by P D Miller
Gonzalo jumped up and slapped his hand against his forehead. So much for all his planning! He looked up and saw his parents and brothers coming downstairs with sleepy eyes and open mouths.
“What in the world?”
“It’s Charger. I talked to him a few hours ago, and he said he was coming to see Missy. I thought he meant tomorrow, and I could talk him into waiting.” Damn! Did he want to wake all the neighbors? Just as most of the Sanchez family walked out the front door, Ben pulled to a stop and the horn blasted with full force. More lights all around them came on.
Missy sat bolt upright in bed along with several others in the neighborhood.
“Man, do you have to make all the noise?” Gonzalo swung up to Ben’s door.
“Yep, want to wake Missy.” He grinned. “Even if I have to wake everyone else.”
“What the hell—”
Ben raised his hand, blasted the horn again, glaring at Gonzalo. “I want to wake Missy—”
“But she can’t hear—”
“Oh, but she can! The day I drove up with her the first time, she heard the horn. I saw her jump. He mashed on the horn again and more lights around the neighborhood went on.
“But everyone will be mad as hell—”
“Yeah, I don’t care.” Ben grinned. “I want them all to know I think Missy is the most beautiful girl in the world. I want them to know I’m claiming her as mine.” He pulled on the horn again, harder, longer this time, watched Gonzalo drop to the ground totally frustrated, and opened his door. “I brought a damn ladder too, and if I need it, I’ll use it.”
“Italians are crazy.”
“Stereotyping? So are Mexicans.”
“Ben?” Missy stood in the doorway with surprise in her eyes.
“Yeah, I’m here.” Ben’s eyes filled with love as he lunged toward her.
“Well I’ll be a—” Gonzalo couldn’t close his mouth. “Pop, Missy heard the truck!”
“Probably the dead in the cemetery heard—Melissa heard it?”
“Unless one of you woke her. Charger said she could hear, it’s why—” Gonzalo swung around. “Did one of you wake her, up? The family was so over whelmed they didn’t see Ben pull Missy into his arms, give her a bear hug and kiss her nose. One of the neighbors saw though and gasped. Ben slowly dropped Missy back onto the porch, stunned by the arousal she caused him to feel and mashed his forehead against hers. She was shaking. Frantically he reached for her hand and talked to her. With his forehead mashed against hers, he told her how she was the most beautiful girl in the world and he didn’t care if she couldn’t hear or how she’d been kidnapped because he wanted her to be his. Missy cried softly, and he reached up to wipe away her tears.
By now the neighbors, furious about the noise, slowly descended on the Sanchez family, who was caught up trying to explain this crazy Italian. Everything was quiet and fine near Missy and Ben until he started telling her with his hand he wanted her to marry him—how he wanted to take care of her and show her his love—how he’d promised her so long ago he’d wait for her to grow up.
“NO!” Missy cried out. “The promises were to Missy and she’s dead!”
“It doesn’t—” Ben carried her to light. “Dammit, Melissa or Missy it doesn’t matter!” He tried to kiss her to show her, and she shook all over.
“Yes it does!” Her eyes filled with fear. “I won’t listen to you! I don’t want to marry anyone! I don’t—” Ben didn’t believe her reaction, the pain on her face, the fear in her eyes. He expected her to be surprised or angry because he knew about the kidnapping and her deafness, but fear? Shaking like a leaf? Had he hurt her somehow? He hadn’t meant to hurt her.
“What the hell are you doing to Melissa?” Gonzalo instantly turned on him. Like it was a signal, the Sanchez men lined up.
With pain in his eyes for hurting her, Ben shook his head and released Missy. Mrs. Sanchez grabbed her and pulled her toward the house. Something was very wrong here. Angrily Ben turned to face Gonzalo. “I guess this is where I have to fight you, huh?” He glared with fire in his eyes. The only one he really wanted was Gonzalo.
“You damn right! I warned you about hurting her! You think I’m so stupid I can’t see your just using her by bringing up some damn promise you made and forgot?”
“You wanna’ move out in the street?” Ben glared as cool as you please.
“Yeah man, I told you before if you ever hurt my sister—” Everyone but Missy and her mother followed them to the street.
“I have a question first.” Ben held up his hand.
