“His wife is a similar size to you, so I’ll ask her to bring some clothes for you.”
“No, Pablo, I won’t take from a villager here.”
I know what she assumes, since this is a lower socioeconomic area in Colombia because of its remoteness. But it is an agricultural area, so people are comfortable. However, that’s not Daniel and his wife’s situation.
“They’re distantly related toPapá’sside of the family. Daniel’s worked for us since he was eighteen.TíoEnrique put him through culinary school in France. This man is trilingual. He wasTío’spersonal chef for years in the States. However, he and his wife, Esmeralda, prefer the quiet here, so they asked to be reassigned. It’s not that he wanted to work less. He and Esme never had children because she couldn’t carry a pregnancyall the way through. They prefer to be on their own more than to have watched my ever-expanding family. It’s been thirty-two years since a baby was born into my family. However, our size was a constant reminder to them. They’re financially far more than just comfortable. Same thing for his brother who’s our housekeeper. They’re the only family they have except for their wives. They wanted to live in the same town, so David and his wife moved here too.”
Her expression shows she no longer feels guilty. She nods and even smiles.
“Where are we going next?”
I want to tell her, but something makes me hesitate. It’s not a lack of trust in her, but the flash of hurt across her face tells me that’s what she thinks.
“Chiquita, it’s not like I believe you’re going to run off and call yourabuelosomehow or send a message by carrier pigeon or Morse code. It’s more about your safety and ensuring there’s no way this could leak.”
“Do you believe this house isn’t secure? Like someone could hear us talking?”
“No, but the less you know, the less you can share if something goes wrong.”
That makes her shiver. I know she doesn’t want to think of us being attacked on our way to our next destination, but I won’t rule out the possibility.
“It’ll be a long flight. That’s as much as I’ll tell you.”
We move into the living room and turn on a movie while we wait for Daniel to arrive. Neither of us is truly paying attention, but it’s a distraction as she sits curled next to me with my arm around her. She strokes my chest as I stroke her hair. It’s soothing to both of us. It takes only an hour before someone knocks on the door. I rise and check the security camera, alreadyknowing it must be Daniel. The guards wouldn’t allow anyone else on the property without asking me first.
He comes in, and I introduce him to Flora. She didn’t expect him to be a man in his late fifties. Too much time outside in the Colombian sun has weathered his kind face. He’s a man who would’ve made an excellent father orabueloto a passel of kids, but that’s not what life planned for him. However, he sets Flora at ease, and they chat about the region. He fills her in more on the biodiversity of the area. I suppose it speaks to the scientist in her and why she appears to like this area as much as I do. When she sat by the pool earlier, I could tell she enjoyed the landscape.
It doesn’t take us long to finish the meal, and now that she has fresh clothes, we take a shower together. It could’ve been much faster, but we got distracted. I could get used to this kind of distraction.
“Chiquita, we’ll leave in the morning. Everything will be arranged for us. The best thing we can do is get a good night’s sleep before we travel. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”
I fold back the covers on my bed. I offered her a separate room earlier today, but I never expected her to use it. It was a courtesy more than anything else. She and I both know that now. We curl up together much like we did on the sofa. I lie on my back, and she’s on her side, her head resting on my shoulder, her arm draped across my waist, hand pressed against my ribs as though to keep me close.
My arm drapes across her back while the other hand strokes her hip. It’s not long before she’s breathing deeper, and I feel her twitch twice before she’s asleep. I don’t let myself drift off because I’m waiting for a call. It’s nearly midnight before it comes. I ease my arm out from beneath her and slip out of the bedroom. I head down to the office.
I’m certain if she wakes, she’ll know that’s where I’ve gone. If I were headed anywhere else, I would’ve woken her to tell her. I trust she won’t come near the room since I warned her against it.
Chapter Fourteen
Pablo
“Papá?” I keep my voice low as I walk down the stairs to the first floor.
“Sí, mijo. How’re you doing?” Yes, my son.
“I’m all right. Better than what’s left of Humberto.”
A couple of armed men incinerated him, and the ash has joined the silt on the bed of the Le River.
“Alejandro and I are in Bogotá. We took off as soon as we found out you left.”
My cousin makes so many trips between Colombia and the States that he has his own private jet. It’s his second since that motherfucker, Carmine Mancinelli, fucked around with Alejandro’s first one. Alejandro’s not the only one who enjoys expensive toys. Carmine lost six race cars he owns, two NASCAR and four Formula One. Too bad, so sad for his teams that went without vehicles until he could replace them.
I used our family jet to get down here and to fly Flora to this estate.Papátraveled with Alejandro.
“Do you know where you’ll start?”
I’m certainPapáand Alejandro already have a plan. They’re calling to share it with me rather than to ask whether I want their help. They know the answer to that without asking.
