Too Late

.

Chapter 11

The old worker at the back door of the restaurant had just informed Amanda that she was too late; Paco Ramirez, Informant #2, was gone.

Tears swam in Amanda's eyes at the thought that she was too late to stop the death of a young man.

As the worker started to close the door, he paused when he noted how distressed Amanda seemed over the news. Her eyes showed quiet despair as she wiped a tear that had fallen down her cheek. Her reaction affected him to the point that he felt a need to give her hope, despite his limited English. He opened the door wider.

"Señorita, please, no! No more sad for you!" he cajoled her, "Paco maybe get out soon, eh?"

Amanda sniffed as she tilted her head, confused.

"What?" she asked, "What do you mean?"

At that moment they heard approaching footsteps and another man appeared from behind the old worker. This man was not as old as the worker and he possessed an air of authority.

"José!" he barked out, ordering the worker to get back to work, "Volver al trabajo!"

José respectfully lowered his head to his boss, "Lo siento. Iré ahora!" he murmured and soon limped away.

The boss then blocked the doorway to his establishment as he peered down at Amanda, "What is it you want from us, Señorita?! Did José not tell you we are closed?"

"Yes, señor, he did," she carefully explained, "but I am here, looking for one of your workers, Paco Ramirez. Your José had stated something about Paco, which I did not understand. If you could explain its meaning, I promise to leave... so what did José mean about Paco getting out soon?"

At the mention of Paco's name, the man's annoyed tone changed, "Ah, Paco," he repeated sorrowfully, "Yes, a fine young man and worker, but he is sadly gone. They have taken him along with the others. I have tried to reason with them, but..." he defeatedly shook his head, "...it was of no use."

"'They' 'Others'?" Amanda's eyes were wide with curiosity, "Who are 'they' and who are 'others'?"

The boss opened the door wider. He then stuck his head out to get a good look over to his left side, and then over to his right side as well. When he felt it was safe enough, he leaned towards Amanda and covertly whispered, "the Policia have taken all my night workers, including Paco!"

She shot back a surprised expression.

"The police?" she asked, confused, "Are you saying everyone was arrested?"

The boss ruefully nodded.

But all Amanda felt was relief. Paco was alive!

"Oh, that's good news!" Amanda spoke out her thoughts.

The boss was so shock that he unintentionally reverted to his first language, "Dios Mios, Señorita! This is not good news at all!"

Amanda looked aghast at her mistake, "No,no! I didn't mean it was good news that everyone was arrested! I'm just glad that Paco is alive! I have been so worried!" Then she curiously asked, "Why did the police arrest everyone, anyway?"

The boss shrugged, "Who can say? One never understands the actions of the Policia. They do what they want."

"I need to find Paco!" Amanda determined, "Please tell me where the police took him!"

"No, you must do nothing!" The boss advised as he nervously licked his lips, "Señorita, no more questions, no more actions! Forget what you have heard! Leave here and do not look back!" Then his expression suddenly turned panicky when he spotted something behind her, "I-I must go now!"

"No, wait!" Amanda cried out, as she pushed on the door to keep it from shutting. However, she froze upon hearing a familiar voice behind her.

"Dear cousin!" Ramos greeted her in a fake-nice voice, "There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you! Weren't we suppose to have breakfast together? Why are you here so early?"

She whipped around to see Ramos standing directly behind her.

Though his tone was composed, his eyes were blazing.

Amanda had to think quickly, "Um, yes...good morning, cousin... I am here, because, um, yesterday when we had dined here, I thought I left my guidebook behind," she felt herself rambling, but she couldn't stop, "and you know how very important that guidebook is for me, for both of us! So I came here early to retrieve it!"

Instead, Ramos ignored her as he began to address the man at the door. Ramos spoke a flurry of Spanish words in a very commanding tone. The restaurant boss looked even more fearful than before. Then without even a glance at Amanda, he slammed the door and she could hear the locks being applied.

She could feel her whole body shaking as she was now alone with a man she didn't trust whatsoever. She decided it was best to pretend she didn't know anything.

"What did you say in Spanish to that man, Agent Ramos? Why did you scare him away?" Amanda asked in an accusing tone, "I only came here to talk to him because I wanted to retrieve my guidebook!"

Ramos' lips formed into a knowing smirk, "If only that were so, Mrs. King. We both know you did not come here to retrieve a stupid guidebook! Your guidebook had been in your purse the entire night, so I'm sure it is still in your purse, even as we speak!"

