Uneven Exchange (13 page)

“I don’t see a problem with that,” Armando offered. He looked to Conner. “What do you think?”

“No problem at all. Plus, you’ll feel better having a visual aid when you explain.”

“I agree,” Armando said.

“Okay.” Alexandra grimaced. “I guess this is it. My cab should be here any moment.”

“Doesn’t Daniela say
taxi
?” Armando teased.

“She says both,” Alexandra answered, suddenly feeling confident. Looking to Conner, she asked, “Did you find my ticket?”

“Yes, it’s here in Daniela’s purse. I mean your purse,” Conner corrected himself. “There’s also your license, passport, credit cards, and the works. Mando already replaced the lipstick. Now do you still remember how to use it?”

“Yes. Natalie had me do several practice tests.” The tube of lipstick was especially designed to hold a vial of an ephedrine-based narcotic. When opened and twisted up, the lipstick appeared to be ordinary. She would have no problems with airport security, and even a curious seeker would be able to apply the red-wine-colored gloss.

During her practice sessions, Alexandra had learned to twist the tube, exposing the entire product. The clear plastic base would then need to be turned counterclockwise and removed. A tiny vial was hidden inside a tube contained in the center of the lipstick canister. Once removed, she could reattach the lipstick, making it fully operational.

Having already said good-bye, Conner and Armando remained in the bedroom, away from view, while Alexandra waited by the door for the taxi. Her moment had come. She could no longer rely on their direction. As Daniela, Alexandra knew she would be alone. But she also knew her faith in God would be with her. In fact, she could not remember a time she needed God more.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

THE CONFRONTATION

Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico

Rico. Alexandra recalled hearing Daniela give her brother specific instructions not to let Rico pick her up at the airport. Yet there he stood, casually leaning against the airport wall, waiting for her arrival. He immediately spotted Alexandra and moved to intercept her path.

Alexandra regarded his appearance, realizing the photographs were not able to portray the sensual magnetism of his looks. Rico had the build of a welterweight prizefighter with knockout-punch looks to match. His curly, raven-black hair and corresponding ink-black eyes gave him an alluring, wanton look. Alexandra was caught off guard by the surprise of feeling an immediate attraction.

She walked to meet him and strained to sound irritated. “Where is Mago?” she demanded. “I thought he was picking me up.”

“What kind of greeting is that?” He looked at her from top to bottom.

“I’m sorry,” she quickly relented. “Hello,
Ricardo
,” she emphasized his name. “Thank you for picking me up. Now tell me. Why didn’t my brother come personally?”

Rico’s voice sounded overly seductive. “You know he likes to stay close to home. Anyway.” With one quick move, he freed her hands by taking the bags and placing them on the terminal floor. He also slid the blueprints from under her arm and propped the roll against the wall. Then he gently grasped her left hand and turned her wrist up to meet his parted lips. While keeping his mouth pressed against her pulse, he repeated the motion with her right hand and left her burning flesh for the second it took to move from one wrist to the next.

Alexandra was mesmerized. She allowed him to guide her hands around his neck, then Rico placed his arms around her waist. He pulled her to him, pressing their lower bodies firmly together. “
Mi amor
,” he groaned. “What is this Ricardo name you call me?”

By the time Rico moved his mouth to her lips, Alexandra’s knees had gone weak, and she no longer had the strength to resist. As his tongue searched for hers, a feeling of heated intoxication flooded her body. She lost all control and returned his kiss with a fiery passion.

“I can’t wait to get you home,” he whispered before placing his tongue in her ear.

She shuddered passionately and then fought to revive her control, shocked back to reality by the fear of that statement.
What the hell am I doing
, she screamed silently. Then looking directly at him, she firmly stated, “Rico, this cannot happen.”

“It is too late, my love. It has already happened.”

Once again, Rico attempted to pull her toward him, but Alexandra had completely resuscitated her senses. She jerked backward and finally took control of the risky situation. “Rico, stop it! I’m not here to see you. I came to talk with Mago.”

“But I miss you. I want to be with you,” Rico pleaded as he reached for her. Alexandra backed farther away to avoid his touch.

