"I lied to that Duncan woman. I do dream about Nalia."

"It was none of her business."

"I dream about her when she was a small child, when she was mine. Before Montalvo came and took her away from me."

"Nalia always loved you. She kept Montalvo here because she knew he was valuable to the cause, valuable to you, Antonio."

"I know she loved me." His face twisted with pain. "But that bitch was right; I wasn't a good friend to her. I didn't want Montalvo to be right. I didn't want Nalia to be right about Diaz. I wanted her to trust my judgment as she had before she was married."

"Everyone makes mistakes," Manuel said. "Nalia was my friend. I should have questioned you and told you that perhaps we could be wrong." He grimaced. "But you're not often wrong, Antonio. I've gotten out of the habit of standing up to you." He paused. "What do we do about this?"

Armandariz shook his head. "I don't know. I don't know anything right now." His voice was uneven. "I don't want to think. I only want to sit here and look at my daughter who's come home to me."

Eve's cell phone rang after they were only a few miles from the encampment.

"Where are you, Eve?" Diaz asked when she answered. "I understand you've become involved in Montalvo's negotiations. Have you met with Armandariz yet?"

"How did you know that I was going to see Armandariz, Diaz?"

Montalvo's hands tensed on the steering wheel as his gaze flew to her face.

"I have people in Montalvo's camp. Did you doubt it when you met my little reptile friend? You're not safe from me wherever you are."

"Empty threats. You've tried to kill me twice and you didn't succeed."

Silence on the other end of the line. "You're making me angry. That's not a smart thing to do."

"Why are you calling me? If you know we're going to Armandariz's camp, then you must know I've finished the reconstruction." She paused. "And there's no doubt it's Nalia Armandariz."

"There's always doubt. Shall I tell you what you're going to tell my old friend Antonio? It's all a big lie. You sculpted the face that Montalvo told you to create. The skull was not that whore."

"Why should I do that?"

"Because it will please me. Armandariz will believe you because he wants it to be true. He likes our cozy relationship and he wants to keep it flourishing. All you have to do is tell him what a liar Montalvo is and he'll be very happy."

"But I don't want to please you."

"Of course you do. You don't care anything about Montalvo. He's nothing to you but a fat fee. I can match his money." His voice lowered. "And I can give you something he can't."

"What?"

"Your lover. Do you want to see Joe Quinn alive again?"

She stiffened as panic jolted through her. Christ.

"You're bluffing."

"I'd let you talk to him, but my men were a little rough when they captured him, and he's unconscious."

She tried to keep her voice steady. "How convenient."

"Of course, perhaps it's not their doing. It could be that nasty wound my man Duarte inflicted. Perhaps it's opened and he's bleeding to death. Should I ask my men to check?"

"You bastard."

"No curses. You must be polite to me. You wouldn't want to have a guilty conscience if I became so angry that I forgot about Armandariz and decided to punish you." His tone became terse. "If Armandariz makes any move on me, Quinn dies. If I talk to him and he seems to be waffling in his loyalty to me, Quinn dies. If Montalvo attacks me, Quinn dies. Is that understood?"

"You're being very clear."

"Good. Then understand this. After you convince Armandariz what a cheat and liar you are, I want you to bring the reconstruction and turn it over to me."

"You know Montalvo won't let me do that."

"Then steal it. I don't care how you do it. You're obviously a clever woman. Find a way to give me that skull. I won't let Montalvo use it as evidence against me. I have the skeleton. I must have that skull."

"So that you can throw it back in the swamp?"

"No, I've learned my lesson. This time it will be ashes tossed to the four winds."

"I won't do it. I don't have any proof that you have Joe."

"Oh, I'll give you proof. By the time you reach Montalvo's compound it will be waiting for you." He hung up.

Keep calm. Don't panic. Don't fall apart.

"Quinn?" Montalvo asked quietly.

She nodded jerkily. "Diaz says he has him. That he couldn't speak because he was unconscious."

"It could be a lie."

"That's what I told him." She rubbed her temple. "No proof. He said it would be waiting for me at the compound."

"What did he want for Quinn?"

"Damage control. I'm to tell Armandariz I counterfeited the reconstruction. I'm to turn the skull back over to Diaz so it can't be used as evidence."

"Otherwise Quinn bites it."

"Yes. It could be a lie. Call Miguel and see if he knows anything."

He nodded, reached for his phone, and dialed. After a moment he shook his head. "No answer." He put the phone away. "I'll try a little later. He may be in a place where the sound of a ringing phone might not be safe."

It wasn't the answer she had hoped for. Nothing was going right, she thought desperately. "Hurry. I need to get back to the compound."

"I'm hurrying." Montalvo's foot pressed the accelerator. "It will still take another hour."

It was an hour that was going to seem a century. She gazed blindly out the window. "I'm not sure I want to know what his proof is."

"Yes, you do. You don't hide your head. You'll face it and then we'll find a way to skewer the bastard."

She felt a surge of warmth that banished a little of the chill. It was good not to be alone with fear. "Right. That's exactly what we'll do."

Montalvo got a call when they were just minutes away from the compound. He exploded after listening only a moment. "Shit. No, don't do anything. I'll be right there." He clicked his phone shut. "It was Soldono."

"What's wrong?"

"I think Diaz delivered your proof." The gates of the compound loomed ahead and there were several men milling around outside the gate. "Damn him to hell."

He stomped on the brake and jumped out of the jeep as Soldono came toward him.

"Where?" Montalvo asked harshly.

"Around the corner, the west wall," Soldono said. "I don't know how long-" He broke off as he ran after Montalvo.

Eve jumped out of the car and followed them. She could see the beams of several flashlights as she went around the corner of the compound. They were all focused on the wall several yards away. What the devil were they-

She stopped in her tracks. "Oh, my God."

Miguel.

Horror tore through her. She could dimly hear Montalvo cursing as he reached the wall but everything seemed surreal, lost in the hideous vision before her.

Miguel was nailed to a makeshift cross leaning against the wall of the compound. A leather strap gagged his mouth but his eyes…

Agony.

"Get him down," she said. "He's alive. Look at his eyes."

"I sent them for a ladder," Soldono said. "They should be-Here they are." He stepped aside as Montalvo grabbed the ladder and flew up the rungs.

"Two of you get below him and lift him, take the weight off." Montalvo tore the gag from Miguel's lips. "We'll have you down in a few minutes. You're going to be fine."

"Hurts," Miguel gasped. "Hurts."

"I know," Montalvo said unevenly. "It will stop. I promise."

"I… failed you."

"No, it wasn't your fault."

"Yes, it was. I'll… make it up to you, Colonel."

"Yes, you will. By getting well." He called down, "Did you call Dr. Diego, Soldono?"

"As soon as I phoned you," Soldono said. "He should be here anytime. How else can I help?"

"We've got to get him into the house but I don't want to take those spikes out myself. I don't want to damage his hands any more than they are now. You and a few men get a stretcher and we'll take down the crucifix and carry it and him on the stretcher." He glanced at Eve. "Get a room ready for him. I want him close to me."