The Case

by Lee Cunningham

  As Shane slipped in to unconsciousness the convoy drove north on I-84, headed to the ranch. Walter and Juanita drove point in their SUV, and talked openly about how they had waited too long to express their feelings for each other. Walter had been a true gentleman, never imposing on or abusing the friendship and trust Juanita had placed in him. But through the years, even though he had fallen in love with her, he had also never told Juanita the truth, or made future plans with her.

  Walter was more than a decade older than this woman he cared for so deeply. He thought he could never hope to conquer her heart, even though he had correctly read the cues and looks of interest she didn’t hide.

  For her part Juanita had come from a poor background, with little hope of success in life, until she met Walter and his wife. Through the years, she learned to admire the unusually kind, gentle man, who gave her opportunities beyond her wildest hopes. And through the years of service she provided to Walter and his family, especially as she watched him care for his wife, Juanita’s loyalty, friendship and devotion had turned to love. She still remembered the very day she realized she had fallen deeply in love with Walter, long after his wife had passed. Yet she remained silent.

  She had watched with admiration during those most difficult last two years, as Walter had done everything possible to make his wife comfortable, and keep her included and relevant, in family life…even as his wife slowly slipped away, fighting an aggressive cancer. Juanita had been there to help, comfort and console the couple through their struggles, individually and collectively.

  She had dreamed about one day finding a man with half the character, compassion and loyalty she found in Walter. Her feelings of friendship and admiration grew to include concern, commitment and a deep love. Many months after his wife was gone, Juanita told Walter how much she admired him for who he was and how he treated people. But she stopped far short of telling him she had fallen in love with him, out of respect for his station in life, and with the knowledge of her place in the home…even though he was not one to believe in positions and titles.

  She explained to him that she had never known someone with a capacity to love like he did. She told him she had never seen anyone care so much about others, and she wanted him to know how wonderful it was that he had gone to such lengths, for all the important people in his life, including her.

  As they had driven on that day together, completing errands as they did each Thursday, Juanita began to explain to Walter how she felt. Walter had taken her hand and held it tightly as his eyes glistened with tears. And then, Juanita began to feel the fear of rejection as she approached the opportunity to use the word love…and she stopped.

  She had wanted to tell him right then and there that she had fallen deeply in love with him. She yearned to do so. Her insides were nearly bursting with the desire to reveal, and the need to conceal, her expression of love. In the end she contained the critical information that fought to escape, and she never told the man she loved her true feelings. But as she stumbled through her words, all that came out, was that she could never repay him for everything he had done for her.

  Juanita remembered how Walter had just smiled, and released her hand with a simple squeeze, as he quickly recovered from the emotions of the moment. He had remained quiet for the remainder of that trip. He had misunderstood her preamble to a declaration of love. He had believed at that moment, that Juanita just cared for him as a close friend.

  And she had immediately known that she had waivered and faltered, at the most opportune moment. But, she had been embarrassed, afraid that further explanation would result in her love being totally rejected, and a friendship destroyed. And she couldn’t place him, or her heart, in that position, to take that chance. She thought she would rather continue as a friend, and not risk the loss of the friendship.

  So, on that day long ago, Juanita had vowed to herself to remain in the role Walter had created for her, that of a friend and confidant…an employee…just to be near him. She had reeled herself backward, along with all her hopes, plans, and dreams of love, settling instead for a business and friendship relationship. She would remain hopelessly committed in love, to a man she would never pursue.

  When she thought about it later that night, she didn’t really believe that Walter could feel the same about her, anyway. He was the man a thousand women could fall head over heels for, if they took time to know him, and his heart. After all, she realized as she watched him closely, Walter was still well built and attractive. Time had altered his once spectacular body, as time always does, and the loss of his wife and son had aged and changed him. Deep pain could now be seen in his gentle eyes.

  But many of these changes were for the better, she thought, having molded him to be even more generous and loving than he had been before, when he was consumed by business. Walter now always focused on plans for loved ones, that would secure both their safety and their future. Family and friends were always more important now, than any business, for this man. Juanita loved that trait in Walter.

  And so, it had remained for Walter and Juanita, until Kate changed everything, and gave her the push she had needed for years.

  When she told Walter that night at the estate that she was done hiding her love, she made her true declaration of love to him. For the first time in years she felt totally free to be the woman she always knew she could be. She told Walter how long she had loved him, and declared further that she had to confess her affections now, regardless of the outcome. She told him she hoped for everything with him, but expected nothing in return.

  When she finished her explanation, Walter had immediately embraced her, literally smothering her with kisses, while professing his love for her. He was gentle, passionate and affectionate all at the same time. Afterward they had talked for hours about the events that led to them fall in love with each other. Walter confessed he remembered the conversation in the car, after all these years, and confided he had also been ready to declare his love to her, that very day. But he had misread her feelings, and committed to himself to love her as best he could, while they remained separated by their respective chosen places in life. He had also feared rejection, and losing her friendship.

