“This is a good way to do business,” he said. “You are less likely to be sold out.”
And as he said it, she felt guilt, because that was exactly what she was going to try to do to him and his operation. She had no information on this man. She would have to try to find some. It would be a sad day when she had to turn him in, but that was her job, and she would do it.
“Let us go back and drink some more before Raines starts getting suspicious and causes more trouble.”
With a mischievous smile she mussed her hair and wrinkled her blouse a little. When he saw it, he laughed out loud. “So you give us an excuse for being in the back room alone?”
“Raines would never believe the truth anyway,” she said reasonably.
He laughed. “No, he would not.”
They went back to the table they’d shared before. Raines was at the bar. He gave him a quick glance and then seemed satisfied and smug as he turned back to his drink. The subterfuge had worked.
“There is a treaty sale at your friend’s ranch soon,” he said. “He has a small lot of purebred Santa Gertrudis young bulls for sale, which I very much want.” He saw her surprise and smiled. “I am at heart a rancher,” he said. “I had tried—rather my employer had tried,” he amended, continuing the subterfuge that he was only an employee, “to give up this business and involve himself only with the buying and selling of purebred cattle. He has an affinity for animals, as I do, so he does not deal in beef cattle. I deal, for him of course, only in purebreds.
“My employer had imparted to me an interest in buying the Big Spur, the ranch where you’re staying. But of course, the family will not sell. I do not blame them. I hope that the land I own will be in my family for more generations to come. I would not easily give it up. I have several prize bulls. I hope to add the young bulls to it.”
“I like ranching, too,” she said. “I grew up on a ranch many years ago. I haven’t been home for a while.” She didn’t add anything to that light exchange. She’d shared too many confidences already.
He leaned forward. “There was something that puzzles me,” he said. “Our friend Raines has been very interested inthat particular lot of young bulls. In fact, it was he who told me about them in the first place, in such glowing terms that we had you go out to the ranch and scout them for us. But while they have good bloodlines, I find nothing exceptional about them. Do you have any knowledge of this?”
“Come to think of it, I don’t,” she replied. “It seems strange to me, too. Maybe he once had bulls as a pet,” she added with a grin.
He chuckled. “Unlikely.” He glanced at his watch. “I have another meeting soon. I must leave.” He searched her eyes. His were dark and quiet. “I am sorry that we meet under these circumstances. I am sorry that we did not meet some years ago.” That loss was in his eyes. He smiled sadly. “It is strange to find someone so familiar whom I have never met.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Josie replied, and she smiled, too. “But what about our business?” she added. “We haven’t discussed it.”
“This is still being arranged,” he replied. “I have had to make adjustments because of Raines’s stupidity.” He frowned. “It is unfortunate that you want to become involved in this,” he added. “My boss would never be prosecuted because he has never been caught by law enforcement in this country for breaking any laws. Also, there are too many layers of management between him and the product. It is you and Raines who would pay the price if the authorities became involved. Just as you have already paid for Raines’s last slip.”
He was concerned for her welfare. That was surprising and sad because she was going to sell him out along with Raines and anyone else in the organization. She shrugged instead. “I’m like all the rest. I need money. I do what I have to do to earn it. But thank you for being concerned,” she added.
He gave a very Latin shrug and smiled. “It is nothing,” he said. “Perhaps one day we will meet again.”
“Perhaps so,” she said.
Raines came quickly to join them after a signal from his boss. “Take our friend back where you found her,” he told Raines. “I will be in touch.” His eyes met Raines’s; they narrowed and glittered. “If anything of this sort, which ended in our friend being arrested, happens one more time, you really will be wearing a rosebush,” he assured Raines.
Josie shook her head. “A prickly pear cactus would suit him much better.”
Raines and Eduardo were both surprised and started laughing. She laughed along with them. She nodded to the man she had been introduced to as Duarte and followed Raines out the door. She thought what a waste it was, for a man so intelligent and personable to end up in such a business where he would likely be killed or spend the rest of his life in a federal prison. Her conscience twinged because of the certainty that she would be involved in helping that along. On the other hand, drug dealers are the most dangerous people alive, and they could not be allowed to act without restraint.
John came to get Josie at her motel. Obviously, he hadn’t wanted to come. In fact, he had tried to get one of the cowboys to come instead except that his mother chided him and said that it was silly of him to treat Josie that way when she’d obviously had enough already of being badly handled. He didn’t mention that she should be badly handled because she was a criminal, and he was feeling things for her that he was resisting with all his heart. What he felt for Josie was beginning to become very noticeable when he was around her, and he was uncertain if he could keep up the charade. He was trying, though.
He studied her as she climbed into the truck. “Pity it isn’t still Halloween,” he murmured dryly. “We might have gotten to see you ride your broom.”
“Ohh, that was a low blow,” she replied.
He said it probably was. “I just can’t figure you out,” he added.
“You don’t need to,” she said. “I won’t be here that much longer. I met the man who’s going to purchase the property from us tonight, and he seems very interested. In fact, he’s coming to look at the purebred bulls you’re selling at the treaty sale. He’s very interested. He runs purebred Santa Gertrudis on his ranch in Mexico.”
He paused at the stop sign and looked at her intently. “He owns property in Mexico?” he said.
She glowered at him. “He’s not a drug dealer,” she lied, keeping up the facade of her masquerade. It wouldn’t do to have John get suspicious and blow the whole setup. “He’s just a cattleman looking for property in the United States.”
“Certain of that, are you?” he asked.
“Listen, I’ve been in real estate for several years. I know the difference between a buyer and a drug dealer.”
