The Hunters (Presidential Agent 3)

“I know what it is; it belongs to me.”

“I’ll explain later,” Castillo said. “Is there another black car available?”

“Yes, there is.”

“Maybe he could pick that up at the same time.”

“You’re not going to tell me what’s going on?”

“When I see you. I’m expecting another call, Alex. Have to break this off.”

The cellular buzzed just as the beer and club sandwich were delivered.

“¿Hola?”

“Where are you?” Munz asked.

“Kansas, in San Isidro.”

“Are you alone? Driving?”

“I’m alone. I’ve got a Cherokee registered in Mar del Plata.”

“Do you know where Unicenter is, on the Panamericana?”

Unicenter is the largest shopping mall in South America.

“Yeah.”

“You approach it from the Panamericana and it’s on your left, and when you turn in there are two garages, one for Jumbo, the other for Unicenter. Go into the Jumbo garage and park nose out close to the exit. Make sure your doors aren’t locked. Fifteen minutes.”

The cellular went dead.

What the hell is going on?

Castillo got up from the table, found the good-looking waitress, and handed her money.

“That was my wife,” he said with a smile. “I was supposed to pick her up fifteen minutes ago.”

There was a

good deal of traffic and Castillo had a little trouble finding Unicenter. It was twenty minutes before he pulled into the huge Jumbo Supermer-cado’s parking lot.

He drove slowly through it, looking for Munz. When he couldn’t find him, he backed the Cherokee into a slot as close to the exit as he could find, then turned off the ignition and checked to see the doors were unlocked.

Not quite a minute later, he heard the rear door opening.

“Don’t turn around,” Munz said. “Just get out of here. Turn left when you do. If there is no traffic at the next left, take that and get back onto the Panamericana. If there is traffic, don’t make the left. Check to see if anyone’s following.”

There was a long line of cars and trucks inching along the street to the left, so Castillo continued straight. He looked into the outside mirrors to get a make on the cars immediately behind him and then adjusted the interior rearview mirror to see the backseat. He couldn’t see Munz.

Which means he’s lying on the floor.

“There’s a green Peugeot, a Volkswagen bug, and Fiat Uno behind us.”

“Try to lose them,” Munz ordered.

Castillo made an abrupt right turn and accelerated. Fifty yards later, he hit a speed bump.