Lemuria by Burt Clinchandhill (most popular novels of all time .txt) 📗

him about the strange and foolishly tame wildlife. They also mentioned the numerous giant tortoises, giving the islands their name, “Insulae de Los Galopegos.”

These days, over one hundred hotels occupy Santa Cruz Island and over two thousand people are directly employed by tourism, generating over a $150 million a year. From 1974 until now, the islands have seen a 4,000 percent increase in population. To meet the demands of the community, the humid zones have been changed to farming. Humans have also introduced invasive animal and plant species, threatening the island’s biodiversity. Native and endemic Galápagos populations have declined as a consequence of invasive species’ population growth. Many of the endemic plants and animals are now critically endangered.

Lindsey and Ignatowski walked into the crowded Finch Bay’s lobby.

“Amazing,” Ignatowski said, looking around. “That can’t be good for nature’s prosperity.”

“What do you mean?” Lindsey asked.

“I mean, all these people will sooner or later wander off into the island’s nature in search of its unique splendor and indigenous and endangered species.”

Lindsey nodded before sitting down. The beige sofas, wicker tables and large ceiling fans gave the lobby the impression of an early twentieth-century hotel in the tropics. The exclusive marble floor finished its luxurious look. Lindsey looked at the middle-aged woman behind the counter who gave instructions to the men working the lobby. “Do you have the file?” she asked.

“Here.” Ignatowski took a small folder from his briefcase and handed it to Lindsey.

Lindsey took out a picture, looked at it and then showed it to Ignatowski. “What do you think?”

He compared the light brown curly-haired woman in the picture with the woman behind the counter.

“It’s been a few years, but it looks like her.”

“I agree,” Lindsey said.

“So, what do we do now?”

“Let’s ask her,” Lindsey suggested.

“Ask her what?” Ignatowski asked, frowning. “If she knows anything about a missing professor or assistant? Or maybe if she’ll be so kind as to tell us where Eldin Mulder is?”

“Something like that. We can also wait until she spontaneously walks up to us and tells us.”

“We could follow her and see where she goes.” Ignatowski sat down, sounding irritated.

“That could take days, and we don’t have days.”

“Hmm.”

Lindsey rose from her chair and stepped toward the counter. “Are you coming?”

Ignatowski slowly rose from his chair again, grunting.

“Just let me do the talking,” she suggested.

“I’ll follow your lead,” Ignatowski replied.

“Excuse me, miss.” Lindsey waved to the woman. “Excuse me,” she repeated when the woman gave her a quick look.

“Good afternoon. Can I help you?”

“Maybe. Are you Andrea Rafaela Cabrera, proprietor of this hotel?”

The woman took a small step back, as she squinted, tilting her head. “Who wants to know?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. My name is Lindsey Wilson, and this is Ralph Ignatowski. We work for the United States government, and we would like to ask you some questions.”

“For the United States?” Andrea asked surprised.

“This is a U.S.-operated hotel, isn’t it? And you, yourself, have a dual citizenship of both the U.S. and of Peru, haven’t you?”

“What’s this about?” she asked, creasing her forehead.

“Do you have a moment to sit down with us?” Lindsey asked.

“Quite honestly, I don’t,” the woman replied.

“This will only take a minute.” Ignatowski pointed to a table behind them in the corner. “If you please,” he sounded demanding. Reluctantly, the woman walked from behind the counter and followed them to the table. Ignatowski pointed to a chair, and they all sat down.

“What’s this all about?” Andrea asked.

“Your boss is Eldin Mulder?” Lindsey asked.

“Mr. Mulder owns the hotel,” she replied. “He’s rarely here. I manage things around here.”

“You’re the only manager?” Lindsey continued.

“I’m the proprietor and director. I have a handful of floor managers working for me. Now, would you mind telling me what this is all about?”

“In a moment,” Ignatowski said in his best bossy voice.

“When was the last time you saw Mr. Mulder?”

Andrea thought for a moment. She lifted her head and sighed. “He was here, briefly, about a week ago.”

“And his assistant?” Ignatowski took over. “Miss Coleman?”

Andrea shifted her bottom back tight into her seat and put her hands on her knees. “Amie?”

“Have you seen her?” Lindsey asked again.

“I believe she was with him.”

“You believe, or are you sure?” Ignatowski asked, demanding.

Andrea frowned. “I’m sure. Look, I don’t know what this is all about, but I don’t like your tone of voice. Now, if you don’t tell me what this is all about, I will get back to my work.”

“That’s all right, Miss Cabrera, you answered all our questions,” Lindsey said. “Thank you very much. I trust we can contact you again should we develop any new questions?”

Andrea rose from her chair. “You can always try.”

“What was that?” Ignatowski asked as Andrea disappeared behind the counter again. “She’s clearly hiding something.”

“She doesn’t know Amie’s been kidnapped,” Lindsey said.

“What do you mean?”

“She said Amie was with Mulder a week ago. According to Mulder, she was kidnapped before that. How could she have been here then?”

“Maybe she’s got the dates wrong?” Ignatowski suggested.

“Maybe, but she seemed pretty sure when I asked again. Or maybe Mulder forgot to tell her about the kidnapping, and indeed she was here a week ago.”

Ignatowski cocked his head. “All right, I think. So, what do we do now?”

“If I get you onto the hotel’s wi-fi, you think you can get into the guest list?”

“If it’s not the guest wi-fi, but the hotel’s business wireless, yes, I think I can.”

Lindsey smiled. “The SSID is ‘FinchBayP’ and the password is ‘Iguana underscore thirty-two, with a capital I.”

Ignatowski smiled back, taking his laptop from his briefcase. “Wow. How did you do it?”

“Iggy, you must know by now that I have special skills.”

Ignatowski nodded slowly.

“That, and I noticed a paper stuck to the side of the cash register saying wi-fi week thirty-two.”

“But it isn’t anywhere near week thirty-two now,” Ignatowski replied, setting up his laptop.

“Just try it,” Lindsey said as Ignatowski typed.

“It works.”

“I figured it would.” Lindsey sounded proud. “When was the last time you saw a public place change their wi-fi password every week?”

“Okay, let’s