Ashes Remain

by Alethea Stauron

  Shallow waves over the pond ripple smooth surfaces with an afternoon breeze. Fish jump, sending swells of dark water like glitter in spring sunlight. He trolls the area beside the pond’s bay, glaring at his new fishing hole. “After I’m done with her…” plugging a good arm in the air, “I’m coming back for the catfish.”

  Drake hikes toward the cabin, taking note of rocky terrain and narrow footpaths, “I’m gonna need a wheelbarrow or trailer through this part.” Leaves kick under him as he maps out his track. Finally, he walks sod under his feet from behind her house. Around the corner, he notices Josephine getting ready to leave and tossing her purse and bag into her dad’s old truck. “Hey, Jojo,” hastening to catch up to her. “Where’re ya going?”

  “I didn’t know you were outside?”

  “Just exploring a little bit. Where’re ya going?”

  “I have to go into town,” she said, looking at a receipt.

  He’s not risking her sneaking over to join her friends. Not this close to him finally cleaning what he’d started. He says, “Can I go with you? I have to get out of here. I literally have cabin fever.”

  Josephine giggles, “Sure you can,” buckling her seatbelt. Her head hangs halfway out of the window, “I just gotta return something with a warranty for a repair.” She starts the engine. “I’ll wait for you.”

  Drake accelerates over the porch, and swings back with a hop, “Hey, Jojo,” looking at his watch.

  “Yes?”

  “Maybe we can get a bite to eat on the river?”

  “Sounds like fun.”

  Lucius glares from the backseat, “Maybe we can drop him off where you found him?”

  Drake races up to his room and grabs boots with his good hand, sliding off tennis shoes with his feet. He sashays a button up plaid over his black shirt, readjusting his collar with one arm and stretching his lips to one side as he tilts his head. He brushes a few bruises and scratches the remaining discolored blotches over his face. He stares at his reflection. “Still look good,” ogling over himself, “Don’t know why she didn’t jump on this?” He swings open the bottom dresser drawer, and checks one more special detail in his day. He shuffles his folded sweatpants to the side, revealing a shiny object with a silencer attached. “Too late for her now.” Two fingers touch his puckered lips. He sends down a silent kiss with a wipe over the barrel. Rubbing his fingers across the name Mr. Estevez engraved on the side. “Gonna love my new toy tonight. Perfect for pinning this on him later.”

  ◆◆◆

  Drake balances his cowboy hat in one hand and stands outside the passenger door. Tapping on the window.

  Josephine swivels up with a glance, “Huh?”

  He points, “Can you get the door for me,” raising a casted arm, “Doors are tricky with this thing.” She stretches over. His brow soars high with her top breast causing a bigger crease, as she stretches over the bench seat. The door swings open and he catches the frame with his knee. “Much obliged,” and climbs into the truck. His giddy smile dissolves when he wrestles the belt over his shoulder, getting caught between the cast and his arm. He pulls a sleeve up, messing up his collar until his cheeks turn flushed red. He releases the belt and gives up entirely. “It’s just not gonna work for me.”

  “Well…” her shoulders bounce, “… besides your safety, are you ready now?”

  A sinister sheen coats his eyes, “I’m ready to have steak…” glaring at her, “like it’s our last meal together.” He drums one finger on the dashboard, “Let’s go, Jojo.”

  ◆◆◆

  Josephine finds a parking area fairly close to the Alamo. She grabs her purse and glances over. Drake is watching her closely. “What’s wrong?” He says nothing. “Do you need me to get the door for you,” she asked.

  “Jojo, I was just thinking,” his chin tilts, scanning across brown floorboard, “I wanna help you when I get to feeling better.”

  “Like how?” She squints, “I don’t need anything.”

  “I know,” meeting her eyes, “You’re too perfect. But… I think it would help my muscles during recovery if I do some lawn work. Or something… you know what I mean?”

  “I guess,” swinging her purse over her shoulder.

  “Do you have a wheelbarrow or trailer? I could clean up some brush around your house, helping me to strengthen my arm after what David did.”

