Benito Vazquez kicked the balcony table over in fit of rage. Slices of melon and cubes of juicy pineapple slithered across the shiny tiles and the two men stepped back warily.

"It is not possible!"

"So help me, hefi, it is true. Manuel and I both saw the body."

Benito turned, eyes burning and teeth bared. "Who?"

"They say it was the gringos. They stole a boat as well."

Like the rising sun, Benito's complexion went from beige to terra cotta, his fists clenched so tight the men could hear bones crack. He stood rock still staring wild-eyed at the men and then with an extreme effort to control his rage he took out a pistol from his holster and shot the closest man dead.

"You will find the boat. You will bring the gringos to me before this day is over or your family, your wife's family and any other relatives on this continent will be peeled alive and fed to the sea." The words were spoken low and in spite of his terror the man had to lean closer to hear. When he did, his bladder released and he bowed out, vowing to do as bid and begging for mercy. Benito spat in disgust and left the balcony. Blood pooled on the tiles in a mixture with the pineapple juice and eager insects converged in tiny swarms.

*****

Hoyte pulled into a spot on the coast that seemed desolate enough to feel secure for the moment and cut the engines. He went forward and lowered the anchor and then went back to join the others. Terry was still looking dazed even with Ebony holding him, one arm about his shoulders.

"How is he?"

"Stunned... as am I. Christ I never dreamed he could do something like that."

Wilfred rubbed a hand over the stubble on his face.

"You realize that we will never get away now; murder is not something these guys overlook when it comes to gringos."

"Can't we still make it to the plane?" Ebony asked.

"We'll be lucky to even get into Uruguayan waters. They'll have the coast guard all over the place."

"So why did we run then? Why not tell the police what happened?"

"Excuse me for lacking the calm cool decision making of the rest of you. I was scared outta my friggin' mind, that's why!"

"Okay, okay. Bickering gets us nothing. What's done is done. What to do now is the big question." Wilfred shook Terry's shoulder and kept it up until he got a response. "Welcome back, hero."

Terry glanced up at him. "Hero?"

"Well... you know what I mean. He was one mean son of a bitch, Terry."

"You saved all of us, Terry." Ebony's arm squeezed him and he felt a warm comfort, snuggled against her.

"It's gonna take a bit to get that out of my mind I can tell you." He relaxed against her and wondered at the reason she held him tighter. Was it truly a response to his action or was it the fact that he had the only access to the money at the moment? "What's happening now?"

Hoyte went over his warning again and said that the best they could do was sit tight until dark and try sailing as far up the coast as possible then put ashore somewhere and take their chances.

"Can you sail this thing in the dark?" Ebony asked.

"You drive these, dear, there's no sails and yes, I think I can."

"Well we've got about five hours to darkness so I suggest we get some rest. Should we set up a watch or something?"

"Good idea, Hughs, you take the first one. I'll relieve you in about an hour." Hoyte turned and went below.

"It's Graeme-Hughs," Wilfred called after him. "Captain bloody Bligh."

"I'm going below too," Terry said. "There must be a cabin with a bed in it down there."

"Do you want company, Wilfred?" Ebony asked, standing up.

"Thanks, dear but I think we all need rest. Go on, I'll be fine for an hour."

"Keep alert, Willy, we don't want be back in an Argentinean jail."

"Not now that we're millionaires, eh?" His laugh was strained as he watched her go down the steps to the cabins.

The day was warm and the water was treated to a moderate swell giving Wilfred a clear view across the horizon. He found a pair of binoculars on the bridge and settle himself in the captain's chair and began his watch.

Terry tried the first cabin and saw a snoring Hoyte spread across the sheets, shoes still on and face buried in the pillow. He moved on down to the forward cabin and smiled at the thick mattress and the double pillows. He kicked off his shoes and pulled his shirt over his head. He felt the mattress and nodded, undoing his pants and dropping them to the floor, leaving them where they fell and crawling onto the bed with a groaning sigh.

The rocking of the boat on the gentle swell took him into sleep quickly and he dreamed wild dreams of spending his share of the millions on travel, toys and women. He could even feel the warmth of their bodies against his as he stirred deliciously in the bed. Suddenly his eyes popped open and he fixed his eyes on the cabin wall. Something warm was against his back and moving over his stomach. He envisioned something horrible at first like a snake but when he felt fingers gripping him he knew without a doubt it was no snake.

