[2012] Havana Lost
Page 34
Francesca looked like she’d stopped breathing, but a muscle in her jaw twitched. And in that instant, Carla understood. Somehow she managed to keep her voice calm.
“Come, Luisa, it’s time to go home.”
Francesca cut in. “You can’t leave. You know better than I she should not be moved.”
Carla looked at Frankie. “I can no longer stay in this house. You have betrayed us. And not just Luisa. Michael and Luis as well.”
“How dare you talk to me that way? You know nothing about my life.”
“I know that everyone who was noble and good and pure is now stained with blood that did not need to be shed.”
“I saved your daughter! Would you rather I let her die?”
“There was no need to kill Ramon. He was trying to help.”
“He was about to attack Luisa!”
“He was an old man. With a bullet in his leg. He was not going to harm her.”
Luisa cut in. “Gran, he was talking to me. I—well, I wasn’t sure who he was, so I didn’t lower the window.” She looked like she was going to cry again. “I should have.”
“He was a loose end,” Francesca said.
Feeling a boldness she hardly recognized in herself, Carla shot a contemptuous look at Francesca. She straightened up. Her body felt different. Harder. More defined. Perhaps she’d been repressing it over two decades, but oddly, she felt more like herself, more comfortable in her own skin than she had since she’d lived in Chicago.
“He was a loose end only to you,” she said. “It has always been about you, Francesca. Your need for revenge. Your need to balance the scales. Your greed. Well, you have won. Now there is no one to stand in your way.”
Francesca retaliated. “Tell me, Carla. What is wrong with guaranteeing the security of your family’s future? Making sure your daughter will never live in poverty—like you?”
“I would rather live in poverty than be like you,” Carla shot back. “You manipulated Ramon. You knew he wanted redemption, and you made sure he paid for it.” She blew out a mirthless laugh. “You turned his American dream into a nightmare.”
“I saved your daughter. She’s home. And her boyfriend is alive.”
“Ham is alive?” Luisa’s jaw dropped.
“He is. The doctors are operating on him now.”
“Mother… we have to go to the hospital.”
Frankie cut in. “Not now, Luisa… you are in no shape…”
“Gran,” Luisa said. “Shut up.” She turned to her mother. “Let’s go.”
Francesca reddened, her face suffused with rage.
Carla went on as if she hadn’t heard her daughter. “You were the one who asked her to research the map, knowing she would do anything to please you. And then you tried to steal what wasn’t yours. You have become a monster. Like your father.”
“You’re right about one thing,” Frankie replied evenly. “It wasn’t mine. It never was. It belongs to her.”
Carla turned toward Luisa. “Now the map has not only your father and grandfather’s blood on it, but others’ as well. Ham’s. The man from Toronto. And Ramon’s.”
Luisa looked up from her seat on the couch, a look of horror on her face. “Is this true, Gran?”
“Querida, I had to.” She cast an imploring glance at Luisa. “I know you understand.”
Luisa gazed at her grandmother in confusion, as if she was trying to sort it all out. Then her eyes narrowed. She understands, Carla thought. Despite her ordeal, she gets it.
Francesca barreled on. “You’re young, but you will learn. You will be taking over the business one day.” She smiled. “You’ve known that.”
“But I don’t want it,” Luisa cried out. “I don’t want to be a part of this. Ever.”
There was a moment of stunned silence.
Carla turned to Francesca. “If your son could see you now…”
Francesca cut in. “He would understand. Better than you—you—”
Carla expected the word “whore” to come out of Francesca’s mouth. But it didn’t.
“I want to see Ham,” Luisa said. “Mama, take me to him.”
“Luisa Michaela, you are not going anywhere. You need rest,” Francesca ordered.
“Mama?” Luisa said. “Please.”
“Come.” Carla nodded. “We’re going.”
Carla put her arm around Luisa, and together they made their way out of Francesca’s house.
• • •
Tufts of rose-tinted clouds scudded across a light gray sky. Dawn was imminent. Frankie was alone. Her nerves jangled. For one fleeting, panicky moment, she wondered whether she’d been wrong to investigate the map. To kill Ramon. Argue with Carla and Luisa. Then she suppressed the thoughts. She was no monster. She was on edge. Hadn’t she been drinking endless cups of coffee all day?
Luisa simply needed to mature, like Frankie herself had. That’s all it was. Once her granddaughter understood the stakes, she would see there could be no alternative. It would be an awkward, perhaps a difficult period, but Luisa would come around. In time.
After all, Luisa was the link to the future. Why else had Frankie endured the loss of both Luis and Michael? For the Family. The next generation. She had made sure of that. With Luisa’s brains and talent there was nothing she couldn’t do. And if Carla persisted with objections, well, there were ways to deal with her.
Frankie watched the sky lighten. She would go up to rest for a while. Then she’d call Macedonian Metals and tell them about the mine. She would offer them a fair deal. She always did. They wouldn’t refuse. Then she’d figure out how to win Luisa back. She smiled, feeling the cold knot in her stomach ease. She turned off the lights and went upstairs.
