Fatal Divide (9 page)

“Begin by saying we’re okay. Lexi, I can’t lose you again,” he said. He was behind her then, surrounding her and pulling her around to face him. “Please, we’re okay aren’t we?” He tried to kiss her, but she averted her face, her heart breaking as she saw defeat in his eyes.

“I need some time, Dylan. I can’t believe what Wanda said, and I can barely believe you intend to put yourself in danger for a relative you don’t even know. What if something happens to you? Where would that leave me? Where would that leave your
brothers
... your real ones? Don’t you get it, Dylan? This is crazy!”

“I won’t be in much danger. Wanda’s the one who’s putting herself on the line. She’s going to do the digging to find out which cartel Jimmy’s running from, and to find him. My part is just getting him out of here.”

“I don’t believe that, and you shouldn’t either. She’ll need your help. Why does it matter which cartel? It’s probably both of them, anyway. And, even though I’m mad as hell at her, I don’t want Wanda hurt either. What’s her stake in this?”

Dylan sighed heavily. “I can’t give you chapter and verse, the way Wanda could have. I wish she’d started with the history, like she did when she told me. She’s always been an activist. She’s fully committed to the cause of reuniting her people -
our
people - by at least letting them cross the border within the rez.”

“But, Dylan, why are you involved? You weren’t raised on the reservation, or as a member. What’s
your
stake in it?”

“She promised to help me straighten out my membership in the tribe, Alex. I told you.”

“Can’t you do it by yourself, now that she’s given you clues?”

“I could, but I promised to help her. When Mom goes, Tia Wanda is my only link to my past. If I betray her trust now, I may as well denounce the tribe, give up on my brothers, and leave here forever.”

Alex froze at the passion in his voice. She couldn’t pretend to understand it, but maybe now wasn’t the time to understand. Maybe now was the time to stand by her man.

“All right, I won’t try to stop you. And I won’t print what Wanda told me, because I don’t want to endanger you. But, someone owes me a hell of a story when it’s all over. So, I’m going to be with you while it unfolds. Don’t even think about shutting me out of the investigation, Dylan.”

“No, Lexi, you...”

“Don’t say it. I swear I’ll, I’ll...” Her words were cut off by his lips covering her mouth in a sudden, almost violent kiss. At first she stiffened, but as the kiss turned tender and seeking, she relaxed into his arms. Dylan’s insistent tongue invaded her mouth, warring with hers. When he ended it, she gasped for breath.

“You’ll what?” he asked, his eyes flashing and his arms tightening around her.

“I forget,” she said.

“In that case, I’ll finish what I was saying. You can’t be with me when I’m taking Jimmy to safety. It will be dangerous. And I’m not investigating. I’ve been warned away from the Alvarez investigation by Thurston and my supervisor at the park, so that’s on Wanda.”

Alex handed Dylan his sandwich on a plate with a handful of chips. She didn’t remember making it, between their argument and his kisses, but it was there when she looked down at the counter.

“I know you Dylan Chaves. You’re going to sneak around town asking questions. I better be with you when you do.”

“We’ll see about that,” he said, grinning as he took a big bite out of the sandwich.

She narrowed her eyes at him, and he dropped his to his plate. She was going to have to watch him like a hawk.

After they finished their meal and cleaned up in the kitchen, they went back to the living room and snuggled on the couch for a while. “Did you really think I would leave you when I finally have my brothers with me?” he asked.

She sat up and hit him on the shoulder with an open hand. “You were eavesdropping!”

“You scared me, Alex. I didn’t know what was wrong.”

“How much did you hear?”

“Everything, I guess.”

“Then you know that it started because you asked me to give you some space. Don’t ever say that to me again, Dylan. If you need more time for your brothers, tell me that. If you’re going to go behind my back looking for clues to something dangerous, tell me that. Not that I’ll let you out of it so easily if that’s what you’re going to do.”

“I’m sorry. I guess I did it all wrong.”

“You certainly did. I’ve been honest with you. The least you can do is return the favor.”

“Lexi, I don’t think you know what I feel for you. I want us to be together. I don’t know right now how to work that out, but I don’t want to lose you. Ever. If I change my mind, I promise to be honest about it, not give you some half-assed excuse for not seeing you.”

“Oh, Dylan, I wish I could see the future working out, too. I’m sorry I can’t quite see being a mom to your brothers. I’m working on it, okay? Just don’t go getting yourself hurt, or killed. Can you promise me that?”

“I’ll do my best.”

SIXTEEN

Now that Wanda knew Dylan would back her up, she would do her part by finding Jimmy. He could tell her which cartel was after him, and why. Then she could have Dylan get him far away, while she worked on finding out who murdered Herman. Maybe she wouldn’t even have to do that. A word to the sheriff’s department to give them the clue would suffice, wouldn’t it? That would be the safest way. If only she got along better with Thurston.

