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After church on Sunday, I went to my parents’ house. I didn’t care that I was hours early for dinner, I wanted to be with my family.
My dad hugged me as soon as I walked into the house. “Jack told us what happened. Why didn’t you call?”
I shrugged, but happily accepted my dad’s hug. I didn’t realize how much I needed it.
He led me into the great room where Luisa was making sandwiches. “Hi, Margo. Want a turkey sandwich?”
“That’d be great, thanks.”
Mom was in the backyard talking on her cell phone, involved in a heated conversation with someone.
Jack was there, but not Austin. “Where’s my nephew?” I said. “I need an Austin hug.”
“Home. He has a cold. Sit.”
“I’m fine. Really.” But I sat on the couch because while I was physically fine, I was grumpy. I had tried to get answers yesterday after I gave my statement, but neither Villines nor Barrios were chatty. Maybe they wouldn’t know until after all the interviews and evidence was sorted out. But I hoped Sergio’s ill-conceived confession wouldn’t prevent him from gaining custody of his siblings.
“I talked to Homer last night,” my dad said, sitting next to me on the couch.
“It’s my fault that Don Cruz targeted them,” I said.
“Bullshit,” Jack said and handed me one of the porters Mom had bought for me. He tapped the neck of his Coors Light to my bottle, and we both drank.
“Thanks,” I said. I stared at the bottle. “Cruz had my address. I was stupid and bought beer from him. He carded me and I didn’t think twice about it. I didn’t notice he followed me. What kind of PI doesn’t pay attention to who’s on the street?”
“You don’t know that he followed you,” Jack said.
Dad said, “Homer told me Millie has been spending time with Julia Henderson and the other robbery victims. It would have been just as easy—easier—for the thieves to have seen and followed her.”
They were trying to make me feel better. Maybe they were right.
“I need more training,” I said. “I can’t do this if I put other people in danger.”
“You saved Sophia’s life,” Jack said. “Pat yourself on the back.”
I grunted, sipped my beer.
“I’ll do it for you,” Dad said and patted me on the back.
That made me smile.
Mom came in and said, “Well!” She went to the refrigerator and poured herself a large glass of white wine, then joined us on the couch. “Arizona Legal Services is now representing Sergio Diaz. We’ll have him out of jail tomorrow. And I suspect the charges will be dropped quickly.”
I blinked. “What? That fast? Barrios only said they were reopening the investigation.”
“I’ve been working on this since you first talked to me. He’ll have to make a statement about what he knows, formally recant his confession, and there may be some repercussions, but I think we can make it go away. The most important thing is that we clear his name so he can be reunited with his sister. Rita is going to help him through the process to gain custody. She and that girl you put me in contact with. Faith Jones has detailed notes about every step of the process thus far, and Rita says if I can clear him, she’ll help him get custody of Sophia.”
“What about Henry?” I asked.
“He’s in a great deal of trouble,” Mom said. “Rita is taking his case. She’s better versed in juvenile court issues than I am. He’s already talked and given detailed information about Greg Rodriguez’s murder, about how Javier wore Sergio’s hoodie intentionally wanting to frame him. Javier was obsessed with Sophia and believed that if Sergio wasn’t around, Sophia would turn to him.”
“Sergio said Javier threatened to hurt Sophia, which is why he confessed.”
“Henry was there, witnessed the threat.”
“And went along with it?” Dad said.
Mom shook her head sadly. “He’s an angry, troubled teenager, but I think the last few days have shown him who he should trust—and who he shouldn’t. He’ll be in detention for a while, and I don’t think the court will grant Sergio custody of Henry, at least not immediately, but it may happen if Henry keeps his nose clean.”
