A Snake in the Grass | 6

. Inside the production company's London office, researcher James is sitting at his desk, still reeling from everything that's happened over the past year. Phil's death has been tough on everyone, but the episode is finally finished, and James feels a wave of relief. Until one of the receptionists waves him over to take a phone call. She covers the mouthpiece with her hand and whispers, It's for you.

It's Phil Gaskin.

Hi, comes the response. This is Phil Gaskin.

From Wondery, I'm Alice Levine, host of British Scandal, and this is the Price of Paradise.

Day after night, so paradise. Snow upside down, nowhere to hide. Just no one can see through the light.

Peter Sokos is sitting under strip lights in the offices of La Prensa, one of Nicaragua's largest national newspapers. Ever since Frank Garcia was murdered, people have been pointing the finger at him. As the man behind tropicalislands.com, he was the one who sold the pearl keys to foreign buyers, including Jane and Phil. Then the local lawyer, Maria Acosta, got involved, and her husband was murdered. Since then, Maria's been claiming publicly that Sokos hired the hitman.

So today he's here to be interviewed, to set the record straight, once and for all. His lawyer and fixer, Peter Martinez, is by his side, because this is definitely a situation that needs fixing. A journalist strides towards them, offering each of the Peters a brief handshake, before asking if they're ready to begin. Sokos flashes a smile. Of course.

As he chats to the journalist, Sokos sets out his case. He wants it noted that he currently has nothing to do with the pearl keys, because they've all been sold, legally, to foreign investors. He's deeply concerned about the accusations linking him to Frank Garcia's murder, he says. He has nothing to gain from Garcia's death, and everything to lose. But, perhaps, other people might benefit from Frank's death.

Perhaps by using it to further their own cause. When it comes to the islands, all, Maria and those other NGOs want to do is destroy tourism and scare away foreign investment. Sokos looks the reporter in the eyes and leans in. Things have become even more serious. He's had death threats over email from a group of environmental activists with links to Maria's organisation, he says.

The journalist scribbles down the details. It's a great story. And a few days later, on the 13th of April 2002, the headline reads, Sokos fears for his life.

Sokos has given his side of the story to the press. Now it's time to give his statement to the judge. And he doesn't hold back. Inside the district courthouse, Sokos outlines his testimony carefully and shows the judge the death threats he's been emailed. It's all very concerning.

He concludes by suggesting that the judge should start looking into a new suspect. And hours later, Judge Cambroniero does exactly that, announcing that new evidence has emerged. His investigation will now focus on a different suspect for the murder of Frank Garcia. And that person is Maria Acosta.

If I was writing this as fiction, I'd say, no way, we've lost the reader. They'll never believe this. But this actually happened. Maria is accused of her own husband's murder. In his office in downtown Bluefields, lawyer Peter Martinez backs up the theory to a visiting film crew interviewing him for a documentary they're making about the Pearl Keys.

First person that should have been investigated is Frank Garcia's wife. When her husband was killed. coincidentally, at that moment, she wasn't at home. She reached one, two hours after.

OK, let's do it. Let's think about that for a second. While it's technically true, one of the hitmen who worked with Rivera is from Chinandega, Maria's hometown. It's important to note this isn't some hamlet where everyone says hi to each other every morning. It's Nicaragua's sixth largest city with over 100,000 residents.

But Martinez is just asking the questions. Did Maria know him? Did she hire him? Did she mastermind the whole murder plot? Martinez obviously couldn't say.

He just wants you to think about it. As you can imagine, Maria is flawed. Frank's murder is in the papers every day. And now she's the headline suspect. Under attack from Socos and Martinez.

Meanwhile, back home, Maria's family is shaken. Including her son, Alvaro.

He tells her that Ivan's been spotted, living by the beach. But when the police appear, Rivera outruns them. And while he's still at large, the situation feels more dangerous than ever.

Back on Janik, the children are enjoying a barbecue. Snakeman Steve has been taking them out on his panga every morning, teaching them how to fish. Then it's back to the beach to build a fire and grill their hard-won catches.

