“I worked hard on the promotions and was experiencing some success when Susan contacted me and told me I had a child in the states. When I confided in Ricardo, he was suddenly interested. He had a solution that would benefit us both. He wanted him. He said that he would cancel all my debts if I gave him Mateo.”
“So, you made a deal with the devil?” Harris put down his fork. He looked straight into Javier’s eyes.
“Yes. I saw no other way out. I knew he would take good care of him.”
“Give any thought to my daughter?” His words were steely hard.
“I know what I did was wrong…I took the coward’s way out. Now I’m so ashamed. It’s all my fault. I knew she would be upset, but I never thought she would be dead.”
Harris watched as the handsome, dark-haired man collapsed into tears.
“Okay, okay, pull it together. You’re not the first, or the last, young man who made the wrong decision. I’m not one to judge your decision. This is not the end. You still can help save the kids.”
Javier moved to the sink and threw water on his face.
“Come on back and finish eating. What’s done, is done. We’re up against the clock now.”
“Now, tell me about you and my daughter.”
They finished dinner and went into the living room. Harris pulled the heavy curtains and sat down on the sofa. Javier took the over-stuffed chair next to the couch.
“Susan was someone I took to right away. She had a wonderful laugh and she made me smile. She said I was too uptight.”
Harris could easily decipher the look that crossed Javier’s face. “She stole your heart.”
Javier smiled for the first time. “That she did. And she never gave it back. We went dancing, we spent a wonderful three weeks together, laughing and loving each other. I will always truly love her…and our son.”
He continued. “She was a wonderful mother to Tyler, he’s very bright for seven. I remember she sat with me by the Christmas tree and told me about your last Christmas together. She loved you. She told me about you because she couldn’t talk about you to Carl or her mother. They are not fond of you, you know?”
Harris let out a laugh. “Ya think?”
Javier didn’t smile. “Yes, I do. Stephanie is an incredibly angry and bitter woman. She did not like me, I think because I had an influence on Susan. She changed me, but I changed her.”
“You’re perceptive. I was beginning to worry about you.”
“You are joking?” Javier said, a doubtful look on his face.
“No. How soon will Ricardo move the children?”
Javier was taken aback by Harris. “You change subjects quickly.”
“Keep up,” Harris growled. “We don’t have that much time. The longer it takes, the more that can go wrong,” Harris said. “You have no idea where the kids are?”
“None…”
Harris took a deep breath. “All right. It’s late. We need to get some sleep.”
“Please help me. I will give my life for Susan and those two kids. Now that I know you, I trust you. I will do anything you feel is right.”
Harris looked at the young man. “We’ll think of something. I promise. Get some sleep. You take the sofa, I’ll take the recliner,” Harris said. Get ready for bed. I need to make a call on your phone.”
Javier looked startled.
“Don’t worry, it can’t be traced. It’s local.”
Javier went into the bathroom and Harris picked up the phone and dialed his home number. Amy picked up on the first ring.
“Hey, it’s me,” he said.
“Hey, you.”
“Listen, I’m fine. I’m just flying under the radar for a little while.”
“Okay.”
“Tell the Cuban that he will hear from me through Rex.”
“Got it,” she said.
“Love you…”
“You too. See ya.”
He hung up and called Rex.
“Rex, it’s me.”
“Hey there. Everything, all right?”
“Yeah, can you talk?”
“My office is open.”
“I got a person who can help us.”
“Good. Anytime tomorrow. I’ll be in my office all day.”
“Thanks. We’ll be there in the morning.”
“Sure.” Rex hung up.
* * *
Alex called Sharkey.
“Oh, man, that hurt. It’s Alex. They have Carl. I tried to help but they had a Gorilla-sized goon that tossed me ten feet into a bunch of bushes.”
“Where are you?”
“Behind the…ah…Turbo Street and the Ferry Terminal. Hurry. I saw her. Sooner or later, they’re going to realize that’s a problem they need to go back and fix.”
“Calling it in,” Sharkey said.
“Dispatch, Detective Sharkey. I need couple cars at Turbo Street and the back of the Ferry Terminal. Now. And an ambulance.”
“Roger that.” Then, “Cars are responding.”
Cruz caught the call and headed for the intersection. He saw Alex laying on the grass holding his ribs. Two other cars pulled up. Guns were drawn.
“They screwed up and left me alive. When they realize that, they may be back.”
“Roger that. You okay, Alex? We have an ambulance on the way.”
“My knee, I think. My left leg had a knee replacement. It’s hard to breathe…”
“Okay, just lay still. The ambulance should be here in a minute. I can hear the sirens now. Hold on. Anything else hurt?”
“Pretty much the rest of my body.” He laughed, then groaned.
“What did the suspects look like?”
“She was a well built and extremely strong woman…with big teeth.” Alex then groaned and passed out.
The EMT unit approached. The medics stepped out, headed for Alex, and started to evaluate him.
“He just passed out. We may be compromised at any minute. Get down if we say to.”
“Got it.”
