Judge & Jury - James Patterson [93]
“Señora, they are both the best,” the tobacconist pleaded. “It is a matter of taste.”
She looked at the two boxes. “Please.”
“You won’t go wrong with either of those,” she heard the voice behind her say. “But for my money, Cohiba is the best.”
Andie sucked in a shooting breath, almost afraid to turn and face him. Finally, she did. She saw a man in a dark black leather topcoat and a tweed cap. Cavello looked a little older than she remembered, his face more haggard. But it was still the same man she hated.
“It is like a choice between a Brunello and a great Burgundy. I go with the Brunello, in this case the Cohiba. But Frederico’s right, it’s a matter of taste.”
The tobacco clerk nodded. “Sí, Señor Celletini.”
Celletini, Andie noted. She handed the clerk the Cohibas. “I’ll go with these.” She turned back to Cavello. “Thanks for rescuing me.”
“No rescue. Even a connoisseur would find it a difficult choice.” He moved closer to her. “Business or studies?”
“Sorry?” Andie said.
“It’s unusual to find an American accent down here this time of year. Most of the tourists have gone home.”
Andie smiled. “Business, I guess. I’m taking a job on an expedition to Antarctica next month.”
“An explorer.” Cavello made a show of seeming impressed.
“Not quite. A chef, actually. Maybe more of an escapist than anything else.”
“No shame in that.” Cavello smiled. “Down here, most everybody is.”
Andie slowly lifted her sunglasses. She let him see her face. “So what are you escaping?” she asked, wetting her lips.
“At this moment, sheep. I have a ranch, twenty minutes out of town.”
“Sheep, huh?” She cocked her head coyly. “That’s all?”
“All right, you caught me.” Cavello raised his hands as if surrendering. “I’m actually in the Witness Protection Program. I made a wrong turn at Phoenix and headed south. This is where I ended up.”
“A man with a very bad sense of direction.” Andie laughed, and hoped it seemed genuine. “But don’t worry, Mr. Celletini, your secret’s safe with me.”
“Frank,” Cavello said. Now his look bore in a little closer. The crafty killer, the psycho. The Electrician.
“Alicia.” Andie lied as well. “Alicia Bennett.”
“Nice to meet you, Alicia Bennett.” Cavello put out his hand. “Explorer.”
They shook hands. His touch was rough and scaly to her. Andie tried not to flinch. She fished in her wallet for money.
“And what about you?” Cavello smiled, keeping up the banter. “What are you escaping?”
“Me, I’m a desperate housewife.” Andie chuckled.
“You must be very desperate, if you’re here. But you don’t look it.”
“I saw this ad.” Andie shrugged. “It promised the end of the world. I figured it meant here in Ushuaia, but if I’m buying Cuban cigars and talking to an American about TV, I guess I haven’t found it yet. So I’m heading farther south.”
“Your husband must be quite a confident man to let you come down here by yourself, Alicia. Or maybe it’s him you are escaping?”
Andie sighed, a little embarrassed. “Actually, I lied. I’m not married. I was trying to pretend not to be some dumb woman for the store clerk here. The cigars are for the ship.”
“Buying them so early?” Cavello looked at her. “You certainly are a prepared little girl.”
Shit. Andie flinched. The first mistake.
The proprietor handed her the package. Andie took her change.
“You’ve made a wise choice to go with the Cohibas, Alicia. And as far as the end of the world, I think that’s something I could show you. And you may not have to go as far as you think.”
“Is that so? What do you mean?”
“My ranch. That’s what it’s called. This must be fate, Alicia.”
“I don’t believe in fate,” Andie said, smiling once again. She put her package under her arm and slipped past him as he held the door. “But I believe in lunch.”
Andie’s heart started to quicken. Stay cool, she said to herself. Just a few seconds more. You have him—don’t lose him.
Cavello followed her out to the sidewalk. Down the street, Andie noticed two bodyguards milling around, not paying too much attention. Sloppy, just as Nick said.
“I have lunch