Shane: What about Carmen?

Cezar: Carlos will be with her while you’re gone.

Shane but her lip but nodded.

Shane: I’ll leave right away then.

Cezar: I hope you won’t mention this to Carmen. She’ll get angry at me for this again. There’ll be a new car waiting for you downstairs. A suitcase in the trunk. And this USB for you to download the information from her laptop. She has it with her wherever she goes.

Cezar handed it to Shane.

Shane: Can I go say good bye to Carmen?

Cezar: Whatever you wish.

Shane got up and went back to Carmen’s room. She was still sleeping soundly. She knelt down in front of her and brushed the few strands of loose hair from her face.

Shane: Carm, I’ll be back. Wait for me.

Shane kissed Carmen and took one last look at the sleeping beauty and left. A blue Audi TT was waiting for her. She stuffed the USB into her pocket and followed the directions on the GPS to a beach house. She got out of the house and took the suitcase in one hand and knocked on the door with the other. A blonde mature looking woman wearing a pink fuzzy robe answered the door. She held out her hand to Shane.

Cherrie: You must be Shane. Cezar said you’d be here.

Shane gave her a small smile and shook her hand.

Shane: Where would you like me to put this?

She held out the suitcase.

Cherrie: Come in first. I’ll show you around.

They walked through the house while she showed her the living room, family room, kitchen, backyard, pool, and the bedrooms.

Cherrie: Your room is here. And mine is that one, the master bedroom. I’d rather have you with me, I’d feel safer. But you have your own room right next to it.

Shane: Thank you, but you still haven’t told me where you want me to put the suitcase.

Cherrie: You keep it.

Shane: Huh?

Cherrie: Get some rest, I’ll make some dinner for you.

With a smile, she closed the door behind her. Shane went over to the bed and opened the suitcase. Inside there were stacks of hundreds. There had to be over a million dollars in there. She sighed and laid down on the bed. She checked her cellphone 10 missed calls. All from Carmen. She hesitantly called her back.

Carmen: Where are you?

Shane: I’m… I’m at the hospital.

Carmen: Are you okay?

Shane: Yeah I am, they just want me in for some check ups, I’ll be back in a few days.

Carmen: What kinda tests take that long?

Shane: I don’t know, just a bunch. Don’t worry about it. I’ll be back.

Carmen: I’ll go visit you right now.

Shane: No. It’s okay, I can manage. You just stay home and rest these few days.

Carmen: Are you sure?

Shane: Yeah, I’m sure. Just rest. I’ll be back before you know it.

Carmen: I’ll miss you.

Shane: Me too, me too.

They said good bye and Shane curled up on bed and slept until dinner time. She didn’t want to tell Carmen that lie, but knew Carmen needed to be kept in the dark. Shane wished she could feel Carmen’s cool touch on her hot skin. It hadn’t but been a few hours, but to her, minutes dragged on without the latina by her side.