Almost Forever (19 page)

It was almost nine a.m. when they turned off East Saunders Street in Laredo into the parking lot of the detention center. The one-story block building was a nondescript buff-colored stucco building with a flat roof. All the windows and doors had bars on them.

“Pretty ugly place,” Lori commented as Justin shut the engine off. They had decided to take her truck because Luke's rental car wouldn't have made it on one charge, and Justin was hesitant to use the department's vehicle for what might be a wild goose chase.

Luke explained, “We're lucky he's still here. Since the president decided not to have illegals held or documented, everyone we catch crossing the border just gets let go. Armando's attorney is going to meet us.”

“He's lawyered up already?” Justin was surprised.

“This center is like a Job Corps camp for attorneys,” Luke told them. “I've even seen them hang out at the border.”

They entered the sparsely decorated lobby and Luke talked with the uniformed guard at the counter. U.S. and Texas flags adorned one corner, and the required portrait of the president was anchored on the wall behind the counter. Justin and Lori stood behind Luke and caught snippets of the conversation. When the lock buzzed, Luke signaled them to follow him through the door that led to the back of the building. The door slammed behind them as they walked down the hall and turned into a small interview room. A Hispanic man dressed in a nicely tailored suit rose and held out his hand.

“I am Miguel Rosario, and you are Mrs. Roberts, I presume.” His manner was professional and confident. Lori took his outstretched hand and seemed surprised when he lifted it to his lips.

Her smile was a little uncomfortable. “Thank you for meeting us today on such short notice, Mr. Rosario.”

He released her hand and pulled out her chair. “It is my pleasure to serve you.” He waited until she was seated before he sat at the head of the table.

Justin and Luke exchanged a look. It was rare that either of them were outmaneuvered. They took seats on each side of Lori. Justin removed a small tape recorder from his pocket, turned it on, and spoke into it, identifying the date and place and listing everyone in the room.

“Thank you for agreeing to let us speak with Armando,” Luke said.

“You are welcome. I hope it will help your cause,
señora.
At this point in the process, I think Armando will be eager to help you as much as possible.”

Everyone's eyes focused on the door as they waited for Armando to be escorted into the room.

“Nervous?” Justin whispered to Lori. He could see her hands shaking, and she moved them to her lap under the table.

“I'm just glad he's still here,” she whispered back. “I can't wait to hear where he got Mark's boots.”

The lock clicked loudly and the handle turned. A young Latino, probably in his early to midtwenties, entered the room. Miguel stood up and shook the man's hand, then indicated the seat across the table from Lori.

Lori leaned down and tried to catch a glimpse of his footwear, but the room was small and the table too close to the door.

Once seated, Miguel started the meeting. “This is Señor Armando Castillo. Armando, this is Señora Roberts, Texas Ranger Justin Archer, and Officer Luke Archer. He works for Homeland Security.”

Armando nodded toward each one of them as the introductions were made, then he waited nervously for the inquisition to begin.

“Please tell him this is being recorded, then ask him if he's been in the U.S. before,” Justin instructed. He decided to take control of the meeting so the questioning would be done properly.

Miguel relayed the question in Spanish to Armando, who answered in halting English.

“No, sir. I have want to come, but I could not get my papers. This is the first time I cross border, and I am sorry if I broke your laws.”

“Right now, we are not worried about the laws,” Justin assured him, and Miguel translated as he spoke. “We are investigating a crime, and we think you might know something that would help us.”

Armando shook his head vehemently. “I came into your country without my papers, but I did not hurt anyone or steal anything.”

“We're talking about a murder,” Justin stated, watching Armando's reaction closely.

The young man's eyes grew wide with fear, and it was clear that he could understand English better than Miguel was letting on. Miguel went through the motions of translating, probably to give Armando time to think.

“I have never killed anyone. I do not know why you look at me,” Armando said defensively.

“Those are some mighty fine boots you're wearing.” Justin changed tactics to calm the man's panic.

