Valentina looked at Luz, who began her explanation.
“Those men knocked the house door and as it was the time Esteban usually arrives and as he has no key I opened it with confidence. The black man pushed me in and both got into the house with a lot of violence. The other man hit Valentina who was in the courtyard while the black guy threw me on the floor taking me by the hair. He carried a knife in his other hand.”
“And then?” Asked Carmen.
“He began to ask me about … Hugo.”
“Hugo? Who is Hugo?” Esteban asked with a frown.
“ My… cousin, Hugo Montoya.”
“Your cousin? Do you have another cousin in Buenos Aires?”
“He’s a distant cousin, related to my mother. He is not a close relative as Teresa.”
“You never told me anything about a cousin.” The boy’s expression was angry.
“ I never had anything to do with him. It is bad person, linked to drug trafficking. I think he’s a mid-level boss in one of the cartels in Colombia, and he acts as kind of … representative in Argentina.”
“Where does he live?”
“In a luxurious country club in the area of Tigre. Oh Esteban! I never told you anything because I didn´t want to bring this man into our lives, where he does not belong.”
“You see that has been entered your lives by his own means.” Commented Carmen with her typical rudeness. “And tell me, have you had some contacts with your cousin in Buenos Aires?”
“He tried to get in touch with me when he arrived about a year ago. I do not know who gave him my phone number; possibly some common relative in Colombia.”
“And then?” Carmen continued her cross-examination.
“I told him frankly that I do not want to have anything to do with him. He insisted a few more times and then gave up trying. No doubt when he got in contact with some other local mobsters”
“How do you think these two thugs found you?” The interrogation was carried on always by Carmen.
“ I have no idea.”
“It’s possible they’ve been tracing your phone calls.” Said Esteban. “ If this is true it would prove that have access to people who can interfere telephones.”
“That is to say the police or sectors of the justice.” Concluded Carmen. “ It would not surprise me either. Links between drug traffickers and police and even judges are well known.”
A heavy silence followed as the youth faced the prospect of continued risk. Carmen finally said.
“Luz, you will remain locked in here until we have ruled out the possibility that someone else is on your track. Valentina and Esteban, I think you two can continue your activities, but paying attention to the surroundings, always traveling along different paths and taking different means of transportation.”
“It’s horrible to live in this state of paranoia.” Expressed bitterly Valentina.
“Finding yourselves in the same situation again would be far worse.”
Chapter 4
Esteban parked his car near the warehouse but averted leaving it right in front to avoid potentially hostile stares. When descending the vehicle he looked in all directions and once he made sure that no one was watching he entered the building. In the three weeks since his temporary move all these precautions had become kind of his second nature. Valentina did exactly the same in accordance with a routine set between all and as for Luz, she barely got out of the warehouse, which was beginning to have visible psychological effects on the woman.
Esteban had seen a car that looked familiar parked on the sidewalk across the street. In principle he was not alarmed because he thought he knew who it belonged to. Anyway he opened the door of the building quietly and as soon as he entered stuck to one wall and slid into the shadows. Then soon some voices reached his ears and calmed him down. Both Luz and Carmen used to speak in a loud voice but their tone was not stressing. Esteban left the precautions and went to the upper floor where the sounds were originated.
“I do not know why you speak screaming. They will hear you from Colombia.” Exaggerated as he kissed the girl.
“If you walk so quietly next time you receive a shot.” Carmen could not remain silent and answered in the same sarcastic vein.
“Oh yeah? And where will you get the gun from?”
“You do not know what I carry on my body. Look at me.” Said Cuban woman pointing to her portly figure and baggy clothes.”
“Bah! Pure fat.”
“If I ever drag you to bed and we wallow together you will never forget what this fat can do.”
“Carmen!” Cried Luz with an angry voice. “I am present right here.”
“All right. I will remember the challenge.” Concluded the young man and all burst into laughter by the scandalous conversation.
“You are right laughing because I have good news.” Added Carmen. “ In the first place I imagine you have read the news about the discovery of the bodies of the men who attacked you.”.
“No, we have not read anything, and here we have no TV.”
“Well, they were found in a scrubland in Zárate, in the province of Buenos Aires.”
“It´s about eighty kilometers from the capital.” Informed Esteban flustered.
“We had to divert suspicion.”
“I cannot believe that in my country it´s so easy to move dead bodies.”Answered the young man in a resigned mood.
“You have no idea!” The Cuban immediately went on. “As I forecasted they were associated with Colombian narco gangs and the authorities sent their fingerprints to Bogota. They turned to be two hitmen with international arrest warrant. Very dangerous people.”
“That is horrible. What are the good news that you were talking about?” Asked Luz.
“No one has been hanging around the house in Constitución. We are sure of that by the”street checks” I spoke about before.”
At that time Valentina entered the room; the girl had overheard the last part of Carmen´s sentence.
“So?” Asked eagerly, without even saying hello.