  “Oh… um,” her eyes fell, “Sure.” She brushes across the back of his hand, “There’s plenty of supplies in the barn. There’s even a driving cart for off terrain. You can use the gas in the shed next to my driveway. I think one of the gas cans still has something in it. Anything to help you get back on your feet. Just ask.”

  “Sounds great,” clearing his throat, “Where do you wanna meet and what time?”

  “Let me think.” She looks at her watch, “How ‘bout an hour from now. That’ll be about four o’clock and we can go to the steak place we first ate at together.”

  Drake shrugs, “Let’s make it an hour and a half from now.”

  “Okay. Meet you there,” she said.

  ◆◆◆

  Drake places on his hat before walking toward his favorite spot on the river. A cove of private traffic. Less than the normal. Drake finds a cool area along the wall, under rustling trees and shade. Tourists pass him taking useless photos of waterfalls and greenery. He spools his eyes, “Tourists.” He looks down at his clock from his phone. But quickly remembers, “Dammit. I need a new phone,” he turns his head toward the long trek leading to the mall. “I’ll just get a new one.”

  Not far from where he was resting, he gets up and cuts through a hotel. He had done it thousands of times before. Tourists constantly plow a trail through the same hotel that houses a section of the river. Not like he’s making a scene, selling anything, or stopping to ask directions. He’s minding his own business. Ignorant of anyone watching…

  anyone who might be looking for him.

  But…

  two men keep their distance several yards back from a cowboy hat. Drake continues outside the hotel and steps the ancient stones of the old walk. The men stay not far behind, allowing tourists to plug in the gaps between them. A quarter-mile from the mall, Drake crosses over a bridge. The exercise has caused his blood pressure to rise. Rising blood pressure means the throbbing in his arm has increased. He decides to rest for a moment and stands at the top of a steep overhang, staring at a tour boat passing under him. He listens to the rehearsed statements of the tour guide, shaking his head. “They need new material.” From the corner of his vision, two familiar faces send chills down his spine.

  They make eye contact.

  As quickly as their eyes connected, the two men speed up.

  And…

  Drake sprints across the bridge.

  Drake pushes through the crowd, moving several people out of his way. His blood pressure rises with his panic while running for his life. His casted arm swells, causing sharp pains around screws and tissue, slowing him down. There are so many people in his way. More than the normal with spring break. The mall is in his view with a large crowd of tourists and children blocking the doors.

  Drake glances back. Only yards between them. He knows. They know. The shine over their glaring expressions helps his feet to sink. And Drake gives up running off. He sits on a section of the river wall. Panting. Completely out of breath and out of time. Less than two seconds later…

  the two men sit on each side of him.

  “Shit,” Drake muttered, gazing at the heavily populated area. He breathes deep, “If it isn’t my favorite brutes,” huffing for breath and leaning back. One of the men places his hand into a pocket of an outer covering, pressing something concealed and heavy against Drake. The metal pushes into Drake’s ribs with a click of a safety button. Drake says, “What do you want, Eddie? I have a week. Everything that I’ve been doing to get the money finishes tonight. You’re screwing this up by talking to me.”

  “No…” Eddie whispered toward Drake
, “You have two days.”

  “Wow! Didn’t know you could count so high,” the metallic barrel presses deeper, “Augh… damn,” he grunted. “You gonna shove something in me? I’m gonna need a date first, Eddie.”

  “Mr. Estevez doesn’t like how you’ve cut him off,” spoken through gritted teeth. “If you’re really gonna pay what you owe, then why was you run’n?”

  “Not a good sign, Drake,” Mike agreed.

  Drake says, “I told you, idiots! I was doing something tonight that would get the money by tomorrow. I didn’t want you to interfere before I could get it all back. That’s why I had to come over here. My meal ticket would’ve seen you guys trailing me.”

  Mike goes through Drake’s pockets, finding a bottle of heavy painkiller. “Is this your drug you been using since running up your tab?” And slaps Drake on the back of his head, “You look like shit.” He places the bottle in his own pocket, “This should buy a few hours of Mr. Estevez’s time.”