Armando's expression changed to pride. “
Muchas gracias.
They are very beautiful.”

“Could we see them? I'd like to get a pair like them.” Justin kept his tone friendly.

“
Sí.
They are a little big for me, but I will grow into them.” Armando leaned over and pulled one off and placed it on the table.

Lori stood and pulled one closer. “It's Mark's. Look there,” she said and pointed to the bootstrap, which clearly had the name
Mark Roberts
embroidered in purple on the leather.

Justin tried not to react. Now that all doubt was gone that these were Mark's missing boots, he wanted to keep Armando calm. Justin took the boot and looked it over, noting the excellent craftsmanship and the rich colors of the plump clusters of grapes and majestic longhorn grazing in a pasture of bluebonnets. They looked like they had been worn a lot, but they were well taken care of. Beneath the dirt picked up on the rugged journey, they had been polished and shined. “There are some excellent boot makers in Mexico, but these look American. I'd like to get a pair like these. Where did you get them?”

“They were a Christmas present from my
hermano,
” Armando answered.

Miguel had given up any pretense of translating and just sat back, letting the questioning continue. He watched with interest, but it was clear he was not going to interfere.

“Your brother? Does he live here in the States?” Justin glanced at the tape recorder to make sure it was still running.

“
Sí.
He lives close to Austin. He does not know I was coming.”

“Did he say where he got the boots?”

“No. He sends me and
mi madre
money all the time. Several years ago, the boots were in a box of clothes that arrived. He did not say where he got the boots, just that I should wear them because they were…” He paused, struggling for the right word, then finished in Spanish, “…
muy caro.
”

“Very expensive,” Justin translated. He and Lori exchanged a hopeful look. “What is your brother's name?”

Armando shifted uncomfortably. He knew he was in trouble, but he clearly didn't want to implicate his brother. “
Qué?
”

“Please ask him his brother's name,” Justin said to Miguel, who repeated the question in Spanish.

When Armando still hesitated, Miguel rattled off a couple more sentences in Spanish. Armando answered in the same rapid-fire dialect. Miguel was quick to respond in a harsh tone.

Justin was fluent in Spanish, though it was often advantageous not to let all the parties know that up front. He knew that Miguel had encouraged Armando to tell the truth so that the police would go easy on him, and Armando had responded that he was afraid his brother would be angry. Miguel had then told him that these people were very powerful and they were not going to give up. Justin didn't bother correcting that exaggeration. Right now, he needed Armando to believe his life depended on it…because Lori's did.

Armando coughed. Luke got up and filled a paper cup from the watercooler in the corner of the room. He set it in front of the young man, who grabbed it with the urgency of a man who has been crossing the desert. Which, of course, he had been for the last week. He drank the entire cupful, then swallowed hard.

“
El nombre de mi hermano es Raúl Castillo.
”

Lori gasped. Apparently, she understood Spanish enough to know that Armando's brother's name was Raúl. “Raúl is your brother?”

Armando nodded. “
Sí, señora.
”

“Did you know he had a brother in Mexico?” Justin asked her.

“No,” she whispered and shook her head.

“Do you also have a sister here in Texas?” Lori asked.

“
Sí,
” Armando answered.

“And her name is…?” Lori leaned forward, waiting anxiously for his answer.

“Raquel.”

Lori collapsed back against her chair, her expression confused. Justin could see that she was having a difficult time processing this new information.

“Would he be willing to let us take these boots back with us?” Justin asked.

Miguel and Armando talked for several minutes in Spanish before Miguel conveyed Armando's answer. “On two conditions.”

“What?” Justin expected a request for leniency.

Miguel answered, “He would like a brand-new pair of boots to replace these.”

Lori nodded. “Maybe a size smaller?”

Armando smiled. “
Sí.
”

“And the other condition?” Justin prompted.

“Armando would like to see his brother and sister. He hasn't seen them for ten years, since he was a small boy.”