Amanda looked at him with surprised eyes, "How would YOU know that my guidebook had been in my purse the entire night? You would have had to-...ohhhhh!" she interrupted herself when she realized a disturbing fact.

He was no longer hiding the fact that he had been in her room and had rummaged around in her purse! He was practically admitting that it didn't bother him in the least that she knew that fact as well!

And that angered her more than scared her.

Plus having innocent people arrested was just the last straw!

"You!" she implicated, pointing a finger in his face, "You are the cause of why the entire night crew of this restaurant was arrested!"

Ramos looked visibly offended, "Me? And why would I do such a thing?!" he innocently asked.

"Because...well, because…." Amanda paused and then realization hit her, "Of course! You had everyone arrested because I would not tell you the identification of the second informant! You only knew the person was one of the workers on last night's shift, so you had EVERYONE arrested to make sure our second informant was included!"

This time Agent Ramos didn't even pretend to hide his guilt.

"Ahhh, I see," he stated in a self-satisfied tone, "so you are admitting that it is YOUR fault that everyone was arrested!"

"What? No! I never said that!"

His smile was malicious, "But all this came about because you would not reveal a name! You started the whole process of all the arrests!"

"No, that's not true! I..." but Amanda couldn't argue that fact, so she changed the subject, "How were you able to involve the police in this, anyway?"

Ramos' expression turned exasperated as he fumed, "You talk too much, even for a female!" he snapped, "I am tired of this talk! We will return to the motel, pack and leave immediately!"

Amanda stubbornly folded her arms, "I am not leaving anywhere with you!"

"Then you will be stranded here!" Ramos stated, "Once word gets around regarding the arrests of their own townspeople, no one will help you, a mere stranger, for they know they will get arrested as well!"

Amanda unfolded her arms; she admittedly didn't like the sound of that.

"But what about breakfast?" she inquired, taking a different tactic, "I don't think I can travel on an empty stomach!" Then she tried to make her voice sound defiant, "I insist that we eat breakfast first!"

Ramos leaned slightly in, his voice low and menacing.

"You will insist on nothing, Mrs. King! You will only do as I say! I am holding a gun on you!" He nudged his pocket, "You do not see it because it is being held by the hand in my pocket! If you do not walk with me back to the motel, I will use it! No one will protect you and, believe me, I do not need much incentive!"

Amanda shouldn't have been surprised at the turn of events, but she never expected Agent Ramos to threaten her with a gun! So reluctantly she turned and they started walking back to the motel. As always, they were like two separate entities as they walked, with Amanda in the lead and Ramos following close behind; neither one wanting to converse with the other.

At last, she couldn't stand it any longer and turned towards him.

"By the way, I never told you our next destination," Amanda stated, purposely bringing up the one thing she had over him, "so after we check out, how will you know where to drive if I don't tell you?"

"Oh, I know exactly where to take you, Mrs. King," he stated, his voice sounding eerily ominous.

Amanda took a hard swallow.

#

After packing their bags in the car, Rex Ramos prodded Amanda into the vehicle with his gun. She had no choice but to slide into the passenger front seat, since he threatened he would shoot her in the back if she decided to make a run for it. He next got into the driver's side and started the engine.

"Agent Ramos," Amanda calmly addressed him as he got back on the main road, "I have tried to be reasonable with you, and yet, you pull a gun on me! We are supposed to be on the same side! I'm beginning to think you could care less about completing this mission!"

He didn't say anything, as he continued to drive to an unknown destination.

The silence scared Amanda even more than threats.

She tried to convince herself that he was just being his usual cantankerous self; that he somehow found out the destination of the next informant on his own and he was taking them there. But looking out the window, she saw that was not the case. They were headed the wrong way. To where? She decided she must think on her feet and get as much information from him as possible.

"The least you can do is talk to me," she told him bitterly, "this silence actually makes me miss our constant arguing!"

He continued to drive in silence, leaving Amanda alone with her thoughts.

Deep breaths, she reminded herself, staying calm will help her think logically.

She could take comfort in only one thought. Agent Ramos believed the packet of photos were still in her possession. He had no way of knowing she had burnt them in the bathroom sink last night. Therefore, he would physically need her presence in order to find out the identity of the other informants.

But she would never EVER reveal the names to him.

And she had a feeling Agent Ramos knew that fact as well.

She nervously gave him a side-glance and noted his cold eyes and cruel expression. Fear gripped her as she faced forward again to view the desolate countryside.

Her bargaining chip may not be enough to keep her safe.

#

.

.

Please review