The Outlaws_ A Presidential Agent Novel Part 44

"That's all grapefruit."

He taxied about halfway back down the runway, and then turned the nose toward the closed door of a hangar, and then shut the engines down.

"Carlitos," Svetlana said, her voice tinged with concern. When he looked at her, she pointed out the window.

Three very large, very swarthy men, each bearing a shotgun, had come around the side of the hangar and were approaching the airplane.

Castillo waved cheerfully at them, and after a moment, as they recognized him, they smiled and waved back.

"I better get off first," Castillo said. "Otherwise Max will probably get shot by people I've known since I was twelve."

He unstrapped himself quickly, rose from his seat, stepped into the cabin, and began to open the stair door.

"I trust the colonel is aware there are some armed, possibly unfriendly, indigenous personnel out there?" Uncle Remus asked.

The stair door opened and Castillo quickly went down it. Max leapt from the airplane, showed the men his teeth, and headed for the nose wheel.

The larger of the men tossed his shotgun to one of the others, spread his arms, and wrapped them around Castillo.

"Dona Alicia will be so happy, Carlos," he said.

"She's here?"

I should have considered that possibility. But it's too late now.

"Fernando brought her down yesterday. Dona Alicia said it was freezing in San Antonio," he said. And then added quietly: "I don't know about the dog, but I like your lady friend."

"Sweaty, say h.e.l.lo to Pablo," Castillo said. "We grew up together. The others are Manuel and Juan."

When all the introductions had been made, Pablo said, "Carlos, why don't you take one of the Suburbans and go up to the house? Just as soon as we push the plane inside, we'll bring your luggage."

"There's two cardboard boxes in the back," Castillo said, and then indicated with his hands the size. "Bring one of them, please?"

It was a ten-minute drive from the airstrip to the house, down a gravel road that led between the apparently endless grapefruit trees and over two more ridge lines.

No one was on the verandah of the sprawling, red-tile-roofed building to greet them, which Castillo considered surprising.

Castillo got from behind the wheel of the Suburban, waved for the others to follow him, walked across the verandah, pushed open the door, and bellowed, "Abuela, your favorite grandson is here; you can send the fat and ugly one back to the village."

The door to the living room opened, and Randolph Richardson III walked into the foyer and said, "Good afternoon, sir. I'm very glad to see you." Then he spotted Svetlana. "And you, too, ma'am."

Castillo's heart jumped into his throat. He was literally struck dumb and knew that all that would come out of his mouth if he tried to speak would be a croak.

Svetlana walked quickly to the boy.

"Are you kissing old Russian women this week, Randy?"

She went to the boy, put her arms around him, and kissed his cheek. He stiffened and seemed uncomfortable, but didn't try to free himself.

"What?" Svetlana asked. "I kiss you and you don't kiss me?"

After a moment, he raised his head and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

Castillo found his voice.

"What you have to understand, Randy," he said as he walked to the boy, "is that you're surrounded by strange people who hug and kiss each other."

Svetlana freed the boy, who then extended his hand to Castillo.

"Pay attention," Castillo said. "We shake hands with people we don't like. We hug and kiss people we like."

He put his arms around the boy.

"Sometimes, if we're related to them," Castillo said, "we even have to hug and kiss ugly fat people like the one in the door."

Fernando Manuel Lopez was now in the doorway to the foyer. And so was Maria Lopez, who did not like Carlos Guillermo Castillo very much in the first place, and whose facial expression showed she really disliked his characterization of her husband as fat and ugly.

Castillo kissed Randy's cheek and hugged him. The boy hugged back and then gave him the same sort of peck on the cheek he'd given Svetlana.

Castillo's heart jumped.

Don't blow this by pushing it.

He let the boy go.

"Sorry it didn't work, Fernando," Castillo said.

"What didn't work, Gringo?"

"The plastic surgery. You're even uglier than before."

"Jesus Christ, Gringo!" Fernando said, shaking his head. Then he embraced Castillo.

"Don't blaspheme, Fernando," Dona Alicia Castillo said as she came through the door. "And ..."

"... don't call Carlos 'Gringo,'" Fernando and Castillo finished for her in chorus.

The boy laughed.

Castillo embraced his grandmother.

"You could have let us know you were coming," she said, and then she spotted Svetlana and went quickly to her and kissed her.

"I'm so glad to see you, my dear," Dona Alicia said.

Then she moved to Barlow, Uncle Remus, and Lester, and kissed each of them. Every one seemed delighted to see everyone else except Mrs. Maria Lopez.

And now there was someone else in the foyer.

"How are you, General?" Castillo said as he advanced on Major General Harold F. Wilson, USA (Retired), with his hand extended.