Justin looked at Luke, who shrugged. “We'll see what we can do,” he promised. He turned the tape recorder off and pocketed it. The interview was over. Now all he had to do was put together the evidence and confront Raúl. Apparently, the man knew more than he had let on to Lori or Justin.

Luke stayed behind to see if he could get Armando transferred to Austin or at least held longer at this facility. Justin and Lori drove to the closest western-wear store, where Justin picked out an expensive pair of boots in the proper size, covered in fancy tooling, and a package of socks. They returned to the facility and traded the new boots and socks for a signed and notarized affidavit that verified everything Armando had told them.

Armando was delighted with the substitute footwear, which fit him perfectly. He made Justin repeat his promise to try to reunite his family, if only briefly.

Luke, Justin, and Lori stopped for lunch, then headed back home. Mark's boots were packed in the new boot box along with Armando's notarized statement. Lori was unusually quiet as Luke and Justin rehashed the details of the case.

“So, do you think Raúl is the killer?” Luke asked.

Lori was quick to jump to his defense. “I can't believe that. Maybe he just found the boots after the killer threw them away.”

“Or maybe Raúl knows who did it and has been covering for him,” Justin suggested. “Are we sure Armando has never been to the winery?”

“I checked the records, and he's not on file for being picked up or deported before now.” Luke didn't look convinced. “However, illegals have been known to lie when they get caught, and it's complicated to verify identities without any paperwork.”

“The boots aren't enough,” Justin admitted. “Lori's right. Raúl could have found them. We're not even sure that Mark was wearing them the day he died. For all we know, he might not have liked them and gave them to Raúl, who in turn gave them to Armando.”

“They're evidence, but not necessarily of a crime,” Luke agreed.

“Just in case we need it, why don't we stop in San Antonio and see if the boot maker can verify that they were Mark's. Not that I'm doubting you,” Justin quickly added to Lori.

“That's a good idea,” Lori told him, but he could tell she was a little disappointed. He knew she had been hoping this break in the case would completely remove her from the suspect list.

It was after eight by the time they picked up Mackenzie from Grammy's. The boot maker, whose name was Tim Green, had positively identified the fancy footwear as belonging to Mark. He kept photographs of all the boots he'd handcrafted in case he had to replicate them. So they had left with another signed affidavit, a copy of the receipt, and the photo.

“Why don't you stay for dinner?” Lori suggested to Luke after they'd parked next to his little car in front of her house. “We can talk to Raúl and Raquel tonight, once they've finished their shifts.”

“Sure. I don't have any other plans,” Luke agreed. “Italian?”

“It's our specialty.”

“I already ate dinner at Grammy's,” Mackenzie announced. “Can I go watch TV?”

Lori gave her daughter a hug. “Did you have a good time at Grammy's?”

The little girl's head bobbed up and down. “She's so nice. She said I can come ride the ponies anytime I want. And she taught me how to play poker.”

Lori's eyes widened in horror. “Poker?” She glanced first at Justin and then at Luke. Both men just shrugged and smiled.

“That's where we learned it,” Justin said.

“I guess you two didn't turn out so badly.” Lori managed a smile and turned back to Mackenzie. “Go ahead. But keep the doors locked.”

There were only a few guests having dinner in the restaurant, a party of two and a larger group of eight. Lori, Justin, and Luke picked a table in the corner, away from them. Raquel rushed out with three glasses of water and two menus.

Lori introduced Luke as Justin's brother, then asked, “How have things been going around here?”

“We were pretty busy yesterday, but today has been slow.” Raquel smiled at Luke. “Are you ready to order? Chef Bradley was about to shut down the kitchen. But for special guests…”

“The chicken Alfredo looks good,” Luke said.

“Make that two,” Justin spoke up.

“Me too,” Lori added.

Raquel picked up the menus and left. She returned quickly with a bottle of chilled chardonnay and three glasses. With practiced skill, she extracted the cork and poured some in each glass.