"Ebony, what the hell are you doing?"

"I didn't think you'd have trouble figuring it out." She purred in his hair at the back of his head.

"I can figure that out, it's why and what makes you think you can just... do this?"

"You were in shock, Terry, I was worried and this seemed like good therapy to help you past that terrible moment." Her voice wafted over his shoulder in a puff of warm air and he could smell the light fragrance of some flower or other. He felt the effect of her ministrations and his mind took off in fifty directions at once. Was she lying? Was it really the money? Did he care? He stared at the cabin wall feeling his urge overwhelming his reason and he blinked a few times as he decided. No! He didn't care! He moved quickly, turning to face her, pleased to find she was also naked and with little ceremony he enacted his carnal thoughts in a matter of seconds.

*****

Wilfred sat up and stared at the dot on the horizon, focusing and refocusing the binoculars, as it grew larger. He watched intently until he could make out the Argentinean flag and some kind of official seal on the bow. Coast guard! He continued watching, hoping Hoyte had chosen a spot well protected from prying eyes. They would have binoculars too.

Hoyte came on deck rubbing his eyes. "What's up?"

"Coast guard." Wilfred pointed.

Hoyte took the glasses and had a look. "They been there long?"

"They haven't stopped but who knows." He looked around and felt a little more comfortable with their location.

"They're goin' back out."

"You sure?" Hoyte handed him the glasses. "Yeah, they are. Good. Okay then, your turn at the window, old man."

"Wake Terry in an hour," Hoyte said as Wilfred climbed below.

*****

They lay still listening to Wilfred as he used the head and then made some noise readying for bed and then silence. Terry held Ebony's breast with one hand and her bottom in the other and he let his face find a nest in her neck.

"That was... quick, Terry.

"You didn't give me any time to get ready."

"Oh I think you were ready." She lifted away from him and pulled the sheet over her body.

"Want to tell me the truth now?" He asked.

"It's such an elusive thing."

"Try."

She turned her head and fixed his eyes with hers. "I want you and the money, Terry... all of it... together."

"Of course you do." He closed his eyes and rested his forearm on his face.

"I didn't expect you to believe me. Why should you." Her voice softened. "But tell me you didn't feel something a few minutes ago. Something that could only get better being together."

"Ebony,' he sighed, unsure of what to say. "You had plenty of opportunity to advance this theory of yours right in the beginning. Instead you tried to get it all for yourself, right? So now suddenly I'm supposed to think that this assignation you planned is supposed to convince me that it was all a ruse, that you really only wanted me and now that I have access to all the money, well that's just a nice bonus?"

"I could be the bonus, Terry. I can make you very happy."

"Yeah, for a price. Forget it, Ebony. I did enjoy this encounter and I certainly wouldn't refuse any future offers but don't pretend altruism."

"There was nothing altruistic about it. I want you and the money. Call me selfish."

"Your selfish."

The way he said it made her laugh and she rolled over sealing her lips to his and seconds later Terry was swept away on Ebony's sea.

*****

Captain Montinez watched the men cart the stretcher away with Thorn's body and placed another call to the coast guard. The response was negative and he cursed under his breath. There was no way they could take the stolen launch into any legal harbour and it certainly couldn't get them to Mexico so another call had the police helicopter plotting a course up the east coast.

"Captain, we have someone you should talk to."

"Who?" Unless it pertained to his current dilemma he didn't want distractions and it showed in his tone.

"A man who says he work s for Vazquez."

Montinez perked up and pushed the man ahead. "Well let's go then."

The man sat shivering on a step leading up to the parking area and couldn't manage to stand when Montinez arrived.

"Name."

"Manuel LaCosta."

"What is your story?"

Manuel related everything that happened at the Vazquez villa and the threat leveled at his family if he didn't have the gringos there before the end of the day. Montinez stroked his chin and paced back and forth for several minutes before turning back to the man.

"How long ago was this?"

"Within the hour, hefi."

"Montinez snapped his fingers at his lieutenant. "Get a force to Vazquez's villa and find that body or signs of what he said and arrest that bastard. I will be along as soon as the helicopter reports in. Do not miss this opportunity."

The policeman left at record speed, his phone stuck to his ear as he scrambled into his car.

"What of my family, hefi?"

