Carolyn Arnold - McKinley 02 - Vacation is Murder by Carolyn Arnold Page B

strangers.
    They had a map and were headed out of the rental lot by ten o’clock. They were ahead of schedule, but they still didn’t have any time for sightseeing en route.
    Sara watched Sean’s profile. It was more calming to take in his features rather than dwell on the fact they were driving in a foreign country. People were passing them and, for living a more laidback life here, the ones on the highway seemed a contradiction to that stereotype.
    She knew Sean was going slower for her, but she couldn’t bring herself to encourage him to speed up. While she had contemplated potential threats to their safety when planning this trip—having their room broken into, being murdered, their plane crashing, or drowning in the ocean—she had never considered the possibility of dying in a car accident.
    They passed a road sign and she stated the obvious. “They’re all in Spanish.”
    Sean glanced over and took her hand into his lap, resting it on his thigh. “There’s only one sign I really need to worry about and that’s the exit we need to take. Besides that, I know alto means stop.”
    “As if you’ll have a need for that one on the highway.”
    He squeezed her hand.
    “I know I’m getting paranoid and I usually don’t,” she said.
    “It’s an interesting side of you.”
    “Are you being sarcastic?”
    “No, not at all.” He laughed.
    She loved the way it sounded. If she could make him laugh, she was doing her job. Sara smiled as she settled back into her seat to enjoy the trip. They were on their honeymoon after all. At least she was spending the next two hours by his side.

     
    Sean nudged her. “Sara?”
    A moan escaped her throat and her eyes eventually fluttered open. “Where are we?”
    “We’re here.”
    “Okay.” She wiped her eyes and sat up. Her brown curls were pressed to the back of her head and she fluffed them up with her hands. “What time is it?”
    “Just after twelve.”
    “Good. We made it on time. When did I pass out?” She looked at him, her eyes squinting from the bright sunlight.
    “Not long after we got on the road, darling.” He reached for the door handle.
    She was still in her seat when he came around and opened her door. He loved how she appreciated the etiquette that seemed outdated in the modern world. He’d be opening the car door for her as long as he was vertical.
    She stepped out. “Whoa, is it just me or did we enter a sauna? This place is hotter than it is in Cancun.”
    “What do you expect? We’re in the middle of a jungle.”
    “Oh, there’s something really exciting about that thought.” She smiled, but it faded fast. She reached into the back seat for the sunhat. “The tickets?”
    Sean pointed to the modern building that served as the entrance to the ruins site. “We’ll just buy two more.”
    “It’s so much money.” A huge yawn encompassed her face.
    “Let me worry about it.” He didn’t have the heart to point out that he was carrying fifty thousand, so what was buying a couple more tickets. Her head must still be groggy from her nap.
    He reached for her hand, but they let go not long after contact. The air was stifling and instantly made for wet palms. “You sure you need the hat?” He pointed at it.
    “Are you kidding me? We’re in the middle of a jungle. You just said so.”

     
    The ticket lady handed two stubs to Sean. “Here you go.”
    He passed one on to Sara as the lady laid out a brochure on the counter, opening it to a map of the ruins. “We have to make our visitors aware of a few things. One is to remind you that we are in the middle of a jungle. You step out into the long grass, you’re on your own. Know that there are poisonous snakes and jaguars.”
    “Jaguars?” Sara’s eyes enlarged with the intensified pounding of her heart.
    “Yes, as I said. Also, no one is permitted to touch any of the ruins. They are cordoned off. You go past the rope and you’ll be wishing you hadn’t.”
    “Why, what would