Her eyes flicked to the pilot and back to Cann. “Yeah. Please.”
When she emerged from the bare bones hangar unisex toilet, she climbed in behind the pilot. She’d been told to sit there to equalize the weight. Cann would sit in front with the pilot. She supposed that meant that she and the pilot together weighed about the same as Cann. Although the backpack and groceries were stowed on the empty seat next to her.
The next few hours of flying low across northern Mexico was something she would never forget for the rest of her life. And Cannon Johns was exactly right. The trip from the city of Chihuahua to Del Rio wasreallyflying.
After a couple of hours the pilot announced that they had just flown over the state line and were in Coahuila. An hour after that they flew over the Maderas del Carmen range and the winds buffeted the plane about. Bud didn’t feel frightened by it. When the plane dropped a few feet leaving her stomach aloft, she laughed out loud.
They landed, taxied, and pulled to a stop just steps away from a newish silver van. A young twenty-something guy stood by the sliding door wearing a smile and a leather vest with patches. He’d clearly left the door open for Bud and Cann.
Another man wearing a cut approached and offered his hand to Cann.
“I’m Gerson. Driving you this fine day.”
“Thank you.” Cann shook the man’s hand then turned to Bud. “You good?”
She shook her head. “Restroom,” she said under her breath.
“Lady needs a pit stop.”
Gerson turned and told the guy leaning against the van to show the woman to the toilet. Cann nodded at Bud to indicate it would be okay for her to go without him.
Cann and Gerson chatted about the weather until Bud rejoined them.
As Bud climbed into the backseat Cann nodded to the guy who was apparently riding ‘shotgun’ before joining her. The van was luxurious, custom outfitted. Cann wondered if it was bulletproofed, but it would have been insulting to ask. So he didn’t.
When the van reached the road that would take them into the city, they were joined by about thirty-five bikers wearing cuts like Gerson’s. The rockers said Demonios de Viento.Wind demons.
Half of the bikers went in front of the van. The other half pulled in behind in a formation that had apparently been worked out ahead of time.
Bud said nothing, but raised her eyebrows as if silently asking about the exchange. Cann shrugged in response then impulsively reached over, put his hand on hers and gave a little reassuring squeeze.
When Bud looked from Cann’s face down to the big hand resting on top of hers, he quickly pulled back and looked out the window.
“What’s all this?” Cann asked.
“Full honors,” Gerson replied. ”You and the lovely lady must be a very big deal.”
Cann laughed softly. “No. That would be my Prez, I guess.”
“These days Del Rio can be unpredictable. We’ve been told to make sure you arrive safely. And that is what we will do.”
“Where’re we goin’?”
Gerson looked surprised. “You don’t know?”
“I’m a soldier. I was told that people would get us to Del Rio. I wasn’t briefed on logistics.”
“I see. Well, seems the two of you will be privileged to be guests of one of Del Rio’s most important families.”
Twenty minutes later they pulled up to a walled estate with armed guards posted at the gates. The van was allowed inside. The bikers stayed where they were.
After a couple of minutes of winding driveway, they pulled up in front of a parking court with a fountain in the middle. The hacienda-style house with cream stucco walls and red tile roof was palatial.
A man opened half of an impressive double door entry and a woman swept through. She descended the steps with the intention of greeting guests it seemed.
Bud was instantly on feminine alert. The woman was impeccably styled from the top of her slicked back hair to the red bottoms of her two thousand dollar Jimmy Choo high heeled sandals. She wore red lipstick to match her red suit with gold buttoned lapels that swept into a deep vee neck just a little too revealing for Bud’s taste. The suit was custom tailored so that it hugged curves and waist like a second skin.
When the woman ignored her and began fawning over Cann, Bud disliked her even more. She wasn’t paying attention to what was being said until Cann turned to her. “Bud. This is Señora Gutierrez.”