the first normal meal in a week.
The kitchen was huge. Lacy ferns spilled from pots on a windowsill. In one corner, next to a fireplace, was a counter inset with a firebox and grates for cooking.
Sipping her second cup of coffee, Elizabeth watched as Maria tidied up the kitchen.
“How well do you know our Jake?” Maria asked.
Elizabeth hedged, wondering what Jake had told Ricardo outside about her and what she should say. These people were his friends.
“I hardly know him at all. I didn’t meet him until a few days ago, after I was kidnapped and they sent him to get me.”
“Nobody sent him. He sent himself.”
“What do you mean?”
Maria chuckled. “The story I heard was, when you were taken last week, he went into Colonel Gordon’s office and said he was going to Mexico to bring you back. He didn’t ask permission to go because crossing into Mexico is a violation of international law, and Colonel Gordon couldn’t give it. Jake had planned to go alone, but U.S. Army Intelligence got wind of it and insisted he take two more Rangers with him. Seems both Austin and Washington want to know if Diego had a hand in killing your brother.”
Which was what Jake had told her, Elizabeth thought. She drew a deep breath of relief. He hadn’t lied to her. For some reason, that was important. The last of the tension drained away.
She’d been with only men for a solid week, and it felt good to talk with another woman. They chatted about everything, including the Texas Rangers.
“Who are a different species altogether, I’m beginning to suspect,” Elizabeth said. “I’m not even sure they’re human.”
Maria chuckled. “I notice you didn’t smile when you said that. He’s getting to you, eh? Well, he’s not as tough as he seems.”
Elizabeth’s eyebrows went up. “I don’t know. He seems pretty tough to me.”
“Until you get to know him. Growing up, he didn’t have much of a family. He loved his mother dearly but hated his stepfather, who drank and beat her. And then he beat Jake for trying to stop him.”
Elizabeth nibbled on her lower lip. “He’s never let on.”
Maria nodded. “He probably never will. He’s private about a lot of things. At fifteen he left home and joined the Army. At the time, the Army was desperate for new leaders, young men with manners and muscles. They grabbed him on the spot and sent him to specialty schools. At seventeen they made him a second lieutenant. Mind you, they thought he was three years older than he was.”
“That’s so sad,” Elizabeth said. “I had no idea. . . .”
Maria went on, “He also speaks Spanish, French, and Nahuatl, the language of my Aztec ancestors. It’s an asset to anyone who works in Mexico, particularly men like Ricardo and Jake. Your brother was also learning it.”
A small red flag shot up in Elizabeth’s mind. “You know my brother?”
Maria smiled. “You look a lot like him. Must be those bright blue eyes you both have. Jake brought him down to meet Ricardo a couple of months ago.”
Elizabeth’s breath caught in her throat.
Ricardo Romero was Lloyd’s connection in Mexico.
And it got him killed.
“Hey, inside, you ladies decent?” a male voice called.
“Yes, she is,” Maria said, laughing. She looked at Elizabeth. “I knew he’d be back.”
Jake and the two boys came into the kitchen. At his side, thumb in her mouth, Jakina held his hand.
“I didn’t hear you ride in,” Elizabeth said. “You forget something?”
He nodded. “Need to find out from Ricardo where the nearest telegraph office is to where I’m going. Last time I was in San Jose they had one, but they might’ve moved it. I don’t want to be asking around where it is. It could raise questions.”
Jakina removed her thumb and patted him to get his attention. He stooped and she whispered in his ear. Smiling, he turned her shoulders and gave her a nudge in Elizabeth’s direction.
Jakina walked to Elizabeth and peered up at her.
The kitchen was huge. Lacy ferns spilled from pots on a windowsill. In one corner, next to a fireplace, was a counter inset with a firebox and grates for cooking.
Sipping her second cup of coffee, Elizabeth watched as Maria tidied up the kitchen.
“How well do you know our Jake?” Maria asked.
Elizabeth hedged, wondering what Jake had told Ricardo outside about her and what she should say. These people were his friends.
“I hardly know him at all. I didn’t meet him until a few days ago, after I was kidnapped and they sent him to get me.”
“Nobody sent him. He sent himself.”
“What do you mean?”
Maria chuckled. “The story I heard was, when you were taken last week, he went into Colonel Gordon’s office and said he was going to Mexico to bring you back. He didn’t ask permission to go because crossing into Mexico is a violation of international law, and Colonel Gordon couldn’t give it. Jake had planned to go alone, but U.S. Army Intelligence got wind of it and insisted he take two more Rangers with him. Seems both Austin and Washington want to know if Diego had a hand in killing your brother.”
Which was what Jake had told her, Elizabeth thought. She drew a deep breath of relief. He hadn’t lied to her. For some reason, that was important. The last of the tension drained away.
She’d been with only men for a solid week, and it felt good to talk with another woman. They chatted about everything, including the Texas Rangers.
“Who are a different species altogether, I’m beginning to suspect,” Elizabeth said. “I’m not even sure they’re human.”
Maria chuckled. “I notice you didn’t smile when you said that. He’s getting to you, eh? Well, he’s not as tough as he seems.”
Elizabeth’s eyebrows went up. “I don’t know. He seems pretty tough to me.”
“Until you get to know him. Growing up, he didn’t have much of a family. He loved his mother dearly but hated his stepfather, who drank and beat her. And then he beat Jake for trying to stop him.”
Elizabeth nibbled on her lower lip. “He’s never let on.”
Maria nodded. “He probably never will. He’s private about a lot of things. At fifteen he left home and joined the Army. At the time, the Army was desperate for new leaders, young men with manners and muscles. They grabbed him on the spot and sent him to specialty schools. At seventeen they made him a second lieutenant. Mind you, they thought he was three years older than he was.”
“That’s so sad,” Elizabeth said. “I had no idea. . . .”
Maria went on, “He also speaks Spanish, French, and Nahuatl, the language of my Aztec ancestors. It’s an asset to anyone who works in Mexico, particularly men like Ricardo and Jake. Your brother was also learning it.”
A small red flag shot up in Elizabeth’s mind. “You know my brother?”
Maria smiled. “You look a lot like him. Must be those bright blue eyes you both have. Jake brought him down to meet Ricardo a couple of months ago.”
Elizabeth’s breath caught in her throat.
Ricardo Romero was Lloyd’s connection in Mexico.
And it got him killed.
“Hey, inside, you ladies decent?” a male voice called.
“Yes, she is,” Maria said, laughing. She looked at Elizabeth. “I knew he’d be back.”
Jake and the two boys came into the kitchen. At his side, thumb in her mouth, Jakina held his hand.
“I didn’t hear you ride in,” Elizabeth said. “You forget something?”
He nodded. “Need to find out from Ricardo where the nearest telegraph office is to where I’m going. Last time I was in San Jose they had one, but they might’ve moved it. I don’t want to be asking around where it is. It could raise questions.”
Jakina removed her thumb and patted him to get his attention. He stooped and she whispered in his ear. Smiling, he turned her shoulders and gave her a nudge in Elizabeth’s direction.
Jakina walked to Elizabeth and peered up at her.
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