My Love Betrayed (20 page)

I felt Carlos’s hand gripping my shoulder in
support. The others glared at Charles, and he
glared right back. “Because I didn’t know! Not
until I went to Chicago. And then I flew right back
to be with Ellen. Believe me, I spent the whole
flight back here hating myself for leaving her!”

“But how do you know?” I insisted. “I just can’t
believe Greg and Edna were involved!”

Charles sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
“Ramirez hinted, once, that the police suspected
another American at the company. Someone Rick
was afraid to name. I was skeptical, especially
since Ramirez said it was someone important.
Then, Saturday, at the party, I overheard some
comments that made me start wondering. There
was a lot of gossip, of course, about Rick and his
arrest. Most of it pretty wild. But one thing was
consistent. Rick had been known by many people
to boast that he didn’t have to worry about his job
here; that he was on close terms with `the boss’s
wife.’ Only he never said which wife. I gather Rick
used to just laugh and say, `Melda,’ when anyone
asked.

“Okay. I knew all of the men whom Rick might
have considered his boss. None of them had wives
named anything remotely like Melda. So I flew to
Chicago to check the main personnel files, in
hopes of finding something there.” He paused. “I
did, all right. Edna Iveson. Maiden name: Winters. Onetime occupation: dancer under the
name of Esmelda.”

`Edna?” I was incredulous.

Charles’s face was grim. “I left a friend to keep
checking further, and flew back down here to get
you out of the Ivesons’ house. I knew it might all be
coincidence, but I wasn’t taking any chances. I
thought of calling you from Chicago, or sending a
telegram, but I was afraid it might endanger you
even more if they were involved; might trigger
some kind of action.”

“I still can’t picture Edna as a dancer,” I said
firmly. “Or as Rick’s girlfriend.”

“Edna only danced for a short while, years ago,
and gave it up as soon as she met Greg.” Charles
hesitated. “She wasn’t Rick’s girlfriend, Ellen. She
was his boss! She organized the route from here to
the United States, using her import business as a
cover. And she was careful. For the first year,
when customs would be most likely to make
random searches, she stayed clean. Later, she
started including the gems.”

“And Senor Iveson?” Carlos asked, his hand
still on my shoulder.

“At first, I don’t think he even knew what was
going on. But maybe that’s prejudice on my part.
Now he’s certainly in it, up to his neck.”

I shook my head. “I still don’t understand why
they had me kidnapped. Or how you guys found
me.

Carlos took over the explanation. “Senor
Whitford, he came to the office this morning, and
we explained about my promotion. He seemed upset and called the Ivesons’ house. The maid said
you and the senora had gone down to Cuernavaca.
Next, Senor Whitford called the policia and was
told Ramirez was on his way to Cuernavaca. So,
what could we do but follow?”

He paused, and Charles said, “We weren’t sure
whether Edna was bringing you to Cuernavaca, or
Xochicalco. So we stopped at the police station in
the town. Ramirez was there, so was Edna, and so
was the policeman who had been tailing you. I’d
guess that Edna had planned to wait a while before
reporting you missing. Unfortunately for her, your
policeman saw the kidnapping. He couldn’t stop
it, but did manage to get a good look at the car they
were using.

“On his way back to the parking lot and his car,
he found Edna, told her what he had seen, and
urged her to report it at once in Cuernavaca. What
could she do? She had to keep pretending she was
an innocent bystander, so Edna followed the
policeman into Cuernavaca. Meanwhile, Ramirez
had had a man following someone named Pepe.
As soon as he heard Pepe had left Mexico City,
headed south, Ramirez followed. You see, he’d
already had a report you were headed south, too.”

I nodded. “So you just followed Pepe here?”

Charles shook his head. “No. His tail lost him in
the middle of town. No, we found you by the
description of the car that your shadow gave us.”

“Why?” I asked. “Why was everyone after me?”
“Rick double-crossed his fellow smugglers. He
found a jeweler to hold the stones for him,
temporarily, until he could make other arrange ments. When he was caught, Rick tried to protect
himself by claiming you had them. And he was
believed. At least, by his partners. Ramirez was
skeptical and quietly tracked down the jeweler
through the earrings you told him about. As for
the Ivesons, I gather Edna had your things
searched repeatedly that was what was behind
the invitation to stay with them. And she tried to
pump you for information. But it was no go. So
the Ivesons arranged to have you kidnapped in
such a way that no one could possibly suspect
them of being involved. They were pretty desperate. The New York end was getting impatient.”

