Page 52 of Risks of Temptation
"Why is this important?" I ask him.
"I'm not sure it is yet."
"Malin, please tell me whatever you know."
His face turns more neutral. "I haven't claimed to know anything."
More lies.
Malin tucks my hair behind my ear. "You don't have any idea why Santiago took you?"
I close my eyes, wanting his touch but grappling with what's happening right now. I sit back on his thighs. "I know nothing. Naomi said it was too dangerous for me to know anything. But she promised she would tell me in a few days when we get wherever we are going."
He turns to stare at the water.
He knows something. What is he hiding?
"Malin, please. Tell me what you know," I repeat.
"Your sister has information on Belizean politicians who are accepting money from the drug cartels."
My gut flips. I don't know anything about politics. It's never interested me. But I'm not so naive not to know this is dangerous information.
"She told you?"
He shakes his head. "I saw the hostage tape Santiago sent over. He made her demand the Belizean government return Santiago's brother, Nicolas, to Colombia. If they didn't, he claimed Naomi would release her story."
That's what she was doing when they sent me into the pit when I first got there.
"You said drug cartels. Who else does Naomi have dirt on?"
"She didn't say."
"But you know?"
He clenches his jaw.
"Malin, why are you lying to me?"
"I'm telling you what I can."
My insides quiver. "What you can?"
"Let's move on to another question." His words are final, as if there's no ability to argue.
When I don't respond, he quietly says, "Ask me something else, ma belle."
At least he's telling me some information. It's more than Naomi did.
I release a breath. "Why did we have to sneak out of camp?"
"Our perimeter team thinks we're delivering you where Interpol directed us. Andre didn't want them to risk their careers when there isn't anything they can do to help."
"Why are you all going against Interpol's direction? What is so dangerous that you're all willing to throw everything you've worked for away?"
"You're my target. It's my responsibility to get you to safety."
A knife stabs at my heart. I'm just a target to him.
