West of Laredo by Tom Armbruster (novel24 .txt) 📖

the Laredo side for a while. Something's going down and I don't want to be here when it does. I liked meeting you. I like Sinclair too. You're good people. I think I might have something for you soon on Marker. Wish me luck."


Lee thinks about calling Dice back and telling him to call when he gets to Laredo. She's never sure how far to go with informants and wishes Sinclair were with her. She decides to make dinner and call tomorrow. For dinner, Lee boils some noodles and pours on salsa after she pours out the water. She eats quickly and lays down on the couch for a nap. At 4 in the morning she realizes she's on the couch and heads back to bed, using all her strength to move J.O. to the side.


*17*


The investigative work by Lee and Sinclair was not bad, actually it was good. They found a source in Boy’s Town who knew what Marker was up to. As a male prostitute the kid got around and knew everybody. Of course asking questions in Boy’s Town is a dangerous game. Answering questions even more so. But what can you do. Everybody wants a favor, everybody’s got a game to play.


18


Fatima knows Luis is a Teco. Today it bothers her a little. Maybe what that lady, Lee, said. ‘Stay away.’ Fa thinks about it. Luis has the tattoos, the attitude, the money. Lots of money. But she likes Luis well enough. A lot of people on both side of the river make their money on drugs. It's not a big thing Fatima decides. Anyway, Luis is quiet, takes her to nice places, and today he'll take her to the bullfight in Nuevo Laredo. They don't kill the bull, and it's a nice day to be outside. She was looking forward to introducing Luis to Dice. After the bullfight, she and Dice would go to the Cadillac bar for a drink, then she’d walk across the bridge and her mom would pick her up on the Texas side.


Luis and Fatima cross at Bridge II and get the green light going into Mexico. A green light means no inspection. A red light and a bell means the Mexican equivalent of secondary inspection.


They are in the Mexican bull ring 15 minutes after leaving the Library where they met in Laredo, Texas. Fatima watches the Mexican kids play their own pretend bull fights. She takes Luis's arm when they walk out. Neither one is pushing a relationship. Luis has been coming in to her store at Mall Del Norte for several months, and occasionally they go to movie or a restaurant in Mexico. But maybe Fatima doesn't want a real relationship with a Teco. Besides, today she is meeting Dice. It's the perfect day. A day off of work and spending time with her friends.


Pico, a Zeta, has been watching Fatima and Luis all afternoon, starting from the library. His brother was just drowned in Salvatore's pool and the body dumped on his doorstep. Pico loves a fight. More than that he loves an unfair fight, and revenge, and he is extremely happy that Luis has a girlfriend with him. He will make them both feel a lot of pain. A lot of pain.


*19*


There are few kids on today's horseback ride. Even Fa is somewhere else, and she is one of the most faithful riders. The pace is slow and Lee is thinking of Dice. They pass some abandoned cars. Lee couldn't reach Dice in the morning, but it was obvious that he did most of his work at night. Back at the Youth Center Sinclair is waiting. Lee gives him a quizzical look. "Farrington just called. All hands at his office. Now."

"Yes, sir. I'll meet you there. I have to wash down Second Chance. Maybe he has something on Marker!"

Consul General Lou Farrington calls the small group of Americans into his office. Five American visa adjuicators, Lee Penny, Sinclair, an Admin guy, a computer guy. Everyone looks at Lee, but no greetings are exchanged. Just those sympathetic smiles that say, 'now what?'

Farrington looks serious. Lee knows the look. It's not about a Sunday Consulate softball game, that's for sure.

Farrington starts in. "Too early to say it's a kidnapping, but FBI just called. One more American missing, maybe two. The female is a 19 year old girl. Fatima Jimenez."

Farrington places her photo on the table and Miguel picks it up first, studying it for a long time. Then he passes it to Sinclair. "FBI Laredo thinks they are on Mexican side."

"We got the photo from FBI." Sinclair is now transfixed by the image. Even as a black and white poor quality fax the picture is striking. Fatima Jimenez is in a convertible, top down, her head turned to the side, laughing at the camera. Full of life.

"And a young man. A witness saw her leave the Laredo Library with a young man, but we have no ID, just a description."

"We're up to what now, 12 missing Americans?" Farrington asks.

Lee says "12 with these two, yes, sir." She is thinking that this will now take her further away from the Marker case. But Marker is dead, these two could be alive.

Farrington continues. "The girl, Fatima, probably not into drugs according to FBI. They were last seen on the Texas side, but how many of you think they are here on the Mexican side?"

Everybody raised their hand. "Yea, FBI's pretty good."

"How many of you think they are still alive?"

Only Lee raises her hand.

"Glad we have an optimist." Farrington says.


The photograph makes its way around the table. Lee picks it up. "I know this girl. We call her ‘Fa.’ She rides horses. She is definitely not into drugs!"

"Well, she might be into them now." Farrington says. "Whether she likes it or not. Go visit the family, Lee. Let's meet back here when you get back."


Lee leaves immediately. She gets over the bridge in twenty minutes and talks to Fatima's mother, Clara. She remembers Fa’s story about the boy in the cartel. Every few minutes the phone rings, answered by a ten year old who says his mom is busy. The news is out that Fatima Ramirez is missing.


Clara says, "We know she crossed into Mexico yesterday afternoon. I think around 4:30 p.m for the bullfight. That means the Homeland Security people should have a photo of her crossing the bridge. If there was someone else in the car they can check. She has a friend, Tony, from high school. He lives on the Mexican side and she sees him once every couple weeks. Nothing serious. I think Tony is not so interested in girls, that's why Fatima likes him. They can talk. Most boys don't want to talk." Clara is intent, steady, serious. Lee notes that she will be a good source of information and decides to ask some personal questions.

"Clara, did Fa ever talk about going out with a 'bad boy,' possibly a Teco?"

"No, she knows I wouldn't approve. If she did, it was social, not romantic."

"Are you sure she crossed at Bridge II? Bridges I and III don't have cameras."

"Pretty sure."

"Do you have a picture of Tony, her friend on the Mexican side?" Lee asks.

"In the yearbook. He was voted most likely to win American Idol. I guess he's a singer over there someplace."

Clara lays the yearbook on her lap. Lee leans in to see. Clara points at the picture and Lee can't help a quick intake of breath. It's Dice.


*20*


Farrington is young, maybe 30, a couple small kids and a Mexican wife. He's been in the Foreign Service 12 years. Tonight he is looking older as his staff again assembles in his office, following Lee's meeting with the family of the missing girl.

"OK, options, ideas?" Farrington looks around.


Everybody knows Lee has the floor. So does Lee. She starts in slowly. "The girl, Fatima, is a popular high school girl. She works at "Spices," the lingerie store in the mall. She's cute, popular, nice Mom, didn't meet the Dad. I'm really not buying her as a big time or even a little time druggie. She might have her wild side, but I think that basically involves going to the Mexican side to drink and dance. Her friend, Dice is our contact, we met him in Piedras. He's a male prostitute. Very young. He's a friend of Fatima's, but was trying to get us some information on Marker, since he saw Marker in Boy's Town before Marker's arrest. I'd feel responsible in a way if anything were to happen to Dice. But I guess anything can happen in Boy's Town. I don't know. He was worried, so I think his disappearance and Marker's death might be connected somehow." She looks at Sinclair.


Sinclair adds, "We know the drug war is heating up between Los Tecos and Zetas. We've had five deaths a week for past year, but in the last two months that's doubled. Of our 10 previous missing Americans, nine can be linked to drug trafficking. I don't doubt Fatima is innocent." He glances at Lee and gets a nod of agreement. "So I would focus on her friend, Dice. There may be