  That night at the estate after they had finally shared the truth together, they joyously recalled other times when each of them had almost mustered the nerve to confess their true feelings to the other. They recounted and lamented over the days that had been wasted…days that had slipped quickly away, one by one, until years of happiness together as a couple had been squandered.

  They had made love in Walter’s room at the estate that night. Afterward, both realized even more clearly, all that had been lost. The intimacy, deep commitment, and love they had both yearned for together…those together-years had been wasted. They spent the rest of the night in each other’s arms, holding on tightly, trying to somehow make up for that missing time in their lives. They finally decided they could only make up for lost time, by spending as much quality time together, each day, as was possible. They pledged that they would never again be too cautious to express love, and they would never take each other for granted.

  On this drive up with the convoy, just two days later, Walter had taken advantage of the down time in Jordan Valley, to drive them to a bluff overlooking the area. While they admired the beauty of the valley, Walter knelt on one knee, looking up to his love. He asked nervously, “My love, Juanita, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?”

  She immediately accepted as she pulled him up and kissed him repeatedly, saying, “Yes, yes, yes!” in between kisses. “I love you. I have loved you for so long!”

  Walter, the self-made billionaire good-guy, and Juanita, the sweet, talented, loyal employee, were now fully committed to enjoy each other completely, and would waste no more of their lives apart. After her acceptance, Walter had apologized that he didn’t even have a ring, but vowed to take her to a custom jeweler he knew, as soon as they arrived in Joseph. Afterward, a
s they drove on toward their destination, chatting about their future, they made and shared plans…plans they had waited for years to build together, and had already secretly made apart, in their previously trapped, and isolated minds. And neither let go of the other’s hand while they drove.

  While the convoy pushed onward passing Baker City, only two hours from their destination, Franky and Hector were both coming out of a private meeting in the office at the compound. The double doors had been locked so no one could enter. They had spoken for more than an hour, finally coming to agreement on a plan to go forward, and solve the mystery of the murders.

  They had shared their plan and refined it together, Franky the “Don,” and Hector, the heir-apparent. As always Franky was in the lead, but he was proud of his son-in-law, his “tigre pequeno,” or “little tiger” as he liked to tease Hector. Hector always smiled at the teasing, while inside he churned with rage. And he hid the rage very, very well. Hector had polished his acting skills to perfection.

  The two men then left to drive to the Reno airport together, to board different flights, so each could go their separate way. Hector told Franky he was off to San Francisco to meet with members of two Mexican cartels and local leaders of MS-13, to make sure they were not involved in the murders. Franky told Hector he was off to meet with an old trusted FBI agent in Las Vegas, who had been on his payroll for years. Franky would press the FBI agent for answers about the murders, to see what the “Feds” had to offer. If needed, Franky promised he would threaten the agent. The tactic had worked in the past, he bragged.

  Franky had little hope Hector would be successful, but he had all the faith in the world that his federal sources would be able to discover what was going on with these murders. Franky made detailed plans to demand several answers from his paid employee. His “Fed” would provide him all the resources he needed to get results, he thought smugly to himself. He chuckled, “That’s what I pay him for! And the little bastard won’t fuck with me!”

  Arriving at the airport they each grabbed their carry-on and walked to the sidewalk in front of the airline entrance. Before they wished each other well on their separate missions, Hector asked Franky, “Do you believe in God, Franky?”

  Franky laughed and said, “Of course, I believe in God. I’m Catholic, remember?”

  Hector frowned and looked serious. He said, “That’s not what I mean. I mean apart from making an appearance when you go to church to attend the mass, or going to confession where you can’t really reveal all your sins to the priest, or donating some money to make sure your conscience is temporarily relieved…do you really believe in God?”

  Franky momentarily returned the serious expression, but the moment passed quickly. He said, “I don’t worry about it much. I’m busy doing what I need to do here on earth, where I don’t see God helping me to get by. Name one thing this God did for me to help me get to where I am now! I did it all on my own! Why do you ask me this now?” He appeared agitated.

  Hector looked up at the sky, where the moon was still visible in the fleeting daylight. He said softly, “I questioned if God was real, only once in my life. But then I regained my faith. And after I did, my son was born, and I saw God’s forgiveness, a promise He kept to me…maybe more of a gift than a promise, really. You see Franky, I believe we all have to pay for our sins eventually, either here on this earth, or when we see God after we leave this place.”

  Franky looked at Hector intensely for a moment, and then did what Franky did best. He pushed any thoughts of responsibility or accountability completely out of his mind. He laughed, slapped Hector on the shoulder and said, “You do that, and let me know how that works for you! I already chose my path, a long time ago. You see Hector, my conscience is clear, because it doesn’t even exist. I’ll meet you back at the house tomorrow.”

