They get stopped at customs

Upon entering the building, the two women got another slap in the face from the rapid change of temperature, but after the first second of shock they exchanged a smile. Just their first taste of the Aruba climate had been enough to make them realize that every second of time spent in a room with air-condition was a gift.

Following the crowd to one of the two conveyer belts of the small airport, they spent a little time awaiting the luggage delivery. Nancy kept an eye out for their suitcases while Syd made sure that Carlos and his partner were ready to pick them up as soon as they were done and after just a few minutes of waiting, the belt started turning and pieces of luggage were delivered to their waiting owners. In no time at all, Nancy had picked out Syd’s and her own suitcases and the two detectives headed for the exit.

“I think before we get too busy with Wesson I gotta take a little dip in the ocean,” Syd grinned. “Just a little one, I promise!”

“Looked tempting, didn’t it?” Nancy agreed. “I wouldn’t mind a little swim myself… and maybe a beer!”

“Excuse me, ladies!”

Just as they were about to leave the arrivals hall, a voice with a heavy, South-American accent shouted after Syd and Nancy, stopping them in their tracks and causing them to turn their heads to the three men sitting by a table next to the exit. Their uniforms made it obvious that they were working at customs. The man that had shouted out to them, a middle-aged, slightly overweight man with a mustache and salt-and-pepper hair stood up, giving them a wide smile while his beady eyes betrayed some significantly less gentlemanly thoughts as he looked at them. “Anything to declare?”

“No, sir!” Nancy replied, making herself smile politely in hopes to get past this slimy looking man as quick as possible. She was really hoping that she could get a short trip to the beach in to wash away the stress of the journey before things got too serious. “Just clothes! We’d like to simply spend some time at the beach!”

Her hopes of getting rid of the man this quickly were immediately dashed, however, as he came around his table and walked towards them, his two colleagues following him two steps behind.

“I am afraid the beach will have to wait a little, ladies!” the leader, whose nametag read ‘Ricardo Cordonez’, smiled, making an exaggerated gesture with his arms, “The two of you have been selected for a random inspection. Would you follow me, please!”

Syd and Nancy exchanged a look, both of them feeling uneasy about this, both of them wondering whether this man was working with Wesson or, strangely the much more reassuring choice, if he was just a bored customs worker who wanted to spend some time molesting two female tourists. Whatever the reasons were, however, the two of them were in no position to argue.

“Alright! Lead the way, please!” Nancy conceded, earning her a wide smile from Officer Cordonez. He quickly gestured towards one of his colleagues, who looked a little annoyed when he returned to the desk to keep watch as his two friends escorted the women towards an inconspicuous door behind him.

The door led to a hallway, which in turn branched into multiple rooms. Cordonez gesticulated for Syd to follow his partner to one of the rooms and Nancy saw with disgust that he paused just long enough to watch Syd’s butt as she complied with him, shamelessly checking her out. It wasn’t until the door was closed behind her that he turned towards Nancy, smiling as if she hadn’t just watched him shamelessly ogle her friend.

“And this is us!”

Nancy just nodded, not wanting to get into the man’s bad books by confronting him about his misogynistic attitude. Pulling her suitcase behind herself, she stepped into the room Cordonez pointed at, doing her best to ignore the knowledge that he was checking her out.