Blue Star

by Valerie Van Clieaf

  “She was very brave, Morgan. So very brave.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “We walked to the Canadian Embassy. Guatemala City was like being in another world. All the signs were in Spanish, but we were fluent in Spanish, thanks to dad.” Lucas smiled at the recollection. By the time we got there, it was past mid-day. There was a security guard at the main entrance, and he asked us what we wanted. Mom told him in Spanish that she would like to speak with an embassy official about an important matter and the guard waved us up. There was an elevator with only one button, because it only made one stop—the embassy offices on the top floor of the building. We arrived at the top floor and got off the elevator, which opened onto a waiting room. There were two more security guards, but these guys were in front of a heavy steel door. One guard was Maya, the other Ladino. They were Guatemala City police officers.”

  “Police?”

  “Yes! They were standing in front of the door, guarding it. They had AK47s, and they were holding them at port arms.”

  “Ready to fire?”

  “Ready to fire. Mom asked so politely, in Spanish, to speak with an embassy official. Honestly, Morgan, she showed no fear, but I knew how afraid she was. She’d already told me it was our only hope. I held her hand while we stood there. I could feel the urgency in her fingers, because usually her touch was so gentle, but Morgan, her face betrayed nothing.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “Nothing happened. The guards ignored us. We just stood there. I can’t remember how long, but a long time. Then someone else came up in the elevator, got off and walked over to the guards. I remember the guy, he looked like a government official, you know, wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase. One of the guards got on the intercom immediately, a buzzer sounded, and the big steel door opened. We were standing a few feet from the guards. When the guards stepped to the side to let him in, mom and I ran through the door, right behind him.

  “Did the guards try to stop you?”

  “Oh yes. One guy shifted his rifle to one hand and made a grab for me. I was a little behind mom, but she had my hand and she pulled me through. Mom had caught them by surprise, and we were through the door!”

  “Now you’re inside the embassy!”

  “We were inside, but not yet safe.”

  “Was your mom wearing her red corta? Her Ixil clothing?”

  “Oh no! She was wearing her mestizo clothing. She’d been wearing that for weeks.”

  “What did your mom say to the embassy official?”

  “It was awhile before we got to see him and when we did, mom told him everything: about Father Gurriarán and the founding of the cooperative, how the priest had studied the coop movement here, in Canada; about my great grandfather, Ignacio Arenas and his assassination by the guerillas; how the army burned our cooperative to the ground; about the assassination of my father, Rafael, Ignacio Arenas’ grandchild; how we fled to the jungle; then how we escaped from the army, again, and made our way back to La Perla; how she feared for my safety especially as I was also an Arenas. Then she showed the official her Ixil clothing and told him she had been afraid to wear it to the embassy; that if the guards knew she was Ixil, they might refuse her entrance.”

  I met Lucas’ mother Nineth when I first started dating him. I remembered her as a beautiful, vibrant woman, full of life and love.

  “Your mom was such an amazing woman Lucas and I loved her stories.”

  “That day, she told the story of her life,” said Lucas.

  “And you were accepted as refugees, of course!”

  “We were, yes,” said Lucas, and his beautiful smile beamed, full wattage. “Then we came to Canada, and you know the rest.”

  “I do not know the rest, but I’m a patient woman and I can wait.”

  Lucas looked at her now—serious—the smile gone.

  “Morgan, I’ve been thinking that I need some time to sort things out. I’ve decided to take a leave of absence from the university.”

  “That’s a good plan, sweetheart.”

  CHAPTER 48

  It was Sunday evening. Kate and Bart were over. We’d just finished take out curries and were sipping on chai tea.

  “Michael called to say that Carey’s doing okay,” I said. “He didn’t know much about the other kids, but he did know that the boy who needed surgery came through it well.”

  “Poor wee thing,” said Kate.

  “They brought the girl we rescued to the hospital this afternoon. Her name’s Marie,” said Lucas.