He’d been a thorn in her side from the beginning. Always the hot-shot, never wanted to work with the other agencies. He didn’t trust her, and she definitely didn’t trust him. He made no effort to distinguish between O’odham and any kind of Latino that crossed the border. To him, they were one and the same, to be turned over to Homeland Security and deported, the sooner the better.

Wanda had been working with tribal leadership to find a solution to the problem of stateside members being allowed to return after visiting relatives in O’odham villages south of the border. Homeland Security negotiators seemed sometimes to understand, but balked at simply providing all O’odham registered with the tribe a passport. They cared whether the individual had been born north or south of the border. Wanda didn’t.

To her, any member of the tribe should have dual citizenship. Talks broke down often. She’d come near to violence when the building of that hateful fence had destroyed forty-five villages of her people, who were told flatly to pick a side and rebuild elsewhere.

Neither the Mexican government nor the US understood how deeply their roots reached. Before white men ever set foot on this continent, her people had learned to live as people of the desert. Their forbears, long before the birth of Christ, had corralled the rare waters of the desert, farmed, hunted and gathered, and lived in peace in the harsh climate. Their way, the him-dag, was based on harmony with the land and with the other creatures that shared it with them.

Like other Native peoples north and east of them, her people’s land had been stolen from them. First ranchers and then miners had demanded and received vast tracts the O’odham needed. When water is scarce and land must be rested from season to season, more is required to support a community.

White men drilled deep holes and stole water from below. They took copper ore by the train car load and shipped it far away. And then they drew imaginary lines in the land and said, you may no longer gather your traditional foods from this area. It is reserved for people to come in cars and marvel at its beauty.

Wanda knew she could not put things back the way they were, before the coming of the whites. In truth, she didn’t even want to. Some advantages of modern living were too good to give up. She certainly didn’t want to live in a temporary mud hut with branches for a roof. But, she had made her stand over the division of her people.

Now the business of the cartels had run squarely into her efforts, and, until they were defeated, neither government would hear of a free exchange of her people across the border. So now her war was with the cartels. She had no idea what she could do against them, maybe nothing. Nevertheless, her first salvo would be to deny them their prey, her young relative, and bring a killer to justice, if she could.

On Thursday morning, she made her first foray onto the battleground. She kissed Hector goodbye and drove to Sells to talk with the tribal chairman. Later, she would visit some of her relatives and find out if any of them had seen Jimmy.

When Wanda arrived at the tribal government offices, the Chairman was unavailable, but the vice-chairwoman, a woman of her own age, was able to see her. Wanda greeted the woman warmly, having known her since childhood. In fact, they were also distantly related. When it was polite to do so, she brought up her business.

“Anna, you have heard of the death of my grandfather, Herman Alvarez?”

“Of course. We were sorry to hear it. He was a good man, and a great leader. How can I help you?”

Wanda knew she would have to be careful here. The tribe had its own agenda with Homeland Security. Sometimes it paralleled hers, sometimes it didn’t. She was not here to make waves.

“What have you heard about the investigation? Have they made any progress?” Wanda watched Anna’s impassive face for any hint of her thoughts. A consummate politician, Anna kept it completely neutral.

“We are not in the loop, Wanda. The murder occurred on Federal land, and the investigation is headed by a man not known for his friendship with our people. Is there some specific reason you ask?”

“I was afraid of that. I know the man you speak of. He and I are not friends, either. He had the nerve to ask the city council to dismiss me, just because he thinks I may know something about it. His only grounds for believing that are a ‘hunch’ that I was holding something back when he came to notify me of Herman’s death.”

Anna smiled softly. “And were you?”

Wanda bit back a laugh. “You know me too well, my sister. I may have known something. I didn’t want to give Thurston anything that would make him stop investigating.”

Anna raised her eyebrows. “What is it?”

Wanda lowered her voice. “I saw Jimmy Chaves at his place a couple of weeks ago when I took Herman some supplies. Jimmy stopped me as I was leaving and begged me to say nothing of his presence there. I think he’s hiding from one of the cartels. Now I’m hoping to find him. He needs to know I didn’t betray him. And, since he’s a danger to anyone who hides him, I want to arrange to get him to safety.”

“Oh, Wanda, this isn’t good!” Anna exclaimed. “If the cartels know you are interfering, you and Hector will be in danger too. I’m so sorry to hear of this.”

“How can I discreetly look for Jimmy, without jeopardizing the rest of my family? I can’t just let the cartels start murdering anyone they think may have helped him. I don’t know who among our people are involved.”

“That’s a problem, Wanda. We know that up to thirty percent of our young people are involved, to some extent. We don’t know who most of them are. They’re being carefully trained by the cartels. Some have risen to leadership positions. Like Antonio,” she added, referring to the man who had tried to kill Alex Ward last summer.

“I know. This is why I came to you. I don’t want to blunder around and ask the wrong person. Hector would have to eat fry bread and nothing else for the rest of his life if something happened to me,” she added, with as much humor as she could muster. “It’s the only thing he knows how to cook. That and beans.”

