Chapter 38

I was deep in thought when I heard the phone ringing. I glanced over at Sandra and she was still sound asleep with a smile on her face. I glanced at the caller ID and it was Mark's cell so I picked it up.

"Harry, I am at the office with a supervisor from the INS. He wants that girl you took from the valley. He is having a fit because you kidnapped her, as he put it. He is threatening to have you arrested by his people if you don't bring her in. What do you want me to do?"

"You tell him this word for word. If he tries to pull any shit with me I will shoot him on sight. That so called girl is my granddaughter. He doesn't have the jurisdiction or the power to take her away from me. If he wants to push it I will pull some strings and have him removed from his job, Mark."

"He is pretty adamant about this, Harry. They flew him in from Texas to handle this job and he thinks he is God or something. He also said that his people should have been called first before we made any moves."

"You say he is from Texas?"

"Yeah from Austin I think. Ok, Harry, I recognize that tone so what's going on?"

"You tell him we are coming in to the station and whatever you do hold him there until we get there. I think we might have found our unknown link. Call Hadley and tell him to meet me in the parking lot, will you?"

"Ok, Harry, but I hope you know what you're doing. You could be in deep trouble if he pushes this thing."

"Just let me worry about it, Mark."

He hung up and when I turned around Sandra was looking at me with big eyes.

"Don't worry, honey, nobody is taking you anywhere unless they kill me first."

She smiled at me, and then I sat down and told her what I was thinking, and she smiled and told me she remembered every face of the men that had looked at all of them while they were in that warehouse. We got up and went to the Jeep and headed for the station. When we pulled in, Hadley was waiting for me and I could see he also had changed clothes and shaved. He came over saying "Hi" to Sandra, asking what was going on. I told him my thoughts and what I was thinking about this supervisor from Texas. He got a thoughtful look on his face, and then said let's go see this ass and find out his story. I also went on to tell him what the director said, and I gave him the director's personal number for his use. He thanked me and was all smiles as we walked inside the station. Sandra had a death grip on my hand and I told her not to worry she wasn't going anywhere except with me. Hadley told her the same thing and she relaxed her grip a little. We went into Mark's office and there was a little short bald man giving Mark hell as he leaned over the desk. When he saw me with Sandra she moved behind me. He turned around and looked at her with an evil smile on his face.

"Well little girl, you are coming with me back to where you belong."

"Grandpa, that's one of the men from the warehouse."

I let loose of her hand and hit him four times as hard as I could. He was down on the floor and I was putting the boots to him when Mark and Sean grabbed me and pulled me off him. I watched as Sean arrested him and read him his rights. Even after all that he was still cussing me for messing up his profitable business. I went after him again and Mark had to physically pull me out of the office. I was still threatening him when Sandra spoke up and her voice calmed me down immediately.

"Grandpa, he is scum just like the rest of them. They will lock him up where he belongs, but I don't want to lose you because of him. Will you please calm down and let your friends handle him? I think you have done enough damage to him. He never touched me, but he was one of the ones that helped the big boss choose the girls they took. He will get his when your friend Sean gets through with him. Can we go get something to eat?"

Mark was listening with a big smile on his face as he saw the effect she had on me. He laughed and introduced himself to her saying he and his two girls were staying with me temporarily while they looked for someplace to buy.

"Sandra, your grandfather is a very important part of this department. My two girls call him their uncle and they both love him like he is. I hope you and they become good friends as you all get to know each other. Did you know he saved several other girls before he found all of you? I know he is grouchy sometimes, but he is an old softy at heart and loves kids."

"You don't have to tell me about my grandpa. My mom told me everything there is to know about him, and so far he is just like she said he would be. I am thankful I was able to find him, and I know my mom is happy for the both of us. That poor man in there is sick, and he is weak, and I know he will lead Sean to all the others that have been doing this. I just wish I could be there to see them all locked up for all the kids they have mistreated. Now, about that food, Grandpa."