  “How is she,” said Bart, exchanging a worried look with Kate.

  “She was afraid, until she saw Carey. They’re close. I guess Carey tried to watch out for her. Michael said Carey gave quite an interview to the police and is something of a media celebrity.”

  “She spoke with the media! We didn’t see that did we Kate!” They were both horrified.

  “Oh no! No one has been allowed access to the children. Michael thinks that someone at the North Van detachment must have leaked that Carey got her hands on a cell phone and called for help.”

  “If she hadn’t made those calls ... I can’t bear to think about it,” said Kate.

  “Carey told Michael that she found Seth’s phone in his room—that was after he wandered away. She hid it in a stuffed toy that Ange Batlan had given her. At first, the traffickers thought Seth took it with him when he left. Then they must’ve had the phone tracked so they could pinpoint where he was. That’s when they realized it was still in the gatehouse.”

  “Then, I guess, no one could find it and it wasn’t in his room. When they found the phone, MacLeish hit Carey so hard he knocked her out. The next thing she remembered was coming to in the Suburban with the other children. Global did a feature on Seth, during a special noon broadcast. Did you catch that?” Kate and Bart hadn’t.

  “Someone from the media got hold of a picture of Seth Boyce, taken when he was ten.”

  “Just a boy,” said Kate.

  “Maybe they got the photo from his mom,” said Bart.

  “Did Michael say how Seth’s doing?” Kate asked.

  “He didn’t know but Fernice called us late afternoon and Seth’s still with us. His mom arrived at the hospital this afternoon.”

  “I’ve spoken with the director at West Sanctuary,” said Bart. “If Seth pulls through, she’s agreed that he can stay with us there, as a patient.”

  “We’re hoping the police will allow that,” said Kate.

  “The VGH operates an Indigenous lodge for out-of-town family members,” said Bart. “His mom could spend time in Vancouver while he recovers.”

  Lucas’s face lit up at the suggestion. “I hope you can make it happen.”

  “Me too,” said Bart.

  “This whole situation must be overwhelming for his mom. Carey’s family is here from Terrace and Milton, that’s her dad, he’s here too.”

  “Where is everyone staying?” asked Kate.

  “Michael put them up at the Georgia.” Bart whistled appreciatively. “This is a real celebration for everyone. They’re jubilant to have Carey back. He didn’t say much about how Carey is doing though. I didn’t ask.”

  “Do we know anything more about Marie?” asked Kate.

  “Carey told the police Marie doesn’t speak and that no one in the gang had ever spoken a word to her, can you imagine!”

  “Marie has never spoken. It’s hard to believe that no one cared enough to find out why,” said Bart. Kate’s eyes filled with tears.

  “I don’t think the traffickers would care whether she could speak or not,” said Lucas.

  “So true, Lucas, but that’s not what I meant. Children, all children, are very quick to pick up language. I’m thinking there’s another reason she doesn’t speak.”

  “We suspect she might be unable to speak,” said Kate. “She may be deaf as well. We were with her for over an hour. We both noticed that she didn’t r
eact to sound. At first, I thought she might be in shock, perfectly understandable. But it got us wondering, didn’t it, Bart.”

  “She could be deaf and dumb,” said Bart.

  “Poor kid, what a nightmare for her.”

  Kate nodded. “Have you seen the clip of the men they arrested at Batlan’s being led into the RCMP detachment in North Vancouver?” said Bart. “We recognized all of them from the club last night.”

  “The one from the VPD—Rhodes. The bastard’s in Sex Crimes,” said Kate, indignantly.

  “Both Vice and MPU are in the Investigations Unit,” said Lucas, with a glance in my direction. “And MacLeish, the RCMP officer from Prince George, he’s second-in-command up there, in charge of policing operations.”

  “Including anything to do with missing children,” said Kate.

  That gave me a chill.

  “And the guy, Derision?” said Kate.

  That got a smile from Lucas. “Nice Kate.” You mean deReesen; Appellate Court, Prince George.”

