“Dear girl, how are you?” Said the older man.
“A little dizzy.” Replied Nubia sitting up in bed. Instinctively she opened her arms and embraced Marcos´s neck. The woman needed to find a haven of tranquility for her emotions dancing a wild dance. An agonized cry emerged out of her mouth and long repressed tears flowed profusely in her eyes.
Marcos looked questioningly at Charley, who whispered.
“Do not be afraid, it's the best thing that can happen to her at this point.” Charley told the young man. “She is releasing all the demons that had possessed her. Let her be tied to you. You're her rock now.”
Eventually Nubia fell asleep, curled up in the boy body, who had hollowed it to that end, but now her dream seemed placid.
“It must be the first time she can sleep peacefully in a very long time.” Concluded Charley. “ We must have patience.”
Marcos stroked the girl's head. He felt invaded by a feeling of tenderness, now that he noticed a change, still incipient in Nubia´s general attitude. Her usually demanding and self-assured pose had given way to that of a fragile creature eager for care. The boy watched her countenance and kissed the beloved forehead. Softly he changed the position he was around the woman and lay down beside her. At that moment he realized that Charley was still there smiling.
“ Old friend, tell me what happened to her?”
“That, old friend, she´ll have to tell you herself.”
Paddy O'Halloran and Laura Sandoval left her house amid a festive atmosphere for the exchanged news. As they opened the door men dressed in black combat suits, wearing helmets and bulletproof vests emerged from behind the cars parked on the street and neighboring portals of the houses in the opposite side of the street. Many weapons were pointed at their breasts. Paddy immediately recognized a tactical group and raised his arms immediately.
“Paddy, what happens? What is this?” Laura yelled frightened.
“Do not worry, they have nothing against me. Just raise your arms and keep your mouth shut.”
At that time he saw in awe Eric Murphy coming out of one of the cars parked, also wearing a protective vest.
“Do not count on what you just said.” Added the old sergeant. He then formal tone recited. “Patrick Michael O'Halloran, you're under arrest for the murder of Jemal Gebre and two foreign nationals whom we are trying to identify. You can keep silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a trial; the state will provide a lawyer if you do not have one.”
“You have nothing against me.” Repeated O'Halloran.
“I strongly recommend you stick to the possibility of remaining in silence.” Was the dry answer. Leroy´s image flitted again across Murphy's mind.
“You think you've won, old fool, but do not know where you stuck your nose.” The prisoner was evidently falling prey to one of his usual moments of obfuscation.
“Maybe, but no one can save you.”
Paddy O'Halloran was a prisoner in a cell. To his surprise he shared it with a young African American who manifestly exhibited homosexual tendencies, despite some unwritten rules about separation of prisoners for various reasons, including sexual preferences. Ray Smith was one of those involved in human trafficking and had had sporadic contact with various people from that environment. A member of the prison service opened the barred door and said.
“O'Halloran. You have a phone call.”
Accompanied by two armed men Paddy walked into a room where there was only an unknown man who to the surprise of the prisoner approached him without a word and handed him a cell phone, “Somebody wants to talk to you.” Said the man and stepped away, standing next to the officers following the scene from afar.
“Paddy.” Said a well known voice. “You know who I am?”
The aforementioned answered affirmatively.
“Do you remember the woman who managed to escape in the alley? She has seen you and me next to your car that night and apparently can recognize us. We have to...say... remove her. Did you ever get to know who she was?
Given Paddy´s refusal the voice continued.
“The other girls who were with her must know who she is. I need you to tell me who acquired those girls.”
O'Halloran thought for a moment.
“Our client in Albany. It may be that he still has sold some of the women with him.”
“Thanks, I'll take care of the problem. Hey, I'll also take care of you. Hold on up to then. Now return this cell phone to the man who has given it to you.”
The caller cut the conversation. Paddy handed the phone as he had been requested and was taken to his cell.
O´Halloran was lying on his hard bed meditating on everything that happened half an hour before. It was totally unexpected that Dr. Herbert Plummer himself, nominally Comptroller of the Mayor of the City of New York office and a high up member in the food chain that Paddy was part of in his clandestine activities, called him when he was in prison. He felt his erect member had but could not explain the causes of the strong erection. Ray had also noticed and rushed to join the party, as he did every afternoon. He opened O'Halloran fly, took with relish the erect penis in his hands, massaged it until it reached the degree of rigidity sought and kneeling beside the bed placed it into his mouth, beginning to suck immediately. Paddy, who had always had a phobia about homosexuals, allowed him to go on and stroked the head of curly and short hair.
O'Halloran was still deep in thought and suddenly a disturbing idea crossed his mind. Ray Smith was one of the few who knew, if only because of his subordinate functions, the identity of Herbert Plummer. The idea startled him and gave Paddy a clue why they were together in the same cell. His thoughts were cut off by the sudden ejaculation in the mouth of his cellmate, who coughed choked by the flow of semen.
