Stealing Santa Rita

Sessions spent his war years looking for the next best waves and exploiting a tribe of Huichol Indians in order to support his lifestyle. When Jimmy Carter pardoned those that fled military service, Pedro returned to California and, after a cram course in business administration, became a broker of IPO's and mutual funds.

Faced with possible indictment for illegal trading, Pedro returned to Santa Rita with a new wife, Isabella Eugenia, and a limited knowledge of real estate development. His first effort created the boutique hotel, Casa de Mastil, whose popularity with tourists soon led to investment in the project by Gringos from North America. Despite the detractions of a murder, lawsuits from angry purchasers, and adverse public opinion, Pedro continued to expand the hotel until a victim of his unscrupulous deals, Enid Williams, rallied the community to bring down his would-be empire. In the process Enid found self-esteem after a lifetime of personal setbacks.