  “A judge!” said Kate. “The whole business is bloody appalling. Where does it end?”

  “We didn’t see the blonde guy going into the detachment office with the rest,” I said.

  “We think he got away,” said Lucas. “We’ve heard nothing on the news about him.”

  “I know who you mean,” said Bart. “The one in the picture Bart took, sitting across from the VPD officer. Even if he did get away, they have his picture. He’s not going to get far.”

  “You can tell the media don’t have much information,” said Kate. “We know more than they do at this point.”

  “Has Alex called?” asked Bart.

  “He did,” I said.

  “Did you ask him about the guy that got away?”

  “I did. He said they have a strong lead. Wouldn’t give me anything else. Changed the subject and asked how we’re all doing. I told him we’re okay. Are we?”

  “I’m not,” said Kate. “Not really.”

  “Neither am I,” I admitted. It was then that I told everyone about my trip to the hiking trail this afternoon and watching the police carry out the body bag.

  “I arrived when they were carrying it out. Someone small. I asked one of the officers if it was a child. He wouldn’t confirm. Said he couldn’t. They had a sniffer dog. I could hear him barking.”

  “I told the police I thought it was a burial site,” said Lucas. “I just knew it!”

  “Carey told Michael that a girl named Georgina tried to escape last week. She never saw her again.”

  “You’re thinking that might have been Georgina that they found,” said Kate.

  “I do.” I got up to fetch the teapot. While I was at it, I snuck a peak through the curtains of our living room window. There was a parked car I didn’t recognize. It was already dark, but I could make out a man sitting in it. The same guy that was there an hour ago. I assumed Desocarras and Fernice were taking precautions.

  I returned to the table with the chai and offered it around.

  “Trafficking in children; an international ring. It’s so disheartening,” said Lucas.

  “But we shouldn’t be surprised,” said Kate.

  “A shadow economy. Kate and I were talking about it on the way over. It has such an unbelievable ring to it, doesn’t it? It doesn’t operate in shadow; it operates under our very noses. And there’s nothing invisible about it.”

  “Do we know where the kids are from?” Kate asked.

  “I heard on the news that two of the children, sisters who were in care, have been identified as residents of Quebec; two more sisters and Carey are from BC. As for the rest, they haven’t yet been identified.”

  “So, we don’t know where Marie’s from,” said Kate.

  “Michael heard from one of the cops that she may be the daughter of a woman who was trafficked into Quebec from Eastern Europe.”

  “Where’s her mother? Is she alive? And her father?”

  “They’ve no idea. Carey told her family that Batlan was quite upset because he wanted to keep her and raise her.”

  “He wanted to do what!?” said Kate, nearly choking on her tea.

  I was thinking about the children that had passed through the hands of Batlan and his gang. And the blonde man only a few feet from the door I hid behind—his cold, calculating face. He was still free. Kate intruded on my thoughts.

  “What about the woman in the car?” Kate asked. “Did Michael know anything?”

  “Her name’s Joy. She suffered a concussion and they’re keeping her in for observation. It’s anyone’s guess how long it will take for her to heal after what she must have witnessed, been forced to do. Michael said Phineas Rhodes is the fourth person Joy’s been sold to. It’s been seventeen years since she’s been free. She’s from Romania. She has a son. The last time she saw him, he was a small boy.”

  “Seventeen years!” said Kate. Her son’s a man now.”

  “She can apply for a Temporary Residence Permit. The TRP will give her access to health care, trauma counseling and any other help she might need. She can also apply for a temporary work permit.”

  “Does she have to testify against these guys?” asked Bart.

  “No, she doesn’t have too; only if she wants to. And she can have her TRP extended before it runs out. Or she can return home if that’s a safe option for her.”

  “True humanity is precious indeed,” said Bart.

  “And continues to be somewhat illusive,” said Kate sardonically.

  “Ah Kate, you’re right, but then, you’re so often right,” Lucas said, with a wry smile.

