by Patti Sheehy
Gary set down his cup, looked up at Frank, and asked, “How’d you get to own this restaurant?”
Frank laughed. “I worked my ass off.”
“Do you make much money?”
“It pays the bills.”
“I was thinking it might be a good way for me to make a living, but I guess I’d need a hefty down payment.”
Frank nodded. “You’d have to get some cash together.”
“I don’t have much in the way of savings.”
“Is there anyone who could loan you some money?”
“Just my father-in-law—he’s loaded.”
“Talk to him. Tell him you’ll pay him back with interest once you get your place going. That’s how it’s usually done.”
“I’ll think it over. Maybe I’ll give him a call.”
The next night’s business was especially brisk, and it took Frank longer than usual to close up. Having been on his feet all day, he was tired and eager to get home to Chris and Darlene.
Chris had moved in with him a few weeks before. Although she was only nineteen, she was wonderful with his daughter, taking her clothes shopping and to the movies. The two of them baked cookies together while discussing television shows, hairstyles, and friends. Frank loved to watch them interact.
One night when the couple was out to dinner, Frank told Chris he had fallen in love with her. His feelings had developed slowly and, even now, they surprised him. Every time he talked with Chris he felt more at ease, more comfortable, more connected. He found himself thinking about her during the day, longing to touch her, and to be with her. As he did, the pain over Magda’s death began to subside. He knew it would never disappear entirely, but he hoped it would become less pronounced someday. When Frank was with Chris, his heartache became manageable, and his loneliness disappeared.
Frank shifted a couple of packages to his left arm as he locked up the store and pocketed the key. The streets were deserted save for a couple of cars and a black cat that lurked behind a telephone pole. It meowed softly. Its eyes glowed eerily in the dark.
Frank walked toward his car, which was parked in a small public lot. His was the last car left. Clouds kissed a sliver of moon. Across the street a television blared a talk show. A dog barked from a second-floor window.
As Frank opened the car’s back door to deposit his belongings, a vehicle approached. Black and nondescript, it was traveling well below the speed limit. The situation gave Frank pause. He strained his eyes to identify the occupants, but their faces were hidden in shadow.
Inside the car Sebastian turned to Damian. “It’s time,” he said. “It’s dark, the street’s deserted, and Mederos has his arms full. Let’s take him out now while we have the chance.”
“Shouldn’t we clear it with José?” asked Damian.
“The hell with José,” said Sebastian. “He doesn’t know any more about how to do things that we do. You’re a lieutenant. He’s no smarter than you.”
“Give me a minute to think about it,” said Damian.
“C’mon. These opportunities don’t come along often. I say strike now and explain later.”
Damian heaved a sigh and shifted in his seat. Sebastian might have a point, he thought. I’m tired of being harassed for my lack of action. I’m tired of dealing with this joker sitting next to me. And I’m tired of José bossing me around. At least this way, we can get the operation over.
Damian considered the upside of taking the target out then and there. An image of Pino congratulating him on his success flashed through his mind, making him smile. I’ll get my own apartment and jeep. That will make it all worthwhile. This might not be the perfect place to finalize the mission, but it’s probably as good an opportunity as any.
“I guess you’re right,” said Damian wearily.
“Good,” said Sebastian. “I’m pulling over.”
Frank saw a dark car park adjacent to the sidewalk, and watched two men get out. They pulled something from their pockets and kept their arms tight at their sides. Frank feared they were armed. They nodded to each other and took opposite sides of the street.
Frank couldn’t see the men’s faces, but he watched their movements, his muscles on high alert. He noted that one man carried himself as if he had military training, while the other did not. His fingers ached for the trigger of a gun. But he didn’t have one with him.
As Frank watched Sebastian and Damian, the doors of a second car opened. It was parked not far from Frank’s vehicle. Frank hadn’t noticed it was occupied. Curro and Javier emerged, looking tense and determined. They stood tall and scoured the area with hard eyes. They glanced at Frank, but did not make a move. Experienced in guerrilla warfare, they knew when to strike.
Frank closed his back car door and opened the one to the driver’s side. As he did, Gary’s police car swung out from a side street. When he saw Frank, he applied his brakes and pulled his vehicle alongside Frank’s. He turned on his flashers. Red and blue lights bubbled away the darkness. Frank looked over his shoulder. The four men had returned to their respective vehicles. Both cars drove off. Frank shook his head.
Gary rolled down his window and hollered. “Hey, Frank, I want to tell you something.”
“Something’s fishy,” interrupted Frank.
“Whaddaya mean?”
“I’m not sure. Just now. Did you see those guys?
Gary looked around. “What guys?”
“They’re gone now.”
“Sorry, I didn’t see a thing.”
“Well, keep an eye out, would you?”
“Sure.”
“By the way, what did you want?”
“I talked to my father-in-law.”
“What did he say?”
“He seems interested. Said he’ll think about lending me some cash. We’re going to talk again next week.”
“Good.”
“I’m pretty excited about it. It’ll give me a chance to get out of this racket—too many ways to get killed in this line of work.”
