THE BLUE STALKER

by BROWN, JEAN AVERY

  “They are looking for us what can I do?” Juan told Maria.

  The van slowly drove past. After the vans tail lights disappeared in the distance Juan and Maria rose to their feet.

  The farmers truck would be at Main Street and Fifth Avenue the same way the van was headed. Should they go there taking a chance on being seen? Knowing if they were seen they would be taken to a drop house to be tortured while they waited for their family to pay the ransom for their release. Juan’s family could not pay a ransom. He and his family would eventually be killed. Even worse Maria would be raped repeatedly while they made Juan watch.

  The Coyote people make a deal with someone wanting to come to the states. The people they smuggle over are charged a fee for their travel. After working and saving for years the immigrants have enough money saved to pay the fee for a ride across the border. Some of the Coyotes are not dropping off their clients at their destination. Instead they are taking them to a drop-house where they tie them up and hold them for ransom. Some have luckily escaped and have told of beatings beyond imagination. There are stories of their feet being cut and their shoes taken from them. It would be physically impossible for them to run if they were to escape.

  Juan looked up and saw headlights from a large vehicle speeding down Main Street. The tires smoked as Ella’s car slid up to the curb. As she jumped from the car she ordered them to get back into the store.

  “The door is locked. I locked the door as you asked Senorita.” Juan cried out.

  Ella dumped the contents of her purse on the sidewalk frantically searching for the store key as she scattered the contents all over the walkway. Ella grabbed the key, unlocked the door and they rushed inside.

  “Keep the lights off.” Ella demanded. “I saw the white van you described to me last night. They are searching the city for you. ” Ella told them.

  “But, Senorita what can we do? We must get to the farm.”

  “Juan, I don’t know I need time to think.” Ella grabbed her head. “Take your family to the back room, no one will see you there. I will be back in a few minutes. Don’t open the door for anyone. You hear me don’t open the door.” Ella ordered.

  “What you say we will do senorita, we are at your mercy.” Juan promised.

  Ella stopped in front of the store to collect her

  belongings she stuffed them back into her purse. “This

  purse is so heavy, why do I carry so much junk around?” She murmured.

  Ella left the store heading to the market where she picked up milk and diapers for Jose. Then she went to the fast food joint where she bought breakfast for the hungry family. It was daybreak as she turned her Ford station wagon onto Main Street heading back to the store. She noticed a car following her every turn.

  “What can I do?” she thought. She can’t go back to the store. She knew the truck stop just out of town was open. She could drive up to the pumps where Charlie was always setting on a stool waiting to take care of his customers. Ella set the food on the floor and covered it with an old blanket she kept in the car hoping to keep it warm. Charlie was seated in his designated spot.

  “Yes, there are angels.” At this moment Charlie is her angel. Charlie walks with a limp he is a little slow about getting the car serviced but that was okay with Ella.

  The white van stopped across the street watching as she made small talk with Charlie about his grandkids and the goings on in town.

  “Are you new here?” Charlie asked as he sprayed the windshield with window cleaner. He slowly pulled the squeegee across the windshield leaving a grid of streaks with each pass over the windshield.

  “Yes, I’m just getting settled in. I rented the old secondhand storefront and I’m getting it cleaned up. I plan to open a flower shop.”

  “Did you hear what happened to the secondhand store owners?” Charlie questioned.

  “No, did something happen to them?” Ella quizzed.

  “Oh, nothing I know about, ma’am. I just work and keep my head down.” He sheepishly told her as he wiped the streaked windshield with his blue paper towel.

  Ella wondered what the old man with a limp had under his hat. She knew this wasn’t the time to start questioning him.

  Sheriff Brady drove up just in the nick of time. The men in the white van noticed the sheriff and immediately drove away. Sheriff Brady was known to be a tough ‘son of a gun’ and he kept control of this out of the way town. Or, he thought he had it under control. Any vehicle not known in town would surely be checked out. The red lights flashed and the siren squealed through the night air as Sheriff Brady sped after the white van. Ella paid for her service and headed back to the store. This time she parked in the back in a falling down garage Mark included in the monthly rent. It would be best no one saw her vehicle for the time being anyway. They must have seen the car parked at the store and thought maybe Juan and Maria were hiding in the store since Paul and Nellie the previous store owners used the place as a refuge for the escapees from the Coyotes.

  The story goes Paul and Nellie left town in the middle of the night. No one has seen or heard from them. Did the Coyotes find out they were giving refuge to the poor immigrants heading to the farms? Did they run for their life? Did the Coyotes do away with them? It seems no one knows what happened to them. Someone knows and is keeping real quiet. Has Ella got herself in too deep? Is her life in danger?

  Juan opened the door for Ella. “Senorita, senorita the white van passed by many times.” Juan told Ella.

  “Everything is okay Juan. The sheriff took notice of the van and is checking it out. I don’t think they will be back this way today.” She assured Juan.

  “We can go now and meet the truck.” Juan began picking up their belongings.

  “The farmer’s truck was pulling out of town as I drove from the truck stop. I’m sorry Juan you missed the truck.” Ella told Juan.

