Chapter 2
At seven o'clock the next evening, Luke, Laura and Lucky arrived at the Lopez estancia. Luke still didn't trust Señor Lopez, but he didn't know why.
A short while later they were gathered around the table having an enjoyable meal. Even Luke had forgotten his suspicions.
"Where in los Estados Unidos, sorry the United States are you from. Señor Spencer?"
Luke and Laura looked at each other. They knew that it would be dangerous to tell him the truth. For all they knew, he was working for Frank Smith.
"Texas," Luke said at last.
"Sí, Texas," said Don Estiban. "I was there once, a long time ago. It is beautiful there."
"Yes it is," Laura said.
Luke noticed that Señora Lopez had not stopped staring at Lucky. He didn't like the way she was looking at him.
When the meal was over, Isabella insisted on taking Laura and Lucky on a tour of the estancia, while Don Estiban and Luke adjourned to the salón.
Luke noticed three of Señor Lopez's servants had followed the women out of the room, but he didn't think anything about it at the time.
Luke and Don Estiban had been sitting in the salón smoking cigars for about thirty minutes. Luke had grown bored listening to the man talk about the selling price of sheep and cattle. Truthfully he hadn't been listening for the last few minutes. He was suddenly aware that Don Estiban was asking him a question.
"Don't you agree Señor Spencer?" Don Estiban asked him.
Not knowing what he was supposed to agree or disagree on, Luke decided to guess. "Yes, I..."
He never got to finish that sentence, because from somewhere outside he heard Laura scream.
"Laura!" he yelled turning towards the direction the scream came from. Before he could move to run to Laura's aid, he felt a sharp pain in his head and everything went black.
