Chapter 31

Deputy Sheriff Millwater sat in the same chair he always did in Marco Perez’s living room. Today he was perched on the front edge with his back straight and both feet planted on the floor. His sweaty hands gripped the sides of his pants. The guard stood nearby with his submachine gun slung over his shoulder. The longer than normal wait had Millwater rocking in the chair. Quick glances at the guard told him nothing. The man stared at him like he was an insignificant bug ready to be squashed. And the deputy sheriff knew it would only take a single word from Marco for that to happen.

Marco charged into the living room while buttoning his black silk shirt from the bottom. The shirttails hung out of his trousers and his wet hair was slicked back. The open top half of his shirt exposed his hairy chest.

Millwater jumped to his feet. The guard swung his submachine gun at him. Millwater froze and then dropped back down in the chair and held his breath.

“What is it? I’m late,” Marco said as he finished buttoning his shirt. “They told me it was urgent.”

“It’s that American. That Steele guy. He’s asking more questions.”

“So what? Let him ask.” Marco scowled. “Is that what you bothered me about?”

“He doesn’t believe the Bargas boy did it.”

“He didn’t think so before either. Who the fuck cares?”

“He said no one actually saw his face.”

“Doesn’t matter. Everyone thinks the boy did it. He can’t prove shit. We’re done.”

Marco turned around to leave.

“He’s asking about the girl?”

Marco stopped and spun back around. “What girl?”

“Tiffany Alcox.”

“Why?”

“He’s looking for her.”

“Why?”

“Her mother hired him.”

“What did you tell him?”

“That we’re working on it.”

“And?”

“And we have no leads.”

“Does he have any?”

“He didn’t say.”

“This asshole is becoming a fucking pain in the ass. Can you do something about him?”

“He hasn’t broken any laws. I can’t arrest him.”

“Can you scare him off?”

“Not this guy.”

Marco paced in front of Millwater with his eyes downcast. His fingers curled into fists and tightened. He kicked a table leg. A vase toppled onto its side and rolled back and forth. Marco glared at it and then snatched it off the tabletop and hurled it against the wall. It shattered into a hundred pieces of glass. Millwater flinched.

Marco turned to the deputy sheriff. “Tell me everything you know about Steele. I’ll take care of him.”

Bella Cano sat cross-legged on her living room floor with her two children. She wore white shorts and a pink top. The crackle of paper caused Bella to glance up at her husband who was sitting in his ugly Aztec chair with one leg crossed over the other. All she saw was the back of the newspaper held out in front of him. Earlier, she had asked him to join her and the children. He had grunted and grabbed the newspaper.

“Mama, it’s your turn,” Bella’s daughter said.

Bella turned to the board game spread out on the floor in front of them. Chutes and Ladders. It took a moment to recall which piece was hers. She flicked the spinner with her index finger and, when it stopped, moved her piece, counting the number of places moved out loud in English. It was a good learning tool for the children.

A knock on the front door caused her to look behind her. Manuel lowered his newspaper to his lap and glanced over his shoulder at the door and then at his wife with a questioning look. Bella clambered to her feet and rushed to the door. When she opened it, she jumped back. Two large men she recognized stood on her porch.

“You and your family get in the limo,” one of the men said.

Bella looked past them at the black limousine parked in front of her house. The last time she and her family had been in it her husband was beat up and she became a drug runner and whore.

“What do you want with us?” Bella’s voice quivered.

“You’ll find out when you get there.”

“Why them? Just take me.”

“We were told to take all of you. Now get in the limo.”

Bella turned toward her husband. He was staring at her. Fear in his eyes. The other large man spun Bella around and grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back. She screamed when he yanked it up. Pain shot into her shoulder and elbow. Through her teary eyes, she saw her children sitting on the floor staring at her. Clutching each other. Panic in their faces. Her husband hadn’t moved from the chair.

The man flung her to the floor. So hard her hand didn’t break the fall. She landed on her face and rubbed her forehead as she rolled onto her back, staring up at them. Both men stood with their feet shoulder width apart like immovable pillars. One with his hands on his hips. The other’s arms were folded across his massive chest. From the floor, they looked even taller.

“Mr. Perez said not to put a mark on you, but that doesn’t go for your husband or children. So get your fucking ass in the limo and bring your family with you. Or else.”

“Do I need to bring anything?”

“Just your old man and children.”

“What should I wear?”

Bella heard her husband mutter something under his breath.

