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"Head for Diego Rivera," I said as we cas took so difficult Here, the streets flooded easily, and soh my cracked"It’s in the financial district"

So eous Quinta Real, a colonial hotel of marble sandstone that looked like a palace Inside it was more of the same, impossibly sumptuous with a staff that knew service No pool, but the in-room Jacuzzi more than rand class suite I sighed, re that I’d stayed there alone Still, a room that contained fine tapestries and sculptures, beautiful paintings with lavish gilt frames, decorative inlaid olden coluht There were advantages to knowing afarther tonight

Chasing Geese

I’d like to claim that Chance took one look at the hotel and fell upon his knees, declaring his undying devotion I’d like to say he apologized for everything that rong between us and pro it up to me But if I did, you probably wouldn’t believe another word I said, especially with regard to Chance

Instead he offered a s to tempt me?"

"Absolutely The weather is rotten and on’t be able to see anyone about the purse untilwheel His answer caave the keys over to the valet attendant We stepped out of the driving rain and into another world, one filled with lavish service and utter opulence Assessing the foyer in a glance, he said softly, "It’s like one of the grand old hotels in Europe Can I get a et just about anything here, as long as you can pay for it They’ll even do your shopping, although the ht now"

He nodded like that was good to know, and I helped hih English to do business in major commercial cities, but they think better of you if you speak enough Spanish to do it that way; it’s an al in the eyes

Once upstairs, I left Chance in the hands of ahim in ways that were only permitted in the zona de tolerancia in Nuevo Laredo He was sound asleep when I finally crawled out of the sunken marble tub, pink and wrinkled like a newborn I stood for a moment, wrapped in my plush hotel bathrobe, and watched him sleep Somehow he always looked innocent in repose, a ridiculous premise if you knew him at all

As I turned, I heard hio"

I didn’t hesitate because he wasn’t alive in thesomeone else as well In a remote corner of my mind, I wondered whether he had spoken those words aloud as the door closed behind me Could I believe he’d loved me once?

I couldn’t answer that as I lay down on the couch, wrapping myself up in spare blankets However, I did knoould be a bad idea to sleep with Chance again, even to lay in the sa it hard to tell hih the search with as race as possible

We breakfasted en suite, fruit and yogurt for hi, he looked reray trousers paired with a mist and mauve striped button-down To look at hiirls

I put on a long skirt and a peasant blouse and kept a green cardigan out just in case it turned cool, one of those long retro sweaters with a belt All told, I possessed a delightful hippie chic, and I took pleasure in the way Chance squinched up his eyes

Three hours later, after a painless border crossing, we arrived in Laredo I had left the US before they changed passport requirements, but they don’t look too hard at red-haired woe froreed toforward to it because cops typically got that look when Chance said a victim’s family wanted me to examine the personal effects I preferred private consultations, as life hadn’t left me any love for local law enforcement

By the time we parked outside the station house, I’d worked up a nice set of nerves "Is he going to give me a hard time?"

"I don’t think so He’s not your typical asshole"

As alked into police headquarters, a sandstonethat could have doubled as a ertips back and forth over the new scabs on my palm In response, he brushed his hand across o I used to take heart frolad I didn’t have to deal with Laredo in suh a lot of bureaucratic bullshit, but a detective stood waiting for us at the desk

"Thanks for ed polite words

My horave hi, tall Texan in battered boots, touched with Latin heat He had legs that stretched forever in jeans faded alner "wear" but Levi’s washed till the seae to his belt in plain sight

As I checked out the rest of him, I admired shoulders showcased by a rureen blazer He had a striped tie stuffed in his right jacket pocket, probably to satisfy the letter of the dress code Nice face, I decided, if scruffy and unshaven Frosting the hunk cake was a tousled mess of tawny, sun streaked hair