Saint by T.L. Gray

but still, she should have offered. She
took the knife and sat down to peel. “Why does your wife get to cheat and I don’t?”
    “She cheats to win and doesn’t give a damn
about the rules. You do. That’s dangerous. Your frustration made you strike out
to win only after you played by the rules and failed. When your life is at
stake there aren’t any rules, sister, only survival. And I’ll let you in on a
little secret. You’d better get used to the knife, because Juarez has a fondness
for it. Only he won’t give you a second chance.”
    “So, in retrospect, I should have cheated
the first time.”
    “Yep.”
    After that Maria threw herself into the
grueling routine Francis and Gabriel set up for her. Not because she wanted to
prove she wasn’t a whiner, but because the rigorous maneuvers gave her
something to sink her teeth into, a way to work off the tension.
    In the evenings Maria usually claimed the
porch swing for herself, rocking gently with a throw cover around her
shoulders, while Francis lounged on the steps smoking. Gabriel elected for one
of the wicker chairs, resting his alligator-skin boots on the railing.
    The night sounds here were just the
opposite of the desert. All around them were the singing of crickets and
cicadas, the hooting owls, the scurrying of animals seeking out their nests.
Francis always became edgy toward evening. Gabriel mostly whittled on a stick.
But she could tell their minds were elsewhere.
    It was almost like they were…waiting.
    “Angelface, why don’t you sing that Spanish
song for Gabe.”
    She sang the song. But it wasn’t for
Gabriel. It was for Francis.
    * * * * *
    Los Angeles
     
    “I have good news and bad news,” Pepe
reported.
    “The Carvania woman?”
    “Not exactly. But we have a list of
addresses off the partial plate and they’re being checked out now.”
    “And the bad news?” Juarez asked in an edgy
tone.
    “We can’t find any background information
on Seth Harris. No criminal or military records, not even a work record. That
seems strange to me.”
    “I’m a little disappointed you couldn’t
find more, but Hocksteder hasn’t managed to come up with anything on Will
Skaggs’ whereabouts yet. You will not report this to Hocksteder, understand?
This time we’ll take care of it ourselves.”
    “Maybe Hocksteder could help track this
Seth Harris.”
    “I’ll think on it.”
    Benito, extremely satisfied with the turn
of events, went in search of Nina. He had ignored her too much of late and she
was becoming irritable, pouting like a child at the least little thing. Tonight
he would coddle her and pet her—he was in a good mood.
    “There you are.” He found her in the pool,
slicing naked through the water. “I was lonely without you.”
    “Were you?” she replied coolly.
    “Ah, Nina,” Benito cajoled, “come out and I
will make it up to you.”
    “You received good news then?” She ascended
the pool steps like a goddess—wet, enticingly beautiful—to stand in front of
him.
    He reached out to caress her breasts. “Very
good. We will celebrate.”
    He forestalled her from reaching for her
robe, pulling her against him instead. “What would I do without you, my Nina?”
    “The Carvania woman cannot make you happy,
Benito.”
    “Ssh.” He put a finger to her lips. “We
will not speak of her. Soon she will be gone from our lives and we will be free
of her. You still love me, hmm?”
    “I’ve always loved you. Why do you ask me
such a question?”
    “Because lately, I think you look for a
diversion.”
    She met his gaze evenly. “I look for
nothing.”
    Did she think he wouldn’t know? He knew her
as well as he knew himself. Her blood ran hot, like his. He also knew she tired
of waiting for him to fulfill his promise of long ago. Nina needed something to
look forward to. Something to keep her in line. She had grown beyond the money
and clothes and jewels. Deep down, she wanted what all women wanted—to be
owned.
    The beautiful