  “Jesus, Jesus what will we do? What have I done to my family?” Juan cried out. I should have kept them in Mexico. I have put my family in great danger. I didn’t know it would be so bad in this country. I thought… Juan began to weep. I am sorry Maria, I’m so sorry. I will keep you safe. We can go back to Mexico and I will find work there.” Juan wrapped his arms around Maria’s shoulder holding her tight.

  Maria spoke up pushing Juan away. “You’ll do no such thing. We will get through this. Not everyone in this country is bad. Be thankful for the help Ella has given us. There is work needing to be done in this country. We will think of something.”

  That Maria is a little pistol when she gets upset. Ella thought. I’m glad she has spunk. We all need a little temper to shine once in a while.

  Maria filled the baby’s bottle with milk and warmed it on the hot plate. Ella opened the bags of food and the three of the sat on the floor sharing the food. Ella felt closeness to this couple and their baby. The young family felt love in Ella’s presence.

  “For now Juan you and your family will stay here. There’s a mattress in the back room you can sleep on, the floor is too hard.” Ella told Juan. You can stay hidden here until the truck comes back in a few days.”

  “Senorita, senorita how can we repay you, you are to kind?” Juan said.

  “Enough of this senorita stuff, my name is Ella, you hear?” She insisted.

  “Ella, I will senorita…I mean Ms. Ella.” Juan agreed to call her Ella but wanted to use Ms. to show respect.

  They all chuckled as they opened the cold breakfast sandwiches Ella picked up at the fast food diner. The breakfast sandwich was not devoured as fast as the hamburgers were last night. Last night a young family was starving and this morning their angel again provided food for them.

  Ella handed Maria the diapers she picked up at the market and Maria was so grateful.

  “Ella, I will never forget your kindness we needed the diapers for Jose so bad. Gracious, gracious.” Maria said as she began to weep.

  “Now don’t go getting mushy on me, you hear?” Ella said as she wrapped her arms ar
ound Maria’s shoulder.

  I’m cleaning this place and I plan to open a flower shop. You can help me with the cleaning while you wait for the farmer’s truck to arrive.” She told them.

  “We are grateful for your help. We will do a good job of cleaning for you Ms. Ella.” Juan said.

  “I’ll pay you for your work Juan. This will give you some money in your pocket for food.” Ella told Juan.

  “Gracious, Ms. Ella gracious but you’ve already helped us no need to pay us anymore.” Juan told her.

  Ella got all the cleaning supplies out and started scrubbing on the walls. Juan was standing on the ladder doing the upper walls and Ella and Maria were washing the bottom walls. They worked for hours laughing and talking sharing about life experiences. It seemed they had known each other forever. Maybe in another life their spirits met. Ella didn’t believe in a previous life but there was closeness, a bond forming between them.

  “Ella,” Juan said, “We need to start painting the walls. Just washing them is not enough. The paint is too bad and you want this place to look like a shiny new penny.”

  “You are right Juan. I will go to the hardware store and pick up some paint. What color do you think I should paint the walls?” Ella asked.

  “Oh, Ms. Ella you do not want me to choose the color. I like bright colors. You pick the color and I will roll it on the wall.” Juan told her.

  Ella scurried out the door, stopping in her stride she turned to look at the work they had accomplished. She said to her new friends. “You were sent to me by an angel.”

  She asked Juan to lock the door and stay away from the windows. Off she went to Coopersville Hardware to pick up the materials they would need to get the shop in tip top shape.

  She loaded herself down with paint, rollers and brushes heading out the hardware store door. As she flung the door open she didn’t notice Mark Brandon, her landlord leaning on a post in front of the hardware store.

  “What the heck are you doing with all that paint?” Mark inquired as he pushed his cowboy hat to the back of his head. Shocked she turned around to see Mark Brandon.

  “I’m painting the walls of my store.” Ella told him.

  “Here let me help you with that.” Mark said as he grabbed cans of the paint carrying it out to his truck.

  “I’ll take it over to your store.” Mark told Ella.

  “That’s not necessary.” Ella told him.

  Mark insisted and threw everything in his truck and headed for Ella’s store.

  Ella hurried past Mark. She rushed into the shop and told Juan and Maria to hide in the back room. Juan and Maria grabbed their belongings and rushed to the back room and hid in cabinets just big enough for them to squeeze in. Jose was asleep and they hoped moving him would not wake him. His cries would give them away.

  Ella knew no one could be trusted. She didn’t know who was involved in the human smuggling Coyote stuff. She knew she had a family she felt needed protection. Mark hung around the store for some time chatting about town folk and cautiously making a move on Ella. Ella had shrugged off so many men in her day she was quite the pro at it.

  “Mark Brandon I have better things to do than stand around talking to you. You best hightail it outta here.” Ella said pointing at the door.

  Mark looking a little sheepish turned walking to the door and said. “Okay, Ella, but I’ll be back.”

  “I don’t doubt you won’t.” The door almost hit Mark on the butt as Ella pushed it shut locking it behind Mark. She watched as Mark drove off making sure it was safe for the family of three to come out of hiding.

  Paint went on the walls as if it were being done by a professional painter.

