Facing Reality- Chapter Six

The sun was a heavy blanket of hot light and humidity.
Talia was stretched out on the deck of Greg's catamaran and they were
gently bobbing on the water. The splash every five seconds as the tiny
waves found either side of the hull had developed into a regular
pattern and it was a kind of lullaby. Greg was sitting a few feet away
reading a book and she could hear him turning the pages every once in a
while. The sound of the page as it scraped across the touch of his
hands was rhythmic and she found herself listening for it. The shape of
the sun through her eyelids and the heat on the canvas beneath her back
was a warm comforter in the bright light. It was a perfect balance of
mind and body at that moment. It was relaxation.

The
canvas quaked slightly as Greg got up and she heard the cap of the
sunscreen pop open near her head. &;quot;Turn over. You need to have
some lotion on your back, I can see that Etruscan bronze turning into
bulls eye red.&;quot; She smiled and shaded her eyes to look at him
through the shadow cast just an inch or two from her hand above her
forehead. Wearing a straw hat and a white polo shirt, his nose was
slathered with zinc oxide, his bronzed body was casually comfortable
against the mast. His sunglasses rested on the bridge of his nose as if
they were made for him and the overall look created a caricature of a
man vividly alive in a Jimmy Buffet song.

Turning
over, she adjusted the top of her bathing suit and situated herself on
her stomach.

Greg moved his hand over her shoulders
and across her back. Then he moved on to cover her legs with the
sunscreen. He spent more time than he should have and she turned her
head to look at him over her shoulder. &;quot;Having
fun?&;quot;

&;quot;This is pure agony. The one
piece suit is dead Talia. Ever heard the word 'bikini' or better yet,
'topless'? There isn't anyone within twenty miles of here. Be daring,
why don't you?&;quot; The last sentence came out as a hissing
whisper, as if he were trying to give her a secret
command.

&;quot;I'm beyond the bikini. Maybe
twenty pounds ago I would have thought about it.&;quot; She covered
her face with a towel as the heat was becoming more and more
oppressive.

&;quot;You look fine. You are just too
modest. I don't mind. I like putting the sunscreen on though, I'll only
be another hour or so.&;quot; He reached down to kiss her neck on
the side of her face that was turned away. Talia reached up and patted
his cheek. This was a fine way to spend an
afternoon.

Greg went back to his perch with his book
and Talia turned her thoughts to the day and this place. They hadn't
talked any more about one another or their unusual relationship. It was
pushed aside for the moment and she was fine with that. After breakfast
Greg had taken her for a walk around his part of the island. There were
a series of paths all leading to the beach and she was delighted to
find a number of small areas where there were statues and garden
alcoves. They had been put there by the previous owner and they gave
the space a kind of island charm that made it seem more and more like
some kind of paradise.

The beach was very secluded
and there was a cabana with chairs waiting for them. They had spent the
morning lazily sitting in the sun and talking about everything except
diamonds or the fact that they were together again for another attempt
at something neither could really fathom. After lunch, Greg had pushed
the catamaran out onto the water and now they had been drifting in the
sea for a couple of hours.

Talia could feel the sun
starting to burn her back and she rolled over and sat up. Moving into
the shadow of the sail, she stared out across the sea in front of them.
It was vast and breathtaking. A million shards of light bounced up from
the turquoise horizon. The sound of the sea birds called from the
distant sky and it was the true image of an island vacation. She knew
that this would be the easiest day of the vacation. Greg had tried to
bring up the topic of the day to her, but she refused. Insisting that
there had to be some relaxation, he finally gave up and just hung out
with her. She had been the victor in one battle
anyway.

Greg raised the sail as he saw her
sit up and the boat slowly picked up speed as the breeze found
resistance in the sailcloth. He tossed his hat to her and she placed it
on her head. It felt good to have the shade on her face and shoulders.
They slowly sailed back to the beach, the sun finding its way casually
down toward the place where it would become sunset. They pulled the
boat up onto the shore and held hands loosely as they wound their way
down the lush path on the way back to the treehouse.

Talia didn't want to bring up the subject of
digging, but decided he had given her so much of his sacred time, when
he undoubtedly was champing at the bit to get the show moving at
lightning speed. She was feeling very relaxed and open-minded at the
moment though, and she decided to indulge his need to scheme. As they
walked up the stairs that wound around the trunk of the massive tree
they were living in, she finally broke the
ice.

&;quot;Where are we supposed to start digging
anyway? Is there any method to this crazy madness we are about to
undertake?&;quot; She found a comfortable bamboo chair on the deck
and sat down. Greg went inside and brought out a couple of drinks. He
took off his sunglasses and placed his feet on the railing as he
settled into a chair next to her.

&;quot;I have a
few very solid leads. Let me start with the basics first. I bought this
land from the Martin Vasquez estate a year ago. I had a bit of
cash to invest and thought that it would be a worthwhile venture. My
theory, after traipsing around the islands was that this land would be
the most likely place to put something precious. It's pretty secluded
and there are a thousand places to hide diamonds here. Tomorrow we will
get out the letters and go over them. You'll see what I mean when you
read them. There are some definite references to the location of them
here. It is never specified, but I have to believe that they
are.&;quot; He sipped his soda and Talia watched a slight breeze
pick up the massive leaves in front of them. Vasquez certainly had
chosen a good location. It was a huge parcel of land. They could be
anywhere.

