Read Red Leopard (The Vistaria Affair Series) for Free Online Page B

Roger.”
    Minnie’s eyes shone. “You met him? The Red Leopard?”
    Calli could feel another huge bubble of mirth welling up inside her. “No wonder the soldier at the desk went back and got my bag. He didn’t want Uncle Josh to bring the Red Leopard down on him again. I knew the guy had power, but I didn’t suspect....”
    “So who is he?” Minnie begged. “Duardo wouldn’t tell me. They say it’s a mark of respect not to speak of his real identity, even though they all know. He wouldn’t tell me no matter how I asked. But you will, won’t you? You’ll tell me who he is.”
    Calli shrugged. “I don’t know. He didn’t tell me either. He refused.”
    Minnie banged the table with her tiny fist. “Damn! This thing is driving me crazy. I’ve been trying to find out who he is for days, but all the soldiers are the same. El zippo on his real name.”
    “God, Minnie, how many soldiers have you been talking to about this?” Calli asked, alarmed.
    “A few. Any of them that would talk to me.”
    “You can’t go around bugging them about this. If this Red Leopard man really wants his identity kept quiet, then they won’t appreciate you, an American, trying to dig it up. Promise me you won’t do it anymore.”
    “Don’t be silly. It’s just casual chat.”
    “To you. Not to them. Promise me,” Calli insisted.
    Minnie looked at her, as if trying to judge how serious she was. Then she sighed and dropped her napkin on the table. “Oh, all right, already. No more questions.” She planted her chin on her fist and pouted for a moment, although Calli knew the pout was more for effect than a genuine sulkiness. Minnie was too even tempered to ever truly sulk. Pouting was how she teased Calli for being, in Minnie’s opinion, a stick-in-the-mud. Then, true to form, she visibly brightened and sat up in her chair. “We’ll be surrounded by the military tonight,” she said. “Maybe we won’t have to talk. Maybe we can just keep our ears pinned back and we’ll hear something.”
    “In that mashed Spanish they use?” Calli pointed out.
    “Okay, see something then,” Minnie amended. “Come on, let’s go get that dress we saw. It’s just the thing for tonight.” She pulled the big Vistarian bills out of her bag, counted off enough to cover the drinks and dropped them on the table.
    Calli willingly picked up her bag and followed Minnie down the steps to the road and the walk back to the shopping area, feeling a little of the weight drop from her shoulders and her mind. She was learning, making connections, figuring out the lay of the land. With her new knowledge came the reassurance that she would never see him again. No one who worked to keep his identity a secret would move freely around the city, out in the public.
    “Can we find me a dress, too?” she complained to Minnie as she strode to catch up with her cousin.
    * * * * *
     
    The problem with allowing Minnie to help with clothes shopping, Calli realized five hours later, was that you ended up with something you wouldn’t have considered buying if you’d been on your own.
    But her lack of wardrobe meant she had to wear the aquamarine gown regardless of the wisdom of her choice. Oh, she had been fine about the dress when they had been in the store. Minnie had pounced on it on the hanger and insisted it would be perfect for her and as usual, Minnie had been right. It had fit well, the color intensified the green of her eyes, and the layers of chiffon gave the whole outfit a delicate appearance that offset her height. She had liked the effect in the mirror. But that had been before they had reached el Hotel Imperial .
    Duardo had been waiting in the cavernous foyer with its white stone walls and gorgeous Persian carpets and heavy mahogany furniture. He wore what Calli could only assume was the formal uniform of the Vistarian army—very dark green pants, a white dress shirt and waist-length jacket. The cut reminded her of the black costumes the men