could travel to Mexico and South America for fights. With fifty-two Sundays a year, and two bulls per event, Rafael would face one hundred four bulls a year. He might as well dance in front of a firing squad. "I'm never going to get used to this," she murmured.
Santos picked up a shrimp. "Break his heart now. Don't string him along."
"What about her heart, Mr. Sensitive?" Fox asked.
"She'll find another man."
Maggie knew there were other men, but she wouldn't make Augustin's mistake and marry someone she didn't love.
Once they were seated on the patio behind the beach house, Maggie slipped her watch on her wrist. She expected Rafael to be there within the hour but was too excited to rest. Santos stretched out on a chaise and closed his eyes, and Fox lost himself in a game on his phone. When Mrs. Lopez came outside to bring her a note from Carmen, she was surprised her grandmother wished to see her. She'd said all she cared to to her, but, hoping Carmen wanted to apologize, even if it were a dim possibility, she'd give her a chance.
"Fox, if Rafael arrives, please tell him I'm talking with my grandmother."
He didn't look up. "Sure."
She followed the housekeeper through the appropriate door to the house behind the main staircase and on into the den. Carmen was dressed in one of her neat black dresses with a demur lace collar, and Maggie regretted not bringing an extra set of clothes to wear after sailing. At least her clothes were dry now, if a bit wrinkled. She was glad she couldn't see her hair, which had to resemble dark straw.
"Please sit down, dear," Carmen said, with the first hint of a smile Maggie had seen from her. "I had Tomas make his special hot chocolate for us. He uses a bit of cinnamon and another spice he refuses to identify. Won't you have some?"
Two delicate china mugs were already filled on the tray. "Yes, thank you."
Carmen topped both mugs with a spoonful of whipped cream and handed one to Maggie with an embroidered napkin. "You were right. I made no effort to welcome you, and I should have done so for Miguel's sake."
Maggie took a sip of the hot chocolate and found it as delicious as described. She licked the whipped cream off her lip and took another sip. She was elated her grandmother was making an effort to apologize but didn't dare gloat. "This is a difficult time."
"Yes, in every way. Do you like the chocolate? Can you tell what the mystery ingredient is?"
Maggie took another swallow. "In Mexico they use chili, but this has something different. A dash of nutmeg?"
"Nutmeg? Perhaps. Years ago, I spoke with your mother on the telephone, and Miguel sent photos of them together, but we never met. I expected you to favor her."
Maggie had to cover a yawn. "I'm sorry, it's been a very long day."
"Yes, Sundays are especially tiring."
Maggie felt dizzy and set her mug back on the tray. "Perhaps we could speak another..." She knew what she meant to say but produced only a jumbled slur. Something was dreadfully wrong. Her thoughts were as blurred as her speech, and Carmen now wore a triumphant grin. A scream dying in her throat, Maggie wished for Rafael with her last conscious thought and slipped into a drug-laced hole.
Rafael cleaned up and changed into his street clothes at the arena and left through a side door rather than exit where aficionados of bullfighting would lurk, his mother and half brothers included. He drove to the beach house taking great care not to drive so fast he'd be stopped. He parked out front and jogged around to the patio, where he found Santos sound asleep and Fox busy with a video game.
"Where's Magdalena?" he asked.
Fox nodded toward the house. "With Carmen."
The kitchen was dark, but Rafael had seen lights in the front of the house when he'd driven up. "How long has she been with her?"
"I don't know, fifteen minutes, maybe twenty."
Rafael tried the kitchen door and found it locked. "Where's your key?"
Fox pulled it from his pocket and threw it to him. Rafael unlocked the door and tossed the key back to him. He knew the layout of the house, and when he didn't see anyone, he went toward the light under the den door. He knocked. "Mrs. Aragon, it's Rafael Mondragon. Is Magdalena with you?"
When there was no response, he didn't waste the time going upstairs to search