“Tell him that his primary—no, his only job—will be to watch our guest.” René stabbed a finger down at Evan on the mat.

Manny cleared his throat. “Solamente … solamente tienes que echarle un ojo a nuestro huésped.”

“Tell him you are hopeful for his success and wish him well.”

Manny’s Adam’s apple twitched. He turned to René. “Por favor—”

“You are hopeful for his success and wish him well.”

“Tengo la…”

René nodded encouragingly.

Manny licked his lips, his gold caps gleaming. His brow glistened with sweat. “Tengo la esperanza de … de tu éxito y … y … te deseo … deseo lo mejor.”

René looked at Xalbador, who raised his AK-47 and put a tight grouping of bullets through Manny’s chest.

Evan thought, Two dogs, five guards, two snipers, David, and Dex.

Xalbador dragged Manny’s body out through the rear barn doors, leaving a path of blood across the concrete.

“Nice show,” Evan said.

“Don’t worry,” René said. “It’s not over yet.”

Dex pushed open the door to the interior office and pulled Despi out by her hair.

41. No Ready Answer

41

No Ready Answer

Despi kicked and tried to shove herself away from Dex, but she was seismically overpowered. He carried her across the barn like a squirming lab rat and set her gently on her feet before René. Dex kept one hand clamped on the back of her neck.

Somehow Evan had managed to find his feet. Four guards ringed him. In case the Kalashnikovs weren’t sufficient, each was armed with a transmitter for the shock collar.

Anyone could get in on the fun now.

René regarded Despi. “Our guest used a car jack to aid in his non-escape,” he said. “Any idea where he got it?”

Evan said, “I stole it from the barn when I snuck in here yesterday.”

René kept his gaze steady on Despi. She writhed in Dex’s grip, and then the muscles of his arm corded and she gave a yelp and stopped struggling.

“If you tell the truth,” René said, “I won’t hurt you.”

“I’d never take anything from her,” Evan said. “I don’t trust her. She’s one of your employees.”

“Despi,” René said gently, “I have cameras in the barn. Is this really a lie you want to stand behind?”

Slowly, she raised her eyes to meet René’s. She gave the faintest shake of her head, the tips of her dark locks swaying.

“Did you give him the car jack?” René asked.

Her lips trembled. She nodded.

“Okay.” He stroked her chin. “Okay.”

“Do you really have cameras in the barn?” she asked.

“No,” René said.

She bit her lower lip. “You promised you wouldn’t hurt me.”

“And I will honor that promise,” René said. “Nothing will happen to you. In fact, nothing will happen here at all.”

She closed her eyes, freeing tears that slid down her olive skin.

René turned and started out.