Slocum's Breakout (23 page)
“I need to talk to you about that,” Slocum said. “But I want to see Maria first.” He saw the play of emotion on Murrieta's face and tensed. “She wasn't hurt, was she? Wilkinson or Harriman isn't using her to catch Atencio?”
Murrieta shook his head, then reached out and took Slocum by the arm, walking him to the town plaza, where the well provided a gathering spot.
“She is . . . not here. She has become frightened and ran away.”
“What scared her?”
Slocum saw the new play of emotion and knew whatever Murrieta said would be a lie.
“I frighten her with new plans. I seek to arm my people. We must fight. We . . . we are planning to revolt against the laws that oppress us.”
“Where'd she go?”
“Away. Far away. I do not know where. Perhaps south to Mexico.”
Slocum looked past Murrieta's shoulder and saw Maria and Atencio across the plaza. They had their arms wrapped around each other and had eyes only for the other.
“Who is Atencio to her?”
Murrieta paused, licked his lips, and finally said, “You have been a good man and have done much for me and my people. I do not want to lie to you.”
“Then don't,” Slocum said coldly.
“Atencio is her husband. They have been married for almost a year.”
“Happily?”
Murrieta nodded.
“She carries his child.”
More words wouldn't come.
Slocum saw Maria and Atencio disappear into a small house on the far side of the plaza. A light inside extinguished, and the door closed with a loud slam. He imagined laughterâMaria'sâas Atencio took her to bed. Their bed. Their marriage bed.
“Take care,” Slocum said.
“Please, do not go away angry at her. She had no other way to get him free.”
“They shouldn't stay here. Even if the sheriff looks the other way when Harriman or Wilkinson asks about escapees, he's likely to arrest Atencio eventually.”
“That is so,” Murrieta said.
Slocum shook the man's hand, turned, and went into the twilight to find his horse. Riding back to San Francisco for the ferry would be dangerous. Skirting the Bay to the south and then entering Oakland that way would take a day or two, but he wasn't in a hurry.
He had a lot to think over as he went to retrieve the gold he had hidden. Wherever he went after stashing it all in his saddlebags had to be far, far away. Far from San Quentin, from the Valenzuelas, and especially from Maria.
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SLOCUM AND THE FOOL'S ERRAND
394
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novel in the exciting SLOCUM series from Jove
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novel in the exciting SLOCUM series from Jove
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