  “Get away with you!”

  “We helped rescue eight kids, a young man who hasn’t been free for eight years, a woman who hasn’t been free for seventeen years.

  “And” added Kate, “we’ve made life extremely uncomfortable for some very nasty bottom feeders.”

  “I’ll say,” said Bart, raising his chai tea mug. “To us then, and Michael, in absentia!”

  “I’ll second that!” I said.

  “Me three,” said Lucas.

  “To warm words on a cold day,” said Kate, raising her cup of chai.

  CHAPTER 49

  The next week we had Michael, Bart, and Kate over for dinner. Michael was worried about Carey. The family was overjoyed that Carey was back with them, but the carefree girl she’d been before her abduction no longer existed.

  “Her eyes are so sad. She has a therapist. She’s seen her twice and that seems to be helping, a little. She gave Carey her cell phone number and she can call her anytime. Rosie took a leave of absence so she can be with her full time. Carey refuses to go to school, rarely leaves the house, so Rosie is home-schooling her. They’ve moved back to Gitaus, our village. They’re living in our Granny’s house.”

  “It’s important that she feels safe,” said Bart. “Home-schooling is a great idea. It lets her take back some control over her life. Returning to her school in Terrace may trigger memories she’s trying to avoid. Feelings of guilt are common.”

  “She feels responsible for what happened,” said Lucas.

  “She does!” said Michael. “I don’t understand it. She didn’t do anything wrong; it was all done to her!”

  “It’s common Michael. She feels that way now, but in the long term, with love and support, that’ll change,” said Bart. “Right now, though, the most important thing is that her feelings are validated by those around her and it sounds like Carey is getting lots of love and support. In time, she’ll come to understand the great injustice that’s been done to her and she’ll find a way to live her life fully once again. I’ve seen this miracle happen many times.”

  “I sure want to believe you Bart.”

  “Believe him Michael,” said Lucas, with feeling. “We have an incredible capacity to heal.”

  “You guys are the best, you know that, right?”

  “We’re stellar,” said Lucas.
Bart laughed.

  “Carey knows the whole story now, doesn’t she? It must be so hard for her, sorting it all out.”

  “And her dad wasn’t much help. The first thing he said when he found out she accepted a ride with Seth Boyce was, ‘What were you thinking, getting into the car of a stranger?’”

  “Oh no! What did she say?”

  “She started to cry. She told him that her knee was hurting, and her mom was working at the women’s shelter till 9:00 pm and that she had already talked to Seth a couple of times and he was really nice.”

  “It’s that simple, isn’t it,” said Bart.

  “Milton felt like an idiot as soon as he heard Carey’s explanation. He immediately apologized to her, but it was already too late; the damage was done. Carey was no longer the victim—he reinforced, at least in her mind, that she was partly responsible. I’m so pissed off at him right now!”

  “Did he stay?”

  “No. He volunteered to leave the same afternoon he got here. Carey didn’t want him to leave, of course, and he didn’t want to go, but she was upset, and Rosie insisted he leave. It’s just a mess because Carey really loves her dad.”

  “You all have to heal too, Michael. Everyone who loves Carey is affected.”

  “And Milton as well,” said Lucas. “He was just parroting what he’s probably heard all his life.”

  “Sorry Lucas. I’m not ready to hear that, not yet anyway,” said Michael, both hands up, palms out. “On the bright side, Carey would really like to meet Morgan and Kate,” he added, looking at the two of us. We looked at each other.

  “That would be lovely,” said Kate.

  “It would,” I said. “When do we go?” It was decided. We would fly north to Terrace the next weekend to visit Carey and her mom.

  CHAPTER 50

  November 28th

  I asked Ange, please, don’t let those men touch me and he promised he would protect me, but he didn’t. He pretended to be kind and gentle, but he wasn’t. He said he loved me and would keep me and not let anything happen to me. But they were going to sell me, sell all of us, to strangers and he didn’t try to stop that.