Three hours later, John Higgins entered Saint Francis hospital in Memphis Tennessee. He climbed the elevator to the fifth floor, got off, nodded at the nurses sitting at the nursing station, and made his way into his wife’s room.
“How’s she doing?” He asked the nurse who was checking his wife’s vitals.
“She’s doing okay, a lot better than a few days ago, I’ll tell you that. It’s a shame you had to go away on business though. Your wife missed you, I can assure you of that.”
The corners of his mouth creased with excitement. “You mean she woke up while I was gone?” He asked, with hope in his eyes.
The nurse on duty shook her head. “No sweetheart, not yet. I meant that I’m sure she missed hearing the sound of your voice that’s all. But listen, she’s getting stronger and stronger every day. It’s just a matter of time before she wakes up.” The nurse placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“And no one’s been in to see her right? I mean… no unexpected visitors?”
The nurse shook her head. “No Mr. Higgins, no unexpected visitors. The sheriff stops by daily to make sure she’s safe. So don’t worry, they’re going to catch the people that did this.”
John nodded his head. “I don’t care if they catch them or not, I just want my wife back.”
A young doctor dressed in faded green scrubs walked into the room.
“How are you today Mr. Higgins?”
“It's John, doc. Call me John.”
The young man shook his head. “Right. John, how are you?”
“I’m fine doc, but how’s my wife doing?”
“Well, we know that the second lung did not collapse, and she’s stopped bleeding out. She’s going to pull through, but when she gets out, her life may run a little slower than usual,” he said and checked her chart again.
“Annette is going to be just fine though, give it some time.”
“Thank you doctor,” John said and shook his hand.
Once the doctor and nurse left, the room fell silent and John moved his chair over to his wife’s bedside.
“I did it Annette. I did what Castillo wanted and now I’m back. Hopefully, I won’t have to leave you again until after you’re discharged.
You know, sometimes I’m sorry that I did that stint as a private eye all those years ago. Who knew that it would come up to bite me in the ass?” He chuckled lightly before continuing.
“When I saw him today, I told him that I’d found the women he’d been looking for. I used the ruse of a book, just as I was told to do. I even changed the genders of the characters, so as not to raise suspicion. I told him everything that I’d found out, I left nothing out. Just like they asked.
And I could tell that Castillo was pleased with what I told him. Plus…,” he leaned his head close to his wife’s ear.
“I checked our account, there’s fifteen thousand dollars in it, just like he said there would be and plenty more once I finish the job. I just have to make a few more inquiries, and I’ll have all the information ready for Castillo.
I'm also working on a little something extra that I know will make him very happy. Sweetheart, when all of this is over, I’m going to quit my nursing job over at Riverbend. I’ll have enough money to move us out of Tennessee, and far away from Castillo and his gang of thugs. I’m so sorry that I let you down.” His voice was shaky.
“But I promise you Annette, I will never let anyone hurt you ever again. That’s why I’m doing all of this, sweetheart. I want you to know that I will gladly sacrifice the life of a complete stranger if it means saving yours.” He kissed his wife gently on the cheek and sat back.
For the rest of the night he would stay at her bedside watching for and listening to the little green blips of light that formed a steady flow of crests and gullies.
Chapter Four
Helen and George were bringing down the rest of their luggage.
“Madison, are you sure you won’t change your mind? You can always catch a later flight and meet us in London.” Helen’s thin arms rested on her shoulders, squeezing them tight.
Madison drew in a long breath and exhaled slowly.
“Thanks for the offer Helen, but no.” She smiled weakly. “I’m just not ready for anything that involves leaving the country.”
George moved a few pieces of luggage towards the door with a light clunk and asked Zoe if she’d mind loading up the car.
When the young woman was out of earshot, George made his way over to his daughter-in law.
“Madison, I know that things have been a bit hectic and dismal around here what with the anniversary of his death and all. But Helen and I think it’s time that you tried getting back into the swing of things. I mean at least see about getting your old job back.”
“You can’t sit around and mope for the rest of your life sweetheart. It’s not healthy and it’s not good for Zoe to see you like this. She needs to know that life goes on.”
Madison could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. “I feel as if I’m sleep walking through my life. I don’t think that I’ve ever felt this empty.” She reached out for Helen’s hand and felt that familiar ache in her heart.
“Oh sweetheart, you’ll be fine. I know you will. We miss him too. When Tristan first told us that he wanted to go into law enforcement, we couldn’t have been more proud of him, and we still are.
He told us several years ago that he loved what he did. He never once regretted his decision to become a marshal.
He told us that if anything were to happen to him, to remember that he died doing something that he loved, which was protecting innocent people.
I hold on to that each and every day… we hold onto it. It’s what gets us through.”
“And there’s one thing that I can guarantee about my boy.” George’s lips creased into a reminiscing smile. “He wouldn’t want you to sit around here wallowing in misery. He’d want you to pick yourself up and get on with your life. So that’s what you need to do Madison. Now what are your plans?”
