Infiltrator

down the steps of the portal and on his way before Dieter could react. Turning, John added, 'I'll take off his saddle, too.'

'Am I staying that long?' von Rossbach asked.

Sarah smiled. 'Long enough that your horse will probably appreciate having the saddle taken off. I think they prefer to be naked.' She leaned back in her chair and stretched out her legs. 'Besides, it's probably sweaty under the blanket. It's not good to leave 'em like that.'

'No,' he said, shifting uneasily. 'I suppose not. Suddenly I feel very neglectful.'

'Not at all,' she said. 'I guess you weren't expecting us to be so hospitable.' And going by your social status, you might be used to having people do it for you.

She wondered how long it would take him to get to the real reason for his visit.

'Now I feel rude!' He grinned ruefully.

Sarah laughed. 'Why are you so sensitive? Have you got a guilty conscience or something.'

He almost choked on his drink. 'No,' he said. 'Nothing like that. Why should I?'

She raised one brow. 'I don't know,' she said. 'You just seem really nervous for somebody paying a neighborly visit. Is there something on your mind?'

'Uhhh, yes,' he said, brushing the cookie crumbs off of his hands. 'I was wondering if you would do me the honor of having dinner with me. There's a concert in Asuncian this Saturday and I was hoping you'd accompany me.'

Sarah's mouth opened and she blinked. The honor of having dinner with you? she thought. Boy, there's a poser. Do I want to have dinner with the incredible looks-like-a-Terminator man? Get into a car alone with him and go as far as Asuncidn?

Yuh, that sounds smart. So how was she going to answer?

She caught movement in the distance as John came back around the barn.

We need to know about this guy, she decided. Her usually reliable sources were still strangely mute. Von Rossbach might be nothing to worry about, as his public record suggested, but he didn't feel like a nothing to her and she hadn't made it this far by ignoring her instincts. To her he felt like trouble. And she'd be armed, of course. So he won't be a problem if he is human. Damn. Looks like I'm going on a date.

'What a gallant way of putting it,' she said at last, smiling.

'Does that mean you accept?' he asked.

She shook her head in disbelief, then catching his expression, she hastily said,

'Yes! Yes, I'd love to go. It's just'—she shrugged—'no one has asked me out in such a long time. You took me completely by surprise.'

'I'll pick you up at five, then,' he said. 'I hope that's not too early, but the concert starts at eight and I thought you might like to have dinner first. And with the drive taking an hour…'

She nodded, smiling as he explained. I wonder what this is all about? she thought. Maybe he was going to pick her brains. Maybe he was just a lonely guy looking for feminine companionship. Maybe peacocks can sing grand opera.

Time would tell.

And, hopefully, so would her contacts. She was surprised that she hadn't heard back yet and feared that when they did get back to her the news would be bad.

John clumped up onto the portal and flopped down into his chair.

'Ah,' he said, reaching for another cookie.

'I see you've made another conquest,' his mother said, plucking at a green stain on his sleeve.

He grunted his assent around a mouthful.

'My son is to horses what catnip is to cats,' Sarah said. 'They just can't get enough of him.'

'Animals know whom to trust.' Dieter looked at John, then glanced around. 'I'm surprised you don't have a dog. Especially being alone here so much, with your son at school. I'd think you'd want a watchdog.'

Sarah and John exchanged a glance. The Terminator look-alike was talking about dogs, and animals knowing whom to trust. Sarah turned and smiled at von Rossbach.

'You're trying to unload that disreputable little mutt that followed you home the day we met, aren't you?' she said. 'It's not gonna happen; sorry.'

'But he's such a nice little dog,' Dieter cajoled.

'But it's you he adores,' she reminded him. 'It would break his heart if you left him here. He'd probably just follow you home anyway.'

'Well, I've got another one that could use a good home,' von Rossbach began.

'No, thank you, Dieter,' John said seriously. 'We don't want a dog.'

'But it would be company for your mother when you're away.'

'You're gettin' kinda pushy here, Dieter,' John warned.

'Hey,' Sarah said mildly, tipping her head forward and looking at him meaningfully.

John subsided, taking a sip of his Coke. This is too weird, he thought. The Coke stayed in his throat for an uncomfortable moment before he could swallow, then hit his stomach like acid. A dog, for God's sake!

'We had to leave the family dog behind when we moved here from the States,'

Sarah explained. 'No way could we get him through all those countries we were going to drive through.' She spread her hands helplessly. 'We've just never had another.'

Dieter was silent for a moment, chewing thoughtfully on one of Sarah's cookies.

'Then it's time you had one,' he said firmly. 'I've got just the one. I'll bring him with me on Saturday.' He stood up, smiling. 'I'll see you then.' And with a jaunty wave he was gone.

Sarah watched him walk away with her mouth open. John watched him through

narrowed eyes, chewing, then he looked at his mother.

'Pushy, ain't he?' he said.

Sarah nodded slowly. 'Shall we continue sparring?'

'Nah, let's just sit for a bit.' John put his feet onto the table clumsily, upsetting the tray.

'John!' Sarah exclaimed, jumping to her feet and knocking over Dieter's chair.

'Oh, what's that?' She pointed to a small silvery object stuck to the bottom of the seat. She looked up at John, tightening her lips.

'Looks like some kind of battery,' John said. He plucked it off. 'What should I do with it?' He raised his brows at her. The thing was obviously a microphone.

'Throw it out, I guess,' Sarah said, picking up spilled cookies and glasses. She pointed off in the direction of the barn and beyond. 'We don't have anything it would fit.'

She lifted the tray and stood, then looked up at him and nodded. He gave her a wink.

'Hey,' he said. 'Why don't you give me those broken cookies. I'll take 'em down to Linda.'

'Good idea,' Sarah said. 'She'll like that.'

She paused in the doorway; the tray in her hands, and watched John head for the corral. When he got there he'd throw the microphone von Rossbach had planted

as far as he could from the house. Microphones, yet! she thought. I have got to get some info on this guy. Stat!

She was just putting the last glass in the dish drainer when John walked slowly into the kitchen and leaned against the door frame.

'What?' she asked, sounding a little cross.

He stared at her until she turned to look at him.

'I've been thinking,' he said. 'Maybe you're right. Maybe we have been getting complacent. And lazy.'

Sarah turned around thoughtfully and leaned against the sink, her arms crossed.