Stalemate

got for you.'

'Yes.' Her hand tightened. 'So if you're smart, you'll leave me. You don't deserve this.'

He looked down at their joined hands. 'Do you want me to leave you? Will it make it easier for you?'

'God, no.'

He was silent a moment. 'Then I think I'll stick around.' He kicked off his shoes. 'Scoot over. The last time I held you, I was so drugged I couldn't appreciate it.'

She shifted over in bed and he enfolded her in his arms. Lord, he felt good. 'I love you, Joe,' she whispered. 'This is all I want. You're all I want.'

'That's good to know.' He kissed her temple. 'And I'll work very hard on keeping the status quo intact.'

'So will I,' she whispered. 'Forever…'

Montalvo was in the library when she came downstairs later that morning. 'Good morning.' His gaze searched her expression. 'You're… serene. I'm not sure that's good for me.'

'I want you to arrange transportation to send Joe and me home.'

He nodded. 'Ah, a reconciliation. Definitely not good for me.'

'Will you do it?'

'Of course. I'll have you out of here by late this afternoon.' He stood up. 'Do I get a fond kiss good-bye?'

'No.'

'Coward.' He smiled. 'I've never kissed you and I thought it would be interesting. But I agree it's better not to run the risk. It would get in the way.'

'No risk,' she said. 'How is Miguel?'

'Much better now that I let him shoot Soldono.' He grimaced. 'But Venable isn't as pleased. He wanted to bring Soldono back to your justice. I don't trust courts.' His expression darkened. 'And Miguel deserved his revenge.'

She shivered as she remembered the boy hanging from that cross. 'When are you taking him to the hospital in the U.S.?'

'As soon as I wind up my affairs here. I'm closing the compound.'

'What?'

'I'm retiring. I have all the money I could possibly need. I've accomplished what I set out to do.' He inclined his head at her. 'We've accomplished what I set out to do. Armandariz and I are burying Nalia's remains in the cemetery in the village where she was born.'

'Then she's truly home,' she said softly.

He nodded.

'Good. That makes me very happy.' She turned to go back upstairs.

'And as soon as I get Miguel on his feet, I'll be keeping my promise about Bonnie's killer.'

'I have the names. Joe and I can follow through on it.'

'But that wouldn't be keeping my promise.'

'We can do it,' she repeated.

He studied her expression. 'We'll discuss it another time.'

'No, I don't want you near me, Montalvo.'

He nodded slowly. 'Quinn is feeling threatened?'

She didn't answer.

He tilted his head appraisingly. 'Or are you the one feeling threatened?'

'We can handle it ourselves.' She started up the stairs. 'Just as we've always done.'

The sun was setting as Eve, Joe, and Galen got into the jeep.

'Why don't you go down and tell her good-bye?' Miguel asked from his bed across the room from the window where Montalvo stood looking down at the courtyard below. 'It's what you want to do.'

Turn around, Eve. You know I'm watching you.

'How do you know what I want to do?' Montalvo asked.

'I have nothing to do but lie here and think,' Miguel said.

'And since I have a very boring selection of subjects I chose you.' He paused. 'You let her go. I didn't think you'd do it.'

'She's not ready for me yet. It would have been a disaster if I'd not walked carefully.'

'But you could say good-bye.'

'It wouldn't have been satisfactory for either one of us. She's very defensive about Quinn.' He smiled. 'And not saying good-bye is not a bad thing.'

Turn around and look up, Eve.

She gazed straight ahead as the driver started the car.

I'm here, Eve. Just a glance…

Her shoulders tensed and for a moment he thought she'd look back.

She didn't do it. Her shoulders were straight, her eyes still straight ahead as the driver drove through the gates.

Of course she hadn't looked back. It would have been foreign to her character to give in to that impulse.

But for an instant she had thought about it and that was a triumph too.

'They're gone.' He turned away from the window and strolled back to the bed. 'By tomorrow they'll be safely tucked away in their cozy cottage by the lake.'

'You don't seem upset.'

'There's no use being upset.' He poured a cup of coffee for Miguel and lifted it to his lips. After the boy had taken a few swallows he set the cup on the saucer. 'It's counterproductive. And you know that's not my way.'

'So what will you do?'

'I'll go and put my Nalia in her final resting-place. Then I'll take you to that Emory Hospital and get you well. I'm very tired of waiting on you like this. I think you're beginning to enjoy it too much.'

Miguel smiled slyly. 'Maybe.'

'And then I'll put you into a school and make you slave at the books.'

Miguel's smile faded. 'I'm staying with you.'

'Who said I wouldn't be there?'

'All the time?' Miguel asked suspiciously.

Montalvo's glance returned to the window. 'I might take a few excursions while you're otherwise occupied.'

Miguel's jaw set. 'I won't be 'otherwise occupied.' Not if it means you're dumping me somewhere. I don't give a damn about your books.'

Montalvo looked back at him and he slowly shook his head. 'What am I going to do with you, boy?'

'Keep me around. We've got to be together, Colonel.'

Montalvo nodded, and carefully avoiding Miguel's bandaged hands, he grasped his forearm with affection. 'I believe you're right,' he said softly. A warm smile lit his face. 'We've got to stay together.'