A Killing in the Valley

by JF Freedman

  Over the past month, Tina had been lying to her mother regularly about her out-of-school activities. She didn’t like doing it, but she had no choice if she wanted any life of her own. Her mother was too strict. She didn’t understand the difference between their old country and their new one.

  “Yes, Mommy,” she said in Spanish. “With Sophia. For the play. I may stay over with her, is that okay?” She listened for a moment, making a face for Sophia’s benefit. “I will be careful, Mommy. I’ll call you later.”

  She hung up and handed the phone back to Sophia. “You don’t know how lucky you are, the freedom your mother gives you. It’s like I’m still eight years old, living in a house with a tin roof.”

  Cassie handed Sophia a slip of paper. “Here’s the address. My cell number’s on there, in case you get lost. See you there.”

  “See you,” Sophia answered. She and Tina hopped into her car and headed for the freeway.

  The party house, which had been rented by half a dozen male UCSB students, was a couple blocks from the beach, so the ocean breezes and smells blew across the lawn and through the open doors and windows, where a hundred college kids and a couple dozen recruits from various local high schools were jammed up against each other. Outside, two kegs were going, and bottles of vodka and tequila were being passed around. Ditto cigarettes. Marijuana was being smoked as well, but not as openly—the local police were active cruisers in Isla Vista on the weekends. Music blasted out of the sound system that was inside the house.

  Sophia and Tina, outside on the lawn, were standing off to one side, taking in the scene. Sophia had been tempted to drink a beer, but she had chickened out and was having a Sprite, the same as Tina.

  “Pretty cool, huh,” Sophia said.

  “I guess,” Tina said unconvincingly. Tina was used to being around beer-drinking men—her father and his cronies drank beer all day long on the weekends—but not with boys her age, or just a little older. The scene here felt foreign and threatening to her. All these American kids, totally carefree. She thought she would have an anxiety attack if she didn’t calm down inside.

  “It’s going to get crazy later on,” Sophia told her. “UCSB is one of the top party schools in the country.”

  “Like how crazy?” Tina asked tensely. She wished she hadn’t come. This wasn’t comfortable to her. But she really liked Sophia and valued their friendship. As long as the two of them hung together, she’d be okay. Her worry was that Sophia would start talking to one of the boys and abandon her. Several boys had been looking over at them, but none had approached yet, fortunately.

  Sophia checked out the college girls, for comparison. Some of them were showing a lot of skin, dressed in skimpy tube tops and shorts or short skirts. Others were dressed like her, in jeans and T-shirts. She didn’t feel out of place. She had been to dozens of parties at Stanford with Wanda. This one wasn’t any different, except the Stanford kids were tamer, not as eager to commit mayhem. She knew she was as attractive, pretty, sexy, however you wanted to say it, as most of the girls here. Still, she was on edge, not because she was socially uncomfortable, but rather from anticipation. A few boys in the high school had come on to her, but she hadn’t met one she liked, and she was antsy about not having a boy in her life. These guys were older, more mature (although they weren’t acting it now, but this was a party, you were supposed to let it hang out), and there was a better variety.

  She was going to connect with a boy tonight. She could feel it.

  “Come on,” she said, tugging at Tina’s hand. “Let’s mingle.”

  Reluctantly, Tina allowed Sophia to pull her into the middle of a group which included Cassie. Cassie was already partying hard—she knocked down a hit of Cuervo Gold and immediately filled her shot glass with more tequila, right up to the brim.

  She held the bottle up to Sophia, who shook her head. “I drove,” she reminded Cassie.

  “You could cab home,” Cassie suggested. “Or sleep it off here. That’s what I’m going to do.” She giggled. One of the boys standing next to her ran his hand along her ass, over her jeans. She playfully batted it away. He rested it on her hip, which she accepted.

  “Having a good time?” Cassie asked Tina, who was shadowing Sophia like a glove.

  “Uh huh,” Tina answered. Every fiber in her body said otherwise.

  Cassie put a friendly hand on Tina’s arm. “Just go with the flow, you know?”