Anna’s tone was wry as she answered, “And that would be a tragedy, since he hates it so much. I don’t know what to tell you, Wanda. For the same reason you hesitate, I can’t make inquiries either. But if I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”

“Thank you, Anna. I will appreciate any help I can get. Just one more thing. You said the young people are involved. To your knowledge, are any of the elders, or any of our generation, cartel members?”

“Not that I know of. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of our generation were. Probably not the elders, at least not those who cling to the old ways.”

“Thank you, that’s helpful.”

Wanda took her leave, considering where to go next. Not many of her grandfather’s generation were left, and most were in their eighties or nineties. She took out a small notepad and wrote down the names of everyone she could remember. They were scattered in the remote regions of the reservation, and some were across the border.

She wouldn’t be able to question them all today, but she could make a start. As she wrote, she didn’t notice that she’d drawn the attention of a young man within the building, who stood at a window in the office next to Anna’s.

SEVENTEEN

“What did you tell her?” he asked Anna, standing over her behind her desk, crowding her space.

“Nothing, Jimmy,” Anna said. Her voice shook. He didn’t believe her.

“What did she want, then? Don’t lie; I’ll know.” He would. He always did. Just like he knew when her granddaughter said he was her baby’s father. He went along with it until he needed Anna’s cooperation, and then he suggested a paternity test. The girl didn’t want to do it; she went to her grandmother. Anna summoned him and he laid it all out to her. How he needed to hide. What he needed from her, if she didn’t want her granddaughter’s name dragged through the mud. 

If she helped him, he’d claim the kid. What difference did it make? He wouldn’t live long enough for it to be a problem. He wouldn’t have to pretend to love the boy; that baby that couldn’t be his. But his family name would live on, if not his blood.

He just wanted to live as long as he could, and meeting his end at the hands of
Los Reyes
wouldn’t be easy. He was a traitor; he’d given intel to Gila, to a cousin. His death wouldn’t be quick, like Herman’s.
Los Reyes
taught lessons when they disciplined their own. Hard lessons. He’d do anything to avoid what was coming, except turn himself in. He didn’t want to die in prison either.

“She wanted to know if I knew where you were, or who she could ask. She knows about the cartel taking our young ones, Jimmy. She wants to help you.”

“Bullshit. She turned white a long time ago.”

“No, Jimmy...” Anna flinched as Jimmy made a sudden move. He lowered his hand. If he hit her it would leave a mark. There would be questions, and he didn’t trust her to lie successfully.

“Who is she going to ask?”

“The elders. Just them, Jimmy. She’s afraid she’ll run into cartel if she asks everyone. But listen. She says she’s making arrangements to get you away, to somewhere safe. Maybe you should go to her.”

“There isn’t anywhere safe.” Not a day went by that Jimmy didn’t regret joining
Los Reyes
as a teenager. He’d been so stupid, wanting to make a lot of money, impress his friends and girls. He didn’t know then that you can’t quit
Los Reyes
. There’s no walking away. You stay, and do as you’re told, or you die. If you’re lucky, you die being shot by Homeland Security or another cartel.

He hadn’t meant to give cartel information to his cousin; it just sort of slipped out. A few days later, a load of heroin bound for the new buyers was hijacked by Gila, and someone had seen Jimmy with his cousin, a Gila member. Jimmy barely made it through the tunnels on the rez ahead of the guys that were sent to bring him in for punishment.

He was genuinely sorry about Herman. No one should have suspected that he’d hide with the old man, or that the old man wouldn’t just turn him in to tribal police. He’d promised Herman that he was done with the cartels. The old man didn’t know that wasn’t a real option. He’d been there a week when Wanda spotted him. It had to have been Wanda who gave him away. She was the only one who’d known. She couldn’t be trusted. He said as much to Anna.

“I’ll have to lay low a little longer, until she gives up. Tell Sophia to expect me. I’ll be there just after dark, and I’ll be hungry.”

Jimmy saw Anna slump, but he didn’t care. If her slut of a granddaughter hadn’t pointed her finger at the one person who couldn’t possibly be her baby’s father, she wouldn’t be in this position. He didn’t know why she’d done it, unless she knew he had money. He’d never been with her, though rumor had it several other men on the rez had. Her punishment was to hide him now, and her reward would be that the gossip would stop. Everyone he knew was afraid of him. They should be.

“You better keep your mouth shut, old woman, and you’d better make sure she doesn’t find me. In fact, it would be better for her health if she stopped looking.”

Anna gasped. Jimmy was satisfied that she knew what he was saying. This was getting out of control. He needed to get off the rez, but where could he go?
Los Reyes
was solidly in control of the whole area, and he didn’t know anywhere else to go. He had no skills, other than slipping unseen through the desert. He was screwed. He’d have to stay hidden until later.