The Collected

CHAPTER 27

When Liz saw her brother and Orlando waiting at the departure gate at LAX for the flight to Monterrey, she had not been surprised in the slightest. Though they hadn’t mentioned on the recordings she’d listened to what airline they would be taking, Orlando had mentioned the time of their flight. Liz would have preferred to take another flight, but she knew her only chance was if she arrived before or at the same time they did. Before wasn’t an option.

She noticed a man standing with them, and realized he had to be the third voice she’d heard. There was no mistaking Daeng. He looked just like the picture Nate had shown her once.

Hanging back, she waited until boarding was all but completed, then presented her ticket and walked onto the plane as the last passenger. Her hope was that if she got on board right before the doors closed, even if her brother did see her, it would be too late to leave her behind without causing a scene-something she was sure he would not want to do.

But she needn’t have worried. He didn’t see her. Upon entering the aircraft, she had turned right and headed to her seat two rows from the back, not seeing either her brother, Orlando, or Daeng anywhere in the economy section. Apparently, they had booked themselves business-class seats, and instead of going right had gone left when they entered.

At passport control in Monterrey, she’d pressed her luck and followed as closely as she could, afraid that if she gave them too much room, she’d lose them. She positioned herself so that she would be helped by a different passport officer a few stations down, and was fortunate enough to actually finish before them. She walked quickly through Customs and lost herself in the crowd on the other side, keeping an eye on the exit.

When the three others emerged, they paused for a moment to talk before heading through the terminal to one of the booths along the wall. Though her Spanish wasn’t perfect, the sign above the booth clearly indicated it was a car rental agency.

She tensed, knowing that if she tried to rent a car herself, she’d never be able to keep up with them. Her only option would be to grab a taxi.

Once Jake and the others finished up, one of the clerks led them over to the door and outside. Liz took the exit fifty feet away, and watched as they climbed into a van with the name of the agency on the side.

She looked around until she spotted the line of taxis. She sprinted over to the one in front and jumped in.

“?A donde? ” the driver asked.

“That van,” she said in English, pointing out the window. “Follow it.”