  “Okay,” Tina answered. The flow felt like a river that was carrying her toward a waterfall.

  A nice-looking guy suddenly materialized on Sophia’s shoulder. “Hi,” he said to her. His smile was friendly, rather than leering.

  She sized him up. Taller than her, cute, not an animal. More than acceptable. “Hi,” she said back, smiling back.

  “I’ve seen you around,” he said easily. “Were you at last month’s puke fest?”

  She felt no need to lie. “No. I’ve never been here.”

  “That’s okay. You are now, that’s all that matters.” He looked at the empty Sprite bottle in her hand. “What’re you drinking?”

  She shrugged nonchalantly. “Whatever.” One drink wouldn’t do any harm. She was going to be here for at least an hour. The effect would wear off before she got into her car.

  He looked past her to Tina, who was almost rigid. “What about your friend? I’m Rory, by the way.”

  “Sophia,” Sophia told him. “This is Tina.”

  “Pleasure, ladies. How’s about a tequila sunrise?”

  Tequila, but mostly orange juice. Tasty and weak. “Fine,” she agreed.

  “What about you?” he asked Tina.

  “She’ll have the same,” Sophia said quickly, before Tina could object.

  “Coming right up.” He smiled and wagged a finger in their faces. “Don’t go away.”

  He crossed the lawn to the bar. Tina leaned into Sophia.

  “I don’t want to drink alcohol,” she protested in a whisper. “I’m already too tense.”

  “Relax. You don’t have to drink it,” Sophia told her. “Just stand there with it. One drink won’t hurt, Tina. Trust me.”

  Rory brought their drinks back, and one for himself. “So tell me the story of your life,” he said to Sophia as he passed them out.

  She laughed. “Where do you want me to begin?”

  Just like that, Tina was by herself. Sophia had danced away with Rory, leaving her to her own devices. Which were hopeless. She shouldn’t have come, she thought for the umpteenth time. She should have said “no” to Sophia when she had been invited. It wasn’t like Sophia was dying for her everlasting company. They were friends, and liked each other, but their real bond had been their otherness, and now that didn’t apply to Sophia. The real reason she had been invited was because Sophia didn’t want her to think she was leaving her out. Well, now she had, without a second thought.

  She would have to gut it out. Move around the fringes and hang on until Sophia decided to leave. Maybe one of the other kids from class would decide to leave early, and she could hitch a ride. Fighting her shyness, she moved around the lawn, looking at faces, trying to find one that looked like it could be of her blood.

  There weren’t any. College was as segregated as high school.

  She was thirsty, so she took a sip from her drink. It was sweet and cold. She couldn’t taste the tequila, but she knew she would feel it later on. What she should do was get something to drink that didn’t have alcohol in it. She didn’t want to get high. That would raise her panic level even higher.

  There was a carton of orange juice on the makeshift bar, near the doors leading into the house. She could top her drink up and cut the tequila. She walked over to the bar, and tipped some juice into her cup. Looking inside, she saw a table with food on it—chips, dip, cookies. Eating would help keep her head clear, too. She walked into the living room.

  The noise level was higher in here. The music bounced off the walls, and the voices were pitched high to be heard over t
he music. She was getting a headache—from the noise, her own tension, and the pressure of being around so many people she didn’t know, and felt awkward with.

  Across the room, a bunch of college students were talking loudly to each other. One of them, a boy, raised his voice to make his point. Tina, startled, turned in his direction.

  The boy wasn’t looking at her, but she couldn’t stop herself from staring at him. She looked at him intently for a few seconds—then she turned and rushed outside.

  She was shaking, and her stomach was churning. For a moment she was afraid she would hurl, right onto the lawn in front of everyone. She fought off the urge, but she could taste the bile in her mouth.

  It took her a few minutes to find Sophia, who was with Rory, at the edge of the lawn. Tina barged up to them. “I have to talk to you,” she said breathlessly.

  Sophia had just reached a sweet comfort zone with Rory. In a couple of minutes, she knew, he would lead her to some dark corner where they could make out without anyone seeing them. Her nerve endings were tingling with the prospect of it.