But this afternoon is a little different, because they've had a surprise visitor. The real Phil Gaskins. As her ex-husband steps onto the beach, Jane thinks this isn't quite how she wanted the day to pan out. This is the same Phil that had called Researcher James in the TV production office, but not the Phil they'd filmed on Janik. The two Phils may have shared the same name, but that was where the similarities ended.

Phil cuddles his daughter. Jane watches anger brewing inside her. The British press has followed her all the way to her private island. And now even her ex-husband has too. She told TV producer Billy that their marriage had not been a happy one.

New Phil, let's call him. The one we know, who was actually called Phil Broadhead when they first met. New Phil was a different kind of man entirely. More of an adventurous spirit. A man who would do anything to make Jane happy.

Even walk away from everything they'd built in Britain. Their home and friends and family. And start a new life together in Nicaragua. That's why she fell in love with him. After taking the phone call from the real Phil, researcher, James discovered how real Phil and new Phil both came to share the same surname.

Give that journalist a Pulitzer. The article that follows is just a classic tabloid reunion story of an estranged father travelling to a tropical island to visit his kids, who've been living there with a man who has adopted his identity so they can live off the coast of Nicaragua. I mean, we've heard it a thousand times before. The feature describes the children's father as a doting dad and an extraordinarily gentle man who cries during the emotional reunion with his missing children. The kids do look healthy, the reporter begrudgingly concedes, with their glowing skin and hair.

And they say they love living on the island. But she has concerns. Firstly, there are dangerous pursuits they take part in, like deep-sea fishing. Then there's the giant anaconda that Steve keeps in their cabin. She writes, Astonishingly, Jane wants the children to work with these potentially lethal creatures.

And lastly, there's the strange foreign food they've been subjected to, like whelk stew. It's certainly a far cry from their nice, normal life in Hampshire. The paper goes on to label Jane as vain and selfish, claiming she abducted the children without real Phil's knowledge. But Jane is steadfast. The British papers can print whatever they want.

She's used to it. The tabloids will soon find another woman to target. Her thoughts are on the future. With plans for the island dive resort permanently shelved, Jane has plunged more of her dwindling savings into Steve's business, breeding snakes, frogs and turtles for the overseas pet market. But James isn't convinced it's going to be the big payday she hopes.

And it's not just anacondas that are on hand to play with. It's other children too. All three of them quickly make friends in the neighbourhood.

As friends and colleagues drift away, Maria's resolve to carry on is constantly tested. But soon, a mystery phone call will be the injection of hope she needs.

Back at the district courthouse in Bluefields, after investigating Frank's murder for just five weeks, Judge Cambronero takes a decision that shocks everyone. He announces that there's not enough evidence to look at Socos, Martinez or even Maria as suspects. And the judge decides that the only people worth pursuing are Frank's hitmen, the lodgers who came to stay at Maria's house before the murder. So he issues an order for police to arrest Ivan Rivera. Maria is furious.

She can't believe the judge is dismissing Socos and Martinez so quickly. But there isn't even time for Maria to breathe a sigh of relief that her name is out of the frame. Because not long after the judge's announcement, Socos and Martinez decide to sue Maria for defamation. They want $100,000 in compensation. And if she can't pay, they'll seize her house.

Maria's starting to feel like these two men will do anything to defeat her.

He's been detailing everything that's gone wrong with the investigation to include in a memorandum. It's exactly what Maria needs to launch her appeal. But she knows it's not going to be enough on its own. Now she needs some solid evidence that proves who was behind Frank's murder. And before too long, that evidence finds her.

Early. one evening in July, Maria is at her family home in Chinandega when the phone rings.

Hello, Maria Acosta? It's not her anonymous caller. It's definitely a voice she's heard before, but she can't quite place it until he says.

There was hope that I could get to the truth.

His face is all over the papers. He says he has information that will help, Maria. But he wants something too.

