Chapter 4

Two hours after leaving Marco Perez’s mansion, Bella Cano finished packing a small suitcase that she left at the front door before joining her husband in the living room. He hadn’t spoken a single word during the entire drive home in the back of Marco Perez’s limousine. The same vehicle they had been forcefully brought to the mansion in.

During the first trip, Bella and her husband had clung to one another while their children looked around wide-eyed, playing with buttons that lowered and raised windows and turning the television on and off. The drive home had been much different. The Cano family had sat in the back with the glass partition isolating them from the driver and guard up front. Bella, with her back to the partition, clutched her children on both sides of her, hushing them when they tried to speak, not letting their squirming bodies break free. Her husband sat across from her, never once looking at her. Not once speaking to her. As if it was her fault.

Now back at their house, the children were playing on the floor. The girl was lying on her belly with her feet in the air, clicking her heels together while choosing the next crayon to use on the open coloring book in front of her. As if it was the most important decision in the world. The boy sat cross-legged, crashing two toy trucks together.

Bella looked at her husband. “Honey, please talk to me.”

He rubbed the rope burn on his left wrist without looking up.

“I have to do it,” Bella said. “You know what he’s like. I’ll make the delivery and come right back.”

Her husband stared at his lap. “That’s all?”

Bella’s mouth hung open. And then her bottom lip quivered and her eyes watered. Her husband glanced up. His left eye was swollen shut. His head immediately dropped.

“That’s all,” she said.

The man’s head shot up and he glared at his wife with his one functioning eye. “I heard what he told you. What to do if they’re on to you. And I saw you in the bathroom when we got home. What you just did there.”

He muttered, “Whore,” under his breath.

“Would you rather I go to prison?” He shrugged. “And what about you and the children? You know what they’ll do. They’re animals.”

The girl looked up from her coloring book. “Mama, what are you talking about?”

Bella turned to her daughter. Her cold stare became warm. “Just grown-up stuff. Finish your picture for Mama. It’s so pretty.”

The girl rolled onto her hip. Her eyes were wide. “About what happened to Daddy?”

Bella dropped to her knees and hugged her daughter’s head to her chest. Both hands clutched the back of her head. Tears overflowed Bella’s eyes. “Don’t think about that. Forget it happened.”

“But—”

Bella grabbed her daughter’s shoulders and shook her before holding her at arm’s length. “Do what I say!”

“You’re scaring her,” her husband said.

Once again Bella pulled her daughter into her. Her arms smothered the little girl. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. It’s not your fault.” She rocked the girl in her arms.

Bella looked up at her husband. “I have to go. I’ll do anything for my children. I don’t care if you understand or not.”

The boy stopped playing and stared at his mother, his toys forgotten on the floor. Bella grabbed his wrist and tugged him to her. She clutched both children.

“Daddy is going to be taking care of you for a little while. Do what he says. Be good.”

The girl, her voice muffled in her mother’s grasp, said, “Where are you going? To prison?”

Bella jerked back and stared at her daughter. “Of course not! Why did you say that?”

“That’s what you told Daddy.”

Bella hugged her daughter. “You misunderstood. I’m going to Aunt Monica’s. I won’t be gone long.” She looked at her husband. With pleading eyes, she mouthed, “Help me.”

The man slid off the couch next to his daughter and took her arm. “Aunt Monica needs Mama’s help. That’s all. Now go play.”

Bella kissed her daughter’s forehead and then her son’s, using the meaty part of her palm to rub off the smudge from her freshly applied lipstick. “I’ll be home before you know it.”

She jumped to her feet and dashed to the front door, tears streaking down both cheeks. If she saw their faces one more time she wouldn’t be able to leave. She wanted to throw them in the car and drive far away from Diablo del Norte. But where? She had no money. If she brought them to her sister’s, Marco would find out and kill Monica and her family. And what would happen to her children? That Carlos man scared her more than Marco Perez. She snatched the suitcase off the floor and fled her house, tossing the small suitcase on the back seat of the car Marco’s men supplied, next to the stuffed animals just as she had been instructed.

Most of the drive north was on small, desolate roads. Only when Bella got close to the border crossing did she intersect with well-traveled roads. Roads that took people to cities where they made a good wage and didn’t live in fear. The same would be true on the United States side. She had driven it often and it was always the same. All the cars would go one way and she’d go the other way to Cactus Point. At least Cactus Point had the mine, not that it produced much ore anymore. Diablo del Norte had nothing. Just drugs.

Their new mayor had promised to get rid of the drug traffickers and bring in new businesses. After the election he even made some arrests and amazingly wasn’t murdered, but lately it was business as usual. After all his promises, he was able to be bought. The people had put their trust in him and he betrayed them.

Cars jockeyed for position in the multi-lane crossing. Bella typically visited her sister early in the morning so she could spend the entire day with her. The crossing was busier this time of day. That was good. She’d probably breeze through. She kept telling herself that, but her heart pounded faster the closer she got to the steel structures. She checked the sign for the umpteenth time. Lane 1. That’s the lane Marco had told her to use. What difference did a lane make? But she did what she was told and inched along. Getting closer and closer.

Bella glanced over her shoulder at the two stuffed animals in the rear seat. Her only hope was to act normal. But her heart pounded like it was going to burst. Perspiration dripped down both sides of her face. She wiped her sweaty palms on her dress. Another order from Marco. He had said to flash some leg so they wouldn’t look inside the car. Bella slid the hem higher. Whatever it took.

Now there were only three cars in front of her. The Customs and Border Protection officer in Lane 1 leaned next to the driver’s window of the one in front and asked a few questions. The officer nodded and the car whisked away. The same with the next one. Those people were not stopped. Why would they stop her? Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel. Her shoulders rose and fell with each deep breath. She had to calm down. To look normal.

A blast from a horn behind her caused Bella to look up. The CBP Officer was staring at her. His arms crossed. Frowning. The car in front of her was gone. The officer was waiting. Looked impatient. She pressed the gas pedal. The car lunged forward. She jammed on the brake. It rocked to a stop. The officer backed up before motioning for her to drive the few feet. She was careful this time and glided the car to where he was standing. He held up his hand with his palm facing her. A white name tag with blue letters pinned above his left pocket said, “Walker.”