Will went downstairs to have a friendly chat withRamirez while Taylor gave Hedwig five minutes to dress and pack anovernight bag. He had no idea what essentials a pregnant womanmight need. He’d been overseas during his sister’s pregnancies —not that the circumstances were similar, and not that he would havepaid attention even if they had been. If their prisoner wantedanything very complicated, she was going to have to do without.Anyway, it was a little over an hour to the airport, and then ashort, hopefully direct flight to Los Angeles. A toothbrush and herspectacles ought to do her, in his opinion.
He kept the door half-open while she dressed,observing impersonally while offering the illusion of privacy.
Downstairs he could hear Ramirez bellowing at Willand Will’s quiet responses. It took a lot to get Will really workedup. Like Will, Taylor wasn’t concerned with Ramirez. If he neededpersuading to go along with the change in plans, Taylor had nodoubt that Hedwig could handle it. She seemed like a resourcefulgirl, appearances to the contrary. Either that or unbelievablylucky.
The door to the bedroom swung open. Hedwig hadchanged into jeans and a loose green and white-checked smockthingie. Her hair was tied back in a lank ponytail, and she woreher glasses. She carried a white denim jacket draped over one arm,and she held a small flat overnight case. She looked like a timidkindergarten teacher. Taylor took the jacket and the overnightcase, setting them aside to examine at his leisure.
Hedwig made a scornful sound at this display ofsuspiciousness.
“Hands behind your head.”
“How stupid do you think I am?” she demanded as hebriskly patted her down.
“I don’t know. How stupid do you think Iam?”
“Totally stupid.”
He laughed. “Ask a silly question.” He sort of likedthe sheer outrageous balls of her. Anyway, he was just makingdouble sure, knowing Will would expect this, but he didn’t expect —nor did he find — that she’d tried to arm herself while he waslooking on. “Sorry, but I have to cuff you again.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“Maybe not, but that’s the way we’re doing it.”
Taylor snapped the cuffs on her wrists again,retrieved her bag and jacket, and nodded for her to precede himdown the hall, watching critically as she moved. She didn’t havethat ungainly pregnant-lady waddle, but no way was she going to beoutrunning them. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t try any other meansthat presented itself to get rid of them. He would. Anyone would.Yep, it was better to keep her cuffed.
“Did you search her?” Will asked when they reacheddownstairs.
Taylor assented.
Ramirez was still cuffed. He sat on the floor,glaring out of a puffy eye. Blood crusted his nostrils.
“You okay, chiquita?” he asked Hedwig.
She nodded. “I’m so sorry, Reuben. Did they hurtyou?”
Ramirez shook his head. “It’s my fault. I shouldhave shot this pig when I had the chance. I should have turned thedog on him. I should have —”
“Don’t blame yourself, Reuben.”
“Cute couple.” That was Will.
“Yeah. Reuben and Juliet. You better explain thefacts of life to your boyfriend,” Taylor told Hedwig.
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
Will’s gaze rolled to meet Taylor’s; Taylor couldpractically hear the casters clicking. “This could take allnight.”
Taylor ignored that. “Well, whatever Senor Ramirezis, we’d prefer to turn him loose, but if he comes trailing afterus, things are going to get messy. If what you’ve told us is true,the less attention we attract, the better.”
Hedwig scowled over this, then rattled off a stringof Spanish.
“In English,” Will interrupted.
“It’s better if I go with them,” Hedwig toldRamirez. “Better for everyone.”
“They’re not cops, chiquita. You can’t trust them.They’re Feds.”
“I know. They’re Diplomatic Security.”
“Who? What’s Diplomatic Security? I never heard ofthem.”
“I think our PR machine is broken,” Taylor toldWill.
“If they were part of it, we’d be dead now,” Hedwigsaid. “They’re going to take me in themselves.”
“Bullshit. Don’t trust them, Kelila.”
“The trust is all on this side.” Will was losingpatience. “In fact, if I had my way, you’d be on your way to jailand we’d be handing your girlfriend over to anyone who’d takeher.”
Taylor couldn’t tell if he meant it or not. If Willreally was dead set against this — well, there was more atstake here than the honor of the DSS or their own professionalreputations. More at stake for Will, certainly. But if Willwas dead set against taking her back themselves, he’d sayso. He wasn’t one for beating around the bush.
Ramirez was stubbornly shaking his head. Taylor’sunease increased. “We can’t waste any more time here. Make up yourmind.”
“Reuben…please.”
“Here’s what we’re going to do,” Will said. “I’mgoing to take the cuffs off you.” He was talking to Ramirez.“You’re going to get hold of Cujo out there, and then the three ofus are walking out of here. If it all goes smoothly, that’ll be theend of it. Your part of it, anyway. If you do anything stupid, I’marresting you and handing you over to the Ruidoso cops for aidingand abetting a fugitive.”
Ramirez looked at Hedwig. “It’s okay,” she said.“Really. Just do what they tell you. Please.”
Ramirez was still shaking his head as he rose. Hestood sullenly while Will uncuffed him. Well, he didn’t like it,but that made it unanimous. So long as he followed orders…
He did. He went to the door and shouted for the dog.It trotted inside, nails ticking on tile, woofing aggressively.Ramirez grabbed its collar and held tight, muttering what heapparently imagined were soothing noises.
Dog and man watched in silence as Will, followed byHedwig and then Taylor, moved briskly across the exposed yard. Thenight air smelled of distant pines and approaching rain. The SierraBlanca Mountains stood silent and silver beneath the scaffolding ofclouds and stars.
Man and dog were still silhouetted in the lighteddoorway when they reached the road.
Will closed the heavy wooden gate behind them, andthey started, still single file, down the dirt road lined with thetwisted, tortured forms of Joshua trees. They’d parked the rentalcar about a mile from the house. It felt like the middle ofnowhere, nothing to see but sagebrush and cactus. Lightning flashedoverhead like a failing light behind a lavender veil. Thunderboomed and rolled away into the forest-covered mountains.
Beautiful
