The Infinity Tattoo by Eliza McCullen Page A

together. Non-stop talking.”
    “That’s for sure.” Julio nodded sagely. “Well listen, we’ll be done in a couple hours. Why don’t you go on back to the house and have a beer, catch up on some of the gossip. I’ll finish up here and join you.”
    “Sure, man. Sure. I wouldn’t want to keep you from your work.”
    Julio rested his shovel on the wheelbarrow and patted Carlos on the back, steering him back to the car.
    Jack watched Carlos drive away and Julio return.
    “I take it he’s not one of your favorite relatives,” Jack said.
    Julio just picked up his shovel and got back to work.
    * * *
    After more than a week, they were finished with the project. They gathered their tools and unused supplies. There wasn’t enough room in the bed of the truck for everything, so they loaded the rest in Julio’s pickup. The four of them returned to Meg’s house. Meg parked the truck in the shed, while Julio stopped in the driveway.
    As they were unloading, a large black Lexus pulled over. A man who looked to be in his fifties got out on the passenger’s side and approached Meg.
    “Can I help you?” she said. He wore khakis and a polo shirt, and his feet were shod in patent leather loafers. Not your typical tourist, thought Meg.
    “I hope so. See, we’re a bit lost. We’re trying to find Red Rock State Park." The man had a silky smooth voice and seemed to be looking everywhere at once.
    “Oh, that’s easy. Just follow this road another five miles. You can’t miss it.”
    “Okay. Thanks a lot for your help.”
    “No problem,” Meg said and stood watching the car disappear down the road.
    “Meg, come on into the shed,” said Julio. “Manny can finish up out there.”
    “But there are only a couple more things and then—”
    “Meg,” Julio said sharply, “for once in your life will you just do as you’re told.”
    Meg turned and walked into the shed. “Julio?” she said. “What’s the matter?”
    “That man. I know him,” Julio said, frowning.
    “Well, who is he?” Meg asked.
    “He is a bad dude. His name is Freddy and he’s a member of a drug cartel.”
    “How do you know that?” Jack asked.
    Julio looked at the ground a moment, scuffed his boot in the dirt. “Through a relative of a relative.”
    “What’s he doing here?”
    “Who knows? It seems he’s a long way from home,” Julio said.
    “Well, let’s finish unloading,” Meg said. “I’ll feel better once I’m inside with the doors closed.”
    When the last of the equipment was cleaned and stored, Julio and Manny got into the pickup. “You be careful, Meg,” Julio said as he backed out of the driveway.
    “I will.”
    When Julio and Manny drove away, and the garage door was closed, Meg let out sigh of relief.
    “I need a drink,” she said to Jack. “How about you?”
    “Yeah, I think a drink is in order. Why don’t I go ahead and take a shower while you have yourself a glass of wine.”
    Meg did as suggested, retreating into the house. Later, as she sat on the deck and sipped her drink, an uneasy feeling crept over her. What were foot soldiers for a major drug cartel doing in Sedona? Was it a coincidence that they’d stopped at her house?
    And how could they not find the state park? It was right up the road. Maybe they were just using it as an excuse to get other information. By the time Jack joined her, her reporter instincts were on full alert.
    “Jack, do you get the feeling those guys came here for a reason?”
    “Why would that be?”
    “I don’t know. Could they have been looking for you?”
    “Drug traffickers? Looking for me? I’ve never had anything to do with that kind of thing. I can’t imagine why you would think that.”
    “Well, someone was after you before. How do you know they weren’t the same people?”
    “I don’t know. It just doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
    “You’re right,” she said. “I’m probably overreacting. I guess Julio’s making me jumpy.”
    But the uneasy feeling