“Yes.” Steve rose from the chair and let the front two legs slam back to the plank floor with a loud smack. “I’ve had the dubious pleasure of meeting Señor Luna.”

“I’m not surprised. Is there anyone in Mexico you do not know?”

“Actually, I met him in Italy a few years ago. He was quite taken by…an opera singer.”

“Ah.” Brandon’s gaze was assessing. “Signorina di Paoli is a lovely, fiery young woman, if a bit…headstrong at times. Tell me, does she still provoke gunfights?”

“If she can. I’ll need some weapons, food, a horse.”

“Of course. I’m sure Delgado will provide them, whether he approves or not.” Brandon drummed his fingers on the wood surface of the desk, a soft sound. “You’re going to Mexico City, I presume.”

“Where is she staying?”

“Calle Manzanares. Give her my regards.”

Steve didn’t answer. He was remembering Rafael Luna and their last meeting, and thought of Ginny with the man.

Christ! It had been Luna in Ojinaga dancing with Ginny that night. He should have remembered him. But he had been too intent on his passionate, tempting little wife to pay more than perfunctory attention to her dancing partner. Now Luna had Ginny. And if he did to her what he had tried to do to Francesca, this time he would kill him. He should have done it last time. Now it might be too late.

29

Winter had come to Mexico City, with warm days and cool nights. President Díaz entered the city in triumph on November 21, and the citizens celebrated. Ginny was invited to palace balls, to the elegant, grand affairs honoring the new president, but found to her dismay that General Luna was her assigned escort.

Ginny struggled in a familiar nightmare, caught between pain and anger, old memories dredging up doubts. Oh God, not again! Should she even look for Steve? He’d disappeared so many times before, and yet she had the persistent feeling that this time, it wasn’t by choice. If only she could talk to Paco, or even Bishop, but of course, she had no idea where they were, either.

And now to find out that Steve had another child…Why had he not told her?

She had vacillated between despair and rage since Luna had told her of it. If only she could believe it wasn’t true. But somehow, she knew it was.

Rafael Luna was too exultant, his satisfaction far too obvious for her to cling to the fiction that he was lying.

“Even your husband’s friend, Jim Bishop, knows of the child, Doña Genia. There are…reports on these things, and I have excellent resources to discover what I wish to know about a man I consider dangerous.” His lips pursed. “It is too bad he did not tell you about it, but I could help to soften the blow, should you need comfort.”