Page 3 of Prisoner of War
“How long?” Calli murmured, her gaze turning inward and far, far away.
“How long what?”
“How long ago? When did he go?”
“I’m not sure. I just happened to overhear it. I think along time ago. Right at the beginning, when we first made it here. Not lately. I don’t think anyone has risked going lately. The Insurrectos have things locked down too tight now.”
Calli’s gaze returned from wherever her mind had been. She pushed her hands through her hair slowly, as if she was stretching. Her hands trembled. “I think I understand now some of your frustration. The pat on yourhead—for your own good.”
The twist to her tone Minnie interpreted easily. “Don’t go ripping Nick to shreds, Calli. He needs you. Besides, I’ve done enough ripping for the day.”
Calli took a calming breath and rested the back of her head against the wall. Then she opened her eyes. “Mama Roseta was making coffee when I pushed through the kitchen. Come and have a cup.”
“Spiced?”
“American.”
“Thank god for that.”
* * * * *
Mama Roseta was a three-hundred-pound, five-foot-nothing rolling ball of soothing gentleness. Without discussion, she had taken over the kitchen and despite near silence, kept a dozen volunteers organized and productive.
With her usual uncanny instinct, she had two cups of normal coffee already poured when Minnie and Calli walked into the kitchen, stepping overand around children on the floor and workers at the long tables and benches. Mama Roseta pushed the cups toward them as they approached her, gave one of her smiles that made her small eyes twinkle, before moving off down the kitchen like a square rigger at full sail.
There was no room at the tables for sitting, so they took their coffees back to the narrow, small balcony overlooking the Pacific,which had been declared off limits to everyone except Nick’s immediate family and friends. Minnie’s escape had scattered everyone and they had the balcony to themselves. Night was falling. Nothing was left of the sun but a sliver of orange-red brilliance dropping into the sea.
Calli stirred her coffee carefully. “Have you considered the possibility that Duardo really is dead, Minnie? Have youthought it through?”
“Of course I have.” Irritation touched her. Minnie pushed it away. “God, I’m not stupid. Do you think this is me refusing to face the truth or something?”
Calli blushed and returned to stirring her coffee. “Well, not just a refusal to face the truth, but...” She looked Minnie square in the eyes. “There’s guilt there too.”
Something inside Minnie jumped.
“I’m sorry,” Callisaid softly. “I know how your mind works.”
“You think I’m on a crusade to find Duardo so I won’t have to feel guilty?”
“Something like that.”
“Wrong.”
Calli nodded. “Okay.”
Only, the fury was there again. Huge. Towering. Minnie gripped the edge of the table, felt the solidness of the ancient wood against the trembling in her hand. The need to hit something! It was all she could think of.
She gripped until the pulsing need ebbed. Then she let go. “Here’s the thing,” she said and was relieved when her voice came out evenly. She didn’t want to hurt Calli. Not Calli, for her cousin had gone through hell for her, had saved her life...and Duardo’s. Calli had defied an entire country in order to haul Minnie’s ass out of the ashes. She had twisted the arm of the second most powerful manin that country in order to do it. Minnie would scream at Nick but never at Calli.
“Duardo could be dead,” Minnie agreed. “I’ve thought of it.” Her hand cramped and she massaged it back to life. “I thought of it and I discounted it...because it’s just not something I think I have the strength to stand knowing. I will not accept that he’s dead.”
Calli pursed her lips together, holding in hercomment. She was good at that and getting better from all the time she spent these days mixing with Nick’s generals and leaders. Minnie had never properly learned how to hold her tongue. She plowed on. “The other side of this lovely little coin life tossed me is, Duardo isn’t dead and I’m sitting here beating my chest and tearing out my hair. Sitting on my ass doing nothing.”
“This entire dilemmais based on a momentary impression that you only recall in hindsight,” Calli said softly.
“He was warm,” Minnie shot back. “He was warm when I let him go, when they lifted him down from the helicopter. Not just warm, but hot against my skin.”
“You didn’t notice it at the time.”