"I will personally see that they have protection until this is over."

"Thank you, hefi. Thank you."

"You will be joining your employer in jail, Manuel, so don't get too comfortable." The Captain turned on his heel and marched away.

*****

Consuela and Maria heard the shouting and the noise downstairs and they both looked at one another and then at Benito lying between them. Ever since seeing their photos in Raoul's magazine Benito had obsessed about this moment. It was something he needed to take the mind off the stress of his business. He opened his eyes and stared at the four breasts hanging near his face.

"What?"

"Something is going on downstairs." Maria said.

"Something was going on up here too," he replied nastily.

"A shot rang out and Benito sat bolt upright, batting the mammary blockade aside, his eyes now riveted on the balcony. Confident in his domain he'd neglected to have the result of his earlier upset cleaned up and whatever was happening downstairs did not bode well for that oversight.

"Get out. Now!" He slid off the bed and ran to his nightstand, taking out an automatic weapon and chambering a shell. The women scurried for their clothes and dashed to the bathroom slamming the door and locking it.

The next few minutes was a riot of shouting, gunshots and screaming. Running feet thundered past the bathroom door where the two women huddled in terror. Bullets ripped away the woodwork and their screams added to the din. When the shooting stopped and the door was pushed open, followed by the barrel of a gun, Maria fainted and Consuela began to cry.

"Come out please ladies, it's all over."

Moments later they walked nervously to the big bedroom, holding one another, and stopped, struck dumb by the mess. What was once an elegant room of silk sheets and upholstery and expensive rugs and paintings now resembled some kind of wrecking project with hundreds of holes puncturing the wallpaper and the gold-framed paintings. The bed was a mound of loose feathers and partially buried under their pink tinted mass lay the body of Benito Vazquez. On the floor at the foot of the bed a paramedic tended to a wounded policeman while another lay near the wall covered with a blanket that earlier had covered the women.

"Downstairs there will be a policewoman to take your statements." He led them shaking to the hallway and watched the two professionals totter down the wide staircase, with interest.

*****

Montinez was extremely disappointed in the results at the villa. He wanted to see Benito's face as he personally slapped on the cuffs. His lieutenant would have a lot to answer for before realizing that his future advancement would be seriously restricted. On top of everything else the coast guard and the helicopter both reported negative results and were calling off the hunt because of impending storms in the area.

Montinez slapped the man Manuel into the back of his car, vowing to salvage something from the debacle.

*****

Hoyte wiped the sweat from his face as he steered the launch through the storm without charts or any navigation system he could understand. When lights appeared through the darkness he almost cheered. The group huddled on the bridge, all doing the best they could to spot any obstacles and to see whether the lights meant a haven or danger. Taking a big chance but a necessary one, Hoyte turned on the bridge searchlight and picked out a fairly welcoming shoreline with low scrub and a few trees; there was no sign of life anywhere.

"When the rain stops we can reconnoiter the area and see where we are."

"Aye, aye." Wilfred said with sarcasm.

"Hey, you wanna drive this thing? You wanna go ashore and walk right into the arms of some cops or something?"

"Easy boys," Terry calmed. "Good idea to wait and see what's what before just dashing off. Is this Uruguay?" He asked Hoyte.

"Unless we sailed in a big circle."

"I thought you didn't sail these," Ebony complained.

"It's a way saying- forget it. Doesn't matter. We need a plan if we can get ashore and start hiking or whatever." He looked around the bridge and dug out some old maps. "Maybe we can locate ourselves with one of these and figure out a destination."

"We should have some luggage of some kind. Four North Americans strolling in from nowhere is going to look very suspicious." Terry said.

"I'll check downstairs. See if there's anything in one of the cabins." Wilfred dropped down the stairwell and Ebony scampered after him.

"That was a helluva job, Hoyte. Have you done this before? Run a boat like this I mean?"

"In my other life. My parents had a cottage on a small lake up north. We had a big outboard I used to run up and down the lake to the chagrin of the other residents."

"Well it served us all well today. My thanks."

"Hey, getting rid of that Goliath did us all a big favour."

Terry pulled a face and scratched his ear. "You think we can make flight arrangements somewhere over there." He indicated the land with a jut of his chin.

"We need money, Terry."

"Then we need a bank first. Find me a bank and I'll get you cash money."

"As soon as we can figure out where we are."