The Hunters (Presidential Agent 3)

Lopez nodded, shook hands with Torine, kissed the cheeks of the Munz women, then turned and climbed back in the van.

As the others went aboard the Gulfstream, Castillo watched it drive away until It was out of sight, and then, not remembering if he had seen Torinedo it or not, did the walk-around inspection of the plane, then went up the stairs into it.

He smiled at the younger Munz girl.

“Colonel Torine has said I can ride up in front if I promise not to touch anything.”

She smiled back at him.

When he stepped into the cockpit, he saw that Jake Torine was strapping himself into the copilot’s seat.

“I’m pleased to see that you remembered it’s the pilot in command’s duty to do the walk-around,” Torine said. “Has anything important fallen off?”

[FIVE]

Double-Bar-C Ranch

Near Midland, Texas

0555 10 August 2005

As Castillo applied the thrust reversers, he saw that there were two black GMC Yukon XLs parked next to the hangar. And a silver Jaguar.

Well, the Secret Service is here.

And the Jaguar, which is almost certainly Abuela’s, is here because so was she when the heat got to her. She had the Lear pick her up.

When he had taxied the Gulfstream back to the hangar from the end of the runway and stopped, Torine said, “I’ll shut it down, Charley. You tend to our passengers.”

Castillo unstrapped himself and went to the passenger compartment, where he tripped the DOOR OPEN switch. The door began to move and a dry heat started to blow in. It had a familiar feel and smell.

Señora Munz and the younger girl, smiling, were on their feet and looking down at the older sister, who was sound asleep on one of the couches.

Well, they say a perfect landing is one that (a) you can walk away from and (b) doesn’t wake the passengers.

He smiled at the younger girl.

“I’ll get some ice water,” he said. “You can pour it in her ear. That’ll wake her up.”

“Carlos, that’s an awful thing to say!” a familiar voice said from the open doorway behind him, in English.

Then the voice switched to Spanish.

“I’m Alicia Castillo. This terrible young man is my grandson. Welcome to our home!”

Castillo turned. As his grandmother pushed past him to get at the Munz family, he saw a heavyset man, obviously a Secret Service agent, standing just inside the door.

The heavyset man shrugged and held up both hands.

The meaning was clear: I didn’t know how to stop her.

XIII

[ONE]

Lehigh Valley International Airport

Allentown, Pennsylvania