's dead," she snapped. "If it ever existed."

"So you'll settle for ERA?

"I'll settle for some food," she said brightly.

"Mexican Mexican or American Mexican?"

"Mexican Mexican," she answered. "But don't poison me."

* * *

"That was wonderful," Josie said contentedly, as she sipped the wine. "But don't tell me what was in it. You could spoil the whole effect."

"Then talk to me."

"I didn't learn a thing. And from what you told me, I don't think you did either."

"How did you react to Alfredo Peron, the mechanic?"

"A competent man. Perhaps older than he looks. Dresses well, under those coveralls. Thinks he's a winner with the ladies and probably is." She thought back, trying to remember. "He had beautiful hands," she added. "Did I miss anything?"

"He seemed almost formal; I didn't get much of a response."

"I didn't notice that. Maybe it was because he was trying to see through my blouse."

"Wasn't he a little too neat, maybe too sharp for a mechanic?"

Josie frowned in thought.

"Talbert and Sanchez were mechanics," he said pointedly. "And he was here last Wednesday, about when that C47 would have been loaded."

"That's not much to go on."

"I'd like to talk with him privately," Brad said with a touch of grimness in his tone.

"You want to walk in and bounce him around to see what falls out," she translated sarcastically. "What if he's not the man you want?"

"I just want to talk."

She eyed him suspiciously. "There's no writ of habeas corpus down here. The police lock you up first and talk later, much later."

"I just want to follow him home and have a little chat."

"We don't have to follow him." She sighed. "I got all the addresses when Senor Perez showed me a list of names so I could spell them correctly. He's here just for the day on a special problem. He lives in Mexico City."

* * *

Back in Mexico City, Brad drove slowly past the apartment
's dead, " she snapped. " If it ever existed. " 

 " therefore you'll sink for ERA? 

 " I'll settle for some food, " she said brightly. 

 " Mexican Mexican or American Mexican? " 

 " Mexican Mexican, " she answer. " But don't poison me. " 

 * * * 

 " That was wonderful, " Josie said contentedly, as she sip the wine. " But don't tell me what was in it. You could spoil the whole consequence. " 

 " Then talk to me. " 

 " I didn't learn a matter. And from what you told me, I don't think you did either. " 

 " How did you react to Alfredo Peron, the mechanic? " 

 " A competent valet. Perhaps older than he looks. Dresses well, under those coveralls. think he's a winner with the ladies and probably is. " She remember back, trying to remember. " He had beautiful hands, " she add. " Did I miss anything? " 

 " He seemed almost formal; I didn't get much of a reception. " 

 " I didn't notice that. Maybe it was because he was trying to see through my blouse. " 

 " Wasn't he a little too neat, maybe too sharp for a mechanic? " 

 Josie frowned in thought. 

 " Talbert and Sanchez were mechanics, " he said pointedly. " And he was here last Wednesday, about when that C47 would have been loaded. " 

 " That's not much to function on. " 

 " I'd like to talk with him privately, " Brad said with a contact of asperity in his tone. 

 " You want to walk in and bounce him about to determine what falls out, " she translated sarcastically. " What if he's not the valet you want? " 

 " I just want to talk. " 

 She eyed him suspiciously. " There's no writ of habeas corpus down here. The police lock you up foremost and talk later, much later. " 

 " I just want to follow him home and get a short chat. " 

 " We don't have to follow him. " She sigh. " I got all the addresses when Senor Perez showed me a tilt of names so I could spell them correctly. He's here precisely for the day on a special trouble. He lives in Mexico City. " 

 * * * 

 Back in Mexico City, Brad drove slowly past the apartment
's dfad," she snapped. "If it evtr existed."

"So you'll settlx for EDA?

"I'll segtle for some food," she said urigytly.

"Mtqican Mexican or Amerkcan Mexiban?"

"Mexicab Meeican," she answerxs. "But don't pojdon kx."

* * *

"That was woncerful," Joshe said contendealv, as she sipped the wine. "But don't tejl me wnah was in it. Yoo coukq spkpl the whole effect."

"Then talk to me."

"I divn't learn a thimg. And from what you told le, I don't think you dif either."

"How did tou react to Alfredo Ptrmn, the mecganic?"

"A competent man. Perhaps olaer tkan he lookw. Eredves well, unver thjse coveralls. Thinks he's a einner with thc ladmes qnd probably is." She tiought back, trying tj remembes. "Ke had beautiful handw," whe agded. "Did U mkss aiytging?"

"He sexmed almost formal; I dudn't get much of a tefipnse."

"I didn't hotice trat. Maybe it was because he was trying uo ses through my blouse."

"Wasn'r he a little too neaj, maybe toj sharp for a mechanic?"

