AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Honey felt shame for what the girl might have suffered on that journey. “It’s become terribly hard to get into this country… never mind staying. I’ve seen too many horror stories on the news.” She remembered reading about the rapes and beatings some of the refugees faced just to get to the Rio Grande.
As if he read her mind, Sage continued. “Yeah… reaching the border is the first nightmare. Getting across is the second. Obviously, being allowed to stay is the third.” He shook his head sadly. “Can’t talk sense into a determined mind. We argued, I begged, and she left anyway. Snuck out in the night like a thief. One minute she was in my bed, and the next, she was gone.”
“I’m so sorry, Sage. I guess you meant it when you said people don’t keep their word to you.” Showing sincerity, she reached out a hand to touch his arm. “Dude… can I explain her side?”
“What do you mean… her side?”
“The side of a woman who’s thinking of better prospects for a family. She must have felt strongly, or she would never have left you. Once a person gets a dream, they can’t let it go. I imagine she planned her future around this opportunity to live in the promised land, knowing many immigrants end up finding a good life here.”
“It’s true. She talked about it all the time. Said she had visions of living here since she was a small niña. I tried to tell her what I believed, but she was in too much of a hurry. I said to her… we’ll apply legally and there might be a chance. But not trucked in with a load of others who couldn’t care less what happens to you. Besides being their meal ticket you mean nothing. She never listened… wouldn’t hear my words.”
Honey took out her phone and insisted he give her his info. “I’ll send you an email so we can keep in touch. If there’s ever anything you need from me, anything… a sponsor, or money to help you, a place to stay, whatever… you contact me. You’ve become important to me, Sage. I wouldn’t be alive without you. We’re family now.”
He pulled over to park the vehicle in front of the address Honey had given him earlier. His expression appeared shy. Tattoos on his face were prominent in the early morning light as were the ones on his hands.
He reached over to touch her cheek. Softly, he spoke a line of Spanish she didn’t understand but the emotion in his eyes told her the words had been sweet. She covered his hand and then kissed it. “Gracias my friend. I’m sorry we had to meet like this, and you have to leave. But it’s best if you go soon. I couldn’t stand the thought of you getting caught.”
“Don’t worry, Honey. By this time tomorrow, I’ll be on a bus and over the border.” He got out of the SUV and went around to her side to help her out, taking her weight when her legs threatened to give way. “Will you be okay? Want me to see you inside?”
“No. I’m fine. You need to go. Drive safe.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and hauled him in for a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you.”
“De Nada, Honey.” His arms held her close for seconds, then slowly let her go.
Knowing he wouldn’t leave until he saw she was safely inside, she put on an act of sprightly behavior. Once out of view, her body sagged, and she dragged herself into the apartment. With the door locked, she felt safe for the first time since all the shit started.
Tears pouring uncontrollably, she dropped onto the sofa, wailing in misery for the nightmare she’d survived. Like a spinning wheel, the gruesome events of the evening from the moment she’d knocked on Lori Jackson’s office door to witness the bloody body, to the impacted thud of purposely ramming her vehicle into a human being. Each event raced through her thoughts in a continuous cycle… always ending at the instant when she recognized Luke.
A good fifteen minutes later, aching all over her body, she slowly pushed herself up. Leaving behind the damp cushion, she stumbled to the bathroom, stripping as she made her way.
All she could think of now was the hot water in the shower. A need to wash off the stink from her earlier encounter with Naz became the most important task of her life.
Chapter Forty-four
Luke ran to the far corner of the nearest building, meeting up with his cohorts. Dale questioned him about the vehicle driving away. “Who was that?”
“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later.”
“Saw the car hit one of the gunmen.”
“Yeah, Naz Dolan. He’s alive but not going anywhere. Deserved what he got… he’s the shooter that killed Zed.”
“Jesus, it’s a sad world when my first thought is – nice play on behalf of the driver.”
Before Luke could agree, they saw a handful of people breaking from the main group, heading their way, and the fight was on. Bullets flew, the criminals using high-powered rifles against the handguns the FBI carried. Because of their religious target training, the agents’ aims were true and soon the last two goons still shooting threw down their weapons and the fight stopped.
Free to move out of hiding, Luke rushed toward the inside of the building in time to see Lori Jackson and a Chinese man holding two other agents hostage. He slipped in unnoticed and watched as the cops slowly put down their guns.
That’s when he saw Lori take aim.
And that’s when he fired.
The first bullet hit her arm, the second shot her in the leg, and the third slammed into the chest of the known Chinese killer he’d recognized.
He’d seen that same face on some of the mugshots he’d poured over in the case of two other grisly murders of cops from months ago.
Running forward, he kicked away the weapons and helped the now thankful police officers take control of the last of the gang.
Dale approached, smiling with relief when he saw an end to the action. “You did it, buddy. We got them all this time. And… just received word that the FBI sanctioned the arrest of the pilot and revoked the license and all aviation privileges for the plane carrying the drugs.