“You’re right about that. Keep me posted.”
“I will.” Gary held Frank’s eyes for a moment longer than necessary. “Are you okay?”
Frank glanced around. Everything seemed normal. He closed his eyes briefly, wondering why goose bumps dotted his arms.
“Yeah, I’m okay.”
“See you tomorrow, then.”
Frank raised his chin in a farewell gesture. Gary nodded and turned off his flashers while Frank switched on the ignition.
Frank drove home feeling his skin was too tight for his scalp. His stomach was knotted like a skein of yarn. He knew Darlene’s aunt, uncle, and grandparents would care for her if anything should happen to him. But that was out of the question. The child had been through too much already, and Frank was determined for her not to undergo another loss.
Frank’s thoughts turned to Chris. He wondered how his in-laws would react if he married her. Based on Spanish tradition, he expected them to object. It was much too soon for him to remarry. Tradition was tradition, difficult to fight. He had been brought up with Spanish traditions himself. He knew how easily they could rule your life.
But his heart told him it was right to marry Chris.
Frank pulled into his driveway, turned off the motor, and rested his head against the back of the seat. He stared at the car’s roof liner. He needed time to think. The past year had been difficult on Darlene. Frank and Magda’s family had done their best to help the child through her grief while dealing with their own. It was a big job.
Frank was busy with work and tried to spend as much time as he could with his daughter, letting her hang out with him at Blimpie’s after he picked her up at school. She did her homework there and helped him make sandwiches on occasion. But the routine grew old for both of them.
Sometimes, Darlene stayed with her grandparents. She loved being with them, but the transitions were difficult. Even though she had recently turned ten, she would cry when she packed to go to her gran
dparents’ house, and cry again when she packed to come home. She also sobbed when it was time for bed.
Magda used to read her bedtime stories, and Chris tried to do the same, but Darlene wanted no part of it, saying she was too old for stories. Frank would try to comfort her and would lie next to her in bed until she drifted off to sleep. Then he would tiptoe out of the room like he did when she was a baby, careful not to awaken her.
While her relatives had been wonderful about helping with Darlene since Magda’s death, his daughter needed a mother. She needed stability. She needed to know where she belonged.
The situation was difficult. Frank pushed his fingers through his hair and closed his eyes. He thought for a minute. Then he asked himself three questions: Did I give my all to get to Magda? Did I love her with every fiber of my being? Did I do everything I could to save her?
The answer to every question was a resounding yes. He had loved Magda unconditionally, and he had done his best to help her deal with her illness.
He thought about what advice Abuelo would give him in this situation. His grandfather was a practical man. Frank knew he would tell him to follow the dictates of his heart, to do his best for Chris, and to do his best for Darlene.
Frank remembered how Magda’s eyes sparkled on their wedding day, and how happy they were to get married. He recalled placing the wedding ring on his bride’s finger and walking her up the aisle while their family and friends smiled and clapped. Frank’s vow “to love and to cherish her until death do us part” was still fresh in his mind. It was a beautiful sentiment, one to be honored and obeyed. And he had done just that.
But our marriage is over, he thought. Death has parted Magda and me. It was a terrible thing, but there’s nothing I can do to change it. I can only control what happens now. Life must go on, regardless of what anyone thinks. Regardless of how much time has elapsed. Regardless of tradition, life must go on.
Frank knew what to do. He opened the car door feeling like a terrible weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
When Damian and Sebastian returned to headquarters in Union City, Elias and José were in a snit. The two men had just finished arguing about drying the dishes. Elias had accused José of leaving lint on the glasses with the dish towel, and José had smashed a dish in response. José ordered Elias to clean it up, but Elias refused. Tension filled the air, and pottery shards littered the kitchen floor.
José removed a newspaper from the couch to make room for his associates to sit. Sebastian plopped on the sofa with a thump. His legs barely supported his weight as his buttocks met the cushions. The couch creaked beneath him.
“How did surveillance go today?” asked José. “Did the target do anything unusual?”
Sebastian took no time to answer. “No, he just followed his normal routine.” He inched himself forward on the couch and held onto the coffee table to help him stand. He grabbed a bag of Wise potato chips off the counter, brought it to his mouth, and ripped the cellophane with his teeth. The packaging squeaked open. Sebastian shoveled handfuls of chips into his mouth, leaving a trail of crumbs behind. He filled his mouth to the point where it was impossible for him to talk.
“Nothing out of the ordinary?” confirmed José. He watched Sebastian with contempt.
“Not exactly,” said Damian. Sebastian shot him a steely look, and it dawned on Damian that Sebastian would rather he not discuss the evening’s events. But Damian didn’t care. After all, it was Sebastian’s idea to make an attempt on Mederos’s life.
“What then exactly?” said José in an annoyed voice.
“Mederos left work a little late. It was dark. There was no one in sight, so we—”
José’s eyes narrowed. “So you what?”
Sebastian’s breathing thickened, and he ran his tongue over his teeth before he interrupted the conversation. “The situation was perfect. Mederos was distracted. He was parked in a deserted lot and was putting some packages in the back of his car. It was a great opportunity.”