Chapter 16
The phone rang in another galaxy. Eric Murphy had taken his usual sleeping pills the night before and it took him a while to wake up. In the meantime the device had been ringing and Tony, the fox terrier that was the only company the sergeant had at home was standing beside the bed looking at him expectantly.
“Damn, what the hell ... What time is it? ... Three twenty.” Blasphemed Eric as he took the call.
Walt Kolski was on the other side of the line. Eric automatically guessed that it was a serious problem because Walt was a prudent guy.
“Tell me Walt.”
“O'Halloran was found dead in his cell.” Said bluntly the cop.
“What? What do you say?”
“The wardens found him dead as well as a man named Ray Smith, a gay black. Both in the same cell.”
“I remember Ray.” Reflected Eric. “He was involved in an issue of human trafficking. But how come he and Paddy were in the same cell?”
“I don´t know. It is extremely rare. But still you do not know the worst part.”
“Well, let me hear it.”
“The official story is that Paddy and Ray killed each other with prison made blades, both identical.”
“Absolutely clumsy!”
“They alleged Paddy´s irascible character and his hatred of homosexuals.”
“Thank Goodness they did not invent a hatred for blacks.”
“It would be too unbelievable. But there's more.”
“I´m listening.” Said resignedly Murphy.
“The Coroner found semen in Ray´s mouth and anus.”
“That sounds more like Paddy.”
“But this discovery has been deleted from the report of the autopsy. I learned firsthand from the coroner.”
“ I cannot believe that these things happen in New York City.”
“Do you understand what that means?”
“Yes, that they shut up O'Halloran to protect someone very high up.”
“Well, you have not heard this from me. You´ll know what to do with it. I let you sleep.”
“You damn bastard ... But thanks anyway.”
The next step was to wake up Vince. Loretta answered the call. Murphy p
assed the message without any introduction or apology.
“I'll put you with Vince.”Loretta's tone changed as she was talking to someone beside her.
“It´s Eric, they´ve killed O'Halloran in prison.”
Vince heard the lengthy report of his protector, then he returned the device to Loretta.
“He wants to talk to you.”
“Loretta. You must seek contact with that Sudanese woman, such Nubia or Amilah. Prepare another meeting with her but this time I need to be present. The girl is at serious risk.”
Loretta and Vince found Nubia at seven pm at the same place where they had interviewed her before. She was accompanied by a young man whom she introduced as her boyfriend Marcos. With no introduction Vince said.
“We must walk a couple of blocks to a deserted place. Trust us.”
“Let me introduce you to Eric, he is an honest police officer. Just hear what he has to say.”
Murphy reported the information to the girl, who looked nervously at her boyfriend.
“Do you understand what that means?” Asked Eric.
“That there is somebody above O'Halloran who got rid of him.”
“Exactly, that someone is probably the other man you saw in the alley on that bloody night.”
“He'll be following my steps too.” Concluded the girl showing her quick thinking processes.
“It's very possible, because you can recognize him.”
Nubia broke into tears, rested her face on Marcos´ shoulder and cried.
“This is a never ending story. I thought we were safe. I will end up killed.”
“No, if we can prevent it.” Expressed Murphy.
“Any idea who might be the second man?” Inquired Marcos.
“We have no clue, nor do we know where they get his influence.” Then he added addressing Nubia.
“You must leave the country. Do you have some sort of papers, I mean documents?”
“No. They brought me kidnapped.”
“We cannot go down the usual lanes.” Pondered the sergeant. “I'll go to speak with friends I have in the FBI, and see if they can solve your papers problem. Where were you born?”
“In Sudan, but I spent most of my life in Ethiopia.” “Repeat your complete name.” Said police opening an annotations book.
“Amilah Koumi.”
“Tell me exactly the place and date you were born, and the places you´ve been living in Sudan and in Ethiopia.”
The conversation lasted fifteen minutes while the girl was trying to remember all details of her sad life. At the end Eric said.
“We'll see what documents can we get for you and how you can get out of the US. The FBI will need to question you. Do you agree with that? This goes for you as well.” Added Eric addressing Marcos. Both youngsters agreed with a resigned gesture.
Ten days later Eric Murphy phoned Loretta.
“Hey Loretta how are you. I´d like to invite you and Vince to dinner at home this coming Saturday.”
“I didn´t known about your culinary skills. Will it be Irish or American food?”
“I'm afraid all I can offer is either Chinese or Kosher food. On my block I have a delivery store of each.”
“ Vince likes Chinese food.”
“Fine. Tony also likes Chinese food.”
“Who is Tony?”
“My dog.”
Despite his being a regular customer of the Chinese food restaurant Eric was waiting them wearing a kitchen apron.
“I prepare the salads myself. Also the drinks. That is my true Irish specialty.”
The shipment arrived about twenty minutes later and all proceeded to eat, including Tony. The conversation inevitably turned on the events of the past days.
“Well, what do you know about Nubia and her boyfriend?
“They were set to leave the country from San Francisco on a trip to Mexico City and then to Buenos Aires.”
