Inamorata (11 page)

Mick groaned and gave her body up to Isabella. She parted her legs as Isabella descended her body leaving hot scorching kisses in her wake. “Oh, Christ,” Mick cried out when she felt Isabella’s tongue against her. There was a great deal of experience in Isabella’s lovemaking. She was slow at first, gently teasing Mick, bringing her to the brink then backing away, which drove Mick wild. She writhed beneath Isabella begging her not to stop. When she felt Isabella’s finger deep inside her and her tongue teasing her, she came hard, her body twitching uncontrollably.

“Isabella,” Mick cried out as her orgasm seemed never-ending. She could take no more; she pulled Isabella away from her. “Enough, please…”

Isabella held her trembling body, and pulled the downy blanket over them.

“Oh, my God,” Mick said, still trembling.

Isabella kissed her head. “
Magnifico
.”

*******

The shrill sound of the phone nearly knocked Mick out of bed. Completely disoriented, she slapped the nightstand and found the phone. Isabella jumped as well.

Mick picked up the phone. “Hello?” she said in a coarse voice.

“Mick. It is Maria.”

Mick heard the panic in her voice. “Maria, what’s wrong?” She looked out the window, it was daylight but she had no idea what time it was.

“You and Isabella need to come to Los Rios. It’s Carmella, she’s gone
loco
, I think. Please we will meet you at the site, hurry.”

“Okay, okay…” Mick’s heart was racing as she set the phone down.

“Mick, what is it?” Isabella asked.

“It’s Carmella. Maria said she’s acting
loco,
but didn’t tell me why. We have to meet them at the site as soon as we can.”

They got ready so fast, showering together. Their hair still damp as they drove out of Panama City to Los Rios.

“I wonder what has happened?” Isabella asked. Her cell went off then. “It’s the hospital. This is Dr. Rivera.”

Mick listened and stole a glance as she drove. Isabella frowned deeply. “When was she there? And why did no one call me?” She put her hand to her forehead as she listened. “No, I am sorry. I would have done the same. No. No. I am on my way to her now.
Gracias
.” She snapped the phone shut.

“What, what?” Mick asked frantically.

“Carmella went to see Zeke early this morning. The nurse said she looked odd, but thought nothing of it. But she seemed fine with Zeke. They laughed and talked, and had breakfast together, but the nurse said there was just something off about Carmella. Especially when she told the nurse to tell you and me to love him and take care of him.”

“What?” Mick asked again. “What the hell is going on? Is Zeke okay?”

“He’s fine. Actually he seems very content and ready to go see you and me later.”

“I don’t get it. What do you think?” She glanced at Isabella who stared straight ahead.

“I do not know. But I have a very bad feeling. Hurry Mick.”

Mick shifted gears; she had never driven so fast in her life without getting a ticket. She pulled onto the frontage road leading to the campsite. Sean, Juan, and Maria stood by the workers and their trucks. The Land Rover had barely stopped when Mick jumped out.

“Okay, what’s going on?”

Maria spoke first. “Pedro overheard Carmella this morning at the café.” She looked at Pedro. “Tell her, quickly.”

“Carmella said she’d had enough of Alejandro’s lying and dealing drugs. He almost killed Ezekiel. She would make sure he wouldn’t succeed.”

“Where is she now?” Mick asked.

“That’s just it, we don’t know. We’ve looked everywhere,” Juan said.

Mick looked at Isabella. “Do you know where Alejandro would be now?”

“I have no idea.” She frantically ran her fingers through her hair.

Sean took out his cell. “I’ll call that detective. Maybe he can help.” He walked away as everyone started talking.

Mick watched Sean while trying to listen to the men giving their opinion on where Carmella could be. As they were discussing, another pickup pulled up.

“Carmella is in Los Rios with Alejandro. She has a gun, and is taking him to the mayor’s office.”

“Oh, shit.” Mick called to Sean. “Sean, c’mon. Let’s go.”

Everyone ran to their trucks and headed to the sleepy village of Los Rios.

*******

As they pulled into town, Mick could see a gathering in the middle of the village square.