“Rico, this is not the time or the place to get into our relationship.”

“Then when is? Tell me, Daniela. You break off our engagement and tell me nothing.”

Not knowing how to respond, Alexandra’s mind raced. But Rico apparently mistook her silence for wavering. He grabbed her hand. “Daniela, I’m so lonely without you. Come and stay with me at the hacienda. We can make it work.”

“No, Rico,” she fired back. “That is not possible.”

“Then I’ll come and stay with you in Cancun.”

“No! That’s not possible either.”

“I don’t understand. Why not?”

“Listen,” Alexandra said decisively, “give me this time to spend with Mago and I will make another time for us to talk. Okay?”

“Is there a chance for us?”

“Not if you keep asking me,” Alexandra cautioned. “The next two days are off-limits for us. I need to speak with my brother.”

“Okay, okay. I get the message.” He picked up her belongings. “Is this all you brought?”

“This is it,” she responded, relieved by the change in conversation.

As they walked through the modest terminal and then out toward the car, Rico and Alexandra chatted casually about the progress of the
Huachinango
. After hearing so many of Daniela’s telephone calls, she was able to give him a full rundown of the menu. On the drive to the hacienda, she tantalized Rico with the specifics of her favorite culinary creations.

“Stop, stop! You’re making me hungry,” he teased as he pulled up to the massive wooden gate of the hacienda and pressed the intercom button.

“
¿Sí?
” A man’s voice sounded from the box.

“It’s me, Rico. I’m back with Señorita
Santiago.”

Slowly, the gate opened, allowing them to enter. Alexandra knew the intercom was used merely as a backup. Several cameras were positioned to film every angle of the brightly lit driveway.

Rico acknowledged the guards as he stopped the car directly in front of the monumental home. He got out, moved to open her door, and then offered to bring in her bags. “Go on in.”

“What about the blueprints?”

“I’ll get them too,” he offered, reaching into the backseat.

Alexandra’s heart pounded as she stepped up to the massive double doors. Their ornate black iron trim looked identical to the photograph in the portfolio at the Administration, and for some strange reason, this tiny object of familiarity gave her a slight feeling of relief. She opened the heavy doors and stepped inside.

Santiago stood erect and alone in front of a stone fireplace. In one hand he held a glass sphere half-filled with an amber-colored liquid.

“Mago,” Alexandra exclaimed, imitating Daniela. She raced to greet Santiago with the same flagrant display of emotion. As usual, he barely returned her embrace. She looked up at him, still smiling, and wondered about the unusual relationship between brother and sister. Alexandra expected to feel repelled by Santiago but somehow was not. Just like Daniela, she seemed oblivious to his abhorrent nature.

“Where do you want these?” Rico asked, joining them in the living room.

Anxious for a moment by herself, Alexandra rushed toward him. “Here, I’ll take them. I need to freshen up.”

Before Rico was able to pass her the bags, Santiago instructed, “No, you take them to Daniela’s room.”

“At least give me the blueprints.” Alexandra pulled them out from under Rico’s arm. Then, still anxious, she added, “I’ll go with you.” Instantly, Alexandra recognized her pitch was too high.

“You stay here,” Santiago demanded.

Alexandra broke into Spanish. “But Mago, I need to use the bathroom.”

He ignored her comment and walked close enough to reach for the plans. As Santiago slid the roll from her grip, she could hear Rico’s footsteps echoing farther away on the tile floor, and suddenly, she felt the terror of isolation.
Dear God, please help me.

“Let me see what you have here.” Santiago removed the blueprints from their case and glided the rubber band to the end of the roll. “What is so important that you could not tell me on the telephone?”

“I said I have to use the bathroom,” Alexandra responded indignantly, then turned to walk away.

Her head abruptly snapped backward as Santiago intertwined his hand around her cascading hair. He then pulled sideways, forcing her head to turn. As Alexandra struggled to free herself, his grip tightened. Her neck locked, thrusting her body into a contorted posture. He moved his face to within inches of hers and just breathed. She could smell the pungent aroma of brandy.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

Alexandra winced as she grappled for freedom. Her eyes watered from the constant tugging at her hair. But the pain rushed adrenaline through her system, causing rage rather than fear to consume her. With a final tug of her hair, Santiago released her and stepped back.

