Celina then looked up, and sure enough, there was Valeria looking out the window, like the mother hen she was to her. Celina smiled and waved to her and got in her car.
Chapter 15
Lost and found
The man got into a black Cadillac Escalade, and motioned the driver with his finger to get moving, while he got his cell phone and frantically dialed.
“Rafa, habla Flaco. Boss, you’re not going to believe who I found here in Laredo?” there was excitement in his voice.
“Tell me quick,” he demanded, “because I have El Veinte, on the other line. He says he’s ready for you to stop by.”
“Boss, I found the girl from the club. The one that drives that black ‘68 Camaro.”
There was silence for a brief moment. “Veinte, I’m going to have to call you back, just wait for me.” He then got back on the other phone with Flaco. “Is she in front of you, Flaco?” his voice was mysterious.
“Yes, we are following her right now.”
“Good, don’t lose her. And don’t follow her too close, because you might scare her. Stay with her.” His tone was aggressive. “But are you sure it’s her?”
“Yes, because I have a copy of the picture with me.” He patted his front pocket where the picture was with three fingers. “It is her, I know it. I even saw her cubby girlfriend with her, too.”
“So, you didn't ask her if she was in McAllen a few days ago?” There was disappointment in his voice.
“No boss. I'll ask her when we take her, just to make sure, but I have a gut feeling that it is her. You'll see when you see her.”
“Okay Flaco, if it is her… I will pay you the reward. But she must be unharmed, and you need to bring her to me… nobody else, only to me. Get her first, then make the money pickup and don’t stop for nothing, just come on in. Don’t speed or call attention to yourself.”
“I know, boss.” He interjected.
“Flaco,” he yelled. “Listen to what I'm saying. I don't want any fuckups, pendejo.”
“Sorry boss,” he apologized quickly.
“That’s right, I’m the boss. And when you come to the bridge, don’t forget to get in lane five and make sure she’s knocked out but sitting down, with the seatbelt on.” He insisted.
“Yes sir, boss, I know the routine.” He reassured.
The men followed Celina to the mall and parked next to her car after she walked away.
An hour later, Celina exited the mall with a big smile. She was holding a big pink striped bag with pink tissue paper extending from the top, with gold letters that read, Victoria's Secret.
Still on cloud nine, she texted Valeria, telling her of all the lingerie and panties that she had bought at the semi-annual sale. She laughed with Valeria's reply, reading aloud. “Don't want to hear your sex stories.”
Deep in concentration, thinking of maybe going to get her cards read, about her situation with Xavier. She wondered if she should plunge into a relationship with him or trust another stranger instead. I’d like to get back to dating and enjoy having sex again. I miss it, but I’m so scared of attracting another psycho. Her mind was occupied with texting Rosa, the tarot card reader, for an appointment, that she didn’t see the black SUV parked right next to her car. Her guard was completely down, because she was so deep in her thoughts, until it was too late.
Celina thought their intentions were to drive by and take her purse, since stealing women's purses at the mall had become a common thing lately. You assholes are not taking my purse. There was no time to pull out her gun, so she threw her purse in her car and it hit with a thump on the floorboard. She never in a million years thought that they would take her instead. If she had known that, she would have kept her purse and pulled out Hey Joe instead.
The tall guy with gold chains around his neck grabbed her and threw her in the back seat. Celina hit her head against the window but still held her cell phone and her Victoria's Secret bag.
The guy closed the door shut, looked at her, and pointed a gun to her face. “Look, we're not going to hurt you, but you must come with us.” He nodded his head.
“What's this about? Is it about my car? Because I didn't want to sell it to you?” She didn't fear for her life, because she thought it was all about her car now.
“No, that's not why.” He gave her a cold stare.
I don't understand. Not about my purse and not about my car, then what else could it be. Do they know Homer? Did Homer tell them to take me?
“Wait a minute! I can't leave my car here. Someone might steal it. Where are you taking me? What do you want?” The intimidating scowl from the man didn't seem to affect Celina.
