He nodded at some dark clouds in the distance. "I was going to let nature take its course."
"Alex! How could you stand back and let that happen?"
He shrugged. "They know this country better than I do."
She shoved the phone at him. "Call the authorities and tell them where they are."
"I don't know the number."
She dialed the number Señor Medena had given her and handed the phone to Alex. "I'll get the horses ready."
She left him there to talk to his father while she prepared the horses. This wasn't the Alex she knew and loved. This was another Alex whose mind had been warped and twisted by revenge. Was it that or was it a matter of control?
She saddled the horses, removed their hobbles and walked them back to camp. Alex was still talking to his father, giving him their location and the location of the fugitives. From the side of the conversation she could hear, she guessed Señor Medena was basically telling Alex the same thing she had. Why was it that a man would listen to the same logic from men that they refused to consider from women? It didn't matter. What mattered was that Alex was doing what he needed to do - let the authorities handle the men.
Alex terminated the call and turned to Carmen. "You nearly messed things up, you know. If they hadn't been trying to hide in that wash, they could have come into your camp and found everything they needed to escape."
"I was watching the camp."
He laughed without humor. "Yeah? Then how did I sneak up on you so easily?"
He had a good point. She might very easily have messed up his plans. Still, it wasn't in Alex to let those men drown. At some point he would have interfered - probably at a point at which it would have put him in danger as well.
She sighed. "It's all over now, Alex. Let's go back to Tucson."
She walked to her horse. She was suddenly and thoroughly exhausted. She hadn't slept well or had enough to eat since all this began. Now Alex was upset with her as well. With everyone safe, she was ready to go home. They couldn't, though. She had promised the children a real vacation. She put a foot in the stirrup and reached for the horn."
"Carmen?"
She paused, lifting her gaze to his.
His gaze wandered over her face. "Thank you for coming after me."
She pulled herself up to the saddle and swung a leg over the horse. "You're welcome. I hope I didn't mess things up too badly for you."