  Franky’s expression had turned from worried concern and near anger, to joy, in a twinkling. With that he turned and walked toward his flight, whistling a happy tune as he walked.

  Both Franky and Hector had previously made several phone calls to precipitate their separate meetings. They both made the phone calls in secret, and both had kept the contents of the calls from one another. As they now bordered their separate flights, both men replayed the conversations they each had spoken separately, in their own minds.

  Both were confident their plans would be successful, as they settled into their first-class seats. Franky had champagne to remind him of success, while Hector drank tequila to remind him of home and family...and to celebrate a victory that he believed would soon be won.

  As their planes took off on separate paths, both men believed that their life plans had come together very well. But both Hector and Franky had withheld important life-changing information from each other today, information that would now alter both of their lives, and the lives of their families forever.

  And yet, as confident as each man was of success, both still quietly worried about their own plan being completely successful. As they took off in different directions, they each focused on different concerns. Time promised to disclose any measure of success or failure, but each now wondered if their own plan would proceed uninterrupted. Plans were important, but were often altered by people, timing, and unforeseen factors. As they flew, both men measured the risks they had independently taken.

  Franky had made secret plans to turn over more control of his organization to Hector. Papers had already been signed and notarized to give Hector control of most of Franky’s companies and corporations. Franky had also secreted more than one hundred million dollars in to seven offshore accounts in the Turks and Caicos. And only he and his girlfriend knew he had built a fortress of a compound, disguised as a large beach home on one of the islands there, in the paradise that awaited.

  Franky’s new home was located on one of the less populated but more exclusive islands in the archipelago, east of Cuba and south of the Bahamas chain of islands. It was the perfect place for Franky to hatch his exit strategy, and enjoy life as a mega-millionaire. He planned to simply disappear with his new love, telling only Hector where he was located, and then only once he was settled in, and safe.

  Franky knew his own wife would be devastated, but he had left her enough money to keep the compound going, and she could live in comfort there. She couldn’t know about his hot young girlfriend. Hector would take care of Franky’s daughter and grand-babies, and maybe bring them to the island to see him, a few times each year.

  As his flight proceeded onward, Franky day-dreamed about the snorkeling, boating and fishing he would finally be able to enjoy, while he left Hector behind to run all the businesses, assume all the stress, and take all the risks. Hector would send Franky millions each month to add to his nest-egg. And when Franky grew weary of the islands, he planned on traveling to Europe or wherever he wanted to go, with his young bombshell of a girlfriend at his side. She would never nag him and push him to bend to her will, because she would always be just a girlfriend, and not a wife. And if he tired of her, or she lost her figure or good attitude, he would find a new girlfriend. He smiled, knowing he had planned this very well.

  In the future, Franky planned on just enjoying the good life, the fruits of his years of laboring over countless schemes, crimes, and murders. He had finally reached his retirement goals and his secret plans were set. He smiled wider as he thought about the painstakingly detailed plans no one knew about, that included his new boat, and his young tight girlfriend. Both were already waiting at the island compound…the bombshell and the boat. He imagined what his young lady was wearing today, as she dressed for the pool, and he laughed out loud. He planned on being with her in less than a week. He couldn’t wait!

  Hector’s flight landed ahead of Franky’s. He was met at the airport by a driver in a waiting limo. They spoke no words as he handed the driver his single carry-on. Hector knew he wouldn’t be staying long. In fact, he would be taking a red-eye back to Reno to tonight. As he approached the right rear passenger door
, the driver placed his carry-on in the trunk, and suddenly, the car door opened from the inside. Hector stepped in without hesitation or concern of who was waiting inside the limo. He closed the door, knowing two of his partners would be there, patiently waiting for him. One of them handed him a glass of tequila, which he took and immediately raised in toast. The other two men raised their glasses in response.

  Each man took a long drink. Hector finally said, “He’s on the plane.”

  The large muscular man sitting furthest from him, asked, “Everything is on schedule then, according to plan?” Hector smiled and nodded as he released a long deep sigh of relief. He sipped his tequila thoughtfully.

  The man seated next to him asked, “He expected nothing then?”

  Hector smiled, and said, “Not a damn thing. The bastard will deliver himself up for slaughter like the arrogant prick he’s always been…thinking he is “the only man,” untouchable as always. In the end his own ego and greed betrayed him. He could have had it all and kept it all, except for that one major defect.”

  The large man raised a bottle of reserve tequila to top off Hector’s small glass. Hector pushed his glass toward the pour as the man shook his head slowly. He said, “No, Hector, Franky couldn’t have kept it all. We all knew ten years ago that Franky would eventually betray us, not just with money, but with our plans, our Primary Objective. We knew there would come a time he wouldn’t follow the guidelines of The Committee. Franky got too big for himself, and definitely too big for his place in an organization like ours.”