Secrets Revealed

Chapter 12

Agent Ramos had a gun pointed at Amanda as they drove. They had been on the road for almost two hours.

She spent most of the time looking out the window of the car, deciding to concentrate on the countryside. It seemed to be a lot of dusty land and tall deciduous trees, combined with mangroves and savannas. They barely passed any other vehicles on the road.

Her thoughts drifted to her two boys and her love for them. If she never made it back, she hoped they remembered the good times with her; all the hugs and kisses she showered on them; how proud she was that they are well on their way to becoming the strong, good-hearted men they were destined to be.

She thought about her loving mother, who was her harshest critic, yet strongest supporter. Her mother had been the glue that kept the family together. And she would continue raising the boys in a loving home.

And finally, she thought of Lee. When she met him, she had believed she was a happy mother and housewife, and that that was enough. But she now realized how scared she had been of living life; of being herself. But he had changed that in her. And now she had become the best version of herself. But she wasn't done yet making herself over.

I have so much more to learn, so much more to experience, she determined.

As the sun moved higher, the dust turned from pale beige to a harsh and pebbly yellowish brown. An old dilapidated church came into view on top of a short hill. Even from here, Amanda could see that the front yard of that place was filled with overgrown weeds and ancient gravestones.

She looked puzzled when Ramos made a left at the foot of the hill and proceeded to go up a winding pathway towards the church, leaving the graveyard behind.

"Are we planning to do some sightseeing?" she sardonically asked.

Ramos' stern expression did not change, "The church ground is usually deserted this time of the year. The only time it is filled with people is during the Mexican holiday of Dia De Muertos. This is not that time."

His calm demeanor and tone was scaring her more than when he was yelling at her.

"Dia De Muertos?" Amanda repeated, "What holiday is that?"

His smile was almost a sneer, "The Day of the Dead, Mrs. King. It's where friends and family gather to pray and remember their loved ones who have passed away. It's also a way to help support the dead ones on their spiritual journey. I feel it's so appropriate that we come here."

"What is THAT supposed to mean?" she inquired.

He turned and gave her a knowing glance, "I think you know."

Day of the Dead. Amanda felt she knew exactly what he meant, unfortunately.

She lifted her head courageously, intent on showing no fear.

Now at the top of the hill, he drove the car into the shade of a large mangrove tree. Beyond the tree, she could see a small broken down structure, next to the church. It looked to be some sort of old storage room made of cement, a short distance up.

Stopping the engine, Ramos still had his gun aimed at her.

"Get out."

From the passenger seat, Amanda turned and tried to reason with him, "Look, Agent Ramos, I know you want the ID packet, and I have the packet (she lied). What if I give you the packet and we just walk away from one another? I'll try not to be heartbroken if we never have to see one another again," she ended it sarcastically

His eyes looked hard, "No deals. I will no doubt get the packet. Now, OUT!"

When they got out, they still needed to walk a ways to reach the shed. As they began walking, Amanda's throat felt dry and her heart was beating fast. She could have sworn she heard the sound of another car's engine in the far distance but as she looked around, she saw nothing. Not that it mattered. A random car would not be headed her way. If best, it would be stopping at a distant grave site. At worst it was just making a shortcut through the church.

Ramos was at her side, holding her arm tightly, with a gun pointed at her. A part of her thought that perhaps she could take him by surprise with a quick, swift hit to his...his what? Which part of his body would she attack? And with what? The man had a gun and he was a trained agent.

Then Amanda thought that even if she did not make it out alive, she would at least get the answers she needed.

She stared straight ahead when she asked, "You were the reason for everyone at the restaurant being arrested, weren't you? And I bet you were also responsible for Miguel Esteban's death as well!"

"People in Mexico get arrested all the time, Mrs. King. And as far as Esteban? I did not kill him," Ramos claimed, "You saw me...I was at the cantina the entire time."

But Amanda was so sure she was right, "You may not have plunged the knife in, but you were involved somehow—I KNOW you were!"

He lightly shrugged, "Perhaps I had made a phone call earlier."

And there it was. He basically admitted he was guilty of Miguel's death.

Amanda was so angry that she didn't want to hear or look at him anymore. They continued in silence.

At last, they reached the old shack with its white paint peeling away stood. Ramos pointed with his gun to go inside. The place had no door. Cobwebs lined the doorway.

