Sebastian and Salma must be worried sick.”

“They’ve been turning in circles since she went missing. They couldn’t even come down here themselves. If they found Celine, they wouldn’t be able to bring her home.”

“How’s that work?” asked Danny.

“Sebastian and Salma are illegal. They hopped the border twenty-five years ago.”

“I didn’t realise. So, Celine’s legal?”

“Yeah, a born-and-raised American.”

“Bad news when a father can’t bring his daughter home safe. That must have sat sour with Sebastian.”

Clay cleaned his plate. “You got that right. They’re both grey with worry. They’ve been at each other’s throats all week.”

“Stress’ll do that, even to good people.” Danny wiped his hands clean with a napkin. “So how much do we know about Celine’s movements?”

“She came down here for spring break with three of her friends. They were staying at a place called the Mayan Fiesta. I’ve booked us in there too.”

“Good place to start. What about her friends?”

“Two other young women and one man. They’re missing too. Marco Kenner, Gillian Cole and Laura Troutman. They all go to the same school. The last thing Sebastian and Salma heard, they were going out to visit some Mayan ruins—you know, the pyramids and stuff. As far as we can tell, they never came back.”

“And what have the local authorities got to say? They been much help?”

“I think they must have read the Idiot’s Guide. ‘Nothing to worry about, kids do this sort of thing all the time, I’m sure they’ll show up when their money runs out.’” Clay clenched his teeth. “Lazy-assed police work if you ask me.”

“I hear that. There must be some good cops down here, though, they can’t all be polishing seats with their arses.”

Clay shrugged, scooping up the last of the sour cream as he answered. “No comment.”

* * *

“Looks like the party is still a-happening down here.” The faces that passed their rental car were young, smiling, carefree. “I was here twenty-odd years ago. Damn, that makes me sound old. Great party town. Looks like it’s grown a bit since I was last here.”

Clay didn’t answer.

“Don’t worry. We’ll find her,” said Danny.

“Yeah, but what kind of state will she be in? Cancún’s like most party towns: great on the main strip, but step two streets off it and you can end up deep in Crapsville.”

“Yeah, I hear that, big bro. What’re the chances of her being shacked up with a college jock? I know she’s a bright kid, but she wouldn’t be the first to lose her way to the love bug.”

“She would have called home. Besides, her three friends haven’t come home either. No way they all took the cupid potion.”

Danny rubbed his thumb under his nose.