  “Not now, okay?” This was totally annoying. What was wrong with Tina, had she gone blind suddenly?

  “It can’t wait,” Tina said insistently. Her voice was almost tearing. “Please.”

  “I’ll be at the bar,” Rory said diplomatically.

  Sophia watched him go with undisguised exasperation at being interrupted, then turned to Tina. “What is so important this exact moment?” she asked in irritation.

  “I need to show you something. Somebody. Follow me.”

  “What…”

  Tina cut Sophia off. Grabbing her by the arm, she led her to the French doors that separated the inside of the house from outside. The boy who had spooked her was standing in the same place he had been when she first saw him. He was talking loudly and earnestly with a girl who looked like Lisa Kudrow.

  Tina pointed a trembling finger at him. “Do you see that boy?” she asked. “The one wearing the Big Dog T-shirt?”

  Sophia peeked inside. “What about him?” She looked behind her, wanting to make sure Rory hadn’t drifted away.

  Tina’s face was red, as if. she was holding her breath. “I need to tell you something,” she said. Her voice was shaking. “Something terrible.”

  “You have to promise that what I tell you will be a secret between us,” Tina pleaded.

  They had disappeared around the corner of the house. No one else was in sight or earshot.

  “What is it?” Sophia asked, alarmed. “Is it about that boy?”

  Tina nodded. “I’ve been holding this in for months. I’ve wanted to tell someone, but I couldn’t. But I can’t hold it in anymore. I have to tell someone.” She stared hard at Sophia. “I’m going to tell you. But you have to promise me you’ll keep it a secret. You have to.”

  Sophia almost recoiled from her friend’s intensity. “O-kay,” she said slowly. This was getting scary. “I promise. So what is it?” Tina took a deep breath. “I was with Maria Estrada the day she disappeared. Me and two boys.” She looked toward the house. “That boy I pointed out to you was one of the boys we were with.”

  Sophia felt the ground moving under her feet, as if an earthquake had suddenly erupted. “Are you boning me?” she croaked. “You were with her?”

  Tina nodded. “I was. With him, and another boy.”

  Sophia’s jaw was hanging on her chest. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive. I’ve had nightmares about it.” Her lips were so dry she could barely speak. “I have to get out of here, before he sees me.”

  “You think he’d recognize you?” Tina squeezed her eyes shut. “I’m sure he would.” This is awesome, Sophia thought. Her mother would freak when she heard this. “The other boy who was with you,” she asked. “Was it Steven McCoy?”

  Tina shook her head. She knew what Steven looked like, from television and newspapers. She had been devouring the story. “It wasn’t him,” she avowed. “He looked like him, but it was a different boy.”

  Rory tried not to show his irritation. “Why do you have to leave? We’re just getting easy with each other.”

  “I can’t help it,” Sophia lamented. “My friend’s sick. I have to take her home.”

  “Can’t she take a cab?”

  “It’ll take too long.” She tried to placate him. “It won’t take long. I’ll drop her and come right back. Wait for me, okay?”

  He looked past her. “Do what you have to do.”

  Tina was scrunched up in a corner of the passenger seat. She was shaking like a wet dog. Sophia kept her eyes on the road. Even though she’d only had one drink she didn’t want to chance getting stopped by the cops, so she drove extra carefully. But she could feel Tina, vibrating next to her.

  By the time they got to the freeway, Tina had begun to calm down. “Thank you for doing this,” she said. “I hope I didn’t mess you up with that boy.”

  “No big deal,” Sophia placated her. It was only a boy she’d met at a party. This was much more important. “So are you going to tell me what happened?”

  The windows of Sophia’s old Volvo were open. Tina stuck her head out and took a deep gulp of air. The wind stung her face. She left her head out for a few moments, like a dog savoring the night smells. Then she slumped back, and stared out the window.

  “I was by myself, having lunch at Chico’s,” she began. “It was right after school started. I didn’t know anyone. I was new in town, and all I wanted was to get through the year and move on.”

