The SUV hummed steadily down the narrow highway, carving a smooth path through long corridors of overgrown brush and the occasional huddle of faded houses. The sun hung low over the distant treetops, bleeding gold across the tarmac, where heat shimmered in ghostly waves.
Inside, Jessica sat rigidly, her hands folded tightly in her lap. The air-conditioning cooled her skin, but her nerves simmered beneath the surface like a pot just shy of boiling.
Rico sat beside her in the backseat, watchful and unreadable behind his dark sunglasses. In the front, Ben drove with the controlled stillness of someone used to high stakes. His knuckles loose on the wheel, his eyes flicking between mirrors and road signs.
“ETA to the resort?” Rico asked, his voice low.
“About forty-five minutes. Maybe less