“Mr. Perez didn’t say anything about that. Come as you are. Hurry up.”

Bella climbed to her feet and rushed to her children. She pulled them apart and took one of their small hands in each of hers.

“We have to go somewhere,” Bella said. She turned to her husband. “You’re coming, right?”

Manuel shrugged and stood up. He folded the newspaper and placed it on the chair. His hands were shaking. They walked to the front door with her husband lagging a few paces behind. The two men escorted them to the limousine. Bella climbed in and sat on the bench seat facing the front. She dragged her son across her lap and sat him on her side. Her daughter climbed in on her own and sat on Bella’s other side. She hugged both children to her body. She was trembling. Her husband sat across from them with his back to the glass pane that separated the Cano family from Marco Perez’s men up front.

“Now what?” her husband said.

“I don’t know.”

“What do they want with me and the children?”

“How the hell would I know?”

“Mama,” Bella’s son said, “you said a bad word.”

Bella patted her son’s head. “I’m sorry, honey, I didn’t mean to.”

“Are they going to hurt Daddy again?” her daughter said.

Bella released her son and hugged her daughter to her bosom. “Hush. Let’s just do what they tell us and everything will be all right. Let’s play a game. Let’s see if we can ride the whole way without talking.”

On the drive to Marco Perez’s mansion, Bella couldn’t stop shaking. She had done everything the evil man had told her to do. To protect her family. Why bring them into it now? Had she slipped up? Done something wrong? The weight of her family was on her. Bella felt so alone. She needed her husband’s comforting, but Manuel was cold to her the entire ride. When she snuck a peek at him she saw the hatred and resentment in his glare. And when he caught her looking, his eyes flitted away.

They arrived and were led down the stairs to the basement. One large man in front led the way, then Bella with her son in her arm and holding her daughter’s hand at her side, followed by her husband, and then the other large man. Bella forced her feet to move. She wanted to snatch her daughter into her free arm and flee. But that was hopeless. She gripped her daughter’s hand tight as she descended. Her heart pounded. She thought it was how a condemned person felt walking to the gallows. No! That was easy. That walk ended to their misery.

The Cano family was sandwiched between Marco’s two large men. All Bella saw was the back of the man in front of her. When he reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped aside, Bella stopped. Her husband bumped into her. She looked around the basement. Marco jumped up from a chair. That awful man Carlos was leaning against the same wall he had the last time they were there. He was picking at his fingernails with a large knife. A plastic sheet, like a painter’s drop cloth, was spread out on the floor. A gagged, clothed man with his hands tied behind his back lay on his belly on it.

“Come, come,” Marco said, gesturing with his hand.

Bella stepped off the last step into the basement. Her husband joined her at her side. The trailing large man went over to the one who had led the way and stood next to him. Marco strolled up to Bella and tried to take her son out of her arm. Bella twisted her body away from him.

“I just want to hold the little boy,” Marco said. “He’s such a darling.”

“What do you want?” Bella said. “I’ve done everything you told me to.”

“You have and I’m very pleased with you. You turned out to be quite an asset. I hope my generosity has been appreciated. I’m sure the money came in handy.” He frowned. “But I don’t like your attitude now. I give you all that money and you won’t even let me hold your son.”

Marco extended his arms and wiggled his fingers. Bella stared at him. Her body shook. She couldn’t breathe. A knot formed in her stomach. She saw the impatience in the man’s face and handed her son over to him. Marco cradled the boy in his arm and mussed his hair with his free hand like a loving uncle would.

“He’s getting so big,” Marco said to Bella.

“Please don’t hurt him.”

“Why would I hurt him if his mother does what I tell her to do?”

“I do. I always do what you tell me to do.”

“So far you have.”

“I will keep doing it. Please don’t hurt him.”

Marco turned to Bella’s husband. “And how about you, Manuel? Is it okay with you that your wife works for me?”

Manuel’s chin hit his chest. “I guess.”

Marco walked up to Bella’s husband and slapped his face so hard that Manuel’s head snapped back. Manuel’s hand flew up to his already reddening cheek.

“Daddy!” Bella’s daughter cried out.

Marco spun around and stared down at the scared little girl. He yanked her hand out of Bella’s grasp and dragged her to the two large men who had driven the Cano family to the mansion. He handed the boy to one man and then lifted the girl and handed her to the other one.

Bella was frozen. “No!” she screamed. “Don’t hurt them!”