  Just like me, Sophia thought. She had plenty of friends now, so she didn’t feel bad about that anymore. But Tina still did. Tina was much more of an outsider, and always would be.

  “Maria came over and introduced herself, and we talked for a couple of minutes. At first I didn’t know why she was being friendly, but I was happy to talk to her. I knew that if we became friends, I could have a good social life. Then she said she was with these two boys, and she wanted me to pair up with her, so the other boy would be with someone. That was the reason. Not because she wanted to be my friend, but that she needed me. I think she didn’t want to get someone she knew into it, she wanted it to be a secret.”

  She moistened her dry lips. “Still, I went along. I wanted to be with other kids, even if it was for the wrong reason. The boy I was with called himself Billy. The one I saw back there at the party. I don’t think that’s really his name. The other one, the one with Maria, was Tom. I don’t think that was his name, either.

  “We drove up to the top of the Riviera. The boys had beer and drugs, which was why Maria wanted to go with them. After we got there, Maria and Tom went ahead of us down this trail, so they couldn’t be seen. They were going to drink and do drugs and have sex. Billy and I lagged behind. We drank a beer and made out a little, but I wasn’t going to do anything heavy with him. I didn’t even know him, and I don’t do that. I haven’t, not yet. I sure wasn’t going to do it with a boy I didn’t know, the first time.”

  She breathed in heavily. “He was okay with me for awhile, but then he started to push me. He felt me up over my bra, then he tried to get his hand under it, then he tried to touch me through my panties, and I couldn’t take it, I made him stop. Then I insisted that they had to take me back to town. Maria was really angry. I knew we weren’t going to be friends after that. I figured she’d badmouth me all over school, but I couldn’t help it.”

  She sighed sadly. “We drove back to town. They parked near Paseo Nuevo. I got out and walked toward Milpas. Maria went the other way, into the mall. And that was the last time I ever saw her.” She slumped back in her seat, exhausted.

  Sophia’s heart was pounding. “Why didn’t you tell anybody?” she asked. “This could be incredibly important.”

  Tina shook her head. “I couldn’t.”

  “Why not?”

  Tina looked at her with abject wretchedness. “My family is here illegally. Since 9/11, the government is really cracking down on undocumented
people. If we were found out we could be deported overnight with the clothes on our backs and nothing else. Not our car, our furniture, the money in our savings account. Nothing we have worked so hard for.” She buried her head in her hands. “I could not risk that.”

  “But there’s a man in jail for a crime he didn’t commit!” Sophia pleaded with her. “He could get the death penalty! You can’t stay silent and let that happen.”

  Tina was in knots. Her body felt like it was full of cement. “I feel sorry for that boy.” She fought to hold back the tears she could feel in her eyes. “But I cannot endanger my family’s entire future, our lives. We are many. He is one.” She stared at her hands. “Isn’t his lawyer very good? And your mother? They can get him off anyway.”

  “Maybe they can, but maybe they can’t,” Sophia argued. “The case against Steven is really tight, according to my mom. But it might not be as strong if they knew about this. You have to tell them, Tina. You have to!”

  Tina shook her head obdurately. “I can’t. I’m sorry.” She turned to Sophia. “And neither can you.”

  They approached the Milpas exit. Sophia slowed down and took the ramp down to the light. When it changed she took a left on Milpas and headed toward Tina’s apartment on the east side.

  They drove in silence through the dark streets. The houses and apartment buildings were small and old. Sophia pulled into an empty spot a few buildings down from where Tina lived.

  Tina turned to her. “You promised me you wouldn’t tell,” she said fiercely. She stared into Sophia’s eyes, so that Sophia had to look back at her. “Are you going to break your promise?”

  “No,” Sophia said softly. “I keep my promises. But you need to think hard about what you’re doing, Tina. An innocent man could be sitting in jail. Saving your family isn’t enough. You need to try and figure out how to save him, too.”

  The party was petering out by the time she got back. Almost everyone who was left had migrated inside. Rory was gone. Cassie, who was so high by now she could hardly stand up, told Sophia he’d left right after she did. Sophia didn’t bother to ask if he left alone. She didn’t want to know.