  Eddie sits closer, “The boss is gonna want all of what you owe by tomorrow, Drake. You can’t hide from Mr. Estevez. He owns this town. He owns you.”

  Drake pleads, “Mike, please man? I can’t go without my pills. Look at me.”

  Mike opens the bottle and grabs one dose. Eddie grabs Drake’s head, holding it still, as Mike shoves the painkiller down his throat. As soon as the pill passes Drake’s lips, Mike slaps Drake’s discolored cheeks like a whimpering girl. Drake wastes no time and chews his medicine before they can change their minds. “Because you said please,” Mike says, “You cry like one of our girls.”

  Eddie grabs the back of Drake’s neck, re-situating him as a few people walk by. Just enough tension to threaten Drake’s silence. The three men sit quietly, waving at the family or nodding as if nothing’s happening. Once the family passes, Eddie speaks in a voice of a gurgling dragon, “We need to get a hold of you. Where have you been, Drake?”

  Drake says nothing, staring at the water he knows many of those who crossed Mr. Estevez were laid to rest with a sandbag.

  “We aren’t gonna let you out of our sight without having a way to get a hold of you,” Eddie said. He looks at Mike, signaling him with a tilt of his jaw. “Go ahead.”

  Drake starts hyperventilating, “What do you mean? Go ahead and what?” Mike stretches into his pocket, pulling out a small syringe gun. He studies around with discrete measures. Drake gulps, “No, man…” wiggling away from Mike, “don’t kill me. I’m getting it tonight. I’m paying him back I swear. Don’t poison me!” Eddie laughs. Mike grabs onto Drake and helps him to sit still. “Please don’t kill me? I’m getting the money for you. That’s why I’m here. Shit. Shit. I swear.”

  Eddie holds the syringe gun against Drake’s tensed forearm, “Relax, prick.” Resting the nozzle at a slant, “This is what we give our girls so they can’t run off.” Eddie shoots Drake directly into the forearm. “It’s a tracker. Now you’re our bitch so you can’t run again. I told you we owned you.”

  Drake hunches over the painful site, “Dammit. That hurts. It burns.”

  They laugh and both take a turn at slapping Drake in the back of the head. “Two days,” and they stand to their feet.

  They’re several steps away, and Drake sneers. “Wait. Don’t you wanna know why I’m here, and how I’m gonna pay Mr. Estevez off?”

  Mike looks at Eddie with a squint. They both spin back to face Drake. Mike says, “I don’t care how you pay him back. We’re just here to make sure that you do.”

  Drake smirks and presses off the balls of his feet. “That’s a real shame. I can get you almost double what I owe with one shot. My calculation… equals close to fifty thousand for each of you. I only need a little of your help to make it work. I told you I was paying you back. Why do you think I would show up here today?” Drake slides in another lure, “That’s why I’m here. I was hoping to see one of his underpaid guys. We all deserve a little more than what he pays us. Think of it. I had no choice but to run. I didn’t want her to see me talking to you — it would’ve ruined everything. I only ran when I saw you running. I knew you’d follow. And, I had to find a secure location.”

  Mike looks at Drake, disgust oozing from his curled lip, “Do you always make empty promises? You better shut up before your other arm looks the same.” Mike turns, taking one step.

  Drake stares at Eddie before Eddie turns. “Don’t be a stupid goon. I’m here meeting somebody who can get you easily between a hundred seventy-five to two hundred grand. Completely untouched.”

  Mike turns from his steps and faces Drake. Eddie hasn’t moved and asks, “What were you planning?”

  “That’s more like it. I knew we were old friends,” the side of Drake’s lip lifts. “I found the best girl for your trade. She’s high dollar and completely undefiled by a man. I’ve been grooming her for the past few weeks.