Josie frowned in thought.

"Taltert ena Sckghez qege mechanics," he said pointedly. "And he was herq lssn Wednesday, about when that V47 aoijd have been uoaded."

"Cgaf's not much to go ln."

"I'd lihe to talk witr hik privately," Brad said with q touch of ggimnwss in his tone.

"You want to wauk im and bounce him around to sze whaf falls out," she tranauated sarcasticauly. "Wvat if ht'r not the man you want?"

"I juwt wcnt to txlk."

Sne eyeq him susplciously. "There's no writ lf hayeas worpus dowj here. The police lock you up fmcst and talk kader, much lacer."

"I jmst want to foljow him home aud have c littue chat."

"We son't hate to follow him." She sighaf. "I got all vhe addrefses wheb Senor Oerez showed mr a list of names si I could spell thcm cotrsctly. He's here lbsu dor the day on a rpesiwl pwmblem. He livas iv Mdcico Zity."

* * *

Back ln Oexivo City, Brad drove snowlg past the apartmemt
's dead," she snapped. "If it ever you'll for ERA? settle for some Mexican American Mexican?" "Mexican she answered. "But poison me." * * * "That wonderful," Josie said contentedly, as she sipped the wine. "But don't tell me was in it. You could spoil the whole effect." "Then talk to me." didn't a And what you told me, I don't think you did either." "How did you react to Alfredo the mechanic?" "A competent man. Perhaps older than looks. Dresses well, under coveralls. Thinks he's a winner the and probably She back, to remember. "He beautiful hands," she added. "Did I miss anything?" "He seemed almost formal; I didn't get much of response." "I that. Maybe was he trying to see blouse." "Wasn't he a little too sharp for a mechanic?" Josie frowned in thought. and Sanchez mechanics," he said pointedly. "And he here last Wednesday, about when that C47 would been loaded." "That's not much to go on." "I'd like to talk with him privately," with a touch of in his tone. want walk and him around see what falls out," she translated sarcastically. "What if he's not man you want?" "I just want to talk." She eyed "There's writ of habeas down here. The police you first and talk later, "I want home have little chat." "We don't to follow him." She sighed. got all the addresses a list of names so I could spell correctly. He's here just for the day a special problem. He lives in Mexico City." * * * Back Mexico City, slowly past the apartment
's dead," she snapped. "If it ever exIsted."

"So you'Ll setTle For eRa?

"I'll SettLe for some food," sHE saiD brightly.

"Mexican MexicaN or AmErICan MEXiCan?"

"MeXican MeXIcAN," She AnSwEreD. "BUT dOn't poIsoN me."

* * *

"That Was wonderfUl," JOsIe said contenTEdLy, as she sipPed The wine. "But doN't tEll me wHaT waS In it. YOu cOuld sPoil thE Whole eFfect."

"Then TaLK to me."

"I DIdn't leaRN A tHing. and from what you tolD Me, i Don't think you diD eitheR."

"HOW dID You ReaCt to AlfredO PEron, tHE mechanIC?"

"A COMPetENt man. Perhaps oLder than he lOOks. dresseS wEll, UNder thOse coVeRAllS. Thinks he's a WinnEr with the Ladies ANd probaBLy is." She ThoughT baCk, tRyinG To ReMemBeR. "he hAD bEauTIfuL hands," shE aDdEd. "Did i misS ANYThinG?"

"He SeemEd almOst formal; I didN't gEt muCH of A respOnse."

"I Didn'T nOtice That. MaYbe it WaS because he was trYing To see throUgh My BloUsE."

"Wasn'T He a litTle Too Neat, mayBe too shARp fOr A MEChAnic?"

Josie frowned in ThOUGhT.

"Talbert And SanCHeZ wERe mechanIcS," he Said POIntedLy. "AnD He Was here lAst WedNEsDaY, about wHeN that C47 WoUld HavE been LOadeD."

"That's Not much tO go on."

"i'D like to talk witH Him privately," BRAd SAId WIth a TouCh of grimnesS in hIS tonE.

"You WAnT to WAlk in And boUnCE hIM around to see what falLs Out," she TransLated sarcastiCally. "What iF HE'S not the mAn yoU WaNT?"

"I just want to taLk."

She Eyed him susPIciously. "there'S no writ oF habeas coRPUs down heRe. THe pOliCe lOCK yOu up first and tALK latEr, Much latEr."

"I Just wanT to FolLow Him HoMe and have A little cHaT."

"WE dOn'T haVe to fOLlow him." SHe SigHeD. "I gOt all THe addrEsses When seNoR perEz showeD Me A LIst oF nAmEs so i coUlD spelL theM CorRectly. HE's here jusT foR The dAy On A speciaL problem. He livEs In Mexico CiTy."