“And now?” I asked.

“Now it’s over. For you,” Charles said firmly.
“They may need you to testify, but that won’t be
for a few months, at least. Meanwhile, I’d guess
you’re free to go back to the States.”

I stared at Charles, waiting for him to say more.
Instead, Carlos spoke. “I think, Ellen, Senor
Whitford, we are not needed. You have a car here,
senor. You can drive Ellen back to Mexico City. I
will drive my friends.” He faced me. “We will see
you again, Ellen, before you leave Mexico, Si?”

I smiled warmly at the men. “Si!”

They moved away, and I noticed Ramirez and
his policemen were also ready to leave with their
prisoners. Charles looked at Ramirez, then said to
me, “I’ll be right back. Then we’ll go, too.”

He went off to talk with the police while I
retrieved my purse, trying to ignore the angry
women who watched me. Then we got into the car:
a small Volkswagen, grimy from the dusty drive down. Gently, Charles eased me into the passenger
side, then went round and got behind the steering
wheel. Noisily, the car started. I kept twisting my
hands together in my lap, having so much to say to
Charles and not knowing where to start. As we
pulled onto the road, Charles broke the silence.
“I’m not going to try to get to Mexico City tonight.
I’m too tired to drive that far, and you’re
exhausted, too. Instead, we’re going to try to get a
couple of rooms in Cuernavaca.”

Cuernavaca. I shivered, wanting to get away
from there. Charles understood. “I know. But we
really are too tired to go back tonight. I’ve spoken
to Ramirez and we’ll have discreet, but sufficient,
protection.”

“Okay,” I said, too tired to argue.

It was getting dark already by the time we
reached the center of town. And a hotel. I have a
pretty good idea what the desk clerk must have
been thinking of us. He looked astounded when
Charles said we wanted separate rooms. But he did
let us stay. After we paid in advance.

As we walked away from the desk, Charles
asked me, “What now, Ellen? Dinner? A shower,
first? Talk?”

“Talk,” I said. “I’m not very hungry, and when
we do eat, I’d rather we just got something from
room service. I don’t much feel like facing crowds
of people tonight.”

He nodded, understanding. “Okay.”

Our rooms were just down the hall from each
other. We went into mine. I suppose it was well
decorated, and I remember that the furniture was of some heavy wood. But that’s all I remember; I’m
afraid I didn’t much care.

Charles and I both seemed oddly shy. I walked
over to the window, needing something to stare at,
besides the man I loved. Charles hesitated, then
followed. He looked down at me, no more than a
foot away now. I met his eyes. “I have so much to
thank you for, Charles,” I said. Then I added, “I’m
not usually so clumsy with my life.”

He shrugged impatiently. “I didn’t think you
were. Ellen, forget about Rick. We all make
mistakes about people sometimes. So don’t brood
on this one. Above all, don’t blame yourself for
what happened. Any of it. You couldn’t have
guessed what he was really like. He was too good
at hiding who and what he was.”

Charles paused, and I nodded. He went on.
“Ellen, I know this is terrible timing, especially
after all the stupid things we’ve said to one
another, but I love you. I know I should have
waited to say it. Should have given you a chance to
know me, away from here, where we could be
ourselves. But so many things have happened that
I don’t want to risk not having a chance to tell you
at all!”

I cut him off before he could say anything more.
“Charles, it’s okay!” I stopped and smiled wryly. “I
love you. Oh, I’ve tried to tell myself I’m crazy. I’ve
tried to tell myself it won’t last. I’ve tried …I’ve
tried every way I know of to run from the truth.
And I’m tired of running, Charles. All I know is
that I love you, love you, love you. And I will
forever.”

As an answer, Charles kissed me. We spent a
while on that sort of thing, and in between made
plans for our wedding back in the States.
Eventually, between kisses, Charles remembered
about room service. I think it was close to
midnight when we ate.