A Quiet Street in El Paso

by Jim Daddio

  A black SUV pulled up and two men got out. They opened the hatchback and dragged out two large cases. The back door opened and a man in a black suit slid out of the car and gave out what sounded like commands to the two men.

  Betty whispered, “He told them to take the cases into the tunnel.” Matt didn’t respond.

  When the two men walked toward the tunnel, they noticed the door was open and the large clump of bushes was pulled aside. One of them called out something in Spanish.

  “He is asking where the two guards are,” Betty whispered.

  The well-dressed man walked toward the opening. Mat caught the attention of one of the officers and gave him a signal to move out. The two officers jumped up and called out, “Everybody on the ground. Now!”

  One of the men quickly turned and ran toward the SUV. The officers called out again. The other man dove behind a large tree and began running through the dense woods. Two officers chased after him.

  The well-dressed man didn’t move. The two officers with their weapons held high against their chests moved toward the man. Their helmets shone in the hot sun. Their chest protectors were firm and tight against their bodies. Again, they called out and announced who they were.

  One of the men ran to the car, found his weapon, leaped out from the side and began to open fire. Both officers returned fire and the bullets smashed into the side of the car. They both hit the ground and continued to fire their weapons. The men yelled something is Spanish, threw his weapon in the air and raised his arms high toward the sky.

  “Get down. Get down,” the officer called out.”

  The man fell to the ground. He was quickly handcuffed and dragged away.

  Mat had dived to the ground and Betty slid behind a thick brush. The man who gave the orders slid along the ground and picked up the dropped weapon. Mat called out, “Don’t do it. Drop it.”

  The man grabbed the weapon and turned and scampered toward the car. Mat fired off a few rounds but missed him. The man ducked behind the car and waited a second, then turned and aimed his weapon and began to fire. Betty had moved in behind him. She moved slowly toward him. He didn’t see her. She stretched out her arms and held her Glock with both hands, trying to keep from shaking. She was well trained and had been involved in several arrests but still she could feel her stomachache with anxiety. She stood a few feet from the man. She began to call out when he turned and saw her. He pulled up his weapon and started to aim it at her. She didn’t hesitate and fired four rounds directly at him. All four bullets struck the man in the chest area. He fell back against the SUV, paused for a second then slid down the side of the car, leaving a trail of blood. His body slithered to the ground. Betty rushed over and kicked his weapon away.

  Mat had seen it all. There was stillness in the air. It was over.

  Mat walked over to Betty. “You okay?”

  Betty stared down at the bloody man. “I don’t know. It happened so fast. I had to react to what he did. He pointed his weapon at me and—”

  Mat interrupted, “You did the right thing. You did really good.”

  Mat bent down and studied the man. He was dead. He looked closely at him. He recognized him. He looked at Betty. “You know who he is?”

  “No.”

  “Well, you’re about to be very, very famous. You just brought down the most dangerous and feared man in this part of Mexico. Juan Castro Lopez. The authorities have been after him for years. He is…or was, the leader of the largest and most violent cartel in Mexico. Congratulations.”

  Within an hour, the place was buzzing with the Mexican Federal Police, American border guards, officials from the DEA, FBI and Homeland Security. He and Betty were instructed to report to the office of Homeland Security to give a complete briefing.

  Mat made a motion with his head and he Betty slipped through the bushes and into the tunnel. He grabbed her arm and said, “I looked into the cases. It wasn’t weed. The cases were loaded with automatic weapons. You’re about to be a star.” A half hour later they exited the tunnel and drove off.

  Twenty-four

  They sat quietly, staring out the car window. Mat looked over. “Jesus, that’s a first for me. All these years on the force and I’ve never been involved in a shootout like that.”

  “And you think I have. I was shaking all over the place.”

  “You didn’t show it. From what I saw, you were very calm.”

  “I tried. I got this rush. All the training just came to me. I think I still have a rush.”

  “I do, too.”

  “My place or yours?” she asked.

  Mat yanked the gear shift into D and the car roared down the street. They arrived at her apartment and raced inside. Betty ripped at her clothes and began stripping. Mat literally jumped on her and wrestled her to the floor. It didn’t take long before they were both lost in a wild lustful embrace.

  Betty hung on with both arms and her legs wrapped around Mat’s body. His entire body gyrated as he reacted to her every move and emotion. The sweat poured from their bodies. It was as if they were stuck together. They both yelled out in ecstasy as they climaxed together.

  Mat rolled over trying to catch his breath. He laughed out loud. “What the fuck was that? I got carpet burns on my knees and my body feels like it’s been drenched in hot rain.”

  Betty laughed along with him. “I don’t know what that was either, but I can tell you my butt is as raw as a rotten oyster.”

  “Unbelievable.” Mat sighed.

  Betty rolled over on top of him. She placed her lips close to his. “That, my friend, was some adrenaline rush. I’ve never felt emotion like that. Just the whole thing today. Us. Me and you taking charge. The SWAT team. The gunfire. The danger. Oh God, I loved it. And you were terrific. You were so much in control.”

  “And so were you.”

  She laid her head on his chest and he could feel her heart beating. After a few minutes, he could hear her soft sighs as she drifted off.