“Where we are taking you… well, you'll find out when we get there,” he snapped.
Her question remained unanswered. “Wait, I think you have me confused with someone else? I'm no one. I'm just a hair stylist. Do you know what this is about?” Celina pleaded with him. Her heart pounded in her chest, now realizing that this was serious.
“Okay, uno momento, you're right, let's make sure. Let me ask you this.” He looked at her with a hard stare. “Were you in the valley last week?”
What does this have to do with the hair show? This is crazy! She stared with a blank look.
“Answer the question, yes or no,” he yelled, spitting some saliva on her face. “Answer the question.” he insisted again.
“Okay,” she screamed back. “Yes, I was there.” Her voice was strong.
“Okay, very good. Were you at the Blue Rock Club?” he waited for her to answer.
She took a deep breath and thought, what does that have to do with any of this? I don’t even remember seeing this guy there. She narrowed her eyes, looking at him, and nodded her head.
“Okay, that's all I need to know. And just to let you know, you are the woman we are looking for.” He then turned to the other man and said, “Vamonos, Chuy.”
“WAIT. Please, what have I done?” His freaky grin was starting to terrify her now.
When he didn't answer, she continued, “Please sir, can you lock my car? Please, at least do me that favor.” Her eyes were tearing.
“Chuy, watch her,” said the man, sitting in the backseat with Celina. “I'm going to lock her car.”
Chuy quickly pulled out a gun with a silencer on it, and aimed it at her forehead while the other guy got out and locked Celina's car.
When Flaco got back in the SUV, she asked him, “Please, one more favor. I told you earlier at the restaurant how much this car means to me. Please, please sir, can you please text my friend to come and pick up my car?” She handed him her cell phone. Tears rolled down her cheeks, not knowing what they wanted or what they were going to do with her, because now she was more confused than ever.
He took a deep breath, nodded, and reached for her phone. The only reason he was being nice to her, was because she was of great interest to the boss.
“You can just put, please pick up my car at the mall and at the end text, Hey Joe.”
He gave her a weird look.
“That will tell her where the spare keys are hidden at.” Celina was lying and was hoping that Valeria would notice the distress code, Hey Joe for pull out the gun, there's something wrong.
Chapter 16
Celina's running late
Valeria walked into the salon, “Hey, corazón, how are things?” She plopped her big classic Coach purse on the counter. “Is Celina in yet? I didn't see her car outside.”
“No, she isn’t. I thought she was with you?” Marivel stopped popping her gum. “Hey Valeria, your phone is ringing.”
Valeria took a deep breath. “Yes, I hear it now.”
“Isn't it the ringtone you have for Celina?” Marivel's nosy eyes looked inside Valeria's purse.
When Valeria pulled out the phone from deep in her purse, the ringtone got louder. “Yes, I wonder what the hell she's up to. She should already be here.”
“I like that song. What's the name of it?”
“Uh…It's from the Eagles,” she then looked at the phone. “Let's see, it’s a text.” She then glanced over to Marivel, realizing that she had ignored her, “I'm sorry, the name of the song is, “Life In the Fast Lane”. I picked that ring tone, because it is so Celina isn't it? She's always driving fast in her car.” She giggled, but then her facial expression changed when she finished reading the text.
“What is it?” Marivel stood up when she saw panic all over Valeria's face.
“I don't know. Let me call her ‘cuz I don’t like this text that she sent me.” Her fingers froze when she tried to move them quickly. She knew her number; hell, it was on speed dial, but she couldn't think straight, to dial Celina's number. The Hey Joe, phrase that they were always joking about, wasn't settling with her. Not now, especially with Homer out on the loose.
“She wouldn't joke about something like this,” she muttered, under her breath.
One of the other stylists walked on over. “Hey, Marivel, has Celina arrived? She texted me thirty minutes ago, to help her out with her next appointment,” said Jennifer, approaching the counter.
