Nancy gave Crosswhite a brief hug. “Thank you.”
“It’s okay,” he said. “Better get inside now. We’ll bring the bags in.”
When she was gone, Vaught looked at Crosswhite and shook his head. “You believed every word of bullshit you just told her.”
Crosswhite shrugged. “If I don’t believe it, how the hell can I expect her to?”
56
Crosswhite had returned to Mexico City early in the morning, leaving Vaught to keep an eye on Ortega’s family. Nancy and Paolina were getting along well, and the children were having fun playing with the puppy, which Valencia had named Chance at Crosswhite’s urging. Paolina remained unaware that Nancy and the kids were there under false pretenses.
Vaught didn’t like being cooped up in the house. He wanted to be at the police station with the men. Things were too quiet around town for his comfort, and he was already bored playing babysitter. Not to mention he still felt like a shitheel using a woman and two children as pawns in a war that was partially of his making. Mendoza and his family were already dead. How many more innocent lives would it take to bring down Serrano and the gringo sniper? There had to be a limit. But then again, that was what men like Serrano counted on: people being afraid to risk innocent lives.
“Breakfast?” Paolina asked from the kitchen doorway, much nicer to him now.
“Yes, please.”
Ortega’s son brought over the puppy and placed it in Vaught’s lap, saying in English, “You have the same name, so you have a dog’s name!”
Vaught chuckled, scratching the pup’s ears. “Sounds that way, doesn’t it?”
Nancy brought him a plate of eggs and refried beans. “How soon will you hear from Dan?”
“I’m not sure.” He handed the puppy back to the boy and accepted the plate, noting the worry on her face. “I’ve got a good feeling though, Nancy. I think he’ll have good news when he calls.”
She looked away, blinking her eyes to prevent them from tearing up. “I hope so. Corrupt police scare me more than anything. They’re twice as dangerous as regular criminals.”
“That’s true, but they’re also twice as vulnerable.”
She returned to the kitchen.
Paolina brought her own plate into the living room and sat down in the chair beside Vaught, checking to make sure Nancy wasn’t paying attention. “Daniel took his pistol with him. He doesn’t usually do that. What’s going on?”
“Mexico City is a dangerous place to be right now. There’s a lot of civil unrest, and he’s a gringo.”
Paolina moved her food around on her plate with her fork. “Is there any chance she’ll get her husband back?”
He glanced toward the kitchen. “Normally, I’d say probably not, but under the circumstances, I think the chances are pretty good.”
“What’s different about these circumstances?”
“Dan is different. He’s on top of it.”
She looked at him, her pretty young face appearing more adult than usual. “Is he in danger this morning? I want the truth.”
“Aside from the chaos in Mexico City, he shouldn’t be in any danger.”
He was pushing a piece of tortilla around his plate to mop up the last of the egg yolk when he heard what sounded like a distant clap of thunder. He jerked his head toward the door. “That was a fifty!”
57
Chief of Station Mike Ortega was frantic over his missing family.
“I’m telling you, nothing’s even been touched!” he shouted at Clemson Fields over a secure satellite phone. “The car’s still here! No forced entry — nothing! They just vanished!”
“I can’t help you if you’re going to shout,” Fields said. “Have you called anyone besides me?”
With effort, Ortega forced himself to lower his voice. “Not yet.”
“Well, don’t.”
“I’m terrified! I called her phone, and a man answered. I asked to talk to Nancy, and he hung up! What if she was taken by the Ruvalcabas?” Ortega started to tremble. “How in hell could they know who I am?”
Up in Tijuana, Fields was beginning to wonder if giving Serrano the list of deep-cover PFM agents had been such a good idea. Now even Ortega had been compromised, which made him a liability. “From what I understand, there’s been a leak inside the PFM. Agent Mendoza and his family are missing.”
“Oh my God!” Ortega began to feel dizzy. “Mendoza knows who I am! He gave me up!”
“You have to calm yourself,” Fields insisted. “I’m sending some men, but you need to stay in the house and listen for the phone until they arrive. If your family was taken, someone will certainly call. Whatever you do, do not involve local law enforcement. Is that understood? You have to be patient and give me time to get assets in place.”
“This is all because of that goddamn Vaught!” Ortega moaned. “He got me into this!”
“Am I wasting my time with you?” Fields was losing patience. “Are you going belly-up before I have a chance to fix this?”
Ortega stood in his kitchen trying to get a grip on himself. “No,” he finally croaked.
“Good. My men will be there late this afternoon. In the meantime, your job is to wait for the phone to ring and gather whatever intelligence comes your way. Read me?”
“I read you,” Ortega mumbled, starting to cry.
“We’ll get this sorted out. Just keep calm.” Fields broke the connection.
Ortega sat down at the kitchen table, resting his head in his hands. He was sure great violence had already been done to his wife, and probably his children. His greatest fear was that the phone would never ring.
After a minute, he sat up and wiped his eyes, nearly jumping out of his skin at the sight of Dan Crosswhite standing in the kitchen doorway. “How the fuck did you get in here?”
Crosswhite tossed Nancy’s keychain onto the kitchen table.
Ortega saw the keys and sprang to his feet.
Crosswhite took a Glock 22 from behind his back and aimed it at his face. “Sit your ass back down.”
Ortega did as he was told. “Where’s my wife?!”
“She’s fine. So are the kids.”
Ortega swallowed the lump in his throat, afraid to believe what Crosswhite had just said. “How do I know you’re not lying?”
“You were talking to Fields?”
Ortega nodded.
“He’s working with Serrano — but you knew that already, didn’t you?”
Ortega’s eyes floated. “What are you talking about?”
“I don’t have it all worked out yet.” Crosswhite pulled out a chair and sat down across from him. “Tell me who ordered the hit on Alice Downly.”
Ortega shrugged. “Serrano and Ruvalcaba. Who else?”
“And who’s the gringo sniper?”
“How should I know? What does this have to do with my family? Tell me where they are!”
“Is Fields sending men?” Crosswhite asked.
“Of course. Now tell—”
“What’s he sending them for?”
“To help me find Nancy and the kids! Why else?”
Crosswhite frowned. “Are you that fucking stupid? You’re compromised, Mike. Your house is compromised. Your family is compromised. Your whole goddamn reason for being in Mexico is compromised. Do you really think Fields is sending men to help you? That’s not what he does.”
Ortega’s face twisted with confusion. “What the hell are you…” His voice trailed off.
“He’s is sending men to make you disappear, dumb-ass.”
“You’re crazy! Where’s Nancy?”
“With my wife.”