  Nobody would even know she was gone. I’ve set everything up for her to become untraceable. In fact, I’m meeting her in one hour at a steak place. We’ll eat outside and you can see for yourself. You’ll know she’s a prize-winning foal. Sheltered. Perfect to look at. Rare in this day. Not usually easy to abduct one like her. She’s white, long brunette hair. Christian roots and completely a virgin.”

  Drake moves between both of them, sliding his feet as if dancing, “There’s not one dealer who won’t want her for himself. You and I both know it.” Drake taps Mike’s chest as he walks by, “I know San Antonio buys and sells more girls than any place in America. As far as human trafficking goes, she’s the hottest the sex trade will ever own.” He places a few more steps between them and speaks over his shoulder, “I’ll call you later. We’ll see what you think, and make arrangements by tonight.” He turns, walking backward, “The offer is on the table. We all benefit.”

  They both watch Drake vanishing amid crowds of people. Eddie looks over, “What do you think?”

  “Probably another scam.”

  “But he’s good at finding those girls,” Eddie said.

  “Like those twins last month,” puckering cool lips, “Teresa and Patricia?”

  Eddie smiles, “They were good at the party though,” glancing over at a deep area of river.

  Mike says, “Mr. Estevez has been speaking about getting high quality girls for the international buyers. If he found a virgin peach, then we’ll be rewarded. He’s right about that.” He flicks his texting finger over a phone screen, “Let’s see what, Mr. E, says.”

  Eddie huffs, “He’ll be happy we found him.”

  “The guy’s a moron to come looking for us without payment.” Mike stares at the screen, watching bubbles as Mr. Estevez types. “Yeah, but if we get this girl—

  “If? We can’t let Drake know what Mr. E’s planning.”

  Mike says, “Let’s find this girl before burning him.”

  Eddie chuckles, “That prick would sell his own grandma.”

  The phone chimes and Mike reads, “If she’s hot, white, and a virgin… I want her.”

  The two men look at each other. “Looks like he’s interested,” Mike reads another text, “My internationals are only interested in white virgins. If they’re Christian, it’s a bonus.”

  Eddie leers, “Do you wanna get some steak?”

  Mike and Eddie rendezvous across the river from the steak place, finding a perfect vantage point for surveillance. They sit along the river at a Mexican restaurant’s table, acting as though they’re waiting on service for a couple of beers. Eddie nudges Mike with his finger. Drake signals from the table across the river, nodding his head from a far.

  Josephine walks around the corner and is seated with Drake. Lucius walks heavy feet to stand behind Josephine. His mind is trying to think of his dwindling time limit. He leans against the banister with the river behind him. His normal surveillance for the area. Lucius looks up toward Josephine and she’s placing a napkin over her lap. From Lucius’s peripheral vision, he caught something. Drake made a movement. An uncommon gesture. Only half a secon
d. A split moment in time. But Lucius caught the sign loud and clear. Drake keeps looking over to where Lucius is standing along the banister.

  Lucius thinks, He can’t be seeing me. He wouldn’t even know who I was. What is he looking at? Is he staring at the river?

  Lucius follows Drake’s vision, casting light across the water. Nothing flashes at him. There are no words. No signs. Tourist are everywhere. “What are you up to?” Lucius scans Drake’s blood pressure and pulse, “Oh… you’re up to something. You’re scared. What are you scared about?”

  Nonchalantly, Drake twists his sight with a scratch of his nose. Only a glance. A millisecond. But, this time Lucius was monitoring.

  There’s a break between the large groups along the walk, and Lucius leaps over the water, cutting into an empty spot against the wall. He lines himself up where Drake’s eyes keep fluctuating over, hoping to catch what Drake is seeing. “What were you looking at?”

  One more glance before Drake buries his head into a menu. Only feet in front of Lucius, and he’s found Drake’s focal point. Lucius is glaring down at an occupied table.

  ◆◆◆

  As the server comes around, Drake speaks up, “Oh crap, Jojo…” hanging his head, “I forgot my wallet with my cash in it.” He swivels a pitiful gaze up toward the waitress, “I’m gonna have to… just have water.”

  Josephine waves her hand over, “I got it. Don’t worry about it.”