HIDDEN SPRINGS 10

that night he slept in the bunk that irene had built. the mattress was a bunch of his old blankets she had folded and formed into a mattress of sorts. latigo slep like a log. the next morning he sat at the table with a cup of coffee. irene stood at the stove. she had a grouch on he could see. but he didnt ask the problem. he was still tired, not quite dryed off from the soaking he got the night before and he knew the last thing he needed today was a argument. irene brought his breakfast plate to the table and plopped it down in front of him, almost slamming on the table. latigo told himself he wasnt being a coward not confrontingher about what bothered her but his disposition wasnt of one to take her attitude laying down either. he started eating, she filled his coffee cup. she still hadnt said a word. when he finished eating he leaned back in his chair and looked over at her" whats wrong?" was all he asked. how many people did you kill last night? i heard the bombs. those people were just doing their jobs."irene spat out the answer.
i dont know, i didnt count them. and their jobs was breaking our laws, and they were carrying things that would kill people here drugs and munitions. ime sorry, but we cant have that. but thats the way it is." latigo stared her in the eye. he wasnt going to back down." i would much rather care for my cattle, live a quiet life here. but this situation is getting out of hand. its got to stop. we have to stop it , here now!" " but those people carrying the packs, they arnt the ones who will do harm its the people who they take the packs to! " irene was almost to cry. " if we could stop all this in mexico we would. the people there need to stop takeing the pay to deliver the packs.. i wish you could understand." latigo was almost apologetic. he got up and got his hat." i need to go feed my horses." was all he said. irene watched him as he walked to the barn, side stepping the rain puddles. on one hand she understood what he was saying. on the other her loyalty to mexicos people was great. she didnt know what to think. as latigo was comming out of the corral and shutting a gate a white suv rolled into his yard slopping mud in every direction. when stopped a man in a sport shirt and slacks got out carrying a pad of writting paper and had a pencil stuck behind his ear. latigo was immediatly on alert. " do you live here?" the man asked. "whos asking? " latigo answered back " sorry, ime dan davis from the ARIZONA REPUBLIC news paper. can i ask you some questions?" latigo could see irene peeking threough a window at the house behind davis."what kind of questions?" latigo was defensive. " are you aware that the goverment is dropping bombs in the gold water bombing range?" davis asked with his pencil poised above the pad. " well isnt that what you do with a bombing range? drop bombs in it?" latigo couldnt believe this guy. " yes but we have been told there are people out there when they do it. are you aware of them doing that?" the reporter was pushing. " i hear bombs exploding some times in the day time, some times at night. the planes fly over here all the time." latigo was trying to avoid a direct question " dont you ever go there and look at whats getting bombed?" davis was trying a differnt angle. " no i dont want to get shot up or bombed. i got cattle to take care of what the goverment does inside their fences is their business. i gave them a stretch in namn. i want nothing else to do with them. now, what else you want?" latigo made it final. davis shook his head and closed his note book. " thank you" was all he said when he got back in his car. latigo glanced over at the house. irene stood just inside the door with her arms crossed and a hard look on her face.