“ Cold she get documents to prove her nationality?”
“I understand that they obtained a passport in an Ethiopian consulate but not in New York. They have not trusted me any more details.”
“Then they are safe.”
“Fortunately yes. Theirs is a story that ends up well, in the middle of so much misfortune.”
“ I wonder if she knows she owes her life to you?”
“Actually to a chain whose first link was Walt Kolski and that includes you two.”
Eric prepared and brought some drinks.
“This is the only thing that Tony does not participate. Tell me, do you already have the date for your marriage?”
“We are preparing the invitations. Yours will be the first to be sent.”
“So you have finally been able to arrange your papers and leave?” Said Uncle Charley making an effort not to show his broken voice when speaking.
“We have no choice.” Replied Marcos. “I´m worried because we are leaving you here and about what will you do with your life, old friend.”
“Oh! I'll be fine, do not worry about me.”
“But you'll be all alone in this house and in this workshop.”
Charley lowered his head and said somewhat sadly
“No way! After staying with you two I would never get used to loneliness again. No, my New York stage is finished after twenty years in this city. But, although I do not recall having told you about them I have my relatives in Mississippi. One brother and three sisters and a total of twelve nephews as far as I know. I own an old wooden house where I can move immediately, and take my workshop and my craft along with me. Lately my sisters are insisting in my return to the family, and your stay was the only thing that kept me here. I'm not getting any younger and I look forward to be surrounded by my own people.”
The day of the departure Nubia and Marcos entered the car of an agency that took them to some unknown destination and Charley entered immediately home not to see a part of his life going away.
Chapter 17
Gonzalo Ferrari and his wife Fernanda had already been waiting for two hours the plane from Mexico City that was arriving with delay. They had not seen their nephew Marcos for nearly two years, and as they knew that at that age boys change quickly they had a certain expectation.
“He is coming with a girlfriend, an African woman if I understood his email correctly.” Said Gonzalo.
“You mean she's black?”
“I guess so.”
At that time the monitor indicators set in the ceiling indicated that the plane the Ferrari were expecting had landed. The couple went to the passenger arrival area.
Marcos and Nubia emerged from a cloud of Chinese passengers who for some reason had butted the same flight. The red hair and large size boy and her black face stood out among the Asians, generally shorter.
Fernanda put her glasses on to anticipate what they were to find.
“Marcos looks as always, and the woman is beautiful. She has a noble bearing.”
Marcos hugged his uncle and aunt in the typical and somewhat overacting fashion of Argentineans, including the shedding some tears, and not only in female eyes.
“Let me introduce my fiancée Alimah. We all call her Nubia.”
The boy had warned his companion that she would be kissed by almost everyone, because that was the habit in the country, particularly with women and especially the pretty ones. A little surprised, the daughter and granddaughter of Nubian warriors had to put her cheek to her new acquaintances. Meanwhile Fernanda did not take her eyes off the young woman analyzing particularly her outfit and hair dress. Nubia was wearing a typical African folk dress, not necessarily Sudanese or Ethiopian, printed with strong warm colors that suited her perfectly. Several copper necklaces were displayed around her long neck, hiding a simple metallic necklace from which hung a simple leather case. Long earrings dangled of her ears made of the same material and her makeup highlighted her extremely exotic type.
“Nubia does not speak Castilian, but you can speak in English with her.” Warned Marcos.
Fernanda turned out to be professor of Castilian and literature, and spoke English fairly well. She also acted as a cicerone from the beginning explaining Nubia what she was finding in the new country. Fernanda explained that despite the political and social turmoil and economic outrages Argentines were satisfied with their country, in fact much more than with themselves. She was indicating the places they passed from the Ezeiza International Airport to the Ferrari´s residence in the neighborhood of Palermo in the City of Buenos Aires.
The first impression the girl received was that of a relatively flat city, with messy traffic and impetuous and sulky drivers.
“Aren´t there any blacks in Argentina?” Asked Nubia somewhat puzzled.
Fernanda gave a cursory explanation that emphasized the effect of wars and plagues during the XIX century on the African population of Buenos Aires, that had been one third of the total at the time of the colony.
“But the decisive factor was the massive European immigration of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, which exceeded several times the existing native population.” Explained.”What happened is that the immigration was an essentially male influx of newcomers who sought company among the existing women, essentially a mixture of Spanish with indigenous and African ethnic components.”
“So the black genes are there.”Concluded Nubia.
“They're submerged and invisibilized under the European alluvium.”
Nubia and Fernanda felt a strong current of mutual affinity. Above their differences in almost every issue there was a manifest empathy between the two women, one of which seemed to have all the questions and the other all the answers.
Meanwhile Marcos and his uncle spoke in Castilian about the intentions of the newcomers.
“ Are you planning to stay in Buenos Aires or go to the farm of your parents in Firmat?”
Marcos's parents had a farm of 300 hectares in the province of Santa Fe, in a predominantly rural area.
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