I think about how tough it must be for him to take care of Valeria. I remember stories of her coming to our house. My mother told me she was an intelligent and vibrant person who lit up a room as soon as she entered it. "I'm sorry about Valeria," I tell him.
"Don't be sorry, Dalila. She has some good days and when she looks in my eyes I still see her spirit. The love doesn't stop even in times of illness."
A knock at the door interrupts our conversation.
"It's Franciso Cruz," a familiar voice bellows.
Rico's dad.
I stiffen at the sound of his name.
"Wait," I whisper, then motion to Juan that I'll be hiding in the other room where Valeria is resting. He nods, understanding that I'm not ready to reveal to anyone where I've been hiding out. Grabbing my backpack, I quickly flee into the other room and hide behind the door as Juan lets him in. If Valeria wakes up and starts talking to me, Don Cruz will surely know something's up.
"I usually don't like visitors," Juan tells him.
"I'm not a visitor," Don Cruz says as he walks inside. "I'm an old friend. Right?"
"Si." I can hear the clink of Juan's spoon stirring his champurrado. He's completely relaxed, as if this is an ordinary visit from an ordinary friend. It's anything but.
"Have you been busy?" Don Cruz asks.
"Not really."
Peeking through the door frame, I see Don Cruz walk over to the mug I'd been drinking out of. "Do you have a guest?"
Juan shakes his head. "Just Valeria."
"How is she these days?"
Juan doesn't answer. Instead he picks up both mugs and brings them to the sink. "It's obvious this isn't a social call, Francisco, and I'm too old and cranky to play games. Why are you here?"
"I need to know if you've had any contact with Ryan Hess."
"What do you want with Ryan?"
"Let's just say he's a wanted man. I have people who said he crossed into Mexico yesterday."
Juan raises a skeptical brow. "Wanted by who?"
"Las Calaveras."
"What crime is the young man accused of?"
"Why all the questions, Juan? Either you've seen him, or you haven't. It's a simple question."
"Nothing is simple, Francisco. We both know that." Juan turns to Don Cruz, his face unreadable. "I was training Ryan at the gym, but from what I understand he went back to Texas. I haven't heard from him since."
"What about Dalila Sandoval? She's missing, too."
"Is she wanted as well?" Juan asks in an almost mocking tone. "The girl isn't a threat to anyone."
After a long, brittle silence Don Cruz says, "Her father betrayed Las Calaveras."
There's an unspoken threat in the air and my stomach churns with increasing intensity. My father's involvement put a target on my back. Whether or not I like it, I've been forced into being a pawn.
Don Cruz stares at Juan, a chilling stare that makes me shiver. He takes a business card out of his suit pocket. "If you see either of them, call me. And if you see them and don't call, there's a price to pay. I don't play games either, Juan."
When Juan opens the door to let Don Cruz out of the apartment, I look down at my trembling hands. I know I can't stay here any longer.
After giving enough time for Don Cruz to be out of hearing range, I join Juan in the living room. He's got a somber look on his face.
"I can't stay here," I tell him, trying to keep my voice from cracking. "If I do, your life is in danger."
"I do not fear Francisco Cruz or anyone else."
"You have enough responsibility with Valeria. I won't let you take on more stress." I pick up my backpack. "I'll find Ryan. Maybe Mateo has seen him. Besides you, he's the only friend in Mexico that Ryan has."
"I assume Las Calaveras will be contacting Mateo," he says. "It's just not safe to leave right now."
I'm scared, but an eerie calm washes over me. I have a mission to find Ryan. He saved me from danger that first night at the club. It's time I step up and become his heroine.
"I'm sorry, Juan. I have to go. Nothing you say will stop me. Ryan needs me and I'm not going to abandon him. Someone needs to warn him and make sure he's safe from . . . everyone."
He gazes toward the bedroom, toward his sick wife. "I wish I could go with you."
"I know."
The old man heads to the closet and pulls out a big gray jacket. "Put this on as a disguise."
