'Well. She appeared tired.' He hesitated. 'She's… pleasant. She's not going to be hurt, is she?'
'Not if we can help it. One can never be sure. You know that, Miguel.'
'Yes, I know that. It's just… I think I like her.'
'So do I. Same answer.'
He nodded. 'I'm sorry. I didn't mean-' He rushed on to another subject. 'I took a message on the house phone. It was Delk from Atlanta. He said that he'd been trying to reach you on your cell.'
'I had it turned off. I didn't want to disturb our guest with listening to my business calls. She's a bit sensitive to my occupation.' He chuckled. 'No, she thinks I'm Satan. But then she's never met Satan. What was the message?'
'Joe Quinn left today on the six-thirty jet for Bogota.'
Montalvo's smile faded. 'Already? He didn't waste time.'
'You said he'd be coming.'
Montalvo shrugged. 'I thought perhaps I might have a day or two to prepare. Sometimes men have difficulty dealing with the initial emotions of anger and rejection and have to work their way through them. It seems I was wrong. It just means we'll have to move faster.'
'Do you want him dead?'
'No, I promised I wouldn't kill him. Which makes it even more difficult.'
'I could do it for you. I made no promise.'
'It's an implied promise that would include my men.'
Miguel smiled. 'But I don't understand implications. I'm just an ignorant boy from the country. My father is in trouble so I must help him.'
He frowned. 'I'm not your father. For God's sake, I
'And must supply me with another to replace him. I chose you.'
'Miguel, you chose wrong. Leave while you-' He broke off. 'You're not listening.'
'I listened. I won't kill Joe Quinn. You want to wait until you can do it yourself.' He turned. 'I'll go and tell the men to be on the alert for Quinn. Will he really come after her against such heavy odds?'
'I would.'
Miguel stopped at the door to look curiously at him over his shoulder. 'Why?'
'She's an extraordinary woman. You don't find one like her every day. You're lucky to find one in a decade.'
'Yet you may let her die.'
'Yes, I may let her die.' He looked down at the dossier in front of him. 'Any news from Diaz?'
'No. But they must be missing Aquila. They'll either send someone else or make another move.'
'You've become very canny about strategy.'
Miguel smiled again. 'I'm my father's son.' He strolled out of the study.
Montalvo muttered a curse beneath his breath. He had to do something about Miguel. He'd sent him away before but he always came back. No, admit it, he'd let him come back because he was a selfish bastard and he was closer to the boy than to anyone else in the world.
He closed the dossier and stood up. He'd worry about Miguel after all this was over. Hell, he might be on the run himself by that time and that would make the problem of sending the boy away from him a moot point.
Now he'd go to bed and get a good night's sleep and prepare himself for the confrontation with Eve tomorrow morning.
And try to think of a plan to get rid of Joe Quinn without actually doing the job himself.
6
Eve was dressed and ready when Soldono knocked on her door the next morning.
'How did you sleep?' Soldono asked when she opened the door. 'You look a little tired.'
'I'm fine.' She joined him in the hall. 'And yes, I had a lousy night. What do you expect?'
'I expected a sleepless night and a few regrets. What I didn't expect was for you to come down here and put yourself under Montalvo's thumb.' He grimaced. 'Though I'm grateful that you saved my bacon by getting Gonzales out of here. I was going to have to do something myself and that could have been fatal.'
'Montalvo's attitude toward you didn't appear to be antagonistic.'
'No, but he has rules, and Gonzales broke one of the major laws that govern his men. If I got in the way, he wouldn't think twice about killing me.'
'Laws. Rules. A military compound. This man is a criminal running a criminal organization. What's happening here?'
He shrugged. 'Search me. It works for him. His men are loyal and thoroughly intimidated by him.' He paused. 'And they admire him. That keeps them in line more than any other factor. We had a devil of a time locating one of his men who'd turned traitor to him. It took me more than eighteen months to find Gonzales and another three to persuade him.'
'How did you do it?'
'Money. A great deal of money and a promise to get him away before Montalvo found out.'
'Which you didn't do.' Her gaze wandered around the hall they were going down. 'This is a palace. I was surprised when I got here. It was weird to see a place like this in the middle of the jungle. Montalvo evidently likes his creature comforts.' And he had appeared perfectly at home here last night, she remembered. Civilized, graceful, handsome. 'He built a military fort and then set himself up as emperor.'
'According to Gonzales, he didn't build either the fort or the palace. About ten years ago he took them from a Hector Caranda who was the local drug lord in the area.'
'Took?'
'Caranda and his men aren't around any longer. I imagine if you looked hard around the jungle you might find their graves.'
'Wonderful.' She looked at him. 'You don't appear upset.'
'If criminals fight criminals, it leaves less for us to get rid of. They can all kill each other for all I care.' He gestured to the curved arch just ahead. 'The breakfast room. His Highness awaits.'
'I'm flattered, Soldono,' Montalvo said from behind them. 'I was wondering if you noticed my regal air.' He nodded at Eve. 'He's been filling your ears with poison about me. Probably most of it is true, but it's still unpleasant.' He waved her into the room. 'And I don't 'await.' I've been busy working since six.'
He held her chair for her at the gleaming oak table. 'To keep myself calm and harness my anticipation for our meeting this morning.' His gaze raked her face. 'I see you've also been anticipating