That didn't work, either. General Wilson wrapped his arms around Charley and hugged him.

"Pay attention, Randy," Castillo said.

"I thought I heard a jet flying a little low over here," General Wilson said. "That was you?"

"A Cessna Mustang," Castillo said. "Great little airplane."

"Am I going to get to fly it?" Randy asked. "I flew the Lear here from San Antonio. I mean really flew it. Took it off, navigated cross-country, and landed it."

Castillo knew the boy was telling the truth when he saw the look on Maria's face. Clearly, she regarded fourteen-year-old boys flying as co-pilot of anything more complicated than a tandem bicycle as one more proof of the insanity of the family into which she had made the mistake of marrying.

"I think we can arrange that," Castillo said. "But only if you promise to forget everything Tio Fernando has taught you about flying."

"Now, you stop, the both of you," Dona Alicia said.

"Speaking of tios tios," Castillo began.

"Excuse me, dear?" Dona Alicia asked.

"It's very important that Tio Hector Garcia-Romero does not know that any of us are here, or that we've been in touch in any way."

"What's that all about? He's our lawyer, for G.o.d's sake," Fernando said.

"He's also in bed ..."

Castillo stopped and looked at Randy.

"I know," Randy said. "Little pitchers have big ears. This is where I'm told to go play with my puppy, right?"

"You do have a mouth, don't you?" Castillo asked.

"I wonder where he got that from, El Senor Boca Grande El Senor Boca Grande?" Fernando said.

"No, Randy," Castillo said. "I'm not going to tell you to go play with your puppy. Where is he, anyway?"

"His father is teaching him how to steal food in the kitchen," Fernando said.

"Well, why not?" Castillo said. "Dogs, like boys, have to grow up sometime. And if you need a teacher, go to an expert."

"Are you talking about your dog or yourself?" Fernando challenged.

"Both," Castillo said, and turned to the boy. "Randy, we both know that you have learned to keep important secrets."

And everybody in this room, from Lester to General Wilson, knows what that secret is.

"I don't think I like where this conversation is going," Fernando interrupted.

"I don't think I do, either," Dona Alicia said.

Castillo ignored both of them. He went on: "So I know, Randy, that if I tell you that this is an important secret-actually secrets, a bunch of them-and if they get out, people can be hurt, or even killed, I know that I can trust you to keep your mouth shut. Okay? If you don't want that responsibility, I'll understand if you want to take Max and his puppy for a walk."

"Jesus Christ, Gringo, he's fourteen years old," Fernando said. "He doesn't need to hear about people getting hurt or killed."

"Carlos, do you know what you're doing?" Dona Alicia asked.

"I'll stay," Randy said. And then added, "Thank you, sir."

"Okay. The family lawyer, Randy, El Senor El Senor Hector Garcia-Romero, is up to his ears in the drug business." Hector Garcia-Romero, is up to his ears in the drug business."

"I don't believe that!" Maria Lopez exploded. "Hector is Little Fernando's G.o.dfather."

"I don't care if you believe it or not, Maria," Castillo said. "What I'm worried about is your mouth. Will you give me your word to keep it shut?"

"Are you just going to stand there and listen to him talk to me like that?" Maria demanded of her husband.

Fernando looked at Castillo.

"Gringo, you better be sure you know what you're talking about."

"I do."

"Maria, honey, if you don't want to hear this, why don't you-"

Castillo cut him off. He said, "Maria, the best way I know to convince you to keep your mouth shut about Tio Hector, or anything else you will hear if you decide to stay, is to convince you that if you run your mouth, you'll be putting not only Tio Hector's life at risk, but your own, and Fernando's and your kids' lives and probably even Abuela's ..."

She glared at him and then icily demanded, "How could you dare to bring this ... this garbage garbage ... here?" ... here?"

"Fair question. First, I own half of this place. Second, I didn't know anyone was here. If I had known, we probably wouldn't be here. But the hand has been dealt, and we have to play it."

"You are sure about Hector, Carlos?" Dona Alicia asked earnestly.

"Abuela, I'm sorry, but it's true. We were just at a secret airport he operates in the Laguna el Guaje. He doesn't move drugs out of there, just the cash profits from the drug trade. Suitcases full of hundred-dollar bills."

"My G.o.d!"

"It's important that Hector doesn't know we're here. That no one knows we're here. I told Pablo that at the airstrip; he'll deal with it."

"Gringo, what the h.e.l.l is going on?" Fernando asked.

"You believe him?" Maria asked her husband incredulously.

"Yeah, sweetheart, I believe him. And you better believe him, too."