George spoke with a straightforwardness that she was not expecting.
Madison shook her head. “I’m not really sure. I have been thinking about paying Hank and Donna a visit. I haven’t seen them in so long and since I’m no longer in the program, I don’t see why I can’t go back to Tennessee.”
Helen let out a small gasp. “Do you think that’s wise Madison? I mean, being out of the program is one thing, but going back to where it all started is another.”
“Maybe you ought to check with the Marshal Service first, or the D.A. I’m not sure I want you traipsing around Tennessee without some kind of protection.”
Madison released a snicker. “Helen, they dropped me from the program because they caught a bigger gun with a lot more ammo than I had. Castillo’s number one guy gave him up and he had far more than just my one time eyewitness account.
Besides, I thought that …" Her voice trailed off and she wiped an angry tear from her eye.
“Honey, if Tristan taught you anything, it was not to be naïve. Now you and I both know that just because Castillo is in prison, does not mean that you are no longer in danger.”
“George, I appreciate your concern, I really do. But this is something that’s been in the back of my mind for a long time now. Everything that happened with Castillo happened three years ago and I’ve been out of the program for almost the same amount of time. I can come and go as I please and I’ve made the decision to go to Tennessee. I’m through hiding.”
“And what are you going to do if you run into trouble while you’re down there?” George leaned back against the kitchen sink and folded his arms across his chest.
The pose, reminded her of Tristan. It was a fond memory and she smiled softly.
“I’m sure that won’t happen, but if it does? Well I’m sure I’ll think of something,” she said and kissed him on the cheek.
“I want you to check in as much as you can Madison, you hear me?” George commanded.
“Of course. Now you guys better get going, you don’t want to miss your flight.”
Helen turned towards her with a questioning look in her eye, but before she opened her mouth to speak, Madison stopped her.
“Yes Helen, I plan on coming back.” Madison reassured her, but was silent when she thought to herself, I just don’t know when.
Helen smiled and kissed her lightly on the cheek.
Stepping outside into the bright sunshine, Madison spied Zoe staring off into the direction of the trail that led into the woods.
“Your father loved to hike that trail with you didn’t he?” She asked and put her arms around Zoe.
“Yes he did,” she said quietly.
Madison turned her around so that Zoe could look at her.
“Zoe, you are going off to unfamiliar shores and distant, exotic lands. Take this time to enjoy it. You will never be alone, and you will never want for love. Life goes on sweetheart and your father would not want you to waste it. So please have a wonderful time. Text me, send me pictures, and keep your father and I in your heart. I love you Zoe.”
“I love you too,” Zoe said as they held one another in a warm embrace.
Madison stood in the driveway, sobbing and waving. She didn’t stop until they were no longer in sight.
****
The house felt incredibly empty now. There was no sound, no low chatter between Helen and George. There was no clattering sound coming from the keyboard of Zoe’s laptop while she surfed the web.
After Tristan died, his parents found themselves spending more and more time at the house. Madison assumed that it was because they somehow felt closer to him there. It was the house where they’d shared holiday meals, movie nights, and lazy Sunday's barbecuing and relaxing on the back deck.
And when they were alone, there were days and nights filled with lovemaking.
She made her way into the bedroom and began to tidy up. A warm summer breeze came through an open window, billowing the soft, lace curtains.
She closed her eyes and welcomed its soft touch; it was then that she felt the warm embrace of her husband.
It was the first time, in a very long time that she felt warm again. It made her optimistic, happy even. After the year she’d just had, the feeling was like a drug.
Not wanting the feeling or her nerve to disappear, she immediately called the airline and booked a flight to Tennessee.
****
Three days alone in the house felt like three years. She’d spent it packing, and waiting, mostly waiting. She didn’t want to tell Hank and Donna about her visit. Not because she wanted it to be a surprise, but because she was pretty sure that they would insist that she not visit at all.
Besides a few telephone conversations, the couple whom she considered family, had insisted that she not get in touch with them too often. Even though Madison had told them that she was released from the program, they were still convinced that her life was in danger.
They were so convinced in fact, that they’d refused to come to she and Tristan’s wedding, and his funeral. They told her that they didn’t want to take the chance of being followed from Memphis up to Maine.
“Castillo’s thugs are like cockroaches, they hide from the light, but crawl out of every dark corner and crevasse when it gets dark. You cannot underestimate him for a second. He’s got people all over the world who work for him and for the right price; they’ll hunt you down in a minute Madison.” Hank told her one night during one of their telephone conversations.
There would be no changing her mind though. She needed to get away. See Hank and Donna and spend some time with them. And if they weren't available, well… she'd simply wait until they were.
The past year had been the closest thing to hell that she’d ever experienced and although she was going back to where it all began, anything was better than staying in that empty house.