I slip the jacket on and pull up the hood. I can definitely hide my identity this way, just in case anyone is looking for me. I wrap Juan into a big hug and feel his long, scratchy beard on my cheek. "Thank you, Juan."
After I release him, he braces his hands on my shoulders. "I should be calling your father and telling him you're here. But I won't."
"Gracias."
My father helped Juan a long time ago, so there's a loyalty that he's betraying for me. When I arrived in the early hours this morning and knocked on his door, I told him the entire story about my father and his sketchy behavior. He didn't believe that my dad would be involved in the cartels but couldn't rule it out. He said everyone has a price.
"If you can't find Ryan, you come back here or go home. Be skeptical of everyone you meet."
Determined to stay strong, I put my shoulders back and stand tall. I can do this. "You are a wonderful man, Juan Camacho."
"You're one of the strongest people I know, Dalila Sandoval. And I've met some tough pendejos in my time."
With the hood covering most of my face, I walk out of his apartment and onto the street. As I duck around corners and head for the grassy trails in the distance, I know where I'm headed.
Right back to the lion's den.
Thirty-Seven
Ryan
After picking me up from the border, Mateo immediately took me to that bar where we met when I first came to Mexico, Mamacita's. Mateo told me that he had heard some guys connected to Las Calaveras were asking about me and I needed to keep a low profile. It's obvious that Paul is the mastermind, making sure he covers his tracks so Officer Matthews thinks I'm just a crazy, lying delinquent. I'm hiding out in one of the bedrooms above the bar waiting for Mateo to come back with news about Dalila.
All I know is that she's missing. Dalila is out there somewhere and I need to find her. Every moment that ticks by is torture.
I hear footsteps coming up the stairs and I'm ready for anything that comes at me. The lock on the door squeaks open and Mateo is standing there with a Styrofoam container filled with takeout food.
"Have you heard anything about Dalila?" I ask before he even walks in the room.
"Here," he says as he hands me the container. My mouth waters from the savory scent filling the room. "Eat."
I start chowing down. Food is fuel and the only way I can rely on my brain to work properly. Right now I need a clear head.
"Do you know where Dalila is?" I ask.
"No, man. She disappeared without a trace."
I stiffen. "Why? Do you know what went down?"
He shrugs. "Beats me. You need to be worrying about yourself, Ryan. Las Calaveras are looking for you." He leans against the old wooden dresser next to the small window. "Tell me what happened in Texas."
While I'm not used to trusting anyone, Mateo has been on my side ever since we were in the ring at Lone Star.
"I found money hidden in my stepfather's garage," I tell him. "A lot of it."
"How much?"
"Two point two."
He raises a brow. "Are we talking two thousand two hundred?"
I shake my head slowly until the reality sinks into his brain.
"Wow." He lets out a low whistle. "That's crazy."
"Yeah. He's pretty pissed off that I took it."
"I'll bet. Sounds like blood money or bribe money." Before I can respond, Mateo gets a call on his cell and has an entire conversation with someone as he stares out the bedroom window.
When he hangs up, I start packing my stuff. "Listen, Mateo. My stepfather has fo
llowed my every move since I came to Mexico. He knows I got close to Dalila." I look at the people walking on the street below and wonder if any one of them is reporting back to Paul. "You think he'll go after her to get to me?"
"People do crazy shit when it comes to money, Hess."
She's out there somewhere and I'm going to find her. "I'm not about to hide in this room all day," I tell him.
"What the hell are you gonna do? Go out there and get yourself killed?"
"My plan doesn't include me getting killed, even though her father would like nothing better than for me to disappear from her life."
"I should probably let you know that I'm working security at her house tonight," Mateo says.
I look up at him with no small amount of shock. "You're serious?"
He shrugs. "Her father's hired extra protection around his place. It pays good. I could probably sneak you inside the compound if you want."
"You could get yourself in a heap of trouble if you help me, Mateo."
"Hell, what are friends for," he says. "Right?"
