Trouble at the Red Pueblo by Liz Adair Read Free Book Online Page A

edge.”
    “Oh? How’s that?”
    “He says people will underestimate you. Let their guard down.”
    Spider folded the papers and put them back in the envelope. “You sound like you don’t quite believe him.”
    Raul laughed and Jade nodded, a rueful look on his face. “Yeah. I think when he bought the Yugo he thought it would appreciate in value. Having it in the garage reminds him that he may know lots about mining but not much about cars.”
    Spider held up the envelope. “So, it’s mine?”
    “The car is yours. The tax write-off is his.” Jade looked at his watch. “We’ve got a four hour drive ahead of us. We’ve got to get on the road, but here, take these.” He motioned to his companion.
    Mystified, Spider took the sack Raul handed him.
    “Dad wants to be able to get hold of you,” Jade said. “And, since the Yugo has the problem with the gas gauge—”
    “I remember,” Spider interrupted.
    “—he wants you to be able to get hold of Laurie.”
    Spider looked in the bag and took out a smart phone in a blue case.
    “That one is Laurie’s,” Jade said. “Yours is black. You’ve got a service contract for a year, courtesy of Tremain Enterprises. All the company numbers are already in it. Keep it charged and on.”
    “Charged and on,” Spider said. “I may be able to manage that.”
    Jade walked back out onto the asphalt. “Dad kept the insurance on the car. It’s good for six months. His assistant will let you know when you need to change it over.”
    Spider dropped the envelope in the plastic bag and followed Jade into the sunshine. “I don’t know what to say.”
    Jade laughed. “Admit it. You don’t know whether to thank dad or curse him.”
    “No, no. Tell your dad thank you. Shoot, I’ll tell him myself. I’ve got his number and a phone to call him with.”
    “It’s a smartphone,” Raul said. “It’ll do more than call. You can access the Internet from anywhere, send emails, do research.”
    “Sounds like it’s smarter than I am,” Spider said. “My son Robby tried to show me how to use one last time I visited him in Seattle. I don’t know who was more frustrated, him or me.”
    “It has a GPS to help you find an address,” Raul said. “You want me to show you how to use it?”
    Jade clapped his brother-in-law on the shoulder. “No time, hermano . We have to get on the road.” He waved a farewell to Spider as he backed away. “Remember, Dad wants a report.”
    “I don’t know much yet. Got a lot of questions but dang few answers.”
    Jade and Raul got in a small sedan parked near the office, and Spider walked over to the Yugo. He stood, hands on hips, the corners of his mouth lifting in a wry smile.
    Jade backed up and rolled down his window. “I left a couple bottles of water in the back.”
    “Thanks.” Spider waved as Jade pulled away then opened the door of his new car and leaned in to get the key.
    A voice spoke from behind. “I had a car just like that when I was seventeen.”
    The accent was slightly British, and Spider straightened up and looked around to see who had spoken. The only person nearby looked decidedly un-British. Of medium height and slender, he had black hair, dark eyes and skin the color of honey.
    The fellow smiled. “Of course it was a different color and didn’t have flames all over the bonnet.”
    “I’d like it better if this one was a little less conspicuous.” Spider stepped into the shade under the awning. “So what did you think of it at seventeen?”
    “I thought I’d much rather have an E-type Jag.”
    Spider rubbed his jaw as he did the math. “Didn’t Jaguar quit making the E-types in the mid ‘70s?”
    The stranger’s dark eyes twinkled. “Yes. My father wanted to keep me humble. I told him driving a twenty-year-old E-type would do the joke.”
    “Do the joke? Oh, you mean it would do the trick.”
    “Yes. Do the trick. I’ve got to practice that one.
    “I take it he didn’t buy your argument?”
    “He