Speak to the Wind (20 page)

Today Joe had said he would never be ashamed to have her by his side. She smiled, imagining him giving his acceptance speech after winning the election with her proudly by his side.

But first he had to win
.

She switched the shower off and began to towel-dry her hair. Her imagination was running overtime tonight. Back to reality. She wondered ho
w Joe was faring with the devel
opers from Phoenix.

Two men were waiting
at the bar and rose the minute Joe stepped inside the decorative arch. They obviously knew him on sight. The slim one with glasses approached. "Joe, I'm Colin Hayden." He shook Joe's hand and steered him to his companion. "This is Mark McAndrew."

McAndrew was about fifty, a robust man with a sizable girth. He wore an expensive suede jacket that hung open for his midriff bulge and a diamond ring the size of a cat's paw on his fat finger. He extended a pudgy hand. "Mr. Quintero. Pleasure."

"Same here, Mr. McAndrew." Joe knew the stakes must have been high. The company's chief executive had come to play the game, and he wou
ldn't have made this trip to ex
change pleasantries about the weather.

Hayden stood between them, smiling. "Gentlemen, how about a drink? And let's start off with first names, okay? It's so much friendlier." Hayden was apparently the designated spokesman whose first orde
r of business was to reduce bar
riers, like the formality of names.

Both men nodded and let Colin steer them to a far table. The businessmen ordered highballs. Joe ordered a beer. He
had no intention of losing any contro
l this evening by drink
ing hard liquor.

Colin offered a toast when the drinks were delivered. "Here's to winning the election, Joe."

The three raised their glasses together, but there was no camaraderie. They were here on business and all were keenly aware of it. There was a bit of tension in the air.

Joe took a drink, set his glass on the table and waited. His body language said he was ready to listen.

"I understand you're the chosen one, Joe. They say the election is just a formality, a show of support," Colin began.

"That's not the way I view it," Joe countered. "I have an incumbent opponent."

"Ben Cartaro?" Colin scoffed and took a drink. "The man's a has
-
been. Too old. No new ideas. Not innovative. You're a shoo-in, man."

Joe remained calm but could feel his insides churning. "The election is a chance for choice
," he said slowly. "I won't con
sider myself in until the ballots are counted."
He watched the other two for body language and meanings between the words.

Mark nodded. "
Damn straight
."

"
Right
." Colin
glanc
ed at his boss with trepidation, then proceeded. "I'm sure the costs of an election campaign are astronomical these days, Joe."

Joe nodded his agreement and narrowed his eyes. He could see what was coming.

Mark shifted his bulk closer. "So that's why we'd like to help."

"You came all the way to Mexico to contribute t
o my cam
paign, gentlemen
?
" Joe dug
into his jacket pocket and pro
duced a business card. "Contact my campaign manager. He takes care of the money."

Mark McAndrew grunted his disapproval, but Colin took the card. "Actually, Joe, we came to see you, face-to-face.

That's the way we like to do business. And we wanted to see if we could come to a meetin
g of the minds before things es
calate for you."

Joe sipped his beer. "About what?"

“
Ideas, Joe. Big bucks for your tribe," Mark injected.

Colin quickly explaine
d. "We have a powerful proposi
tion for the High Meadow Apa
che. It's the best kind of busi
ness deal where everybody benefits."

"Everybody?" Joe repeated.

"You, m
e, Mark, the
Apache
, everybody
.
" Colin waved his hand with growing enthusiasm. "Our plans will provide jobs for everyone. And something in it for us on the side."

"
Yes?
What plans?"

"Revised
plans
," Colin said ster
nly. "
This is about
time-share con
dos on the reservation. We've had an architect design them to look like Indian cliff dwellings, you know? They're damned impressive, too. Real attractive. We
’
ll put them up in the mountains at about seven or eight thousand feet and people from Phoenix and Tucson will flock up there, both summer and winter. Guaranteed eighty percent occupancy at all times. It'll be great! The profits are limitless."

Joe touched his
beer bottle casually,
but didn't drink. "Sounds too good to be true."

"Hell, no! We've got figures to prove it," Mark inserted. "It's legit, too."

Joe tried to keep his face expressionless, but the effort was increasingly difficult.

"We've got it all planned, right down to the engineering contract, which you would handle through your California company," Colin continued. "The Indians would be hired during construction, as much as possible. Then when the whole project is completed, there'll be more jobs."

"Like maintenance and cleaning?" Joe asked.

"Yeah, like that." Mark gestured and his large diamond flashed.

"All this and campaign contributions, too?"

"Hey, look, Joe," Colin said. "Somebody's got to build it and take the risk. We're willing to do that if you agree to work with your people."

"You mean, convince them to support your plan?"

"You'll have the power in your hands. You can do what
ever you want," Mark said with a shrug.

Joe had had it. He slid his chair back and stoo
d. “I’
m sorry, gentlemen, this is one game I don't play."

Colin stood, too. "We've done our homework, Joe. It'll pay big. Don't turn your back on a sure thing. Play it smart."

