by A. J. Adams
“Everyone wants to see you, so we’re having a mega party tonight,” she said. “A barbecue. Luz has a new way of cooking charales, and Chloe has promised to make a pork pie.”
“You can’t barbecue a pork pie.”
“True, but I have a craving for one.”
My heart almost stood still. “Really, sirena? Truly?”
Solitaire blinked and then shook her head. “Arturo, you twit, I’m on the pill.”
“Oh, right.” I’d forgotten.
“I can stop taking it,” Solitaire said slowly. “But it may mean a hurried wedding.”
“I know a bishop who owes me a favour.”
“Then let’s do it.”
I took her at her word and took her straight to bed. Afterwards, with Solitaire comatose beside me, I was fantasising about our future. I decided I’d like a girl first, because girls are easier to deal with, and I was sure I’d make mistakes. Then it occurred to me that boys are more resilient, so that might be better. Finally I decided I was a fool. It’s not like you can decide what you get, so whatever happens, I’ll be grateful.
“Oh, oh, is that the time?” Solitaire was back on planet earth. “I should go help Luz.”
“I’ll be down in five minutes.”
I watched her rush off, had a shower and then locked the bedroom door. When you have a secure room and a safe, that’s where people focus their efforts when they look for things. I got Fucho’s phone out of my sock drawer, where it had sat safely ever since we came back from London. As I fiddled with the back to get the chip out, it switched on.
“John, I’ll call you back.” Escamilla’s voice came though loud and clear.
“I want to see my mother,” Solitaire’s tones were arctic. I turned it over and saw her again, glaring at Escamilla. “I’m not going to snitch, no matter how many times you zap me with that cattle prod of yours, so you can forget about Molenaar’s contacts or whatever the fuck you and that Polish git you’re about to hook up with are after. But I do owe Danjuma a beating. He has a secure box at Waddon Ponds where he keeps his stash. Pick him up between six and eight any Thursday, and he’ll have cash. About ten thou, usually. Oh, and give him a knee in the balls for me when you take it off him.”
“Escamilla’s voice came through clearly. “Excellent.”
“Now let me call the hospital like you promised. I have to see if mum is all right.”
Escamilla burst out laughing. “Too late, Solitaire! You should have talked weeks ago.”
“What?” Solitaire’s face, white and wiped of emotion, broke my heart. “What are you saying?”
“She took more than a bad turn. She’s dead.”
There was a second’s silence, and then Solitaire was screaming. “You mother fucking son of a bitch! I will kill you! I will cut out your heart and eat it!”
I switched it off, knowing the next bit by heart. Escamilla had backhanded her, and she’d rocketed against the wall and fallen to the floor. He’d just laughed and called John back, arranging for a property deal. From the time and date stamp, this had taken place just hours before we’d stormed the place.
I’d kept Fucho’s phone because it was loaded with clips of Escamilla making deals. I’d forgotten about it in London, so it wasn’t until we came back to Nuevo Laredo that I first saw this, and by that time Kyle had cleared Solitaire.
I knew that anyone seeing the clip would think he’d fucked up, but I knew he was right. It’s totally against Solitaire’s nature to rat, but her love for her family is also a fundamental part of her. When Escamilla told her that her mother was dying, Solitaire had chosen a tactic she thought would let her see her mother once more. Even then, she’d sacrificed an enemy instead of a friend. It had failed, but that wasn’t her fault.
I’d kept the phone and listened to all the other clips over and over again because I needed that information to keep the UK operation running smoothly, but I hadn’t entered it into the database. You see, even if I’d wiped that bit, Kyle would have spotted something was missing. He’s an ace at that. If he’d seen that clip he would have understood, just the way I had, but I didn’t want him to know that Solitaire had had a moment of weakness. I didn’t want Solitaire to know it, either. I couldn’t bear for her to be hurt. I love her, you see. I love her more than anything on earth.
We all make choices, and some of them make us sick, but that’s part of what we do. I accept it, and Solitaire knows it, but she’s much harder on herself than she is on anyone else. If she knew that she’d talked, she’d never forgive herself. Worse, she’d never trust herself again.
I trusted her implicitly. Having seen that clip, I knew Solitaire was solid. I knew she’d give me her loyalty because that is part of her ethos, and the way she put herself into danger in order to lure Songbird proved me right.
Because she went all out, nobody would ever question her loyalty again. I knew Solitaire was untouchable – unless that clip ever surfaced. I split the phone’s casing, shook the chip loose, bashed it a few times with the heel of my shoe, wrapped it in toilet paper and flushed it.
Then I went downstairs where Solitaire was waiting for me.
If you enjoyed this book, please leave a rating, a review or better still, recommend it to your friends. Thanks! AJ Adams.