sent your men across the lake? And are you doing anything about the hacienda’s perimeter?”
Separdo tensed, relaxed. “I will take this for now. As to my men—we have sent for the boat from the other side. I am going with them in a few minutes.” He nodded. “I expect to find you here when I return.”
“I’ll leave when my job’s finished,” said Garson.
“Of course.” Separdo turned, went around the house.
Garson watched Separdo leave, then went into the house.
Antone Luac was standing at the low front windows, watching Separdo and three men with rifles get into a large rowboat. A little runt of a man sat at the oars.
When Separdo also got into the boat, and they headed across the lake, Antone Luac grunted, turned, saw Garson.
“So kind of you to join us, Mr. Garson.”
Anita Luac came in from the hallway wearing an open-necked green blouse, jodhpurs and riding boots. Medina followed her.
“Choco has told me of your inspired performance this morning,” said Antone Luac. “I’m not sure what inspired you, but presumably it was the patron saint of all idiots!”
“Sorry you don’t approve,” said Garson.
“At this moment, Mr. Garson, I would almost enjoy watching you fed to the caribe !”
“What?”
“I had it all set!” snapped Luac. “You were to go riding across the lake there this morning and . . .”
Anita Luac stepped forward. “Father, there’s no sense going . . .”
“Raul just went across the lake with his men!” said Antone Luac. “You know what that means!”
Medina said, “I think we should try it anyway.”
“What have I done?” asked Garson.
“Today, I had arranged for you to escape,” said Luac. “And you—you descendant of an unbroken line of fatherless imbeciles! You’ve put Raul’s entire guard force on the alert!”
“Father, he had no way of knowing,” said Anita Luac.
Garson shrugged. “Maybe the imbecilic action was your failure to take me into your confidence.”
Antone Luac snorted.
“Would you like to hear about my morning stroll with Maria Gomez to the grave of her son?” asked Garson.
Chins came up. They stared at him.
“Raul told her that you murdered Eduardo,” said Garson. “She now knows that it was Raul himself who did it.”
“Hmmmmph!” said Antone Luac. “Another needless complication.”
“Sorry I interfered,” said Garson. “You would no doubt prefer arsenic in your beans!”
“He’s right,” said Anita.
“He’s a bumbling meddler!”
“Shall we go ahead with our original plan?” asked Medina.
“I don’t like it,” snapped Luac. “Raul could have his men knock off you and Garson, then . . .” he glanced at Anita.
“He won’t dare move until he’s contacted Olaf,” she said.
Medina said, “And with Olaf gone . . .”
Antone Luac sighed. “I don’t like it, but perhaps it’s worth a try.” He looked at Medina. “But, Choco, I want this understood: You’re not to go ahead unless you make the contact with Pánfil and Roberto. Do you understand?”
“Naturally.”
“And if anything looks strange to you, you are to call it off and return!”
“Yes.”
Luac turned to his daughter. “If it’s possible, I want you to go with them. Go straight to Tucson. You know who to contact.”
“But, Father!”
“Do as I say,” he snapped. “I can take care of myself.”
“I will be here, Señorita .”
She frowned.
Garson looked from father to daughter, sensed the need they felt for each other, the unspoken bitterness of suppressed feelings.
“I will do what I think best at the moment,” said Anita Luac. “And I will not argue more about it!”
Garson cleared his throat. “It would be a good idea to tell me what you’re planning.”
Antone Luac flicked a glance like a whiplash across Garson, looked at Medina. “Choco?”
“I agree.” He looked across the room to the hallway. “Later, when I’m sure it’s safe.”
Luac returned his attention to Garson. “This time
Separdo tensed, relaxed. “I will take this for now. As to my men—we have sent for the boat from the other side. I am going with them in a few minutes.” He nodded. “I expect to find you here when I return.”
“I’ll leave when my job’s finished,” said Garson.
“Of course.” Separdo turned, went around the house.
Garson watched Separdo leave, then went into the house.
Antone Luac was standing at the low front windows, watching Separdo and three men with rifles get into a large rowboat. A little runt of a man sat at the oars.
When Separdo also got into the boat, and they headed across the lake, Antone Luac grunted, turned, saw Garson.
“So kind of you to join us, Mr. Garson.”
Anita Luac came in from the hallway wearing an open-necked green blouse, jodhpurs and riding boots. Medina followed her.
“Choco has told me of your inspired performance this morning,” said Antone Luac. “I’m not sure what inspired you, but presumably it was the patron saint of all idiots!”
“Sorry you don’t approve,” said Garson.
“At this moment, Mr. Garson, I would almost enjoy watching you fed to the caribe !”
“What?”
“I had it all set!” snapped Luac. “You were to go riding across the lake there this morning and . . .”
Anita Luac stepped forward. “Father, there’s no sense going . . .”
“Raul just went across the lake with his men!” said Antone Luac. “You know what that means!”
Medina said, “I think we should try it anyway.”
“What have I done?” asked Garson.
“Today, I had arranged for you to escape,” said Luac. “And you—you descendant of an unbroken line of fatherless imbeciles! You’ve put Raul’s entire guard force on the alert!”
“Father, he had no way of knowing,” said Anita Luac.
Garson shrugged. “Maybe the imbecilic action was your failure to take me into your confidence.”
Antone Luac snorted.
“Would you like to hear about my morning stroll with Maria Gomez to the grave of her son?” asked Garson.
Chins came up. They stared at him.
“Raul told her that you murdered Eduardo,” said Garson. “She now knows that it was Raul himself who did it.”
“Hmmmmph!” said Antone Luac. “Another needless complication.”
“Sorry I interfered,” said Garson. “You would no doubt prefer arsenic in your beans!”
“He’s right,” said Anita.
“He’s a bumbling meddler!”
“Shall we go ahead with our original plan?” asked Medina.
“I don’t like it,” snapped Luac. “Raul could have his men knock off you and Garson, then . . .” he glanced at Anita.
“He won’t dare move until he’s contacted Olaf,” she said.
Medina said, “And with Olaf gone . . .”
Antone Luac sighed. “I don’t like it, but perhaps it’s worth a try.” He looked at Medina. “But, Choco, I want this understood: You’re not to go ahead unless you make the contact with Pánfil and Roberto. Do you understand?”
“Naturally.”
“And if anything looks strange to you, you are to call it off and return!”
“Yes.”
Luac turned to his daughter. “If it’s possible, I want you to go with them. Go straight to Tucson. You know who to contact.”
“But, Father!”
“Do as I say,” he snapped. “I can take care of myself.”
“I will be here, Señorita .”
She frowned.
Garson looked from father to daughter, sensed the need they felt for each other, the unspoken bitterness of suppressed feelings.
“I will do what I think best at the moment,” said Anita Luac. “And I will not argue more about it!”
Garson cleared his throat. “It would be a good idea to tell me what you’re planning.”
Antone Luac flicked a glance like a whiplash across Garson, looked at Medina. “Choco?”
“I agree.” He looked across the room to the hallway. “Later, when I’m sure it’s safe.”
Luac returned his attention to Garson. “This time
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