Swatting the cobwebs aside, Amanda cautiously entered and squinted her eyes. It took a while for her eyes to adjust. It appeared to be an empty, small room. There was one lone window off to one side and the sunlight coming through it was the only light. The place smelled dank and musty.

Amanda made her way across the room to look out the window at the morbid view of the gravestones. This must have been a lookout room for people to view the entire church area. All she could see were crude grave markers scattered throughout the area.

Then she wondered if she might be able to escape through this opened window. But it was an impossibility; it was too small and high up for her to climb through. Besides the image of getting shot in the...ahem...'behind' did not appeal to her.

And then she felt it.

A feeling caused goosebumps to run down her back. It was of something familiar; something good. What IS this sensation?

"Get away from the window, Mrs. King," Ramos ordered, "Turn around and face me. Do not be such a coward. I have never shot anyone in the back."

The fleeting sensation dissipated as Amanda turned around, "I am not a coward, Agent Ramos. I have been able to face you the entire time we have been together. What I don't understand is why you have never treated me like a person. We were on a mission together. I know I have already told you this but I am not only an agent. I am a mother with two small boys and-"

"Silence!" he impatiently snapped, sounding more himself again, "As always, you are giving me a headache! I am giving you one more chance to give me that ID packet voluntarily! Otherwise, I will pry it from your dead body!"

Amanda indecisively looked left, and then right, and saw no other option as she bravely faced him again, "Al-right. I will give it to you!"

She would pretend to give the ID packet to him; anything to delay being shot. At this point, she needed to survive. Slowly tugging at the tail of her shirt, she untucked it from her pants, managing to show a little skin. For the first time, Ramos looked at her salaciously, as his eyes traveled up and down, ending near the front of her skirt.

The way he was looking at her caused her to quickly cover her top with her shirt again as she looked disgustedly at him.

"Why stop?" he asked in a mocking tone, "Come, come, Mrs. King, I do love a good show! Be a good sport... lift your shirt again...and higher this time..." he lightly cajoled her and then gave her a threatening stare, "...and then take that damn money belt off!"

She swallowed hard and reluctantly nodded, "If you insist."

With her hands shaking, she began to slowly lift up her shirt once again.

This was so humiliating.

She tried her hardest not to show any more skin as she reached underneath, grimaced and reached for the latch of the money belt, knowing his gaze was fixed on her the entire time. She paused until she heard the 'snap' and the belt was released from her body.

"Here it is," she announced, holding it out at arm's length for him to see.

With a lecherous stare, he asked, "Why not play nice and bring it over to me?"

Ew! Reluctantly she began to walk towards Ramos, holding it out to him the entire time.

He still had that stupid look of lust in his eyes, she mused, as if he were noticing her 'that way' for the first time.

Slowly moving forward, she came to stop right in front of him. As he reached out with the intent to grab her money belt, she purposely let it fall from her hand.

"Oops! Sorry..." she apologized, but her tone and expression said otherwise.

His face turned to one of disdain as he reached down to pick it up.

She made her move. Bringing her knee up, she had intended to hit him in the nose, jaw or throat, all three considered very vulnerable areas, that would send him wailing with pain. However, he had retrieved the belt and had straightened up so quickly, that she missed her mark. Instead, she hit the side of his head, which still made him slightly dazed, but he recovered quickly.

"Wrong move, Mrs. King! And I am through with you!" he said, as he lifted the gun to her head.

"Wait! Don't shoot!" she commanded, "the photos aren't in the money belt!"

He hesitated slightly, but he didn't believe her, "Again you lie!"

"No, no, it's the truth! I only have some money and my passport in there! Go ahead and check!"

He dropped the money belt to the ground, and with his foot, he patted all around the outside pockets and nothing felt like a packet of pictures. Looking back at her accusingly, his face turned red with anger at the betrayal.

"NO MORE PLAYING GAMES!" he yelled angrily, "TELL ME WHERE THE I.D. PHOTOS ARE!"

In fear, Amanda walked backward until her back was against the wall, very near the one window of the shed.

"I-I didn't want you to get a hold of them so I memorized everything and then got rid of them! Burnt them in the hotel room!" she admitted the truth, "I really did!"

"You did WHAT?!" Ramos exclaimed, as he started approaching her, his gun aimed at her the entire time.

His jaw became rigid as anger blazed in his eyes. He had obviously had enough. In the quiet, enclosed room, Amanda heard the gun being cocked. She cringed and compressed her body, but knew the act would be useless.

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