IT WAS A good thing he couldn’t see what was going on at Latigo two days later. Mina and Sandra were sitting in the living room with five men dressed in casual clothes. But they weren’t casual people. They were Mina’s commando group, and their delight in her marriage and pregnancy made her feel very good. Three of them had wives and kids of their own.

“When the baby comes,” Ry said with a grin, “we’ll teach him the fine art of stealth!”

Mina laughed. “I can hardly wait.”

“I want to know all about that stint you mentioned in the Congo,” Sandra said, with an apologetic glance at Mina.

“So do I,” Mina laughed. “But first,” she said, pulling out her cell phone and turning to the Notes Application, “I need to know about drug smuggling on the Texas border and interdiction strategies.”

“That will be my pleasure,” Ry said. His face hardened. “One of my men left to work in the Border Patrol. He was killed by a group of drug smugglers. Most of them are well armed and they have nothing to lose. They don’t mind killing government employees, ranchers or anyone else who gets in their way.”

Mina nodded, having already researched as much about smuggling as she could find on the internet. There was, however, no comparison with men who knew about it from personal experience.

“We’re having problems with drug smugglers now,” Vic interjected, having joined them with Chaca right behind carrying a tray of coffee and cups. “Thanks, Chaca,” he added as she put it down, smiled and left them to it.

“Interesting,” Ry said. “How so?”

“They’re using the southern border of our ranch as a trade route, you might say,” Vic replied. “We have good intel that they’re part of the Zetas. Camo, military gear and weapons, the works. One of our cowboys got shot on my own land.”

Ry pursed his lips and his eyes began to twinkle. He looked at his men and saw the same anticipation on their faces. “This is the sort of thing we truly enjoy interfering with,” he told Vic. “Think of us as a pro bono ex-military group on a stealth mission. Nobody will know except us.”

Vic whistled softly. “My son really wouldn’t like this.”

“Your son really doesn’t have to know,” Ry chuckled.

Mina groaned inwardly. This was going to be one more thing that she’d have to explain to Cort. But if it would help keep the ranch solvent…

“And no, you can’t come with us this time,” Ry told Mina firmly.

She made a face at him.

“How about me?” Sandra asked excitedly. “I went on a SWAT raid once. I can shoot a .45 auto.”

“Not on your life,” Vic said immediately, and gave her a look that could have boiled water. “I’m not risking you. Not for anything.”

Sandra flushed a little and smiled. “Well, maybe I’ll wait to hear all about it when you get back,” she told them.