company is welcome, sir.”
The waiter had followed him, bringing the herbal tea. “Is there anything else you’d like, Señor Sanchez?”
“No, Señor. Gracias.”
“How is Señora Sanchez?” the waiter asked.
“She’s well. I’ll tell her you were asking of her.” The man’s face was that of an ancient sage, tanned and creased with lines. The eyes, however, conveyed both wisdom and youth, twinkling with mischief. He smiled at Sam.
“Gracias, my friend. My name is Paulo Sanchez. What’s yours?”
“I’m Captain Waterhouse. Please call me Sam. My ship, the USS Nonnah , is in the harbor undergoing maintenance.”
“Oh, you had trouble in the storm?”
“Actually, we were quite fortunate. The storm was around us but didn’t give the Nonnah any trouble. It’s our engine that’s the problem. Rather old and cantankerous.”
“Ah,” said Paulo, waving his hand in the air. “I know all about old and cantankerous. These damned old bones.” He tried to lift one leg up off the ground. “You see that? All my parts are wearing out. Figure it’s about time I traded this bag of bones for a whole new set.”
“Uh oh, Paulo. And what would your wife say to that?” Sam teased.
Paulo winked and sipped his tea. “Well,” he whispered, “I think she’d be pleased. You’re married, Sam?”
Sam winced. “My wife died a year ago. Accident. I’ve got two young boys, twelve and ten, in New Seattle.” Sam tried to steer the conversation away from his personal life. “How about you, Paulo. Maybe you have grandkids keeping you busy?”
Sam and Paulo talked on into the evening. Paolo’s voice was calming, and Sam forgot about the time. The conversation drifted from Mexican spices to local soccer games, far afield from military structure and obligations. Sam laughed when he tried his Spanish on Paolo and used the wrong words. They munched on Mexican delicacies and savored a growing camaraderie. Paulo was wise and saw the humor in the simplest things. It was incredible, thought Sam — right from the very start, he felt at ease with Paulo as though they had known each other for many years.
A thought kept creeping into Sam’s mind. Ask him , the voice said.
No , was Sam’s response to the shadow voice.
Ask him , the voice urged.
No .
Ask him , the voice pleaded.
Why? asked Sam in his mind, still carrying on a separate conversation with Paulo.
Why not? replied the relentless voice.
“Sam, it looks like there’s something troubling you. What is it, my friend?”
“It’s nothing. I should get back to my ship.” Sam reached for his blazer and hat.
“I’ve been around a long time. Seen and tried most of it. Failed sometimes, too. I have a few regrets laced with many victories. I’ve enjoyed your company a great deal. Let me do something for you, Sam. What’s weighing heavy on your mind?”
“Many things, Paulo. I’m reluctant to spill my troubles and burden you. They’re mine to resolve.”
“Yes, this is true. I can’t take them away from you. But, perhaps I can shed a different light on them. Sometimes we get stuck in seeing things in a certain way. Give me a challenge, Sam. Let me see if I can lighten your load a bit.”
“All right, Paulo. In the last twenty-four hours a patient on my ship hasn’t been following any rule book as far as her physiology is concerned. She’d been poisoned prior to being brought aboard, and my ship’s doctor was unable treat her condition. He expected her to die last night. And yet, she survived. She also had a bullet wound that healed in less than a day.”
“She sounds intriguing. What do you know about this woman?”
“Very little. I suspect she’s associated with underground activities, perhaps even dangerous.”
“Ah, I understand your concern. You have a challenge ahead of you, Sam. I believe the more you understand her and her motives, the more you’ll find it difficult to find her guilty of anything, no matter what she
The waiter had followed him, bringing the herbal tea. “Is there anything else you’d like, Señor Sanchez?”
“No, Señor. Gracias.”
“How is Señora Sanchez?” the waiter asked.
“She’s well. I’ll tell her you were asking of her.” The man’s face was that of an ancient sage, tanned and creased with lines. The eyes, however, conveyed both wisdom and youth, twinkling with mischief. He smiled at Sam.
“Gracias, my friend. My name is Paulo Sanchez. What’s yours?”
“I’m Captain Waterhouse. Please call me Sam. My ship, the USS Nonnah , is in the harbor undergoing maintenance.”
“Oh, you had trouble in the storm?”
“Actually, we were quite fortunate. The storm was around us but didn’t give the Nonnah any trouble. It’s our engine that’s the problem. Rather old and cantankerous.”
“Ah,” said Paulo, waving his hand in the air. “I know all about old and cantankerous. These damned old bones.” He tried to lift one leg up off the ground. “You see that? All my parts are wearing out. Figure it’s about time I traded this bag of bones for a whole new set.”
“Uh oh, Paulo. And what would your wife say to that?” Sam teased.
Paulo winked and sipped his tea. “Well,” he whispered, “I think she’d be pleased. You’re married, Sam?”
Sam winced. “My wife died a year ago. Accident. I’ve got two young boys, twelve and ten, in New Seattle.” Sam tried to steer the conversation away from his personal life. “How about you, Paulo. Maybe you have grandkids keeping you busy?”
Sam and Paulo talked on into the evening. Paolo’s voice was calming, and Sam forgot about the time. The conversation drifted from Mexican spices to local soccer games, far afield from military structure and obligations. Sam laughed when he tried his Spanish on Paolo and used the wrong words. They munched on Mexican delicacies and savored a growing camaraderie. Paulo was wise and saw the humor in the simplest things. It was incredible, thought Sam — right from the very start, he felt at ease with Paulo as though they had known each other for many years.
A thought kept creeping into Sam’s mind. Ask him , the voice said.
No , was Sam’s response to the shadow voice.
Ask him , the voice urged.
No .
Ask him , the voice pleaded.
Why? asked Sam in his mind, still carrying on a separate conversation with Paulo.
Why not? replied the relentless voice.
“Sam, it looks like there’s something troubling you. What is it, my friend?”
“It’s nothing. I should get back to my ship.” Sam reached for his blazer and hat.
“I’ve been around a long time. Seen and tried most of it. Failed sometimes, too. I have a few regrets laced with many victories. I’ve enjoyed your company a great deal. Let me do something for you, Sam. What’s weighing heavy on your mind?”
“Many things, Paulo. I’m reluctant to spill my troubles and burden you. They’re mine to resolve.”
“Yes, this is true. I can’t take them away from you. But, perhaps I can shed a different light on them. Sometimes we get stuck in seeing things in a certain way. Give me a challenge, Sam. Let me see if I can lighten your load a bit.”
“All right, Paulo. In the last twenty-four hours a patient on my ship hasn’t been following any rule book as far as her physiology is concerned. She’d been poisoned prior to being brought aboard, and my ship’s doctor was unable treat her condition. He expected her to die last night. And yet, she survived. She also had a bullet wound that healed in less than a day.”
“She sounds intriguing. What do you know about this woman?”
“Very little. I suspect she’s associated with underground activities, perhaps even dangerous.”
“Ah, I understand your concern. You have a challenge ahead of you, Sam. I believe the more you understand her and her motives, the more you’ll find it difficult to find her guilty of anything, no matter what she
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