“Entirely.”
“Good.” She smiled. “Now you can take off that ridiculous outfit.”
“You do not like my fashion choices?” He gestured toward himself. The scarf, the oversize coat, the hat.
She snorted. “Not in the slightest.”
“It was the best I could do on such short notice.”
She crossed her arms. “What did my papá say to get you here?”
“It was my idea. I thought it safer and…”And you are here.“It will make our search easier, don’t you think?”
She nodded.
Carolina plopped onto the bed. The one he was going to be resting on at some point. But how could he with her scent now infused into the blankets?
He grabbed the wooden chair that was tucked into a desk and motioned to it. “Do you mind?”
Her brows raised. “Is there a problem?”
“I just…I don’t need…”
“Am I making you uncomfortable, Lalo?”
“I don’t like dirt on my things.”
She huffed. “Has anyone ever told you you’re a real stick in the mud?”
“Señorita, that phrase makes no sense to me, so I truly don’t care.”
“You’ve been told that too many times to count, huh?” She rolled her eyes but stood. He held his breath as she swept past him and sat like the elegant lady the mayor’s daughter should be.
“Happy?” she asked.
“As one can be in this type of situation.”
Carolina paused. “Were you ever happy, Lalo? I mean, truly happy. Dancing-and-laughing-under-the-stars happy?”
“Have I given you the impression that either of those things would bring me joy?”
A sly smile slid over her face.
“Why are you grinning like that?” he asked.
“I was thinking about the sort of dance partner you would be.”
“That is something you will never see from me, señorita.” But what would having her in his arms and moving as one feel like?
Stay focused,he thought, seething.
They needed to figure out where the original sediento might be, not speak about dancing and happiness.
“Is there a log that lists the attacks on el pueblo?” he asked.
“I believe my papá keeps a record. It would be in our library.”
“We should go there,” he said. “Perhaps we might be able to track Vidal’s whereabouts that way. If we can somehow find a pattern to these attacks—”