“So you can return safely home. Anyway we will have you watched.”
“Thank God.” Exclaimed Valentina, while Luz burst to mourn out of relief.
“You will have us watched! By whom, the CIA, the KGB?” Esteban’s voice betrayed his usual ironic way.
“We Latino immigrants have to take certain precautions, in this country and elsewhere. They are for your benefit. If that bothers you just get out.”
“I´m being kicked out of my own country.” Exclaimed the supposedly outraged man, after which he planted a loud kiss on the mouth of the Cuban woman, who did not reject it.
“If Angel finds out you’d be better off in the hands of the buxom sicarios.” Carmen always had to say the final word.
“Angel? Who is Angel?”
“My husband. He is of Sicilian descent.”
Within a more relaxed atmosphere the conversation turned to more practical issues, particularly the organization of the return to the house in Constitución. It would take two cars, because in the period spent in the warehouse the young people had bought different things. Angel said he would come to help them.
“Not a word of the kiss.”Prevented Carmen who was already retreating; suddenly she turned and said.
“Ah! I do not want the two girls to stay alone. You should move in with them.” She addressed Esteban in an imperative tone; as usual she did not suggest but ordered. Then she asked Valentina.
“Do you have any problem with that?”
“No. Absolutely no problem.”
The Cuban took Luz hand and dragged her apart to speak confidentially.
“It´s better if your boyfriend keeps his apartment rented so you two can have … relations in a decent way. You understand me.”
The girl’s face exhibited a mischievous smile.
“What is it Luz?”
“Fortunately the apartment is near the house. We’ll have to go there almost every day.
<
br /> Carmen showed a gesture of envy.
“I think I’ll take seriously the threat I made to your man.”
“What threat?”
“Wallowing with him. Do you think he would accept?”
“I have little doubt, but then you’d have to face me.”
The house was well maintained. As Carmen kept a key to her property she had sent the maid who cleaned her own home and the hairdresser.
Esteban received a key to the house and spent an afternoon carrying stuff of daily use from his own apartment, but did not leave it empty. He placed them in Luz bedroom and that night he invited Luz and Valentina to dinner outside.
On Saturday, as none of the three worked, they decided to organize a celebration roast for their return to the house and invited Carmen and her husband Angel. The latter was a thin, balding man of large reddish mustache. Carmen and he were a quite asymmetric couple but relations between both seemed affectionate. The man was quiet and hardly spoke during the afternoon; he actively collaborated instead with Esteban in the of preparation the fire on the grill, roast the meat and preparing the salads.
As the weather of early autumn still allowed it they finally sat at the patio table and Luz and Valentina were setting the table while Carmen was watching TV in one piece, apparently very interested in the news. At one point she called the women who approached.
“Watch this girls. It seems that another Colombian was killed last night.”
Indeed, the speaker announced the news and the transmission had gone to mobiles outside in order to expand the news. There was always audience interest in the police reports.
“What is it?” Asked Esteban.
“It seems that a Colombian was killed in a shopping center in the north area. It is the same place where they killed others some years ago.” Answered Luz, who was still drying some dishes.
“Well, but hurry up because the roast will be soon ready”.
Esteban and Angel were carrying the first trays of roast to the table when they heard a cry and a noise of broken dishes. Esteban rushed into the room; before he could ask a question Luz looked at him with desperation in her face pointing to the screen and saying.
“It´s he! He’s dead, he was murdered.”
“Shhh! Let me hear.” Valentina requested dryly.
The reporter was interviewing the commissioner in charge of the investigation.
“How is it possible that a murder was committed in broad daylight on a site as populous as this mall?”
“It happened in the parking lot of the shopping center. Apparently as the victim got down of his vehicle a motorcycle with two men with their faces covered with helmets approached him and fired a burst from an automatic weapon. The coroner is still working but talks of more than fifteen shots.”
“Does this imply the bikers were waiting for him?”
“Without a doubt. While witnesses contradict each other as is usual in these cases, the murderers apparently started the motorcycle engine when the victim got out of his car.”
“How do you know the identity of the victim?”
“He had both a Colombian passport and an Argentine National Identity Document that by the way we will have now to figure out how he got it.”
“Can you repeat his name?” Asked the reporter.
“Both documents were issued at the name of Hugo Ruiz, thirty years old, born in Bogota, Colombia.”
“ Didn’t you say your cousin´s name is Hugo Montoya?” Esteban asked Luz.
“Ruiz is his mother surname. His full name is Hugo Montoya Ruiz. I do not know why his first surname was omitted.”
“ He must have had several passports with different names.” Said Angel in his hoarse voice. As you see he also had Argentine NID.”
“Bogus?” Asked Esteban.
“In all likelihood legitimate, but obtained by illegitimate methods. The documents have their own black market. The hardest thing to get is a false Argentine passport.” Angel seemed knowledgeable, but nobody asked him about his sources.