“Out with it!” Gonzalo glared.
“Mr. Sanchez, may I please marry Melissa?”
“Are you crazy?” Gonzalo tried to find some air.
“I’m talking to your father, not you.” Ben glared at Gonzalo, then faced Missy’s father. “Mr. Sanchez?” Slowly Ben turned to be sure be was closest to Gonzalo. He knew he didn’t stand a chance in hell against all ten of them, but he’d fight while he still could. Gonzalo was the only one he really wanted.
“Most certainly not!” Gonzalo’s father finally found his tongue.
“Thank you, sir!” Still yelling, Ben swung and hit Gonzalo as hard as he could right in the face. “This is your damn custom, not mine!”
Gonzalo fell stunned.
Attacked from behind by three brothers, Ben swung like a wild man. The brothers fought back. When Ben saw Ricardo coming at him, he reached out and flipped him, leaving him too stunned to fight more. He tried to avoid Mr. Sanchez but accidentally landed a punch in his right eye. The only one Ben really wanted was Gonzalo, because he was madder than hell at him. Never had he been so angry at anyone. Not even trying to flip Gonzalo out of the way like the others, Ben punched him as hard as he could, and Gonzalo punched back with the same wild fury to kill. Five of the Sanchez boys jumped Ben just as Gonzalo hit Ben’s right eye for the third time. Not one had escaped Ben’s bruising punches to the face, but Gonzalo had taken more. While five brothers held Ben down, Gonzalo walked up and kicked Ben in the groin, just as the police drove up.
The officers waded through the crowd demanding to know what was going on and who was at fault. Ben rolled in a ball unable to catch his breath. Gonzalo and several of his brothers sat on the ground glaring at him but not saying a word. Somehow Mr. Sanchez convinced the officers it was just a family squabble which had finally been settled, and the police drove off.
But neighbors knew it wasn’t over when they saw Ben’s eyes shoot to Gonzalo with hatred and Gonzalo glare back.
“Come on son—” Mr. Sanchez tugged at Gonzalo.
“No Pop, I have to—”
Ben groaned, rolled over and slowly stood. “Just you and me next time.” Ben limped away. “But it’ll keep for a while.” He had to find out something important first.
Everyone watched as Ben staggered right past his truck and down the block. He could hardly see out of his bloody eyes, and he could hardly walk the pain was so bad. Mr. Sanchez put his arm around Gonzalo, and they watched as Ben staggered around the corner out of sight.
“Come on son, it’s over now.” Mr. Sanchez pulled Gonzalo toward the house. Gonzalo knew better. Ben’s threat had been serious. Why? Because he figured out what Ben was up to? Mrs. Sanchez looked up from doctoring Marco who was hunched at the table. Not one of her men had escaped being hurt. She was thinking he must be someone special to take on all ten of them—and all for Melissa’s love?
“Where’s Missy?” Gonzalo groaned and sat.
“In her room.”
“Got to see her.”
“No, you’ll leave her alone.” Mrs. Sanchez’s voice was so quiet it sent chills through everyone. “You’ve done enough damage for one night.”
“But he—”
“He told her he wanted to marry her. He told he didn’t care if she’d been kidnapped.” Mrs. Sanchez’s face reddened with fury. She picked up an iron skillet, shook it threateningly and threw it back on the stove. “You out there brawli
ng—beating him up when he’s been—he’s been so gentle—” Tears came to her eyes. “Ten of you to him, and not a one of you is brave enough to face the truth! And you—” She turned to Gonzalo. “Are you so ashamed of what happened you couldn’t warn him? Couldn’t face his learning the truth? Furiously she untied her apron, threw it down and ran upstairs. Ten men alternately looked each other and then down at the floor.
“Pop, he’s using her.” Gonzalo shook his head. “Charger—he’s not the kind who goes for girls like Missy, and I know he’s just using her.”
“Has he got some reason? Did he hear she came into the money?” Mr. Sanchez touched his swollen eye.
“Look Pop, I can’t explain it, but I know he’s just using her and will hurt her in the end.”