He says he'll put it all on a cassette tape and send it to her. But then he lets something slip. The name of the company he used to work for. Master Security. Maria scribbles it down on her notepad.

She doesn't even know if it's significant. But it's the only lead she's got. As soon as she gets the chance, Maria drives three hours to the Master Security offices in Managua. to doorstep the manager. He confirms that Ivan Rivera used to work for them as a security guard, stationed at the house of one of their clients.

What was their name? Maria, asks. The manager pauses, then responds. Mr. Peter Sokos.

Bingo.

The police have matched it to a gun and they show her the results. The bullet which was extracted from the victim, Francisco Jose Garcia Valle, was shot with the Lawson .25 caliber gun, taken from citizen Peter Martinez.

Finally, Maria can launch an appeal. And for the next few months, she details all the evidence and submits it to the court, along with the memorandum compiled by Cesar, the government lawyer. After what feels like an eternity, she hears back from the judge. He refuses to reopen the case. It's infuriating.

Maria knows her last hope now is to track down the only man who can provide the answers she needs. The man who killed her husband, Ivan Rivera. But now, two years later, he's stopped calling. And that promised cassette tape containing all his evidence? Well, it never arrived.

All hope feels lost.

Let's just say that Rivera is a guy who stands out. He's got thick, dark eyebrows and a manicured mustache. And here's the giveaway, a cobra tattooed on his arm. But this time, the caller knows exactly where he's hiding.

Ivan Rivera is living under a fake name in a San Jose neighborhood in Costa Rica called La Carpio. Maria knows it well. It's a run-down part of the capital with a large Nicaraguan population. She knows it because Frank's cousin lives nearby. She calls him straight away.

August 31st, 2004,, San Jose, Costa Rica. It's almost dark and Costa Rican police are gathering quietly outside a small office building in an industrial area not far from La Carpio. They're still whispering instructions. when... Out steps a man in his early thirties, thick, dark eyebrows, a neat moustache.

The cops look at each other. This must be him. They train their guns towards him, then shout. Hands up. The man freezes.

The police keep their guns on him. And slowly he lifts up his arms. That's when they spot it, a large tattoo of a snake curling around his left arm. It's him. They handcuff Rivera and throw him into a police van before speeding through town.

Journalists have been tipped off and camera crews are waiting at the local detention centre ready to get the story. Rivera keeps his eyes cast towards the floor as he climbs out of the van. And a reporter snaps a photo for tomorrow's paper. But when a Channel 11 TV reporter starts to fire questions at him, he lifts his head and replies.

The gringo told me to rent that apartment and take the boys there.

Maria is under no illusions about exactly which foreigner he means.

Maria is delighted.

Next time, on The Price of Paradise, Jane's island dream comes crashing down.

From Wondery, this is episode 6 of 7 of The Price of Paradise. A note about this podcast, not everything was captured on film at the time, so we can't always know exactly what was said in every moment. In places, our script is based on the testimony of our interviewees and all other sources available to us. The Price of Paradise is produced by Forest Sounds and is hosted with additional writing by me, Alice Levine. For Forest Sounds, our producers are Ella Cattle and Aaron Keller.

The assistant producer is Valeria Rocker. The managing producer is Anne Fitzgerald. The production coordinator is Nina Abdullah. The researcher is Tom Cass. Executive producers are Pete Sale and Jeremy Lee.

For Wondery, our producer is Theodora Leloudis. Our managing producer is Rachel Sibley. Our consulting producer is Brian Taylor-White. The production assistant is Imogen Marshall. Music composition by Ian Chambers.

Sound design by Joe Richardson and Ian Chambers. Our sound supervisor is Marcelino Villalpando. The music supervisor is Scott Velasquez for Frisson Sync. Archive material courtesy of Repretil in Costa Rica. And the living documents is courtesy of Mallory Soma.

Executive producers for Wondery are Michelle Martin, Jessica Radburn, Marshall Louis and Jen Sargent.