Chapter Five
Juan Hernandez was now living under the assumed name, “Paulo Antunez.” And he was supposed to keep his mouth shut and his profile low. But, being in the Witness Protection program for so many years was beginning to take its toll on him.
Life in the small town of Redmerrow, Oklahoma had gotten boring and mundane. The only good thing about living there was that he’d met a decent woman. Maria was a woman he could see himself settling down with. But he wasn’t quite ready to settle down, not yet anyway.
Not even in his job at the post office could he find some sense of happiness. Schlepping bags of mail around all day wasn’t exactly what he had in mind. When he’d first arrived in Oklahoma, he thought he had it made. The government gave him a monthly stiffened of over 2,500.00 and extra money to purchase a used car. He received the stiffened for 20 months, but then the government abruptly stopped sending him the money.
His contact told him that his life was stabilized and that it was time for him to go out and start earning his own money. That’s when he got the job at the post office and where he met Maria.
Some days, her love for him was the only thing that kept him going. He didn’t dare tell her about his past life, about how he ratted out crime boss, Ricardo Castillo. Not only was there no reason to tell her, but he wasn’t allowed to tell her. So he kept his mouth shut and invented the story that the feds told him to invent. His name was Paulo Antunez and he was born and raised in Oklahoma.
Besides Maria, there was nothing. His assigned contact, Dane Spear, down at the marshal's office, telephoned regularly. But rarely came to check up on him.
That all changed when Juan, a.k.a. Paulo started complaining about his surroundings.
“Listen Antunez, this isn’t some kind of Hollywood movie. You’re not living the life of some kind of mafia gangster in hiding, so stop thinking that you are. You were placed here for a reason. It’s been three years, if you haven’t gotten used to it by now, you never will. But that doesn’t mean a thing is going to change for you, so you had better make the most of it. There are three ways you’re getting out of the program, either you get caught violating the laws and get kicked out, you leave on your own accord, or you get carried out in a body bag.”
Having just graduated from the Academy last year, Marshal Dane Spear was still new at his job. But taking on a witness who'd testified against well-known drug and sex trafficker, Ricardo Castillo was his chance to prove to his superiors that he could get the job done.
Besides complaining a lot, his witness wasn’t that much of a problem. But still, he'd tried his best to let him know, that under no circumstances was he going to get away with trying anything shady.
Juan released a frustrated breath, narrowed his eyes, and turned his attention towards the window.
He wondered then, if being a snitch had all been worth it. Sure, snitching had kept him from getting the gas chamber, and had given him his freedom. But this was not the kind of freedom he wanted; he missed the ‘thug’ life and being Castillo’s number one man. Now he was living out in the middle of nowhere, living a life that was far more distinct than anything he could have imagined.
"I should have kept my mouth shut." He shook his head in regret.
Chapter Six
When Castillo’s mother, Lucia, answered the telephone, her face lit up. The voice on the other end was telling her that an inmate from the Riverbend correctional facility was making a collect call. When the voice asked if she would accept the charges, she said yes and nodded her head ardently.
“Hola mamá.” She heard her son’s voice on the telephone.
Lucia spoke with excitement to her son. When he asked her why she was so excited, she told him that a package that she'd been waiting on had finally arrived.
Ricardo shared in his mother’s happiness. “Las cosas buenas vienen a aquellos que esperan mamá!” He said with excitement before hanging up the phone.
He told her that good things really do come to those who wait. Not only was he excited for his mother, he was excited for himself. He looked around at his fellow inmates
as a cheesy smile spread across his face.
Sayonara, mother fuckers. In a couple of days, I'll be a free man.
Lucia made the sign of the cross after she hung up the phone. She wanted everything to go smoothly for her son. It took almost three years in the making, but finally, standing beside her was Ricardo’s cousin, Salvador Nunez. He’d just flown in from Bolivia. And was the spitting image of her son, Ricardo Castillo.
To Salvador, family was everything. So giving up his freedom, in exchange for his cousin's, was of no importance to him. When Castillo first thought of the idea three years ago, his family told him that the idea, although a good one, would never work.
They told him that he would not be able to outsmart the prison guards, that without inside help and money, the idea was not feasible.
But Castillo kept the idea in his head and each day he picked and prodded at it. And although it would take some time, he told them, three years to be exact. He knew that it could be done.
Castillo’s offer to take care of Salvador’s ex-wife and the rest of his family financially, only added to his cousin’s already steadfast devotion to his extended family.
For Salvador, life in Bolivia meant nothing. Days and nights spent robbing tourists, or delivering a package or two for local crime lords was getting to be tiring. It was no way to live, Castillo told him. He also told his cousin that he’d be better suited to life inside Riverbend Correctional. He told him that he would be treated like a king, that there was even a group of thugs he’d be in charge of.
Witness Protection: Hide and Seek Page 2