His Own Bright Colors

Book Five in the World Designs Ltd. Series.

What could be more relaxing? An unanticipated holiday takes the three San Martín brothers to the remote peninsula La Guajira in Colombia. Under no obligation to either of their employers, the Gendarmería Nacional of Argentina or the London-based World Designs Ltd., the young men think that at long last, they will have some downtime.

But think again! Their planned trip of leisure takes several unexpected twists. To their annoyance, they manage to get sucked into a murder investigation. The discovery of the body unearths a conspiracy to smuggle cocaine from Colombia into neighboring Venezuela. Then, with their luck running from bad to worse, they find themselves caught in the crosshairs of a long-running family feud in the northern peninsula.

However, it is the entrance of one small Wayuu boy who materializes on the center stage of the action that turns upside down not only their holiday, but also their lives.

Peninsula La Guajira Pantoum

The women continue interweaving life
A people never conquered, the Wayüü
Desert, sand, wind, salt water
The greatest god of all, fresh water

A people never conquered, the Wayüü
The mother-lines of descent
The greatest god of all, fresh water
Oh, great sand dune Taroa

The mother-lines of descent
Oh, green-blue of the Caribbean
Oh, great sand dune Taroa
The white tombs of the ancient cemeteries

Oh, green-blue of the Caribbean
Desert, sand, wind, salt water
The white tombs of the ancient cemeteries
The women continue interweaving life

First and last line from the great Wayüü poet, Vito Apshana
…Las mujeres continúan entretejiendo la vida
…The women continue interweaving life (my translation)