Marivel waved to Jennifer with her hand to wait a moment. She could sense that something wasn't right, with the way Valeria was acting.
Valeria was pacing back and forth, waiting for Celina to answer her cell phone. She then walked back to the counter and said, “Celina isn't answering her phone.”
Marivel and Jennifer remained silent, as they looked at Valeria.
Jennifer said, “I'm sorry, I just got here. What is going on? Or what just happened?”
Valeria then turned to her, “I'm sorry, Jennifer, did you say that Celina texted you?”
“Yes, about thirty minutes ago. She said if I could help her with her next appointment.”
“Did she want for you to take the appointment?” Her eyes rounded, and her eyebrows rose dramatically.
“Oh, no. Celina said when her appointment gets here, for me to help her and wash her hair. You know, when she's running late. I usually help her with hair washes, so she doesn't fall super behind. So, I take it that Celina's not here.” She paused, hoping someone would explain what was going on.
Valeria then looked directly at Jennifer, “I'm sorry Jennifer, but I need your help.”
“Sure Val.”
“I need for you to tell the customer, that Celina had an emergency, and that she will not be able to cut her hair today. And ask her, if she'd like for someone else to, or if you can blow dry and style it for free, until Celina can reschedule her.”
“Okay, I got it.” She turned quick on her heels to do what she was asked to.
“And Marivel, I need for you to cancel my afternoon appointments for today.” She grabbed her purse from the counter.
“Val… do you think something happened to Celina?”
Valeria looked at Marivel for a moment, then took a deep breath and said, “I hope not, but I'd only be lying to myself. I need to call my brother.”
“Oh my God, Val, not again,” said Marivel, with worry over her face.
Chapter 17
In possession
Celina was slouched and unconscious in the back seat of the SUV when the men drove up to their final destination. The boss man, Rafael Sanchez Canales, aka El Doberman, as known to the other lieutenants, was one of the major lieutenants with the Gulf Drug Cartel and also the owner of the Blue Rock Night Club. He was waiting for them, with his three Doberman dogs at his side.
“Hola patrón,” said Flaco, jumping out of the back seat to greet their boss.
He stepped forward. “I take everything went okay?” Rafael walked over to the SUV. He was anxious to look at the mystery girl that had them all in a whirl.
“Si,” replied Flaco, politely. He opened the door, and stood to one side so the boss could see the girl.
The boss man walked over to Celina's side, so he could get a better look at her.
“No problems, at the bridge, with her, or anything else, that I should know about? You know I don't like surprises.” He raised his eyebrows.
“No sir. No problems,” he replied, with certainty.
Rafael grabbed Celina’s face and moved her head side to side, getting a good look at her. He immediately noticed that her neck muscles were overly relaxed. “What did you give her?” he turned to look at Flaco with a hard stare for a moment.
“I gave her a barbiturate.”
He turned back to look at her. “Which one? Phenobarbital?” he asked, keeping his attention on Celina, on her white fitted lace top.
“Si,” he nodded.
“Did you give her a pill?” Irritation was in his tone.
“No, she refused, so we had to pull over, and Chuy held her down. I had to use a needle. And she fought us.” He explained using hand signs.
“You didn't overdo it? Did you?” he turned his gaze, to look at Flaco directly when he asked him.
“No señor. She should be up in an hour or so.” He insisted.
Rafael maintained a serious look, nodded his head up and down, then grabbed a strand of her hair, placed it under his nose and inhaled. When he released the long lock, he gave her breast a hard squeeze. He would spend the night in her bed in a heartbeat, if she allowed him.
“She's very pretty, patrón. And she has a sexy walk, too.” Flaco raised his eyes with a big grin.
Realizing that he had demonstrated an attraction in front of his men, he cleared his throat. “Okay, get her out of here.” He took a peek in the Victoria's Secret bag that was at her feet. “What's this?” He looked at them with a quizzical expression.