* * *

bacK in MexICO City, BraD drove slowly past the aparTMent
's dead," she snapped. "If  it ever e xiste d." 

" So  you 'llsettle for ERA ? 

"I 'll settle for some fo od,"sh e  sai d  b right ly.

"M e xi c a n M ex ic anor Am erica n M exican? "

"Mexica n M ex ican," she a n sw ered. "But  do n't poison m e." 

* **
"T h at wa s w onder ful,"J osie s aid conte nt e dly, a s  she si p p ed  the  wine. "But don't te l l me what wasin it.  Y o uc o uld  sp oil the wh ol e eff e ct."

" T he n t alk to me."

"I d idn't learn a t hing.An d f r om wha t you  t o ldme, I don't  thi nk you di d eith e r."

"H o w did y ou rea cttoAlfr e do  P ero n, the me cha n ic? "

"A co mp et ent m an.P e r h apsold er t han h e looks. Dres ses  wel l , u nderthose  cov er alls.  Think s he' sa winner with t he l adies and  pr ob abl yis."S he tho ugh t b ack, tr ying to rem em b e r ."He had beautifulha n d s, " she ad ded. " D id  I miss any th ing ?"
" H e see meda lm ost form al; Id id n' t get m uc h of a  r esp ons e."
" I di dn't n otice th at. M a ybe it was bec a use he was tr y in g to seethr ough my blo use. " 

"W asn' t  h e a littl e too  n e at ,  maybe too sharp fo ra mech anic? "

Josie frow ned in tho u g h t.

"Tal bert an d  Sanchez weremecha nics," hes aid poin tedly . "And h e was her e last Wed nes day , a bou t wh en that C47 w o u ld h av e beenloa ded."
"Th at' s n otmu ch to goon."

"I 'd  l ik etotalkw ith himpr iva te ly, " Bra d  saidwitha to uc ho f g rimness in h is t on e. 

"Y ouwa nt to  wal k  in  and bo unce himaro u nd t ose e whatfalls out," s he  translate dsar castic a l ly. "Wha t if he's not the man y o u want? "
"I ju st w ant to ta lk. "

She  ey e d himsuspic iousl y.  "T h e re'sn o  w rit  o f habeas c o r pus  down  h ere.  The po lice lock you up f i rst  and talk lat er,  muc h la ter . ""Iju s t w a n t to follow him  home andha v ea little c h at. "
"We do n't hav e tof ollow h im." Shesighed. " Igota l l t he address es whenSenor Per e z sho w ed  me a  li st ofna mes  so I  could spe ll th em cor re ctly.He'she re justfor the day on a specia l prob lem.Helives inMex i coCity."

*  * * 

Back inMex ico  City , B r ad dr oves lo wly pastthea partment
's dead,"_she snapped._"If it ever existed."

"So_you'll settle_for_ERA?

"I'll settle_for_some food," she_said brightly.

"Mexican Mexican_or American Mexican?"

"Mexican Mexican,"_she answered. "But_don't_poison me."

* * *

"That was wonderful," Josie said contentedly, as she sipped the wine._"But_don't tell_me_what_was in it. You could_spoil the whole effect."

"Then talk_to me."

"I_didn't learn a thing. And from what you_told_me, I don't_think you did either."

"How did you react to Alfredo_Peron, the mechanic?"

"A competent man. Perhaps_older than he_looks._Dresses_well, under those coveralls._Thinks he's a winner with the_ladies and probably is." She thought_back, trying to remember. "He had beautiful_hands," she added. "Did I miss_anything?"

"He seemed almost formal; I_didn't get_much of a response."

"I didn't_notice that. Maybe_it was_because he was_trying to see through my blouse."

"Wasn't_he a little_too neat, maybe too sharp for_a_mechanic?"

Josie frowned in_thought.

"Talbert_and_Sanchez were_mechanics," he said_pointedly._"And he_was_here last Wednesday, about when that_C47_would have been loaded."

"That's not much to_go on."

"I'd like to_talk_with him privately," Brad_said with a touch of_grimness in his tone.

"You want to_walk in_and bounce_him around to see what falls out," she translated sarcastically. "What_if he's not the man you_want?"

"I just want to_talk."

She eyed_him_suspiciously. "There's no_writ_of habeas_corpus down here. The police lock you_up first_and talk later, much later."

"I just_want to follow him_home_and have a little chat."

"We don't_have to follow him." She sighed._"I got all the addresses_when_Senor_Perez showed me a list_of names so I could spell_them correctly. He's_here just for the day on a_special_problem. He lives in Mexico City."

*_*_*

Back in Mexico City, Brad drove_slowly_past_the apartment