  “Juan, you do a damn good job painting. Who taught you to paint?” Ella asked.

  “You see Ms. Ella my dad was a painter.” he taught me. “He was a very good painter. He painted for all the wealthy people in our village. I have been painting since I was just being enough to hold a paint brush. I will teach Jose how to paint when he is old enough. Ella we will have this store painted before tomorrow night you can count on it.” Juan promised.

  As promised Juan had the store painted and looking good by the next evening. Ella made a few trips to the hardware store for more paint during the course of the two days of painting and cleaning. The walls were a soft green, the wood floors a dark brown. Everything looked nice and smelled of fresh paint.

  “There is still much to be done.” she told Juan. “I need to hire a carpenter to build display cabinets and work tables.”

  “Ms. Ella my trade in my country is also carpenter and handyman. I can do all this kind of work. But I don’t have time to help you. We must go to the farm or the crops will be harvested and there will not be work for us.” Juan told Ella.

  “Juan you have many talents. Why are you looking for farm labor work?” Ella asked.

  “There isn’t any handyman work in our country and everyone told me we can do farm labor and make good money in the states. I love doing my handyman work. It is in my bones.”

  TWO

  Ella drove to her 1940’s home that reminded her of a lodge nestled away in the mountains. The driveway was a distance going up to the house but not like the long tree lined drive in Linville. This home had a half circle drive. The garage was divided from the house with a breezeway. She purchased the home from Mark Brandon when she moved to Coopersville. Ella shook her head as she stepped from the car. What have I got myself into? There’s so much work to be done here. When will I ever have the time to get this place in order? I can live on the bottom floor and refurbish the second floor later. I’m going to be so busy getting the flower shop started I will just live with it the way it is. As long as I have a stove to cook on, a bed for my tired body, a television and a good bathtub to soak my tired body, I will make it. She thought to herself.

  Ella made her way into the house, flopped on the sofa, kicked her size ten shoes off, put her feet up on the hassock and laid back closing her eyes for a moment escaping the world.

  Hours later Ella woke with her mind was still traveling like the speed of light. Her solution was right before her eyes. Juan would work getting the store ready and then he could help to restore this old lodge home. How could she keep them hidden was a question. Would she be able to get them a green card making them legal to live and work in the states? Would they even consider it? They could live on the second floor. Ella’s mind was racing with grander thoughts.

  Oh my, I’m crazy to think people would help me out. They have plans for their lives. They won’t change their plans and work for me.

  Ella pulled her hair on top her head, stripped the paint stained jeans from her slim body, as she unbuttoned her shirt she turned her head side to side looking in the mirror at the years that had silently crept upon her. She twisted around to look over her shoulder and though not so bad for a woman in her late thirties. She shrugged her shoulders turned, walked over to the bear claw tub and dipped her big toe into the hot water. The water was hot. It would feel good to her tired body. The fragrance of the soap filled the room as she lathered her body. She rinsed off wrapping her body in a clean sheet towel making her way to her bed wishing she had a man to caress her body. The fresh clean sheets felt good against Ella’s body but didn’t take the place of a man.

  Oh my, Juan and Maria need a place to clean up and the baby I’m sure needs to be bathed. Some angel I am not even thinking about their hygiene needs. First things first. I need to talk to them about… Her head was spinning.

  Ella made a nice breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon. She put it in a covered casserole dish, wrapped it in towels to keep it warm. She unplugged the toaster and put it under her arm as she grabbed the casserole dish, a loaf of bread and headed out the door with the toaster cord dangling. She remembered they must like coffee and ran back inside the house for the coffee percolator and a can of Folgers coffee. She almost stumbled over her feet as she jumped into the car. She needed to get breakfast to her new friends.r />
  As she drove she thought what am I doing. Will I be in trouble for helping three young people with a start in a new country? No matter what, I have to give them the option. They may not want to accept my offer. If they do, I will have lots of work for them to do. I will for once in a long time have a family. Someone to share holidays. Maybe little Jose would call me Granny. No, that’s silly and I’m too young to be a Granny. Maybe Aunt Ella would sound good. Ella’s mind was racing, racing crazy.

  Juan saw Ella walk up to the store front with her arms weighted down. He opened the door and ran to her aid.

  “Ms. Ella you have your arms full. Let me help you.” Juan tried to take the bags from Ella’s arms.

  “Grab the coffee percolator I have everything else under control.” Just then the coffee can dropped to the floor.

  “Well, I thought I had everything under control.” She laughed as the can rolled across the floor.

  Only a few grounds of coffee spilled from the Folgers can. Maria ran for the broom but Ella told her not to worry the grounds could be swept up later.

  “We need to put on a pot of coffee and make some toast.” Ella said.

  Maria seemed puzzled, Ella soon realized Maria had never seen a percolator.

  “I’ll make the coffee” Ella said. “And Juan you plug in the toaster. Maria you can set the table with our fine china.”

  Maria looked puzzled. “What fine china?” Maria asked.

  Ella gave a hearty laugh and said, “The paper plates and plastic forks. We must use the floor for our table.” She reminded them.