“I’m sorry for your loss,” Joanna said when they were seated. She waited while Gabriella translated.
“Gracias,” Mrs. Quiroz returned and then added something more in Spanish.
“She says it is God’s will,” Gabriella explained.
It has nothing at all to do with God’s will! Joanna thought savagely.
“The funeral was this morning,” Gabriella continued. “In Tucson. Maria Elena’s husband, Tomas, is … well … if he tried to take them back home for a funeral, he wouldn’t be able to return.”
“He’s illegal?” Joanna asked.
Gabriella paused and then nodded. “That’s why they were coming-to be with Tomas.
He paid for them to come. But since he can’t go back, Maria Elena and Little Eddie will have to be buried here.”
“I’m sorry,” Joanna said again.
Gabriella’s eyes filled with tears. She nodded. “I’m sorry, too.”
There was a pause. During the period of silence, Joanna was aware of Ramona Quiroz’s steady eyes examining her face with unblinking scrutiny. What is she looking at?
Joanna wondered. Is there something wrong with me-with what I’m wearing, with the way I look?
Finally Gabriella continued. “I apologize for dropping in on you like this, but I work-in the tortilla factory in Barrio Anita,” she said. “They let me have today off for the funeral. After the service, my mother insisted that I bring her here.”
“Why?” Joanna asked.
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“Mother spoke to Maria Elena in the hospital. Tomas was on his way, but Mother was the only one there. Maria Elena told Mother about you-about the red-haired woman who found Eduardo and brought him to the helicopter. You are that woman, aren’t you?”
Joanna felt a lump constrict her throat. “Yes,” she murmured. “Yes, I am.”
“Maria Elena must have known she was dying. She asked Mother to come to you and ask you to please show us that spot. She wanted us to put up a cross for Eduardo-a single cross-but we would like to put up two-one for Eduardo and one for his mother as well.”
Still Ramona Quiroz continued to stare. She said nothing, but when Gabriella stopped speaking, the old woman nodded almost imperceptibly.
“Would you take us there?” Gabriella finished.
“Yes,” Joanna said at once. “Of course. Now?”
“Please. If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”
Joanna stood and went to the door. “I’m going out, Kristin,” she said.
“When will you be back?”
“I have no idea.” Joanna turned back to the two women, where Gabriella was busy translating what had transpired.
“We can take one car or two, whichever you like,” Joanna offered.
“The things we need are already in mine,” Gabriella said. “So it would probably be better if we took that.”
‘All right,” Joanna said. “But if you’d like, you could bring it around here to the back, to my private entrance. That way your mother won’t have nearly so far to walk.”
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Gabriella left to fetch the car. When the door closed behind her, Ramona Quiroz spoke on her own for the first time. “You are very kind,” she said. “Thank you.”
“De nada, “Joanna replied.
“So you went out there with them?” Jenny asked. It was after dinner. Jenny was sprawled on the family room floor next to Tigger. Lucky, worn out with playing, was stretched out on Jenny’s other side. Both dogs were sound asleep. Joanna and Butch were on the couch and Lady, with one watchful eye on Butch, was tucked into a tight curl at Joanna’s feet.
“Yes,” Joanna answered. “The walls of Silver Creek are so steep right there, I didn’t think Mrs. Quiroz could possibly make it down and back up again. But she did. She was very determined. And Gabriella had brought along everything they needed-two matching crosses, flowers, a shovel.”
‘And they put the crosses at the exact spot where you found the little boy?”
Joanna nodded. “Even with the storms we’ve had, I was able to show them where I found him. And that’s where they put both crosses, under a clump of mesquite. If it rains as hard as it did the other night, it could be the crosses will be washed away, but that’s where they wanted them.”
“Why did they do that?” Jenny asked.
“It’s a kind of remembrance,” Joanna said. “And it seemed like a nice thing to do.”
“Is the guy who wrecked the van even going to jail?” Jenny asked.
“I don’t know,” Joanna said. “I doubt it. I think the feds have made some kind of deal with him.”