Mark and I both laughed at her mention of food again. I told her we had to wait a minute while I wrote a statement for her to sign then we would eat anywhere she wanted. She smiled and said to please hurry up because she was starving for some French fries. Seems they didn't have those in Sonora, and cold Pepsi was almost impossible to get there too. I smiled at her and we went to the radio room so I could write the statement. When we walked in, everyone stood up and clapped as soon as I walked in. Sandra was looking around with that ear to ear grin again as we went to the office. I sat down behind the desk and wrote the report, filling in the facts as she told them to me. I finally finished it and turned it around for her to print her name. I made a big mistake by saying that to her and she immediately told me about it.

"I can read and write, Grandpa. Mom home schooled me and even though I am only nine and a half years old, I can read as well as most adults. I can also write and do algebra. I took after Mom in that aspect. She was really good with math and so am I."

"If you can do all that then you're better than me. I still have to count on my fingers if it's above ten."

She just busted up laughing and it was the sweetest sound in the world to me. Mark came in and sat next to her and asked her if I was bothering her. She smiled at him saying not any more than he was. I busted out laughing at the embarrassed look on his face. She was smiling impishly at him as he got red in the face.

"I can see right now that between you and my daughters; I am going to have to watch what I say. I have a feeling I should be very careful what I say around you three."

"I can't wait to meet them, Mark. I haven't had anyone my age to play with for a long time. Do they have any Barbie Dolls? I used to have a whole bunch of them with all kinds of clothes but they were stolen while I was in the orphanage. I really miss playing with them. Grandpa, if I work real hard will you buy me some more of them to play with?"

Mark and I looked at each other in shock. I didn't know what to say. Of all things she wanted after all she had been through were some Barbie Dolls. Well, she would have them and the big playhouse to go with them. I suddenly remembered that her mom had a whole bunch of them too until she had started collecting those stupid Troll dolls. I remembered how many of them I had bought, and mailed to her when I was working on the road as a Marshal. I could only hope they had gone out of style.

"Can we go eat now, Grandpa? I signed your paper and you said we could eat after we were done with it. I think I want to go to McDonald's if they are still in business. I haven't eaten at one since Mom and I moved to Sonora. I want some of their French fries."

I handed Mark the signed and witnessed statement and watched as he added his signature to it. We headed for the local McDonald's for her French fries. Me, I was planning on having a Big Mac and fries. I noticed she was smiling again as we pulled into the lot and went inside. She ordered a child's hamburger meal with a large side order of fries and I ordered my Big Mac. We went to the table and she came back with three cups of catsup. I was about half through my sandwich when Tran and the girls came in. Of course the girls spotted me immediately and ran over giving me hugs and kisses. They both sat down and looked at Sandra waiting for me to tell them who she was.

"Dina, Dana, this is my granddaughter Sandra. She will be living with us from now on."

Dina immediately got up and went over to her and hugged her saying she was glad to meet her. Of course Dana was right behind her saying the same thing. They started talking and I was totally ignored by all of them. I noticed Tran standing back with the tray with their food on it and even though I would just as soon her not be there, I motioned her over to sit with us. She sat down avoiding looking at me the whole time. Of course Dina changed the whole situation.

"Auntie Tran, this is Uncle Harry's granddaughter. She is going to be living with us from now on. She came all the way from Sonora to stay with Uncle Harry. Her name is Sandra. She's the same age as me. We will be going to school together and everything."

Tran looked at me in shock, but never said a word. I just finished my meal and let the girls carry the conversation. Neither Tran nor I said a word to each other the whole time. Dina noticed but didn't say anything. The girls spent the whole time planning their weekend, and to my surprise Sandra was right in the middle of the planning. Well, there went my quality time with her. I was happy because she was being a kid instead of a miniature adult. I finally told her we had to go because we had other stops to make before we went home. She got up telling the girls she would see them later when they got home. We went out to the Jeep and then I headed for the big department store in town. When we pulled up she was looking all around us and at all the different stores she could see.

"If we're here to buy clothes, you have already given me more than I can wear."