Greg continued, &;quot;Javier Montez has
been in jail in Manila for the past year. He gets out in a month. Now
you understand the timing. He wants to get a chance to find me and see
what I'm up to.&;quot;

Talia felt a sense of
something sinister forming in the pit of her stomach and knew that he
was right. &;quot;He knows you own this
land?&;quot;

&;quot;No. He doesn't. I purchased
this land in a different name and I have made sure that the locals do
not reveal who the owner is. Javier has no fans here. He has been
running drugs in and out of the islands for years and the people here
do not want him as an enemy, but aren't interested in him staying
around for any length of time.&;quot;

Staring at
him wide-eyed, Talia couldn't believe what she was hearing.
&;quot;Drugs? That means guns and danger and you promised me that
you'd stay away from the danger? Did you forget that?&;quot; She
could feel the sound of her heart beating in her ears and suspected
that Greg could see it in her eyes.

Greg threw his
hands up in front of her as if he could stop the thoughts that she was
having. &;quot;No. We'll be out of here. I am sure we will be gone
by then. I told you I'd keep you safe and I have backup measures to
keep it that way.&;quot; His voice was strong and as convincing as
he was trying to be, Talia was not
convinced.

&;quot;Backup plans? What, is there a
Glock under the mattress? Cameras at every dock? Bodyguards hiding
behind the palm trees? Unless it's national security, I'm not believing
this.&;quot; She stood up and started pacing. Greg knew that this
was not a good sign.

He followed her down the length
of the deck and when she couldn't go anywhere else she turned and the
blazing look in her eye told Greg that she wasn't backing down until he
told her everything. Grasping her by the forearms he held her from
moving past him. &;quot;I told you that you would be safe and you
will. I know my track record sucks at this, but I'm asking you to trust
me. Please, trust me this time.&;quot; He moved his head to follow
her eyes that looked away from him. She struggled out of his hold and
turned to lean against the railing.

Greg stepped
back and gave her a minute to calm down. He ran his hand through his
hair and slowly walked back to his chair. He sat down, but his feet
were firmly on the ground this time. The relaxation of the day had
suddenly been stolen. Leaning his elbows on his knees, he looked down
the deck at her staring at the ground below.

The
minutes passed in defiance of Greenwich time and it seemed like hours
when she finally walked back and sat down. She wet her lips and was
amazed at the calm in her voice as she spoke to him. &;quot;We are
dancing around some major issues about our lives together and the
futures that we might have separately. I'm not sure either of us will
get out of here alive or dead now. I know you say you have it under
control, but this isn't a motorcycle going ninety miles and hour or a
day at the dirt track dodging huge piles of dirt and getting a couple
of stitches when you crash. This is drugs and stolen diamonds and a
paradise that has no 911 number to rely on. I'll stay here. I'll do
what I have to do to get through this. I'm setting a couple of ground
rules first. You will get a gun for me and one for yourself. I can't
believe I'm saying this. You will also find someone who is keeping an
eye on his henchmen. We are going to work night and day to find these
things and get the hell out of here.
Understood?&;quot;

Greg nodded. He quietly got up
and went inside. A few minutes later he walked out with a gun that was
small and silver and looked like something out of the Avengers. He
handed it to her and sat back down. &;quot;I'll teach you how to use
it in the morning. I've had three men tailing all of the parties
involved for the last three months. There are a few more precautions
that I've taken that I'll tell you about as we go. Your instincts are
right and I think we're both on the same page now. I think we
understand one another perfectly.&;quot; He picked up his drink and
slowly took a long swallow. His eyes were guarded and had a kind of
edge that exceeded any look she had ever seen.

When
he spoke again it was almost a whisper. His words were directed at the
air between them and he knew that it didn't make a difference what she
thought.

&;quot;I chose you to be here with me
through this. I could have done this alone. If this actually happens
you can decide what you want to do afterwards. If it turns into a mess
and God forbid something tragic happens I want you to know that you
were the one I wanted with me. Maybe it's selfish or maybe I knew that
you were the one who could help me pull it off. You are the most
valuable person in my life, whether or not you are with me.&;quot;
He hesitated then and for the second time that day Talia associated the
man sitting next to her with love. He exhaled rather than say the words
that she was certain he would say next.

Slowly
turning his head to look at her, he suddenly looked very tired. He
merely shook his head and gave her a wan smile.

&;quot;How about we go lounge in the hot tub for
a while and then I'll take you to the village for dinner. No more talk
about the danger or the deep, dark secrets. It's your day. I'm going to
make it worth it.&;quot;

Talia's smile echoed his
own and it seemed as though the highs and lows of the day were some
kind of tropical roller coaster ride. Nodding, she stood up and as he
turned, she pulled him back to kiss him gently on the lips.
&;quot;Its going to be fine. We can do this.&;quot; Greg pulled
her close and the embrace was more about sealing a pact than anything
else. Wordlessly, they walked inside.