All Ben could think of as he limped off was how he’d somehow hurt Missy and scared her like crazy when he’d touched her and mentioned marriage. And Gonzalo knew why. The bastard hadn’t told him everything. Why had telling her he wanted to marry her scared the hell out of her? For an hour he just walked no longer feeling the bruises, not feeling anything. One day, one day soon he was going to get Gonzalo for not telling him, for letting him hurt Missy. First he’d learn the truth. Then he’d get Gonzalo. The last thing in the world he’d wanted to do was hurt her.
Chapter Five
Gonzalo stopped at the motel on his way to work the next morning but Ben wasn’t there. He wanted to get to the bottom of everything and make Ben understand they knew what he was up to. At work he was busier than hell with orders flooding in from several companies, and they were rushed to get the trucks repaired and running. He stopped at the motel on his way home, but still Ben wasn’t there. When he got home, Ben’s truck loomed at him. He dropped tiredly on the sofa and told his father they needed more help to make all the runs. Dinner was subdued. Neither Mrs. Sanchez nor Missy would speak or even look at anyone. Most of the boys were ashamed to look up anyway because of their black eyes. Gonzalo took off to check the motel again that evening. Ben had checked out.
The next day was the same, busier than hell, and so was the third except Gonzalo was finally forced to hire two independent truckers who owned their own trucks. Gonzalo was totally worn out when a DEA agent came by, showed his identification and said he’d come to take Ben’s truck. According to him, they suspected an illegal substance on the truck, and it was being confiscated. As soon as the guy left Gonzalo started upstairs but his father stopped him.
“Your friend—he was doing something illegal?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t sound surprised?”
“I guessed. Ben, well he’s the Mafioso kind—” Gonzalo shrugged. “I think he remembered writing Missy and telling her a long time ago he’d marry her someday, and he was using her since we wouldn’t let him buy into the company. I’m sorry Pop; I should never have trusted him.” He raced upstairs to his room feeling like hell for lying about Ben, but damn, Ben had let him—no all of them down with his tricks. Especially Missy.
Each day business became more rushed until Gonzalo was ready to throw up his hands and scream. He had to hire two more independent truckers to help with runs, and he worried about whether he could trust them or not. All four were seedy looking characters. A kind of “gradual speaking term” came over the Sanchez household, with a minimum of words between the women and men. Talk was necessary because Gonzalo needed Missy to come and help with paperwork. She quietly consented.
Gonzalo worried. If Missy had been withdrawn before, it was nothing compared to now. She refused to talk to anyone more than necessary and managed to keep her back turned so much she hardly saw anyone talk to her. During the day she filed forms, checked orders, and typed. As soon as she got home, she went to the kitchen to help her mother, silently ate dinner, helped clean up and went to her room. Gonzalo hated to look at her the way she was suffering, but he didn’t know what to do. Several times he tried to apologize to her, even tried to explain, but she’d turn away from him. More and more he wanted to get Charger. On top of it all, no one from DEA came around to help, and he worried what with all their renewed business someone would plant more coke. DEA had apparently walked out with Ben.
Eduardo started coming around after a week. He sported two huge black eyes and a wide grin while he told Pedro and Luis he ran into Ben and beat the hell out of him. Gonzalo didn’t believe him. Ben get beaten up by one guy? No way. A gang of Sanchez brothers maybe, but by one guy, impossible. Missy spent more time in her room with Eduardo hanging around, and Gonzalo was seriously thinking about taking on the bastard himself.
The first threatening call came two weeks after the fight. Gonzalo was harried and running behind schedule when he yelled because no one answered the phone. Then he saw only Missy was in the office, and he picked it up.
“Better watch out for illegal stuff in your trucks.” A man said and hung up.
Gonzalo called the DEA office and was told they had people working on his case, nothing more.
Tony’s wife happened to be there when the second call came two days later. The guy told her she might be a widow if Tony didn’t watch out. She was so scared she wanted Tony to stop working. Again Gonzalo called DEA with no results.
Two days later Marco picked up the third call. “Think you’re smart huh? But we’ll get you where it hurts. Time’s on our side. We got plenty of time.”
Gonzalo shook his head when Marco suggested calling in the police. Damn, DEA wouldn’t do anything, what could the local police do? Everyone in the family was edgy except Missy who hadn’t been told about the calls.
Two days later Gonzalo glanced up when the phone continued to ring and saw only Missy in the office. He grabbed it and raked tired fingers through his hair.
