Page 79 of Off the Rails
Chapter 20
Maria wondered if this was it. The final goodbye.
She wanted Ian to book a hotel and rest, but she was too tired to argue with him about it. He’d been ordering her around all day. Do this, do that. Stay here, go there. One minute he was saying something romantic, the next he was being a total ass. He kept glancing around the bus station as if he thought the police might have followed them all the way here from El Limbo. Maybe the fever had cooked his brain like an egg.
The bus to Hermosillo didn’t leave for two more hours. Although he hadn’t bought a ticket yet, she assumed he would follow through on his plan to pursue Sarai, especially now that Armando had been seen alive.
Maria knew she couldn’t convince Ian to go easy on Armando. There was too much bad blood between them. Armando had broken too many laws. She understood that he was acting in Sarai’s best interests, not his own, but those motives didn’t matter to Ian. He was determined to take Armando down. If the two men met up in Benjamín Hill, there would be a battle, and she wasn’t sure Ian would win. The more desperate man always had the advantage.
Armando would do anything for his daughter. He’d strike first, and shoot to kill.
While they waited, she took the opportunity to call the pharmacy in Mezcala. The store owner sent his son across the street to fetch her mother. A moment later, Virginia Santos was on the line. The sound of her happy voice brought fresh tears to Maria’s eyes.
“M’ija! I’m so glad you called!”
“How is everyone?”
“We’re fine. I talked to Hugo.”
Maria was cheered by this news. “Really?”
“He said he got robbed on the train. Some boys took his money and gave him a black eye, but he’s okay. He had to take a break from traveling to rest.”
“When did he call?”
“Two days ago.”
“Where is he?”
“He was in Mazatlán. I don’t know if he’s still there.”
“Mazatlán?”
“Yes. That’s where he called from. Where are you? Are you with your boyfriend? He is very handsome, but your father wouldn’t approve of you going away with a stranger. Señora Rivera told everyone you were an Americanputanow.”
“She did?”
“Well, no one believed her, but she did say it. You know she’s always been jealous because her daughter isn’t as pretty as you.”
“Her daughter married Juan Diego,” Maria pointed out.
“Good thing you didn’t marry him. He spends all of his nights at the cantina.”
“I have to go, Mamá,” she said. “I’ll call you later.”
Her mother protested, but Maria hung up.
Ian was standing right behind her. “Who’s Juan Diego?”
“My old boyfriend from Mezcala.”
His nostrils flared, as if he could smell a rival.
“Never mind that,” she said, grasping his arm. “My brother is here.”
“Where?”
“In Mazatlán. At the cargo station.”