“So?”
“So we decided to take him out.”
“You what?” José made a movement so sudden he almost knocked over a lamp. His voice was harsh, hoarse. He raised a threatening fist. “What made you think you could do such a thing without consulting me? I’m in charge. You had no authority to take an action like that!”
Damian had had enough. “I’m tired of you busting my chops for making my own decisions, José. For your information, I am not without authority. I am a full lieutenant, and I expect to be treated as such.”
“You may have rank, but you have no expertise in matters like this,” returned José. He put his head in his hands before he looked up again. “All right, get to the point. What happened?”
“We aborted the mission,” said Damian.
“Why?”
“A police car appeared out of nowhere. The cop was obviously a friend of the target. They chatted for a while. There was nothing we could do, so we drove away.”
“Did Mederos see you?”
“Hard to say, since he was talking to his friend.”
José looked first at Damian and then at Sebastian. “What the hell’s wrong with you two? You tried to take Mederos out in a parking lot? In Montclair? Are you crazy? You can’t just kill someone off the cuff. You need to plan something like that. What if the cop showed up when you were in the middle of this thing? Our whole damn operation could’ve been jeopardized. It could’ve been a disaster for everyone, including me.”
Damian stiffened. He was fed up with everything. The chain of command was muddled. José was overbearing. Sebastian was a buffoon. And Elias acted like a spoiled brat. He had a lot of issues to sort out in his mind, including why Commander Pino had sent him on this mission.
He turned to Sebastian. “Let me ask you something. What do you do for a living?”
Sebastian’s eyes widened at the question. “I’m a plumber.”
“And you, Elias?”
“It’s none of your business, but for the record I’m an electrician. I work with my father. We wire factories and apartment complexes. And we’re damn good at it.”
“Did you know each other before this assignment?”
The men looked at each other and shook their heads no.
“Sebastian, how did you get activated for this job?”
“I got a phone call that we needed to take out a worm. I was told to report to Miami. Nothing else.”
“Were you ever activated before?”
“I’ve passed along information. But I’ve never worked on something this big. I’ve never been on a mission to kill.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
“How long have you been working in this line of business, Sebastian?”
“Five years.”
“And you, Elias?”
“I’ve been at it for seven years. But this is my first time doing this kind of thing.”
“Don’t you find that strange?” asked Damian.
Elias shrugged while Sebastian dropped the last of the potato chips into his mouth. He didn’t seem concerned. He swallowed and said, “That’s the way it’s done.”
“Well, I want to tell you something,” said Damian. “I’ve come all the way from Cuba for this mission. And so far the target hasn’t shown me one iota of evidence that he’s involved in subversive or counterrevolutionary activity.”
“What are you saying?” snapped José.
Damian pursed his lips and turned toward José. “I don’t have a good feeling about this. So far, I have no confirmation of what is written in my report about this guy. He’s not hanging out with members of Alpha Sixty-six. He’s not attending anti-Castro meetings. He’s not training people to overthrow the Cuban government. As far as I can see, he doesn’t even have Cuban friends. I’ve never seen anyone act less suspicious in my life.”
“I have to agree with Damian on that,” said Elias.
“Shut up, Elias,” sa
id José. “No one asked your opinion.” He turned to Damian and smirked. “So what’s your point?”
“I was told the mission is to defend Cuba against somebody who is putting our country in danger. That he is playing a role in an imminent invasion. That he is a threat of the highest order. Well, I’m not buying it. Either we have the wrong guy or something bogus is going on.” Damian hesitated. “I’ve given this some thought. I made a mistake by trying to take this guy out tonight, but not because I wasn’t following your orders, José. I shouldn’t have gone after him because I’m still not sure he’s the right man. I’m an honorable man. I’m a patriot, not a murderer.”
José’s face bloomed crimson. His throat constricted, and he covered his mouth with his hand. He licked his lips. Damian had his orders and he had his—to make sure Damian completed this mission. And then shoot him. He didn’t know what Damian had done to deserve this fate. But it was his job to make sure the young man never returned to Cuba.
José had been a little squeamish about carrying out his own order, but now he was feeling better about killing Damian. If this smart aleck keeps challenging my authority and questioning the mission, killing him will be a lot easier than I anticipated.
“You’re here because of the nature of the target,” said José. “Mederos is a member of Alpha Sixty-six, that’s a given. He’s a dangerous subversive, and he’s working to undermine the regime. And you, big shot Lieutenant, are not to challenge facts or to disobey orders. If you continue to carry on this way, you could be arrested for insubordination. Or treason.”
A moment elapsed while the two men glared at each other. Menace filled their eyes. Damian broke the silence. “Well, one thing’s for sure. If Mederos was a member of the Special Forces, we’re not chasing just anybody. He was trained the way I was—to withstand hunger, torture, and deprivation. He will fight for his life, and he will kill if necessary. He can smell danger a mile away. If we miss him the first time, we’ll have a hell of a time getting him the second time. Given this, do any of you feel qualified to take him on?”