"But you must've told somebody. Otherwise, how'd it get around-"
"Look, Ms. McCoy-"
"Tiel."
"I don't know how it got around that I once practiced medicine. Even if I did, what's it to you?" 'Just curious."
"Uh-huh." He was looking straight ahead, away from her. "This isn't an interview. You won't get an interview from me. So why not save yourself the breath? You might need it later."
"Prior to the… the episo
de, you lived a very active life.
Don't you miss being at the center of things?"
"No."
"You don't get bored out here?"
"No."
"Aren't you lonesome?"
"For what?"
"Companionship."
He turned his head and readjusted his position so that his shoulders and torso were almost facing her. "Sometimes."
His eyes moved downward, over her. "You volunteering to help me out on that?"
"Oh, please."
And when she said that, he began to laugh, letting her know that he hadn't been serious.
She hated herself for falling for the ruse. "I hoped you were above that sexist crap."
Serious again, he said, "And I hoped you were above asking questions, particularly personal ones, at a time like this. Just as I was beginning to like you."
Strangely, the way he was looking at her now, with that probing intensity, had a greater effect than the smarmy sexual insinuation. That had been phony. This was real.
Her tummy lifted weightlessly.
But then an uproar on the far side of the store brought her and Doc scrambling to their feet.
CHAPTER 8
Tiel had dubbed the shorter, stockier Mexican man Juan. It was he who had caused the commotion. He was bending over Agent Cain, lavishly cursing him-at least she assumed he was cursing. His shouted Spanish had an epithetical quality.
Cain was repeatedly screaming, "What the hell?" and futilely straining to free himself from the duct tape.
To everyone's dismay, Juan slapped a strip of duct tape over the FBI agent's mouth to shut him up. Meanwhile, Juan's taller companion let fly with a stream of Spanish that sounded both reproachful and confused by Juan's sudden attack on the agent.
Ronnie brandished his pistol, shouting, "What's going on? What're you doing there? Vern, what happened?"
"Damned if I know. I had sorta dozed off. I woke up when they started tussling and yelling at one another."
"He just jumped on him," Gladys contributed in her prissy manner. "For no apparent reason. I don't trust him.