  Mat closed his eyes and lowered his head. He wanted to shout out to her that he wasn’t terrific. That he was a bad guy. A bad cop. A cop on the take. He was taking bribes from a drug lord. He was a criminal. He was withholding evidence. He had to hold back the tears as his emotions took control.

  He reached over, pulled Betty up and carried her into her bedroom. He laid her gently on the bed, dressed and walked back into the kitchen. He searched for the tequila. He found the bottle and took a long swig. He walked out onto the small balcony and sat on a lounge chair. He drank from the bottle, taking one long swig after another. He had to get lost…lost in his world of lies, booze and self-destruction.

  ~ * ~

  They stared at each other for a few minutes as they stood at the entrance to the security check point at the El Paso Airport. Betty stood next to him. He said, “I can’t believe they make you go through security.”

  “Procedures are procedures.”

  “I know why you want to do this. It’s called a body search. I know you love it when they pat you down.”

  Betty laughed. “I’ll surprise them when I return the favor.”

  She was on her way back to Washington and a citation, followed by a promotion.

  She had been recognized by the agency for her outstanding job in finding the tunnel and bringing down the leader of the cartel. Mat let her have all the publicity and rewards for what they had accomplished.

  “So, I saw your interview on Fox News…you’re famous.”

  “Just stop. I was asked to do it by my boss. And I am far from being famous.”

  “You’re famous in Mexico. Your picture is all over the county.”

  “Just doing my job.”

  Mat grinned, “And a fine job it was.”

  It was true. Juan Castro Lopez was the most feared man in Mexico. It had been reported for years he didn’t care if he killed men, women or children to get command of the drug trade and bringing in illegal immigrants into the U.S. After his death was reported, there was a rash
of arrests that included not only the members of his cartel but politicians who had no one to protect them. For sure, Betty Vazquez was a national hero.

  “Tell me, is CNN next?” Mat asked.

  “I guess. I’m not too crazy about it, but the big boys tell me it will help bring attention to what the agency is accomplishing.”

  “You love it and you know it.”

  Betty smiled. “Maybe a little. But you know it should be about the both of us.”

  “We agreed that is something I do not want. It’s your time to shine. Enjoy it.”

  Betty moved closer. She leaned up against him. “You know we could have had something here. Opposites do attract, you know.”

  Mat didn’t have a response. Truth was he really did like her. But he knew nothing could ever come of their relationship. There would be no way he would move to Washington; even when she told him she could arrange a fat job for him.

  The announcement called for the boarding of her plane. She picked up a small suitcase and started toward the line. She said, “I know I told you yesterday how much I learned from you. I do appreciate everything you did for me. You are a good guy. Sometime a little off center, but…oh well, I’ll miss you.”

  Mat didn’t respond.

  She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the lips. She whispered, “And a good lay, too.”

  Twenty-five

  Mat found his way to The Pink Lady. He was to meet Bones, the man who replaced Jamar. For a few minutes, Mat dropped back into his feeling guilty mode. It seemed to go away after his third shot of tequila.

  Sometimes it didn’t help. He had been feeling guiltier and guiltier every day. Ever since Betty left, he had been drowning himself in self-pity. He had to face the fact that he missed her. He hadn’t been assigned a new partner and wasn’t in any hurry to have one.

  After they found the tunnel the pressure was taken off him. His boss gave him a citation and he was recognized by the police commissioner. All the time he was breaking the law. He was a crooked cop, a drunk and one of the bad guys. He decided to make a change. Tonight was the last money he would take from Fat Baby. He had decided to ask Sue to move in with him and have a normal life; as normal as a police officer could have.

  He spotted her and watched as she did her dance on the stage. Her nude body shone in the array of colored lights that flashed across her. The loud music pounded through his head and the lights left him dizzy. He staggered to the round stage and threw a ten dollar on the stage. She slithered over, grabbed the money, kissed him on the check and rolled across the stage.

  Mat had yet to meet his new contact. He had a description. It didn’t take him long to spot him. He was tall, at least six four, with short black hair. He was thin but well proportioned. Mat walked closer and noticed his features. He was black, but his skin was light and smooth. He was surrounded by three dancers.

  Mat stood next to him. He kept his eyes on the stage. He said softly, “You Bones?”

  “That’d be me. You must be Mat.”

  “Let’s keep this simple. Just lower your hand straight down below the bar and hand it to me.”

  Bones reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small white envelope. He did what Mat suggested and let his arm fall straight down. Mat turned around and with one motion grabbed the envelope out of his hand. He said, “Every Tuesday, same place, but two hours later. Work for you?”

  “Whatever.”

  Mat slid the envelope in his pocket. He turned toward Bones. “Ready for a drink?”

  “Sure. Bourbon on the rocks.”

  Mat ordered the drinks. “I hear Jamar is out of town.”

  “You could say that,” Bones replied. He took a drink. “You seem to be well known around here.”

  “Been hanging around for a while. See the dancer on the stage. Taken.”

  “Nice. There are a few hot ladies in here. I think I’ll like coming here more often.”

  Mat downed his shot. He said, “Be cool, Bones. I’ll see you next Tuesday.”