“This is not good,” she said, stopping the Land Rover well before the crowd.

Juan and Maria held hands as they walked toward the quiet crowd.

“I don’t like this,” Sean said, walking with them.

“Well, at least there’s no riot,” Mick said.

“That’s what I don’t like. Crowds are not supposed to be this quiet.”

He had a point. Mick looked over her shoulder to see their workers who had pulled up were not following them. As they got closer Mick’s fears were answered. There stood Carmella, in the middle of Los Rios, with a gun pointed at Alejandro Reyes who looked as though he might vomit. Mick didn’t know how to handle this. She looked around for the mayor and saw him in his office, looking through the blinds, the coward.

Carmella, dressed in a very colorful dress and shawl, actually looked beautiful and serene. And very calm as she held the gun with a steady hand.

“She is a crazy woman,” Alejandro called out the crowd.

Carmella laughed. “
Sí
. I am. And you will admit to your crimes against the people of Los Rios, Señor. Or I will shoot you where you stand.”

Isabella gasped when she heard the resolute tone in Carmella’s voice.

“I admit to nothing because I have done nothing,” Alejandro said, nervously.

“The truck that struck my grandson. It had the logo of your company on it,” Carmella said in a calm voice.

“It was stolen weeks ago. Whoever did this did it without my knowledge. I know nothing.”

“You are a liar, Señor. And you do it so well,” Carmella said. “Just as you lied about Luis. You succeeded in killing him years ago because he found out about your filthy business of drugs. You will not kill any more. I will see you dead first.”

“Where are the police?” Sean asked, looking around.

Mick motioned to the mayor’s office. “Probably with the mayor behind the blinds.”

“What are we going to do?” Maria asked, holding onto Juan.

“What about the detective in the city?” Juan asked Sean.

“He said he was calling the local police,” Sean said. “But I don’t think it’ll do any good.”

“Old woman, I am not a murderer. I have never killed anyone.” Alejandro pleaded his case. He looked extremely terrified, the sweat dripping from his face.

“No, not you. You only had someone else do your dirty work. No more,” Carmella said. “You will confess here, in front of the town you have terrorized.”

Suddenly, shots rang out and people screamed and ran for cover. Mick grabbed Isabella and threw her to the ground, covering her with her body. Juan, Maria, and Sean did the same.

Mick frantically tried to find Carmella. She was leaning against a stone monument, which stood in the middle of town. From the look of her, Mick knew she has been wounded. But then, she smiled, and raised the gun, aiming it at Alejandro, who had turned to run away. Carmella shot twice, and Alejandro went down. Right in front of the mayor’s office.

Mick and the rest ran to Carmella who was now lying in the street. Isabella knelt down next to her, seeing the blood underneath her she frantically looked for the entry wound.

Carmella grabbed at her hand. “Is he dead?” she whispered.

Mick looked back at a few townspeople who stood over Alejandro’s still body.

“I think so,” Mick said. This was too surreal for her. She looked around while people still ran, some screaming that a gunman got away. Mick didn’t care. She looked down at Carmella, now cradled in Isabella’s arms with Maria close by.

Mick couldn’t hear her as she whispered to Isabella. Sean shook his head in disgust as the mayor slowly opened his door, the policeman followed.

“Motherfuckers,” he said angrily.

Mick heard a siren in the distance, in a moment an unmarked car drove up. Detective Bolivar got out and ran to them. “What has happened?” he asked, his hand on his weapon. “I had a feeling when I did not get in touch with the local police I should come.”

“You’re a little late,” Juan said. “I will tell you what happened.” He walked away with the detective, toward the mayor, who looked ill, and the policeman, who probably knew his job was over. It if wasn’t, Mick was sure the people of Los Rios would make sure of it.

When Mick looked back at Carmella, she was so still. Isabella cried, and gently laid her on the pavement. She looked up at Mick and shook her head, tears streaming down her face. This is insane, Mick thought. Shit like this just doesn’t happen. Her next thought was of Zeke. What would happen to him now?