If he's been working for Oscar Sandoval, he probably knows more about the man than I do. Would he share that info if he had it? "Can I ask you a question?"
"Shoot."
"How much is Dalila's father involved in illegal crap? Dalila told me he's a lawyer, but it's got to be more than that. The guy wouldn't have people shooting at his place and have to hire an army of bodyguards if he were just a lawyer."
A guarded look crosses Mateo's face. "He knows too much," he mumbles.
"About what?"
"I don't know." He takes the food container off my bed and shoves a bite into his mouth. "I just figure if someone's gonna go after him, there's got to be a reason."
"Dalila thinks he might be the head of Los Reyes del Norte cartel. El something or other."
"El Fuego? The Fire?"
"Yeah, that's it," I say, remembering when Paul once talked about finding the head of the newest cartel causing problems along the border. "You think it's possible that he's El Fuego?"
"Anything's possible."
I pull on a hoodie and lift the hood to cover my face as much as possible. The fact that I'm sweating like a damn pig doesn't matter.
"Where you goin'?" Mateo asks as I head for the door.
"To find Dalila."
"Let me help you." He pulls keys out of his pocket. "I can take you wherever you want to go until I have to leave for the job at the Sandovals' tonight."
"I don't want you to be involved," I tell him.
He laughs. "If you haven't noticed, I'm already involved. Rico and his buddies came by the gym this morning demanding to know if I'd seen you or Dalila."
"Rico Cruz?" I ask, knowing there are still remnants of bruises from the last time I had the displeasure of seeing Rico and his buddies.
"The one and only. I told him I hadn't seen you or Dalila. You two have sure gotten yourselves into a mess."
"Tell me about it." If we were together and I could ensure she was safe, I'd feel a helluva lot better.
Time is ticking and I need to find Dalila before Rico does. "Can you drive me to Panche? I need to talk to her friends Soona and Demi." They're her best friends. I figure it's the first place to start.
Walking through Mamacita's puts me on edge as we pass the customers sitting at the bar. Who's an enemy and who's there just for a cold beer and camaraderie? I'm sure they can tell I'm not a local just by looking at me.
Mateo doesn't seem to be concerned as he leads me to his truck parked in the back lot. "We're not alone," he says when I slide into the passenger seat and spot two guys by the side of the building watching us. They're pretending to be in a deep conversation, but every few seconds their attention is focused on us. We're definitely being monitored.
On the way to Panche, I'm trying to keep my cool and take cues from Mateo. He doesn't seem worried as we drive, as if we've somehow left the danger behind us.
"How can you be so calm?" I ask him. "You're in a car with someone who's wanted by the Loveland sheriff and Rico Cruz. If you haven't noticed yet, the dude travels in a pack." As I say it, a lightbulb goes off. Rico is Paul's informant. That's why Paul knows what I've been up to since I came to Mexico.
"There's no reason to ditch you because you're a target. I ain't afraid," Mateo says.
"You should be."
"As long as you're in Panche, you should sneak into La Joya de Sandoval after sundown."
I look at him sideways. "For what?"
"Gather clues, make her dad talk." He pauses. "Retrace Dalila's steps. If you don't know where she's been, how the hell do you know where she's going? I'll be there to help, so if something happens, I have your back."
"If I don't get answers from Demi or Soona, I might not have a choice." Her dad threatened my life the last time I saw him, but I'm not afraid. If I have to confront him, I will.
When we drive up to Panche, the landscape has changed dramatically from what we've driven through up to this point. I look ahead at the big mansions on huge pieces of land. Some are protected by impressive iron gates and others are surrounded by solid cement walls so high there's no doubt they're hiding something on the other side.
"I think Rico and my stepfather might be working together," I blurt out.
"Highly likely," Mateo says. "The Cruz family is known to have ties with Las Calaveras."
"You think they'd hurt Dalila?"
"If they have motive, those assholes will hurt anyone." He stops in front of one of the compounds. "Which house is it?" he asks me.
"I don't know."
He leans back and faces me with amusement. "You don't have an address?"
