roberto brandished the keys.
Ibaibarriaga’s look of confusion shifted to one of cold determination. He got out of the vehicle and pointed his shotgun at Roberto.
“Yes, as it happens,” he said. “And you’d better hand them over, or you’re dead meat.”
“Not so fast!” Roberto took a step to the side and kneeled down. There at the roadside was a manhole, with the cover off—Roberto’s doing, on his way up from the beach. He dangled the keys just above the opening. “Not unless you want to spend the next few hours swimming around in shit.”
Ibaibarriaga’s eyes sparkled with fury.
“Just hear me out,” Roberto said.
“What is it?” Ibaibarriaga grunted.
“First, stop pointing that thing at me,” Roberto said.
“Fuck you.”
“Your decision.” Roberto moved the keys a little closer to the manhole.
“Okay, okay, wait!” Ibaibarriaga snorted, lowering the rifle.
“Antía, come over here, please,” Roberto said, watching Ibaibarriaga all the while.
Antía emerged from behind the bushes and stood beside him. The lighthouse keeper’s gaze flicked back and forth between them.
“What’s she doing here?”
“She’s coming with me. With us.”
“Us? What are you talking about?”
“It’s very simple,” Roberto said calmly. “There are some pretty pissed Colombians on the island, and they’re looking for the money you’ve just loaded in that SUV. They’ll stop at nothing to get it back.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
“The authorities will be here soon.” He pointed at the black plume in the sky. “I don’t think they’ll be long, but in the meantime, we need a safe haven to avoid unexpected encounters. And I can think of no better place than the lighthouse. So let’s make a deal.”
Ibaibarriaga narrowed his eyes. “Okay. You’re offering me the keys in exchange for letting you into the lighthouse. Why would I agree to that?”
“Because if you don’t, they’ll get you first.” Roberto shrugged. “You won’t even make it as far as the lighthouse. You’ve got the money to carry, and your partner doesn’t look in great shape. You’re no match for a team of professional hit men.”
Ibaibarriaga squirmed, clearly furious. Roberto, a knot in his stomach, did his best not to give away what he was really keeping an eye on.
For the love of God, don’t turn around. Keep on looking at me, please ...
Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Diego emerged behind the SUV, tiptoeing closer to it.
All their hopes rested on him.
Though with Diego you could never be sure, he seemed to have understood the instructions perfectly. Furtively, without making the slightest noise, he appeared to be doing precisely as Roberto had asked.