A muscle in Joe's cheek tw
itched. His rage was barely con
trolled, but thanks to Maria's expert training,
he held back
.
“Y
our proposition stinks of bribery, and I'll have nothing to do with it. Or with you. This is one deal I can't live with, gentlemen. Thanks for the drink, but I have better things to do with my time tonight." He wheeled around and left the bar.

Colin watched him go, then sat back down and faced his boss. "It isn't over by a long shot, Mark. We've given him something to think about. And we'll be around. He knows we won't give up this easily."

Mark grumbled. "He's a damned fool."

"Naw. Just a little overcautious. He's new at the game. Give him time. Let him see how hard it is to get things done. Then he
’
ll come running back
, begging for money
."

Joe burst
into Maria's casita
. R
age darkening his face. "What do they take me for—a damned fool? If word of something like this got out, I'd be dead in the water. Did they really think I'd fall for the oldest scam in politics? You scratch our back, we'll scratch yours!"

Maria set her novel aside, surprised to see him back so soon. "What is it Joe? What in the world did they say to get you so angry?"

“
They tried to brib
e me with a
campaign contribution
!
And more.
" He paced the length of the small living room like a caged lion
and related the conversation they’d had
.

"I can't believe they'd be so stupid."

Joe flexed his hands as if he'd like to punch something. Or someone.

Maria waited patiently unt
il he cooled off a bit, not ask
ing more than he'd readily blurted out.

Finally he sat down with her and fully explained their proposition. "Of course, I said no." He paused and looked at her with a slight grin. "Actually, what I said was. This is one deal I can't live with, gentlemen.' You would have been proud of my self-control, Maria."

"I'm glad you feel that something we worked on actually helped. But I'm always proud of you, Joe."

He grew serious and pressed his lips tightly together. "The hell of it, Maria, is that some of what they said may be right."

"What?"

“
They talked about j
obs for my people. Jobs now and for the future." He sighed. "We're going to n
eed businesses to do that. Busi
nesses willing to take risks. I have to think about the total picture, what's good for the majority. What kind of future will my people have? Better job opportunities is one of my major goals. And what could be better than a large hiring operation on the reservation?"

"But not this way, Joe. I think you were right to refuse to discuss it further with these guys."

Maria watched as Joe's
rage cooled. But the tension re
mained etched on his face. She knew this was just the beginning... the beginning of the end of their odyssey. Soon they would both be faced with the harshness of rea
lity—the real world, not a make
believe haven in Mexico. She just prayed that reality wouldn't ruin their relationship.

The next evening, they waited together for John’s plane to land.
“
That’s little brother?
" Maria gaped at the dark
haired hulk crossing the tarmac on the longest legs she'd ever seen. She hadn't expected someone bigger than Joe.

"Oh, I think he's only six-three. Or is it four?" Joe grinned and waved at the man who beat him by at least two inches.

When Josh had cleared Mexican customs, the two men grabbed each other like two sumo wrestlers, hugging and clapping each other on the back. Maria watched the rough display of affection and for a moment thought she might be out of place in this little family reunion. But Joe quickly pulled her to his side and introduced her with obvious pride.

There was a trace of family resemblance as sharp, ebony eyes quickly assessed her. Craz
ily she recalled the thirty sec
onds' first impression rule and couldn't help wondering what Josh was thinking of her. It was suddenly important
to her
.

However, w
hen he smiled warml
y and reached for her hand,
Maria felt his unquestioning acceptance. "
Well h
ello
there.
Nice to meet you." His attitud
e was genuine, and she felt bet
ter.

"
Hi
Josh." Her hand was moment
arily lost in his. "It's a plea
sure. I've heard a lot about you."

"You mean my fame has preceded me? Joe, you said you'd keep the family secrets." Josh Quintero had an easy manner, not as serious as Joe's, and won Maria's heart immediately with his boyish smile and sense of humor.

"It was all good," she claimed with a grin.

"Ah, the consummate politician." He swung his arm around Joe's substantial shoul
ders. "Is this what she's teach
ing you, or
all
your own idea?"

"It's too soon for the skeletons to come out," Joe said with a laugh. "You're looking good, little bro."

"You too," Josh said, standing back to re
-
examine Joe. "Better than ever, in fact."

"I am better than ever." Joe grinned at Maria.

Josh threw his head back and laughed. "Now that kind of vanity is definitely a Joe Quintero trait!" He turned to Maria. "Do you know he used to be a regular
Mr. Football
—he'd
promise
a win before a football game? Sometimes he would even stick his neck out and give a point spread—by seven or by ten. I thought he was bragging until he proved himself right a few times. After that I believed he could do anything he set his mind to."

"Now, Josh, don't bore the lady with old football stories!" Joe included her in the threesome as they headed out of the airport, laughing and talking and walking arm in arm.

Outside they stopped
beside the yellow rented Volks
wagen bug.

"You expect us to fold up into this little tin can?" Josh laughed sarcastically.
“Mine
is a big body, or didn't you ever notice?"

"Look, it's all I could get. Most people down here aren't linebackers with forty-eight-inch chests." Joe opened the door, and they gazed bleakly at the interior, which seemed to shrink before their eyes. "I had forgotten we were picking up the jolly green giant."