“Our condolences,” Hackett said.
“And our prayers for Tilly, and you, to heal,” Larson said.
Cora nodded with a smile.
“Listen-” Hackett cleared his throat “-we’re sorry things got intense and we went hard at both of you. These things get complex, and no one ever tells us everything at the outset.”
“I didn’t help much at the start,” Cora said.
“What’s the latest on the San Francisco homicide?” Gannon asked.
“SFPD and our people in Las Vegas have issued warrants for Vic Lomax. So far no one’s located him.”
“Is he facing charges on Eduardo Zartosa’s death?”
“Yes, based on Donnie Cargo’s statements. Also SFPD processed the gun again. This time they were able to find a print that belonged to Lomax,” Hackett said. “By the way, if you need anything more for that story you’re working on, let me know. How’s that going?”
“Can we get the full deathbed statement from Cargo?”
“I’ll see what we can do.”
“Thanks. The WPA is writing a series on Tilly, cartels, everything. I’m working with Henrietta Chong, our bureaus and Isabel Luna. Isabel told me the priest, Father Ortero, was our link to Angel and that the Vatican has posted him to Spain.”
“That’s right. He’s retired.”
“What about Esteban Cruz? What kind of trouble is he facing?”
“The ex-SWAT team sniper. Yeah, he broke a few rules. But we heard that our State and Justice departments and the Mexican government have agreed to regard him as a zealous cop investigating a homicide who followed a complex lead here in hot pursuit. He ultimately saved lives.”
“No reprimand?”
“I doubt it,” Hackett said. “But there’s a lot of heat out of Washington about this kind of crime spilling from Mexico into the U.S. and that laws are being flouted.”
“Not all of them,” Gannon said. “The law of supply and demand is certainly being respected. We demand dope and cartels supply it.”
Several days after the WPA released its series, before Gannon was scheduled to fly back to New York, Jack, Cora and Tilly went to the Grand Canyon.
On their way, Gannon got a call from Hackett.
“That was a good feature.”
“Thanks.”
“Pruitt said San Francisco Homicide particularly liked your story on Eduardo Zartosa’s murder. It appears Samson Zartosa liked it, too, given that you spelled out exactly who killed Eduardo. Here’s a tip. This morning, Las Vegas Metro found Lomax’s corpse in the desert. They found his head on a stick next to it.”
“So Cora’s cleared?”
“Our intel indicates the Norte Cartel is satisfied that it exacted vengeance for the rip-off, but more importantly, for Eduardo’s murder.”
“What about things with Cora and San Francisco?”
“Clear. The D.A. will send her a letter, thanking her for her cooperation.”
“Thanks, Earl. I’ll alert our Las Vegas bureau about Lomax.”
Gannon told Cora the old San Francisco murder case was closed.
She turned to the horizon.
In their short time at the Canyon, he tried to get to know Tilly.
“I think it’s awesome that I have an uncle who’s a reporter in New York City,” she said.
“I think it’s cool that I have a niece who can text faster than I can write when I’m on deadline.”
Gannon stole glances at Tilly whenever he could, amazed at how she resembled Cora at that age. It warmed him, because something he thought he’d lost had come back to him. When he wasn’t looking at Tilly, he gazed across the great gorge. In their private moments, he and Cora had reconciled the gulf of time that had passed between them.
“I’m sorry for being a bad sister. I should’ve come home.”
“I was a terrible brother. I should have looked for you, but I was angry.”
“We lost so much.”
“Other people have it worse, Cora.” He shrugged. “Next to Mom and Dad, you were the most important person in my life. You changed my life, gave me direction. My bond with you never ended.”
“I was just so guilty and ashamed of the mistakes I’d made. I believed I had put my family in danger. I wanted to bury that, keep it hidden. I could never bear to face you, Mom and Dad again.”
“That was the biggest mistake of all.”
“I know and I was coming ’round to dealing with it. The fact I had Tilly and was getting my life on track was all part of it. Can you ever forgive me?”
“I did, the moment you called for help.”
Cora hugged her brother.
“Want to join us for Thanksgiving in Phoenix?”
“Sure. What about Christmas in New York?”