“I’m supposed to talk to you before tomorrow, so do you want to do it here in your room, or maybe we can go out someplace?”
“What’s your name?”
“I’m Art Gonzales.”
“And?”
“I’ll tell you about it over some food. I haven’t eaten since breakfast and I’m starving. So how about it, where are we eating?”
Hunter looked him over; a slender, athletic looking guy about five-ten. He wore a black long-sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up on his forearms and the tails on the outside of his jeans. She said, “Turn around.”
“What?”
She used her hand to indicate he should turn, “In a circle.”
He did so, arms out from his body, and stopped again facing her. “I’ve never runway modeled before,” he said.
“In the small of your back, right side under the shirt. What are you carrying?”
She waited for him to answer, “A Glock. What about you?”
“Kimber.”
“Nine millimeter?”
“.45”
Art nodded, “I like being able to shoot eleven rounds before I have to reload, only reason I went with the Glock.”
Hunter said, “You armed yourself to come see me?” She didn’t smile as she said it.
The look in Hunter’s eyes made the hair on Art’s neck prickle. He raised his arms in surrender, “Hey, I’m still on the clock, so I have to carry.”
“Who are you with?”
He sighed, “That’s part of why I wanted to talk to you.” He pointed to the room phone, “Maybe ordering room service is a good idea.”
They both ordered the salmon, and after eating, Art said, “Cory was my friend. He’s the one you found in the desert.”
“Lincoln Jones’ step-son?”
Art nodded, “Cory and I were working in Mexico, mostly further in the interior, but up on the border area between Juarez and Ojinaga for the last several days.”
Hunter put two and two together, “You’re…who? DEA?”
“Lincoln said to be up front with you. He likes you, by the way.”
“I’m glad to know he likes me, now who?”
“CIA.”
Hunter sat back, “What branch?”
“I’m with the Special Activities Group. You know what that is?”
“What I heard, it’s paramilitary. The CIA picks people from The Green Berets, Seals, Marine Force Recon, Rangers, Delta, and other special forces units to make up the group.”
“That’s pretty much it.”