I stroked my goatee, blinking, because I had some handsome eyelashes, too. “This man’s jealousy is extreme. Sounds like it’s you I need to keep an eye on.”

  She winced. “I’m sure you’d like to keep an eye on me.”

  “Look here, I don’t at all mean to be getting fresh.”

  “You know, for some reason I trust you. Something in your eyes appears…”

  “Appears?”

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Guilty.”

  “Now wait a minute.”

  “Guilty, yes. I’m envious.”

  My head was thrown aback. Jealous of guilt?

  “Us Mexicans getting away from our church influence has taken our guilt away. Don has always hated the church. It’s obsessive how he goes on about it, and I never see him nor his associates showing guilt.”

  “Valentina, if I may, what will you do to protect yourself?”

  “Don is expecting me to go back to the bar tonight, find out more about the ones who started the battle which led to the accident. If I can get that information for him, set him on another path, it may allow me to sneak to my brother.”

  “That’s mighty…” I winked. “Wily. I tell you what—”

  Don yelled from the courtyard. “Take your time in there, puto. You’re not the only one who cuts body parts off. My men wield machetes.