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THE AUSTRALIAN'S WALLET

evenly. However, Cartagena wasn't convinced, even with the money.

'Fine,' I said, shrugging my shoulders. 'We'll let him go, then. But as soon as the guards hear about this, no more tourists will be allowed in.' I paused to let this information sink in. 'And when other tourists hear that San Pedro is dangerous, they won't want to come in anyway. It's simple. No wallet means no more tours. No more tours means no more money.'

After that, I stood back and let my bodyguards do the work. They pounded Camacho until he nodded his head frantically to tell us he wanted to give in. Lucho ripped the tape from around his mouth, taking hundreds of hairs with it.

'OK, OK. I'll show you where it is,' he said, spitting blood onto his chin. Just as he confessed, there was a knock at the door. Cartagena and Lucho covered Camacho's mouth again and dragged him into the kitchen.

'Who is it?' I asked, trying to sound relaxed.

It was only Jerome. I had told him I'd be five minutes, but he had become impatient and brought the girls to my room. I let them in.

'Hey, man. Good news,' I said to Jerome as he came in. 'We're going to get your wallet back.' Jerome didn't say anything. He stopped in the middle of the room and the Norwegian girl following him knocked into his back.

'Oh, my God!' she exclaimed, when she saw what Jerome was looking at. 'Quick. This man is hurt.' She rushed forward to attend to Camacho.

One of the other Norwegians turned to me and said coldly, 'Do you have any ice, please?'

I pointed to the refrigerator. Jerome looked at me and shook his head, pretending he was disappointed with me for the benefit of the girls.

'Hey, man. This is a prison, understand?' I said, not wanting to look bad myself. 'I thought you said you needed your credit cards back.'

'I did, Thomas. But I didn't say you had to torture someone to get them.' I smiled and waited for Jerome to wink, but he didn't. He shook his head again. 'You just don't get it, do you, Thomas?'

While the Norwegians made a fuss over Camacho, Lucho and Cartagena cut the electrical tape from around his arms and legs. We left Lucho with Jerome and the girls in my room and went to collect