The Starshine Connection (20 page)

Roxy did not want to pursue the topic of death any more than she favored the topic of other women. “What’s the third thing?
Third person, I mean.”

“I have to take a little old Mexican gentleman out to dinner. He lives all alone somewhere down in Baja, or close by the border,
in the middle of the desert near the Mesa Locote, the ‘crazy plateau.’ I have something of his that I need to return. I think
I might spend some time down there, a month or so. He needs help with his place. He could use somebody to lug heavy stuff
around and fix his roof; somebody who can drive into town for him. I think that’s where I’ll probably be.”

“Sounds nice,” she said, still interested.

“His name is Ramon Dagoberto Enrique Lucia Jesus de la Villa Ortega,” he said, deciding that mentioning the man had also saved
his life would be making the whole trip too much like favor-swapping, the triviality of paying debts rather than repaying
honor. “Chispa, to his buddies. Which I don’t think he has many of.”

“There, see?” she said. “You have it all figured out. You don’t have anything to worry about!”

“And I have to bring Winship a souvenir from Mexico.
And
I have to calm down a very excited dude named Lucius.
And
about a million other things. Jesus… hey, I almost forgot.”

“What?” She had been getting ready to chide him again for chastising himself.

“Thanks for latching onto me tonight, and thanks for ending me up right here.”

Her brow grew cloudy. “
See?
There you go again, talking to me like I’m a fifteen-year-old. Don’t thank me like that!” He looked up; her tone seemed to
indicate bona fide annoyance.

She caught the expression on his own face and laughed, rolling over on top of him. “Thank me like this.”

Slayton wrapped Roxy up in his arms—thankfully.

DRUG-DEALING PSYCHOPATHS

are killing off the Washington elite

with their newest brew, a poisonous

blend of drugs and alcohol.

Whispers suggest

a Goliath in government is the

criminal behind the scenes.

FIGHTING FOR AMERICA

is Ben Slayton, the millionaire

whose expertise in finance, sports cars,

and women is matched by his skill

as an agent of the U.S. Treasury.