Ian appeared just as uncomfortable as her, if not more so. He shifted his injured leg often, teeth gritted. They went over a bridge with a steep drop to a shallow river below. “This is where everyone goes crazy and jumps off the train.”
She smiled at his dark humor. Then she remembered swimming with Delfina, and she felt a pang of homesickness. She wanted to stay with Ian, but she also wanted to find her brother and go back to Mezcala. She needed to figure out what she was going to do with her life. Joining the circus wasn’t an option. Selling pottery would be unsatisfying and insufficient. She still had big dreams. She’d like to get married and start her own family someday.
The train finally rolled to a stop at El Limbo. It was a quaint little town with a church in the center. Small houses dotted the surrounding hillside. Crowds of people were waiting to board the train. As soon as the passengers who were riding got off, they were replaced by fresh bodies. She searched the new faces for her brother, but didn’t see him.
She climbed down the ladder with Ian. Her legs were wobbly from disuse. It took her a moment to regain her bearings after they reached the ground. Then she accompanied Ian into the woods across the tracks. She was lucky she hadn’t peed her pants last night.
This was a very difficult journey for women. She wondered how a young girl like Sarai could manage.
Beyond the cargo station, there was a camp similar to the one in Taxco, with canvas tents and makeshift shelters. Women were heating corn tortillas on a large griddle over hot coals. Maria’s stomach growled at the smell of food. She noticed a different mood in the crowd, with a lot of whispering and curious glances at Ian. Word had spread about his heroic actions.
These people respected him now. They might talk to him about Sarai.
On the downside, he wasn’t traveling incognito anymore. Sarai would hear about the tall American and know exactly whom to avoid.
“So much for anonymity,” he muttered.
One of the men from their railcar invited them to eat. Ian didn’t have to be asked twice. He devoured a half-dozen spicy chicken tacos without blinking an eye. If there was too much chile in the meat for his taste, he didn’t complain. She tucked into her own plate, smiling at his hearty appetite. They shared a lukewarm soda with the meal.
“We’re looking for a teenage girl,” he said in Spanish. “Small, with short hair. She might be dressed like a boy. Have you seen her?”
The men said they hadn’t, but they promised to ask around.
After breakfast, they walked toward the only building in the area. It appeared to have a telephone and a medical office. There was a large information board out front, with a laminated map of Mexico on one side and dozens of handwritten notes on the other. Maria studied the notes with interest. Many were about missing family members. Thoughts of Hugo crowded her head, making her throat tight. Maybe he’d passed through this place and stood at this very same spot.
“We can write a note for Sarai,” she said.
“Saying what? A strange white man wants to talk to you?”
“It can be from Tía Mariposa.”
“Who’s that?”
“Me. I used that name at the school.”
“Why?”
“Armando called me mariposa sometimes.”
Ian’s jaw clenched with displeasure. It was a term of endearment, she supposed. Butterflies were delicate and pretty. She didn’t think Armando meant anything by it, and there was no reason for Ian to be jealous. She wasn’t interested in Armando. He was old enough to be her father. But he was a good man, no matter what Ian thought.
“You’re not sticking around to have a chat with anyone, mariposa. I’m putting you on the next bus out of here.”
She examined the local bus schedule, which was pinned next to the map.
Ian swore when he saw it. “The bus doesn’t come on Sundays.”
“Is today Sunday?” She made a sign of the cross.
He squinted at her in annoyance. He looked as exhausted as she felt, with dark smudges under his eyes. There was a fist-shaped bruise at the base of his throat, where he’d been struck last night. He’d been limping since they got off the train. Neither of them had slept in two days.
“You know what you need?”
“Yes,” he said flatly, “but I’m not going to get it.”
She smiled, pointing at a sign on the side of the building. Passengers were lined up there with towels and toiletries in hand. “They have showers.”
“Showering isn’t my top priority.”
“What about your wound? It must be kept clean, yes?”
After a moment’s deliberation, he approached the front door of the building and glanced inside. There were a couple of shelves of convenience-store items. He handed her a wad of cash from his pocket. “Buy some first aid stuff and whatever you need.”
“What are you going to do?”
“My job,” he said, and walked away.
She watched him stride toward a group of men in front of the pay phone. His injury didn’t slow him down much. He’d defeated two outlaws without falling off the train. He was as strong as he was stubborn, but she worried about his fierce independence. It was no way to live.
He needed to learn how to depend on other people.
She wanted him to let down his guard, and let her in. She wanted to strip down his defenses and kiss away his troubles. They couldn’t have a long-distance relationship.
That was okay; she’d settle for a short affair.
The idea startled her. But the more she thought about it, the more she liked it. Even if he broke her heart, sleeping with him would be worth it. She’d shied away from men for years. She’d never had consensual sex. That was a problem, and she knew how to solve it. Ian’s touch made her melt.
Her body was ready.