I shake my head. "I know they live in Panche and I know their names. I'll figure it out."
"Hess, people aren't going to give some random gringo directions to someone's house."
"Everyone has a price," I tell him. "Lucky for me I just came into an unexpected inheritance." I point to a park with a bunch of people milling around. "Drop me off here."
"No way." Mateo parks the car and pulls out his cell. Within seconds he's on the phone with someone. Through the Spanish I hear the words Soona and Demi. "All right," he says. "I'll take you to Soona's house."
When we get there, Mateo drives up to the gate. They've got this intercom on a post, reminding me of some of the exclusive neighborhoods in the Chicago suburb Winnetka. Mateo pushes the call button and we wait. I'm more than aware of the security camera mounted on the front gate that's probably recording our every move. This place is like a fortress.
Nobody answers.
Mateo rings the call button again.
"This sucks," I say as I get out of the car and look between the iron bars at the house to see if I can see any sign of life. There isn't any.
"My friend told me where Demi lives," he says. With a long, hopeless sigh, I get back in his truck.
"We'll find Dalila," Mateo says. "One way or another."
We finally reach Demi's house. It's a white two-story stucco house with unique rounded doorways and windows. It reminds me of something I'd find on the cover of a magazine.
Luckily Demi is home. After Mateo asks the housekeeper if we can see her, the woman leads us to a room off to the side.
It isn't long before Demi appears with a concerned look on her face.
"Did you find her?" Demi asks me.
"No. I was hoping you knew where she went."
She shakes her head. "She called me crying, but wouldn't say much. She said she felt lost and didn't know what to do. I told her to come here, but she refused."
Any hope I had of Demi knowing where Dalila is crashes down in an instant.
Thirty-Eight
Dalila
Hiding my identity is easy, especially since I've got the hood blocking my face as I walk through town and head home. The problem isn't going home. It's sneaking into my house so I can confront Papa.
When I reach Panche, things look different to me. I always thought
my town was beautiful, but now I see a darkness lingering over it. I hide behind trees so nobody will recognize me as they drive by. I know I'm a target, but at least I can be an invisible one.
At the top of the hill I see my house with the gates shut. I might have to go around back and sneak through the wheat fields, but I'll have to wait until it's dark.
I've been lurking in the shadows for about an hour when I see a police car drive up my street. I peek around a tree to see where they're headed, even though I have a dreaded hunch as to their destination.
I can't wait any longer. It's time for me to make my move. I shimmy my way through one of the gates, then run through the side yard while two police officers are at the front door talking to Papa's bodyguards.
As if I'm some kind of daredevil, I find the palm tree that leads to my bedroom window and start climbing it. At any moment someone could spot me, but I'm going on the hope that the police are taking up all of the attention. It doesn't take me long to find my way into my room, but when I hear voices in the courtyard below I tiptoe to the hallway and peek over the balcony.
"I don't know where he is," Papa is saying.
"We think you do," the officer is telling him. "His wife said you were the last person to talk to him, Oscar."
The second officer starts poking his nose into the kitchen. "You sure he's not here?"
"No."
"So tell me," the first officer says as he sits in one of the lounge chairs. "How much does Santiago Vega know about Las Calaveras?"
Papa crosses his arms on his chest. "That's confidential information."
"So you're saying you refuse to tell us? We have reason to believe Vega was working both sides."
"I'm going to ask you officers to leave," Papa says. "Unless you have a warrant . . ."
"We'll get one," the officer says. "Good day, Don Sandoval. If you see Santiago Vega, let us know. Here's my number," he says, writing it down on a sheet of paper and handing it to Papa.
When the officers leave, Papa pulls out his cell phone. "Santiago Vega is missing. Get over here right now, Cruz."
My heart starts beating fast. I was going to confront my father, but in reality I don't know this man who raised me. What if he lies or just tries to send me away again?
Does he know where Santiago Vega really is? Does he know where Ryan is?
I watch as he storms into his office and slams the door shut.