HIDDEN SPRING 7

latigo had the coffee pot talking early he looked over to the bunk and his guest was still asleep. he started breakfast still she didnt wake. when it was ready to eat he cleared his throat as loud as he could. at the she rolled over and sat up.her face was puffy with a hard nights sleep. her eyes were almost sollen shut. he pointed to a wash pan with cold water and a towel next to it. she nodded and went to it while she was washing the sleep from her face latigo dished up the breakfast. then poured two cups of coffee. he slid the sugar bowl over to her side of the table. when she was seated and spooning sugar into her coffee latigo quietly, in mexican asked her her name. she looked up and in a clear voice , in almost perfect english said"irene." taken aback, latigo tried not to let it show. " i didnt know you spoke english." " i didnt know what to think of you last night. but i think i can trust you. " she forked some food into her open mouth. " why did you leave the band of coyotes you were with? will they miss you?"latigo asked. " i was with them for a safe passage to this side of the country. ime not a drug dealer or terrorist. ime a american citizen born here. i was in mexico visiting family there. my identification papers were stolen. this was my quickest way home."she explained. latigo stared at her" and where is home?" " anywhere in america. ive been in tucson and pheonix. i do what ever work i can find. as soon as ime rested a bit ill be on my way. it was kind of you to put me up." she finished her meal and sat back with the cup of coffee. "have you ever worked on a ranch?" latigo asked. " what ranch? every one knows your not ranching here. your watching the coyotes as they come across the line. you even had some killed. yes ive worked as a house keeper for a couple of ranchers. but never a a spy." she was almost hateful. " this is my ranch, ime alone here. ime also paid to keep terrorists from comming to my country. if at all possible we will stop them in mexico but if not in the bombing range desert." latigos voice went hard. " ill walk on to casa grande."irene spit it out. " its a long ways to even reach the hiway, if you want stay here until i need to go to the hiway, ill take you." latigo offered. " and just what do i do here while i wait? ime not a whore." she almost spit it at him. " i didnt think you were. you dont have to do anything if you dont want. i was just thinking it might not b so hard on you." latigo picked up his plate and stood up. he reached across the table but irene took his plate and hers and went to the kitchen sink." go out and spy gringo. ill clean this pig stye.irene was pouring hot water from a bucket on the stove in the wash pan. latigo stood and took his hat from a nail at the door and walked out to the corrals. his horses were waitting for their morning grain.