prison were pushed aside, and she held her breath, listening in earnest.
Chayne’s voice said sharply, "Today? Why didn’t he wait?"
"He had to get back to La Paz. He was supposed to be in Mazatlan by tomorrow. Any news of the shipment?"
A brief silence—perhaps a shrug?—and Chayne’s voice again. "It’s nearly August. We’re running out of time, amigo."
A placid chuckle, the scrape of feet on gravel. "You talk like a gringo, amigo. Be patient."
"Time, damn it. The Exposition—"
Geraldo’s soothing murmur cut him off. "Don’t worry. You know Gabriel will have the shipment here in plenty of time for the opening. And until he delivers it there is nothing for us to do but wait."
There was a murmur Julie couldn’t quite hear as the two men moved a little distance back down the path, and then Geraldo laughed. "
Manana, mi amigo. Manana! Buenas noches."
Julie was barely able to spring away to the far side of the hut before the door crashed back and Chayne came in, scowling. He stopped when he saw her, then came on, his frown deepening.
"What are you doing?"
Julie stammered, backing away. "Nothing! I was just waiting for you."
"Listening?"
"No, I—"
"Of course you were," he muttered, throwing her one more brief look of acute distaste and raking a hand through his hair. "You’re an agent. You can’t help it, I suppose." He seemed out of sorts, upset. Julie swallowed uncertainly, afraid of angering him further.
"You’d have been better occupied getting yourself into bed," he said acidly. "That was as much privacy as you’re going to get."
Julie stared at him. "Into what bed? Just where in the hell am I supposed to sleep?"
His back was toward her, his voice an impatient growl. "Don’t be stupid."
"I’m not stupid," Julie said tersely. "There is only one bed."
"That’s right," he muttered without looking up. He had begun to take things out of his pockets and put them on a low stool beside the bed.
"You said—" That traitorous quaver was in her voice again, and she fought to control it. "You told me I wouldn’t be sharing your bed. You said—"
"Don’t be an idiot," he snarled, turning on her, his eyes shooting sparks. "What do I have to do to make you understand the danger you’re in? You’re a cop! The only reason you’re not mummifying in some desert gully right now is because you happen to be both female and pretty, and I have been celibate for what to my compatriots is an unreasonable length of time. How would it look if I asked for another bed?"
"You said it would be up to me," Julie said, breathing hard. "You
lied."
He gave an incredulous snort. "In the catalogue of my sins that’s hardly a big–ticket item."
"Why did you bother to lie to me?" Julie said bitterly. "I couldn’t have done anything about it anyway. Why did you let me think—"
"Look, damn it, in a manner of speaking I suppose it is up to you. You can always take the floor. Take your chances with the lizards and scorpions."
They stared at each other in furious silence. Julie gave up first.
"Why are you being so cruel?" she whispered, not trusting her voice. "Why did you bother to save my life?"
He made that sound of annoyance and looked away. Then he looked back at her. "Am I being cruel?" His voice was quiet. "I didn’t mean to be."
"Oh, sure. And I suppose you didn’t mean to be a while ago, either."
"At dinner."
"Yes, at dinner. That was cruel. And unnecessary. What did I do that was so terrible that you had to humiliate me like that?"
He tightened his mouth and veiled his eyes, giving his face a cold, hostile look, like a mask. "You disobeyed me."
"Disobeyed? What am I? Your chattel? Your slave?"
His voice was cold. "No—just my prisoner. But even if you weren’t, you’ve got to get used to the idea that there is no such thing as women’s lib or equal rights here. Either way, I have the power to insist on obedience. In your case, it amounts to the power of life or death. Don’t forget that."
"How
Chayne’s voice said sharply, "Today? Why didn’t he wait?"
"He had to get back to La Paz. He was supposed to be in Mazatlan by tomorrow. Any news of the shipment?"
A brief silence—perhaps a shrug?—and Chayne’s voice again. "It’s nearly August. We’re running out of time, amigo."
A placid chuckle, the scrape of feet on gravel. "You talk like a gringo, amigo. Be patient."
"Time, damn it. The Exposition—"
Geraldo’s soothing murmur cut him off. "Don’t worry. You know Gabriel will have the shipment here in plenty of time for the opening. And until he delivers it there is nothing for us to do but wait."
There was a murmur Julie couldn’t quite hear as the two men moved a little distance back down the path, and then Geraldo laughed. "
Manana, mi amigo. Manana! Buenas noches."
Julie was barely able to spring away to the far side of the hut before the door crashed back and Chayne came in, scowling. He stopped when he saw her, then came on, his frown deepening.
"What are you doing?"
Julie stammered, backing away. "Nothing! I was just waiting for you."
"Listening?"
"No, I—"
"Of course you were," he muttered, throwing her one more brief look of acute distaste and raking a hand through his hair. "You’re an agent. You can’t help it, I suppose." He seemed out of sorts, upset. Julie swallowed uncertainly, afraid of angering him further.
"You’d have been better occupied getting yourself into bed," he said acidly. "That was as much privacy as you’re going to get."
Julie stared at him. "Into what bed? Just where in the hell am I supposed to sleep?"
His back was toward her, his voice an impatient growl. "Don’t be stupid."
"I’m not stupid," Julie said tersely. "There is only one bed."
"That’s right," he muttered without looking up. He had begun to take things out of his pockets and put them on a low stool beside the bed.
"You said—" That traitorous quaver was in her voice again, and she fought to control it. "You told me I wouldn’t be sharing your bed. You said—"
"Don’t be an idiot," he snarled, turning on her, his eyes shooting sparks. "What do I have to do to make you understand the danger you’re in? You’re a cop! The only reason you’re not mummifying in some desert gully right now is because you happen to be both female and pretty, and I have been celibate for what to my compatriots is an unreasonable length of time. How would it look if I asked for another bed?"
"You said it would be up to me," Julie said, breathing hard. "You
lied."
He gave an incredulous snort. "In the catalogue of my sins that’s hardly a big–ticket item."
"Why did you bother to lie to me?" Julie said bitterly. "I couldn’t have done anything about it anyway. Why did you let me think—"
"Look, damn it, in a manner of speaking I suppose it is up to you. You can always take the floor. Take your chances with the lizards and scorpions."
They stared at each other in furious silence. Julie gave up first.
"Why are you being so cruel?" she whispered, not trusting her voice. "Why did you bother to save my life?"
He made that sound of annoyance and looked away. Then he looked back at her. "Am I being cruel?" His voice was quiet. "I didn’t mean to be."
"Oh, sure. And I suppose you didn’t mean to be a while ago, either."
"At dinner."
"Yes, at dinner. That was cruel. And unnecessary. What did I do that was so terrible that you had to humiliate me like that?"
He tightened his mouth and veiled his eyes, giving his face a cold, hostile look, like a mask. "You disobeyed me."
"Disobeyed? What am I? Your chattel? Your slave?"
His voice was cold. "No—just my prisoner. But even if you weren’t, you’ve got to get used to the idea that there is no such thing as women’s lib or equal rights here. Either way, I have the power to insist on obedience. In your case, it amounts to the power of life or death. Don’t forget that."
"How
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