“Answer me,” he said.

Slowly and precisely, the individual muscles in her face froze, transforming her look into a solid glacier. “What the hell do you think you are doing?”

Santiago looked at her cautiously. “You are not acting like my sister.”

“And you are not acting like my brother,” she growled. “How dare you grab me like that?”

“Then tell me. What’s wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with me?” she screamed. “Didn’t I tell you not to let Rico pick me up?”

“Would you have preferred me to send Camacho?”

Alexandra knew Daniela loathed Carlos Camacho. Still angered, she responded, “No! I expected you! I don’t understand why my own brother can’t be bothered to pick me up. Are you too good to drive to the airport?”

“You know I rarely leave the hacienda.”

“And why is that?” Alexandra yelled, instantly regretting her question. Santiago moved closer. Almost in slow motion and without warning, he slapped her violently across the face.

“Don’t you ever question me about my business.”

Alexandra fought to keep her balance as the biting sting rushed blood to her cheek. She lightly touched her face, looked at Santiago, and suddenly struck him back. He stared at her, completely dumbfounded. The slap rang through Alexandra’s palm as fear pervaded her mind. But the damage was done, and her only choice was to wait for his next move.

Slowly, Santiago began to chuckle. First, his laughter was chopped, barely audible. Then it developed into a gut-wrenching howl. Alexandra stared at him as if hypnotized, not daring to join in. Finally, he ambled over to drape his arm across her shoulder.

“Well, I know one thing,” he said. “Only two people in the world could have gotten away with that. The first was our mama, when she was alive, and now you, my baby sister.”

“I’m sorry, Mago,” she said quietly.

“Ha! Don’t be sorry. I deserved it,” he responded before draining the last drop of his brandy. Then he chucked his glass into the empty fireplace and seemed amused by his own actions. “Finally, that lazy maid will have something to clean.”

Alexandra refrained from comment as she looked at the shards of broken glass. She could tell Santiago had thrown many glasses onto the floor in the past.

He abruptly changed the mood by saying, “Here, take your plans and we’ll talk tomorrow. I’m going to bed.” He walked away before Alexandra could say good night.

Although the hour was early, she was certainly grateful for the respite. Alexandra went straight to Daniela’s suite and locked the door before falling backward onto the thick, comfortable bed. Without moving, she relived her first encounter with Miguel Santiago, the Magician. God had provided her with the natural instinct to make it through. Alexandra looked up to heaven and offered a prayer of thanks.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

LOCKED IN

Uncertain of her next move, Alexandra also decided to retire early. She hurried to unpack her bags and concluded a bath might help ease the tension. After filling the bathtub with warm water, she added some bath salts, undressed, and stepped in. But instead of relaxing, she felt vulnerable in her bare skin. With a feeling of increased tension, she stepped out of the tub and rushed to dress for bed.

Sleep would not come, and any attempt at prayer only blurred into jumbled thoughts. She also felt extremely guilty over her lapse in judgment with Rico. After staring at the ceiling for countless hours, Alexandra finally got up and paced around the room. The anxiety she had been experiencing for hours had left her expended. Her body yearned to slumber, but her mind refused. Deciding a cup of hot milk might soothe her, Alexandra risked venturing from the protection of her room to the kitchen. She unlocked her door and turned the knob. It moved, but the door would not open. Alexandra panicked, realizing someone had locked the dead bolt from the other side.

Again, she relied on her instinct. Daniela would never allow herself to be caged. First, she pounded on the door with her fist. No answer. She imagined the brandy had lulled Santiago into a deep sleep. Then she put on Daniela’s robe and an old pair of tennis shoes and headed for the window. She slid it open, lifted out the screen, and turned around to crawl outside.

But before Alexandra firmly grounded both of her feet, a man grabbed her from behind. He quickly wrapped his arms around her body and locked both hands together around her waist. His aggressive movements caused her loosely tied robe to open, revealing the satiny fabric of her nightgown. Feeling the softness of her skin through the flimsy material, he stoked her nightgown for a second, then purposefully raised his calloused hands to meet the weight of her bosom.