Luz was crying bitterly. Undoubtedly the calm recovered during the quiet period that had elapsed since their return to the house had broken into a thousand pieces with the news, and a feeling of insecurity invaded her again.
“Now they will come after us, after me.” She groaned.
Esteban approached and took her by the shoulders, shaking gently her body to make the girl react.
“‘On the contrary Luz. Now you can rest sure that these men will not bother you anymore, because whoever was seeking your cousin has already achieved his purpose.”
Carmen approached the girl and took her tightly in her arms.
“Esteban is right my dear girl. The episode has unfortunately been closed for your cousin, but happily for you.”
Chapter 5
All bowed their heads; as used to be the case, Carmen’s words were a harsh description of reality.
Luz still wailed due to the shock that the news had caused her. Esteban approached the young woman and tenderly stroked her head trying to provide comfort. As he left Luz he glanced around the remaining present and his eyes met with Valentina´s. The exchange lasted a moment but she had the perception that his gaze had been looking for her.
Once Luz calmed down, Angel reiterated his invitation to lunch.
“The meat is already a point. We don´t want to carbonize it.” Said softly.
Esteban reflected that despite his fierce appearance and his reserved attitude Carmen’s husband had good manners.
The roast was very good and Luz anxiety began gradually loosening so after lunch she was smiling and talking in her usual loud voice. Valentina found herself again crossing her eyes with Esteban for a fleeting moment and wondered if it was a coincidence or if the fact reflected some internal process that remained veiled at a conscious level.
As they were saying goodbye Esteban helped Angel to carry his portable grill and utensils for handling the roast that the man had brought for the occasion to his truck . Carmen kissed Luz in her forehead and reiterated.
“Once you think about it clearly you will realize that you just got out of a dangerous situation, and you can now get your life back as it was before.”
The Cuban matron reached the door accompanied by Valentina and when she estimated they were at a sufficient distance from the other whispered.
“ And you must clarify your feelings and thoughts, know what and whom you really want and proceed accordingly, playing fair with the others but especially with yourself.”
“I do not understand what you mean.”
“If you really do not understand me it is because you have to put your ideas in order.”
Valentina did not insist. As was often the case the words of Carmen put in crisis certain conflicts that people, particularly women, did not want to assume. Valentina admired that wisdom in a person with so little formal educational training as her friend.
Carmen hugged her tightly and said.
“You know I love you like a daughter and put your happiness at the highest level of my goals.”
Once the Cuban had gone Valentina walked in front of Luz giving her a friendly word and went to her bedroom. The girl needed some solitude to savor and simultaneously clarify her feelings. She had mixed sentiments and yet surfaced a smile on her lips.
Esteban kissed Luz on the forehead and left the room. As he was the one who had to travel further to get to work he was always the first going out. Walking through the courtyard the boy passed along Valentina´s bedroom door; it was the closest room to the street. He saw that the door was ajar and could not help peeking inside. The image accelerated his pulse and shot his hormones. The closet door mirror reflected what was happening in another invisible site of the room. Valentina, sitting on her bed, was putting her stockings in one of her legs. The young man paused to admire the perfect lines of the blackened thigh, knee and calf. Then he shook his head to drive away the thoughts that crossed his mind and went his way. He knew beforehand tha
t the beautiful vision would accompany him all the way to work and beyond.
Valentina finished putting on her stockings and dress. She completely closed the doors of the closet and of the room, which had already done their job. Another enigmatic smile lit up her beautiful black face.
Esteban had been dozing in the passenger seat of his car. His friend Matías, the only one who had stayed sober guided with caution at those late hours of the night, or rather early morning. The bachelor party of one of their colleagues had been wild, and alcohol had flowed in abundance. Matías was surprised to see Esteban drunk, because he was known for his sobriety, and that fact was indeed a general comment in the group of comrades. The driver was convinced that his friend had gotten drunk intentionally. In fact, in his unconsciousness he babbled incoherently something that was probably referring to a woman.
Matías finally reached the house where he supposed his buddy lived. He shook him strongly until he got to wake him.
“Hey Esteban. This is your place, right?”
Opening painfully his eyes by the glow of street lighting, the aforementioned nodded his head.
“Thanks Matías, I owe you one.”
He then started getting out of the car, but Matías cried.
“Wait, take the car keys and lock it when I leave.” The man said as he was taking his personal belongings.
Once his friend had left to walk the few blocks that separated him from his home, Esteban took the house keys from his pocket and tried to open the door. Although it was an old door the girls had placed a modern lock with computed key that required introducing it with a certain precision in the lock. Esteban spent a long time trying to open it but without results, and in his drunkenness began to curse and scream. Finally he sat on the house threshold and immediately fell asleep.
After a while a key noise was heard and the door opened from the inside. Valentina appeared in the doorway with a long negligee that exhibited her long legs as she walked. Finding that the boy was asleep she shook him awake.
Swirl Romance Stories Page 3