Chapter 17

Mick drove the Land Rover down the narrow road, as she has done so many times. As she pulled into the paved parking lot, she marveled in how much she and the others had accomplished. They finished building the clinic in spite of all that had happened. The people of Los Rios all joined in and lent a helping hand anyway they could. It was sad that someone had to die first, but Mick knew Carmella wouldn’t want there to be any sadness now.

Alejandro Reyes was no longer a threat to the village. And the man who killed Carmella was found days after the shooting, cowering deep in the tropical forest. Detective Bolivar was relentless, and did not give up until he apprehended him; he spilled his guts about the drug running, and the fake import business of Señor Reyes.

It was all so pointless now to Mick. She was thankful Zeke had come out of this as best he could. He missed his grandmother very much, but between the townspeople, Juan, and Maria; Sean and Isabella, he would be okay and he would be well loved.

She walked up to the clinic doors and stopped to read the sign above the door etched in stone—
The Carmella Estaban Clinic of Los Rios.

Mick smiled, and walked in. The girl at the reception desk smiled.

“Good morning, Mick. I bet I know who you want to see,” she said with a wink.

“I bet you do. Is she free?”

“She’s with a patient. It’ll just be a minute. I—”

“But Dr. Isabella, it is okay. Ask Mick. She said I could.”

When Mick heard Zeke’s voice, she cringed and did an about-face. “You never saw me…”

“Stop right there,” Isabella’s voice called out.

Mick had her hand on the door; she looked to the heavens. “So close…” She turned and smiled. “Hi, honey.”

Isabella glared at her. “What did you tell Zeke?”

Mick looked beyond her to see Zeke smiling sheepishly. The cast had been removed from his leg, but he looked adorable with a paisley colored cast on his arm. He waved happily. “Hi Mick.”

“Hey, my man. How’s the arm feeling? Shouldn’t you be out of that thing by now?” Mick asked.

“Zeke wait in an examining room,
por favor
,” Isabella said, glaring at Mick.

“Okay,” he said in full pout and headed back.

Isabella stopped him and cupped his face. “
Gracias
, Zeke. I love you.”

Zeke smiled and ran back to the room.

“Come with me,” Isabella said to Mick, who followed her down the hall to her office.

When she entered, Mick was still amazed at the sunlight that flooded the office. With the big windows facing the west, the doctor would always get the sunset she desired. Mick walked over to the rocking chair by the window and gently set it to rocking.

“Am I in trouble?” she asked, looking out the window. She closed her eyes and sighed when she felt two warm arms wrap around her waist. “Can I take that as a no?” She turned in Isabella’s embrace to face her. “I love you.”

“You irritate me so…”

“But you love me.”

“Do not change the topic. Zeke is our responsibility now, Mick. He needs both of us to be parents.”

“I know. We were lucky that Carmella put it in her will that you were to be his guardian.” She smiled then. “And I’m glad you said our responsibility.”

“The point is he cannot miss school just because Mick said it was okay.”

“But his arm is broken and he’s been through so much. I just thought a day off wouldn’t hurt.”

Isabella nodded. “And did he tell you he had math and history tests today?”

“Uh, no…How did you know?”

“I talk to his teacher. She helps me run the free vaccinations for the children.”

“Well, the little shit didn’t tell me.”

“He’s nine. You’re the adult.”

Mick grinned. “Who’ve you been talking to?” When Isabella sighed, Mick pulled her close. “I’m sorry. You’re absolutely right.”

“It will take a lifetime for you to catch up to Zeke.”

“Will you wait a lifetime?” Mick asked.

“For my
inamorata
? I would wait two lifetimes.”

Mick kissed her then. “I love you. Oh, by the way.” She pulled a paper out of her pocket. “Got my work visa. So you’re stuck with me for a long, long while.”

“Good.” Isabella returned her kiss. “We need a new school.” She smiled and gently guided Mick into the rocker. Isabella then sat on her lap, leaning against her strong body.

“For my
inamorata
? I would build two.”

Mick lazily rocked them back and forth, as they watched the setting sun.