Alex didn’t wait for a signal. She urged Mitzi into a full gallop, and Manny fell in behind her immediately.
Manny rode a gelding from her stable named Reynaldo. The horse was big, more than fifteen hands high, but he had a smooth gait.
Alex looked ahead slightly, avoiding gopher holes and other dangers to a galloping horse. She urged Mitzi on with a nudge from her feet. She’d never used a whip or spurs in her whole life.
Manny matched her step for step, kicking Reynaldo harder, but nothing more.
Reynaldo had the stride, but Alex had the experience.
Alex circled the oak tree at the crest of the hill. She looked up to see the girls cheering about four hundred meters ahead. Sweat was dripping into her eyes, and she felt her legs tiring under the stress of riding and standing up slightly in the stirrups.
Alex hated to lose. Especially to her cousin Manny.
Alex smiled at the girls’ squeals as she crossed the finish line ahead of Manny.
They both eased the horses to a trot, then returned to the giddy girls.
Manny said, “Once again, your beautiful mother has demonstrated to you that women can compete with men anywhere.”
Alex beamed at the victory and the girls’ excitement.
After a few minutes, they sent the girls ahead so they could talk about their shared profession.
Alex said, “Any interesting jobs coming up?”
Manny shook his head. “I’m taking a break. I was almost caught by the Brazilian national police after I completed a contract in Rio. Some oil company executive hired me to deal with one of his rivals. The job itself wasn’t that hard, but any time you take a contract not related to the drug business, the police tend to take notice. I barely made it back here without having to explain why I put two bullets in the back of the man’s head.”
Manny looked at her. No humor in his tone. “I’ve heard about your New York contracts. People in the United States don’t like it when cops are killed. It’s not like Mexico, where a payoff will keep people quiet. In the States they’ll do everything they can to find you. You’ve got the girls. This ranch. All those people you take care of. I’ve only got me.”
“And your mother.”
“Okay, but no children.”
Alex sighed. “What can you do? It’s the business. I’d prefer to stay here with the girls.”
“I would prefer that as well. Let me finish the contract.”
She laughed. “Always trying to protect me. I appreciate it, Manny, but I can complete any contract you can. Besides, there are still a couple of Canadians in New York I need to deal with as well.”
“When do you leave?”
Alex said, “Tomorrow I’m meeting with my liaison to the cartel. I’ll see what he has to say before I make any decisions.”
Manny laughed and said, “That is so you. No decision, no matter how small, is ever taken lightly. I wish I had your discipline.”
Alex sighed. “No, you don’t.”
Chapter 29
I got home in the evening just before dinner. I was beat. I guess I wasn’t as fully recovered as I thought. Just like everyone from Mary Catherine to the doctors had told me. And oddly, I still had a hard time admitting I was stubborn.
The younger kids each darted into the hallway to greet me, as they always did. I doled out hugs and kisses that immediately wiped away my exhaustion. The older kids gave me courtesy nods, and Ricky even said, “Hey, Dad.”
Dinner smelled like a traditional Irish roast with maybe a splash of spices from Ricky.
As I stepped into the dining room, ready to greet Mary Catherine, I was surprised to see the athletic form of Father Alonzo helping to move some glasses into the living room.
“Hello, Michael. I hope you don’t mind that your grandfather brought me along for dinner.”