Page 47 of Cutter’s Lady

Chapter 9

Leslie and Mary had finished their tour and were walking back toward the large dormitory building. Cutter leaned against a low wall, somewhere between standing and sitting, smoking a cigarette. When he spotted the women he stabbed it out and cut across to intercept them. His eyes flickered over Leslie briefly, but he didn’t speak to her. Instead he turned to Mary. “How’s the generator?”

“Fine.”

“Excuse me,” Leslie stuck in. “I think I’ll go back to my room.”

“Sure. Dinner’s at five-thirty.”

Leslie gave a vague, general smile and headed toward the dorm. Cutter watched her for a moment, his mouth grim. He slipped the butt of his cigarette into the Altoids tin he carried. He needed to remember to dump it—it was starting to reek. “I’m heading into the mountains tomorrow to find Mora. Can I borrow some donkeys and equipment?”

“Of course. But why are you looking for him? I thought you were planning to settle down and live a normal life from now on.” Mary paused, and her eyes jumped to Leslie’s retreating figure. “Oh. For her?”

“Yeah. Her ex-husband was kidnapped by terrorists, and she wants to ransom him. I’m hoping it’s Mora.”

“She must mean something special to you.”

“Don’t be silly. She’s paying me good money, and it gave me an excuse to enter San Cristóbal legally. I knew you’d freak if I passed up that much money.”

“Not as bad as I’ll freak if you get yourself shot. Again.” She paused, then went on. “Leslie’s very pretty. As pretty as Teresa.”

“Prettier. But she’s nothing like her.”

“Really? I got the impression she was rather strong.”

Cutter shrugged. “Willful’s more like it. There’s no softness to her, like Teresa had.”

“She seemed interested in the children and our work here.”

“Mary, you think everyone’s interested in the mission.”

“She’s going to send us a check.”

“She’s rich. It’d be like paying a parking fine for the rest of us.”

“She also offered to pressure the government about lifting their embargo on our supplies.”

Cutter grinned. “I’m sure she will, but I wouldn’t count on them doing that. Leslie Harper is persona non grata with the government right now.”

“You’re evading the issue.”

“Which is: will you lend me the donkeys?”

“Which is: are you in love with her?”

“You’ve got to be kidding. What I feel for her is equal parts fury and lust, neither of which is fit for your ears.”

Mary laughed. “This sounds serious indeed. Remember how you fought with Teresa when you first knew her?”

“This is nothing like Teresa,” Cutter growled.

“Cutter—” Mary laid a cautionary hand on his arm, and her eyes turned warm and pleading “Teresa was a wonderful person, and you had a beautiful love with her. But don’t make her into a saint or think that you can’t ever have that kind of love again. When Teresa died, she didn’t take your capacity to love with her. There’s another woman out there for you. I know it.”

“Well, it’s not Leslie Harper. Trust me. Whatever you see between us, it’s not love. It’s something else, something…”

“Something a nun wouldn’t know about?” Mary finished primly. “Come on. I may be a nun, but I’m still human.”

“All right. All right. Look, can we drop this? My major concern right now is getting to Mora.”