“Too bad you’ve got a cute little sister you can’t take on runs with you.” The guy laughed sadistically. “Told you we’ll get you where it really hurts.” Gonzalo’s blood ran cold. This fourth call was the last straw. In spite of the fact he knew Missy couldn’t hear, he turned away from her, pushed the buttons on the phone and dialed the DEA. When they answered he sat down and tried to breathe.
“Look I’ve just been threatened—it’s about my sister—you’ve got to do something.”
“We have agents working on your case already.”
“Damn you!” Gonzalo slammed down the receiver and buried his face in his hands.
Several minutes later he was reaching for the phone to call the local police when it rang. His voice was shaky when he answered.
“Have someone take Missy home. Be at the Holiday inn on 2nd in an hour.”
“Charger?”
“Find a way not to scare anyone—maybe your mother—just do what I say.”
Gonzalo held the receiver hearing a dial tone. He reached out and dialed. “Mom I’ve got to ask a favor. Look, something important has come up with the trucks, and I need an excuse to get Mis—Melissa home.”
“Oh my!”
“Now don’t get excited Mom, please just help me, I can’t think—”
“Okay, okay, I’m calming. Tell her I called because I suddenly came down with—oh tell her I’m sick and need her.”
“Yeah, I’ll send her with Juan. Keep him there too.” Gonzalo jumped up, walked over to Missy and put his arm on her shoulder. “Melissa, Mom just called and said she’s feeling sick—vomiting I think. How about if I have Juan take you home so you can check on her?”
Gonzalo called Juan. “Look man, something’s come up, and I need you to take Missy home because Mom’s not feeling well.”
“But the—”
“Take her and check on Mom for me will you?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Stick around there in case she needs something.” Gonzalo forced a smile. “Man, if Mom’s sick our whole operation could shut down with no meals.”
“Gotcha.” Juan grinned and started toward Missy.
An hour later Gonzalo wandered into the lobby of the Holiday Inn. A bleached b
lond girl advertising her wares in a low cut blouse and tight satin pants walked up to him. “Are you Gonzalo Sanchez?” She smiled.
“Yeah.”
“Come with me.” She crooked her finger, a move which thoroughly disgusted Gonzalo. “A special friend sent me out here to get you.” Reluctantly Gonzalo followed her through the lounge and outside toward the rooms. He was stunned by this cheap blond and wondered if he was being led into a trap of some kind. When she rounded a corner, he hesitated, but she came back with a grin. “Don’t worry, sweetie.” She smiled. “Ben’s all the man I need.” Again he followed her and stopped when she knocked on a door. “Ben? I brought the guy you wanted.”
“Yeah, sure.” Ben opened the door. He was half dressed and didn’t look at Gonzalo while he stood back and pulled the girl into his arms. Gonzalo entered the room with shocked surprise and stared.
“Did I do good?” She smiled up at Ben with love spilling from her eyes to the point it was disgusting.
“You did just fine, honey.” Ben nuzzled her neck. “Tell you what; why don’t you run over to the mall and buy some of those things we need.” Ben reached in his pocket and pulled out his keys. “I’ll even let you drive my car, and if you want, just because you’ve been so good to me this past week, you can buy something sexy to wear for me later. We’ll have some special fun.” He winked and handed her a credit card. Gonzalo felt heat rush to his face. Still standing uncomfortably he watched Ben nuzzle the girl again and blow kisses to her as she left. The door closed silently but it might just as well have been a grenade going off for all the tension in the air. Both men were filled with anger near exploding.
“So I hear you have a problem not involving drugs.” Ben coldly moved toward a table holding a quart of scotch. “Care for a drink?”
“No, don’t like anything but beer.” Gonzalo nervously rubbed his hands together. The time for killing him wasn’t now, not when he needed help.
Ben’s attention went to the phone. “Might as well sit.” Taking a big swallow of scotch he pointed. He shrugged and picked up the receiver. “Yeah, Spinelli here, how about sending down a six pack of—” He glanced at Gonzalo. “Oh hell, a six pack of some kind of beer. Yeah, it’s okay.” Ben clamped his teeth shut so the muscles in his cheeks rippled, dropped the receiver and took another big swallow of scotch. “So did you follow my directions and get your sister home?”