  The next Tuesday seemed to come too fast for Mat. He was still trying to find a way to cut the cord with Fat Baby. He entered The Pink Lady and spotted Bones. He was going to refuse the money and tell him to tell Fat Baby the deal was over. He started toward him when Bones saw him and came up to him. “Come on. I want to show you something.”

  “What? Now?”

  “Yeah. Let’s go.”

  Mat followed Bones out of the club and into his car. Bones drove through town, found the interstate and drove west about five miles. He exited and made a few turns and slowed down on a dark street lined with older houses. He pulled over and turned off the engine.

  “These three houses on this side of the street and two on the other side are part of Fat Baby’s meth houses.”

  “How nice. Now why are you showing me this shit?”

  “See the van parked over there?” Bones pointed a block up the street.

  “Hardly. The street is so dark. Jesus.”

  “That van is ours.”

  “Ours?”

  “Yes. It belongs to Fat Baby. You were on the team the last time I looked.”

  “Why bring me here?”

  Bones reached into the glove compartment. He pulled out an envelope. “Here.”

  Mat grabbed the envelope and began to put it into his pocket.

  Bones touched his arm. “Open it.”

  “Why”

  “Just open it.”

  Mat shrugged his shoulders and ripped open the end. He pulled out the money. He counted five thousand, five hundred dollars. He looked over at Bones. “What the hell is this?”

  “Fat Baby wanted to let you know he expects you to drive around the street a few times at night. Check it out. Make sure we don’t have a repeat of the last attack.”

  “Not going to happen. I’ll take my five hundred and you can give him back the rest. As a matter of fact, give it all back to him. Our deal is over.”

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You’re in. Get it. Don’t be fucking with him. You made the deal, remember. You just can’t say no and walk away. He may not go for it and I wouldn’t begin to think what he is capable of doing. Plus, five grand extra is a nice piece of change.”

  Mat felt an empty feeling deep in the pit of his stomach. He knew Bones was right. He was in too deep. He had made the deal. “And what the hell does he expect me to do if I see something?”

  “Hey, you’re the cop. Arrest somebody. Call for backup. Hell, I don’t know.”

  “And the van?”

  “They’re here for a pickup. If they saw something they’d probably help. But the man wants you here. What can I say? Plus, this is the only house left. He closed the other houses down. Don’t know why, but he did.”

  Mat sat quietly in his seat. Bones looked over and said, “You know, I don’t get this. I read about you. You’re big news. Big time arrest record. And here you are taking money from a drug dealer. What’s the story with that?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it. It’s none of your fucking business.”

  “Just asking, that’s all.”

  “Well, don’t. I’ll do this, but you can tell him this. If I see something that looks like an attack, I’ll contact you and you call for backup. I’ve told him many times I can’t get involved in his drug business. Not my job. I make one arrest, and believe me, the boys in the DE group will know what I’m doing in a heartbeat.”

  Bones started the car and drove down the dark street. Mat put the money in his pocket. “Take me to a bar. I need to get drunk.”

  “I got some good ice.”

  “Fuck off.”

  Bones dropped Mat at The Pink Lady. He didn’t feel like going back inside. He found his car and drove directly to the bar on the border. He couldn’t believe how deep he was in with Fat Baby. He knew he couldn’t walk away. He had known a few cops who were arrested for taking bribes and several others for stealing drugs for resale.

  He began to feel guilty. He f
elt the pain inside for thinking he could take bribes and keep information from his fellow officers. The only way he could live with himself was to drown his mind with tequila. He drank himself drunk.

  Mat staggered from the bar and found his car. He fumbled with his keys and finally started the engine. He roared out of the parking lot and drove hard through the dark street. He flew through a red light and pressed the gas petal hard to the floor. The top was down, and the warm wind blasted against his face. He didn’t see the flashing blue lights but heard the siren.

  He looked into the rear-view mirror and saw the black and white as it grew closer. He slowed down, pulled over and waited.

  The police officer approached the car and walked around to the passenger side. He stood erect and glared at Mat and commanded, “Driver’s license and registration, please.”

  Mat pulled his detective badge from his waist and pushed it toward the police officer. The officer grabbed the badge and studied it. He dropped it on the seat. “I don’t know what the hell you’re doing…and I don’t care if you kill yourself. I just don’t want you killing a civilian.”

  Mat didn’t respond.

  “You smell like a bottle of tequila. You’re drunk. Very drunk. I suggest you pull into the parking area over there and I’ll drive you home.”

  Mat stuttered, “Call me a cab.”

  The officer made a call. “I’ll be waiting in my car until the cab comes. And do something foolish like racing away, detective or not, I’ll bring you down.” He turned, walked away and whispered, “Asshole.”

  Mat lowered his head. He was sinking lower and he knew it. He just didn’t know how to get out of the mess he’d gotten himself into.

  Twenty-six

  Hector was not a happy man. He was very nervous as he drove his pickup to a house in Juarez. It was the first time in two years he was going to meet with one of the drug people. Since the first meeting, he never had to meet anybody in person. The chemicals were always put into his truck on Monday evening along with an envelope with his payoff.