Alexandra exploded, jabbing her elbow into his unsuspecting gut, and thrashed wildly as adrenaline rushed through her. When his grip loosened, she pulled away, turned, and slapped his face.

“You pig,” she screamed.

Camacho snagged her arm as she positioned herself to strike again.

Alexandra clenched her teeth. “Let go of me,” she warned.

He held on tightly.

“I said, let go of me,” she growled, “or I’ll scream for Rico. Better yet, just one word to my brother and you know he will cut off what little chance you already have of being a man!”

Camacho’s eyes bulged as he dropped Alexandra’s arm and moved clear of her path. Without saying another word, she stormed into the house and headed straight for Santiago’s bedroom.

Santiago wrenched his bedroom door open, interrupting Alexandra’s incessant pounding. “What is going on here?” he demanded.

“Ask Camacho!” Alexandra pointed furiously to the chubby man standing in the hallway.

“It wasn’t my fault. Really, boss, it wasn’t my fault,” he stammered.

“Oh get off it,” Alexandra screamed. “You’re probably the one who locked my door in the first place.”

“What is this about a locked door?” Santiago asked, still sounding annoyed.

Alexandra sensed an opportunity to further win Santiago to her side. “Oh Mago,” she whimpered. “When I got up to get something to drink, I was locked in. So, not wanting to disturb you, I went out through my window.”

“Yeah, boss, and I mistook her for an intruder.” Camacho looked directly at Alexandra, almost challenging her to oppose him.

Knowing he was lying, she narrowed her eyes and coldly returned his stare, but Santiago appeared too tired to notice their exchange. Instead, he took her hand and rubbed it softly, surprising Alexandra.

“Why was her door locked in the first place?” he asked Camacho.

“For safety reasons, boss,” Camacho explained.

Santiago nodded. “I understand, but no more, okay?”

“Sure, boss. Anything you say.”

“Daniela. Go back to sleep, my little sister. We can talk about this tomorrow.”

She looked sideways at Camacho, sensing his nervousness. “No, it’s okay, Mago. We can forget about it. I don’t want to waste the few days I have with my brother.” Then she added, “But may I really spend time with you tomorrow? We didn’t get a chance this evening.” She could almost visualize his kindness toward her rapidly fading.

“Maybe I’ll have more time tomorrow night,” he said, dropping her hand.

“Please, Mago,” she said, pushing for a specific time. “Let’s just you and me sit and talk. Do you still have that special wine in the cellar?”

“Which one?” he asked. Alexandra sensed she was being tested.

She froze, momentarily forgetting the name. “The, uh…the Gaja Barolo Sperss,” she blurted, quickly remembering.

He puffed his chest out arrogantly. “I have a case.”

“That’s amazing, Mago. I know it is hard to find.” After her praise, Alexandra made her tone submissive. “Is there a chance we may share just one of the bottles tomorrow evening?”

“Of course there is.” Then, turning to Camacho, he ordered, “Go now, and bring me a bottle. No, bring me three bottles!”

“
Sí, señor.
” Camacho glared at her as he answered Santiago. Alexandra could tell Camacho was furious. By sending him on a trivial errand at this time of night, Santiago had made him look unimportant and more like a servant.

Alexandra returned Camacho’s glare with a warning look of her own. By not telling Santiago about his groping hands, Alexandra figured Camacho owed her. “I don’t like him, Mago,” she said when he left.

“You never did,” he responded quietly while walking Alexandra to her room.

As he unlocked her bedroom door, she said, “I know. But I like him even less now.” She entered her room, and before closing the door reached up to hug him good night.

After the locked-door fiasco, Alexandra gave up on the idea of hot milk, sensing nothing short of a Valium would put her to sleep. With Camacho in heat, she also realized she was probably safer staying awake.

Alexandra secured her screen and checked the interior locks on her door and windows. Then she crawled into bed, deciding to settle for a time of relaxation. If sleep came, it would be a bonus.