Graciela heard a low mewing from the back of the cave and quickly turned. There were four green eyes staring at her in the dark, moving toward her. Graciela’s heart began to beat faster.
Two baby wolf cubs trotted up to her on soft, padded feet. She smiled and extended her hand to them. There was a sudden rustle from the entrance of the cave. Ricardo is back, she thought.
The next instant, an enormous gray wolf was flying at her throat.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Lucia Carmine paused outside the tabema in Aranda de Duero and took a deep breath. Through the window she could see Rubio Arzano seated inside, waiting for her.
I must not let him suspect, she thought. At eight o’clock I’ll have a new passport and be on my way to Switzerland.
She forced a smile and entered the taberna. Rubio grinned in relief when he saw her, and as he rose, the look in his eyes gave Lucia a pang.
“I was very worried, querida. When you were gone for so long, I was afraid something terrible had happened to you.”
Lucia put her hand over his. “Nothing happened.” Except that I’ve bought my way to freedom. I’ll be out of the country tomorrow.
Rubio sat there looking into her eyes, holding her hand, and there was such an intense feeling of love coming from him that Lucia felt uneasy. Doesn’t he know it could never work? No. Because I haven’t the courage to tell him. He’s not in love with me. He’s in love with the woman he thinks I am. He’ll be much better off without me.
She turned away and looked around the room for the first time. It was filled with locals. Most of them seemed to be staring at the two strangers.
One of the young men in the café started to sing and others joined in. A man walked over to the table where Lucia and Rubio were sitting.
“You’re not singing, señor. Join us.”
Rubio shook his head. “No.”
“What’s the problem, amigo?”
“It’s your song.” Rubio saw the puzzled expression on Lucia’s face, and explained. “It is one of the old songs praising Franco.”
Other men began to gather around the table. It was obvious that they had been drinking.
“You were against Franco, señor?”
Lucia saw Rubio’s fists clench. Oh, God, not now. He mustn’t start anything that will attract attention.
She said to him warningly, “Rubio…”
And, thank God, he understood.
He looked up at the young men and said pleasantly, “I have nothing against Franco. I just don’t know the words.”
“Ah. Then we’ll all hum the song together.”
They stood there waiting for Rubio to refuse.
He glanced at Lucia. “Bueno.”
The men began to sing again, and Rubio hummed loudly. Lucia could feel the tension in him as he held himself under control. He’s doing this for me.
When the song ended, a man slapped him on the back. “Not bad, old man. Not bad at all.”
Rubio sat there, silently willing them to go away.
One of the men saw the package in Lucia’s lap.
“What are you hiding there, querida?”
His companion said, “I’ll bet she’s got something better than that up her skirt.”
The men laughed.
“Why don’t you pull your panties down and show us what you’ve got there?”
Rubio sprang to his feet and grabbed one of the men by the throat. He punched him so hard that he flew across the room, breaking a table.
“No!” Lucia screamed. “Don’t!”
But it was too late. In an instant it became a free-for-all, with everybody eagerly joining in. A wine bottle shattered the glass behind the bar. Chairs and tables were knocked over as men went flying through the air, screaming curses. Rubio knocked down two men and a third ran toward him and hit him in the stomach. He gave a grunt of pain.
“Rubio! Let’s get out of here!” Lucia screamed.
He nodded. He was clutching his stomach. They pushed their way through the melee and found themselves outside on the street.
“We’ve got to get away,” Lucia said.
You will have your passport tonight. Come back after eight o’clock.