Standoff by Sandra Brown Page A

not save yourself the breath? You might need it later."
    "Prior to the… the episode, you lived a very active life.
    Don't you miss being at the center of things?"
    "No."
    "You don't get bored out here?"
    "No."
    "Aren't you lonesome?"
    "For what?"
    "Companionship."
    He turned his head and readjusted his position so that his shoulders and torso were almost facing her. "Sometimes."
    His eyes moved downward, over her. "You volunteering to help me out on that?"
    "Oh, please."
    And when she said that, he began to laugh, letting her know that he hadn't been serious.
    She hated herself for falling for the ruse. "I hoped you were above that sexist crap."
    Serious again, he said, "And I hoped you were above asking questions, particularly personal ones, at a time like this. Just as I was beginning to like you."
    Strangely, the way he was looking at her now, with that probing intensity, had a greater effect than the smarmy sexual insinuation. That had been phony. This was real.
    Her tummy lifted weightlessly.
    But then an uproar on the far side of the store brought her and Doc scrambling to their feet.
    CHAPTER
    8
    Tiel had dubbed the shorter, stockier Mexican man
    Juan. It was he who had caused the commotion. He was bending over Agent Cain, lavishly cursing him—at least she assumed he was cursing. His shouted Spanish had an epithetical quality.
    Cain was repeatedly screaming, "What the hell?" and futilely straining to free himself from the duct tape.
    To everyone's dismay, Juan slapped a strip of duct tape over the FBI agent's mouth to shut him up. Meanwhile,
    Juan's taller companion let fly with a stream of Spanish that sounded both reproachful and confused by Juan's sudden attack on the agent.
    Ronnie brandished his pistol, shouting, "What's going on? What're you doing there? Vern, what happened?"
    "Damned if I know. I had sorta dozed off. I woke up when they started tussling and yelling at one another."
    "He just jumped on him," Gladys contributed in her prissy manner. "For no apparent reason. I don't trust him.
    Or his friend either, for that matter."
    "Quepasa?"Doc asked.
    The others fell abruptly silent, surprised that he spoke
    Spanish. Apparently Juan was more surprised than anyone.
    He whipped his head around and glared at Doc. Undeterred by the smoldering eyes, Doc posed the question a second time.
    "Nada, "Juan muttered beneath his breath.
    Then Doc just stood there and exchanged glowers with the Mexican. "Well?" Tiel prompted.
    "Well, what? That's the extent of my Spanish vocabulary except for hello, good-bye, please, thank you, and shit.
    None apply to this particular situation."
    "Why'd you jump him?" Ronnie asked the Mexican man. "What's the matter with you?"
    Donna said, "He's a nutcase, that's what. Knew it the minute I laid eyes on him."
    Juan answered in Spanish, but Ronnie impatiently shook his head. "I can't understand you. Just take that tape off his mouth. Do it!" he ordered when Juan failed to obey immediately. Ronnie made himself understood by pantomiming peeling the tape off Cain, who was listening and watching the proceedings with round, wide, fearful eyes.
    The Mexican leaned down, pinched up a corner of the tape, and ripped it off the agent's lips. He yelped in pain, then shouted, "You son of a bitch!"
    Juan actually seemed pleased with himself. He glanced at his partner and they both laughed, as though amused by the federal agent's embarrassment and discomfort.
    "You're all going to jail. Every damn last one of you."
    Cain looked balefully at Tiel. "Especially you. You're to blame for the fix we're in."
    "Me?"
    "You impeded a federal officer and prevented him from performing his duty."
    "I prevented you from needlessly taking a human life just so you could earn your spurs, or get your rocks off, or whatever it was that motivated you to come in here and further complicate an already complicated situation.
    Under the same set of circumstances I would clobber you again."
    His hostile gaze moved from one