“Oh, she was shopping at the mall when we took her. I guess that's what she bought.” He ran his hand through his hair.
He smiled, then inhaled and nodded with approval. He turned to look at Chuy, who was standing next to Flaco. He took a step toward him, placed his index finger on his chubby cheek and pushed his face to one side.
Chuy turned his head to one side. A deep scratch stretched across his cheek.
Rafael then looked at his face, and then lowered his eyes to his neck, following down to the open shirt that he wore. His eyes came back to his face, and stared at him.
“She's a wildcat with long pink nails. She went crazy, when she saw Flaco pull out the needle, and she scratched the shit out of me,” Chuy said, buttoning up his shirt.
“Yes, I can see that,” the boss man replied, then walked away. “Come on, boys,” he said as he whistled to the dogs to follow him.
“Yes, but I got kicked in the balls, with those high heels she's wearing,” Flaco stated, looking at Chuy.
“Boss! Where do you want us to take her to?” Chuy yelled.
“Put her in the room next to my office. I guess we're going to have to be extra careful around her.”
Chapter 18
The big mystery
Valeria ran red lights, went through a one-way, and sped all the way, arriving within minutes, and parked next to Celina's car. Celina always parked in the same parking space at the mall, so it wasn't hard to find the car. The moment she got there, she knew that something had happened, because she could see Celina's purse on the passenger's floorboard of the car, and her car keys too.
Oh my God, Oh my God. She pressed her hands together up against her forehead.
Xavier arrived, with lights flashing inside the grill of his navy-blue undercover truck. “What is it? What happened, Val?” he asked, jumping out of the truck with a worried look.
Valeria shook her head side to side, looked at her brother right in the eye, and said, “It doesn't look good.” Her eyes began to water.
“What the hell do you mean? Tell me quick, Valeria, every second counts,” he told her grabbing her arms and shaking her. “I just saw you guys at lunch.”
“Like I told you on the phone,” she paused, placing both of her hands in front of her. “She sent me a text to pick her car up at the mall, and signed the text, Hey Joe. That's the code we have for her gun. You know, to get the gun, in case
of an emergency. I guess, she was trying to tell me that she was in trouble, because her purse and car keys are on the floorboard of her car,” she replied, breaking out in tears.
Xavier quickly went to the car to peek inside. He avoided touching the car. “Did you touch any part of the car?”
Valeria shook her head no. “I know where the spare keys are at her condo….”
“That's okay. We can open it with a slim jim. I just don't want to touch the car, until I can get some fingerprints. Let me make a call, so we can get somebody over here and then after that, I will ask for mall security's assistance. Maybe something recorded off the surveillance cameras.”
“Homer's got her. That son-of-a-bitch.” Her legs gave way, and she sat herself down on the hot, dirty pavement and began to cry. “He’s probably going to kill her this time, Xavier. Oh dear God in heaven.”
Chapter 19
Mystery girl meets mystery guy
Celina woke up, lying on a queen size bed in a dark room and was confused as ever. Completely disoriented, she didn't move any part of her body, only her eyes. Scanning left to right, she took in her surroundings. The raw urge to scream crawled up in her throat when she didn't recognize anything in the room. Her wide eyes visually swept the room, eyeing beige walls, a huge pine dresser and a chaise, with her Victoria’s Secret bag. She looked around the unfamiliar room, and when she sat up, she remembered what had happened.
She grabbed her head and rubbed the sides of her forehead. “God, my head hurts.” Her head was throbbing with a major headache. She then glanced at a digital clock on the nightstand that read nine-thirty. She scooted over to the edge of the bed, and looked at her arm where they injected her with drugs.
There was that mental fog again, when she thought it was a dream, but no, it was reality. Recollecting bits and pieces, she remembered the man who had thrown her in a black SUV, and then a big, ugly, fat guy who held her down. She looked at her arm again, remembering the needle they had poked her with.
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