THE END
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Believe it or not, the heart of this book evolved with the help of Twitter and Skype. I was looking for background on the Cuban intervention in Angola so I posed the question on Twitter. Thirty minutes later a British expert on Cuba and Sub-Saharan Africa, Dr. Edward George, replied. Turns out that was the subject of Tedd’s PhD thesis, and he’d expanded his dissertation into a book.
I borrowed the book through my library. After reading it, we connected on Skype for a lengthy conversation, which ultimately gave me several essential plot points. I remain grateful to Tedd for his time and expertise, as well as Twitter and Skype. Sometimes I love technology.
I also want to acknowledge Yane Marquez at Authentic Cuba Travels, and Mario Villa, our Cuban tour guide, for their patience and deep knowledge of Cuban history, landmarks, and customs. Also my friend Jorge Reyes, a Cuban-American aspiring fiction writer, who helped me with my Spanish. Don Whiteman and Mike Green also deserve hearty thanks for sharing their knowledge. As do Susie Levin and Claudia Szewki (Cluny) who helped me come up with the title.
Tania Tirraoro, verbalist extraordinaire, helped sharpen the book description and deserves special mention. As do Mary Ellen Kazimer and Georgette Spelvin who read the manuscript twice… and made this a better book.
As always, my writing group, The Red Herrings, keeps me honest. A reading list follows.
READING LIST:
Edward George
The Cuban Intervention in Angola, 1965-1991: From Che Guevara to Cuito Cuanavale
(Routledge, London, 2012)
Martin Cruz Smith
Havana Bay
(Ballantine, 2008)
Ace Atkins
White Shadow
(Berkley, 2007)
T.J. English
Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba and Then Lost It to the Revolution
(Harper Collins, 2009)
Catherine Moses
Real Life in Castro’s Cuba
(Scholarly Resources, 2000)
Eamon Javers
Broker, Trader, Lawyer, Spy
(Harper Collins, 2010)
Carlos Eire
Waiting for Snow in Havana
(Free Press, 2003)
Ramon L. Bonachea, M
arta San Martin
The Cuban Insurrection 1952-1959
(Transaction Publishers, 1974)
Faith Morgan, Director
The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil
Documentary, 2006 (DVD)
About the Author
Libby Fischer Hellmann left a career in broadcast news in Washington, DC and moved to Chicago 35 years ago, where she, naturally, began to write gritty crime fiction. Twelve novels and twenty short stories later, she claims they’ll take her out of the Windy City feet first. She has been nominated for many awards in the mystery and crime writing community* and has even won a few.
Her novels include the now five-volume Ellie Foreman series, which she describes as a cross between “Desperate Housewives” and “24”; the hard-boiled 4-volume Georgia Davis PI series; and three stand-alone historical thrillers that Libby calls her “Revolution Trilogy.” Her short stories have been published in a dozen anthologies, the Saturday Evening Post, and Ed Gorman’s “25 Criminally Good Short Stories” collection. In 2005 Libby was the national president of Sisters In Crime, a 3,500-member organization dedicated to the advancement of female crime fiction authors. She also hosts a monthly radio show called “Second Sunday Crime” on the Authors on the Air internet network. More at http://libbyhellmann.com
* She has been a finalist twice for the Anthony, three times for ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year, the Agatha, the Shamus, the Daphne, and has won the Lovey multiple times.
THE ELLIE FOREMAN SERIES
AN EYE FOR MURDER
A PICTURE OF GUILT
AN IMAGE OF DEATH
A SHOT TO DIE FOR
JUMP CUT
“Libby Fischer Hellmann has already joined an elite club: Chicago mystery writers who not only inhabit the environment but also give it a unique flavor… her series continues in fine style… (Ellie)… lights up the page with courage and energy.”
—Chicago Tribune
“Not only has Hellmann created a compelling group of believable characters, but the mystery she places them in is likewise plausible and engrossing. Highly recommended, even if you don’t live in Illinois.”
—David Montgomery, Chicago Sun-Times
“Hellmann owes a debt to fellow Chicagoans Sara Paretsky (complex plotting) and Barbara D’Amato (excellent research)—but she’s the brash young thing making this formula new again. I can’t wait for the next book!”
—Robin Agnew, Aunt Agatha’s
“Hellmann has surpassed herself. Well-crafted, intense and exciting, right up to the last page… a must read!”
—Laurel Johnson, Midwest Book Review
“A masterful blend of politics, history, and suspense… sharp humor and vivid language… Ellie is an engaging amateur sleuth.”
—Publishers Weekly, November 4, 2002
“Ellie is a particularly believable protagonist… she’s a pleasure to spend time with.”
—Reviewing the Evidence
“Libby Fischer Hellmann has indisputably crossed the line into the realm of great crime fiction writers.”
—Crimespree Magazine
THE GEORGIA DAVIS SERIES
TOXICITY
DOUBLEBACK
EASY INNOCENCE
NOBODY’S CHILD
HIGH CRIMES
“Hellmann brings to life the reality of hazing and bullying among teenage girls in a story with enough twists and turns to keep you reading to the end. Highly recommended.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“Just what’s needed in a mystery… Depth of characterization sets this new entry apart from a crowded field.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Libby Hellmann can get into the mind of a character, whether the character is a mentally ill man or a teenage girl. PI Georgia Davis, the no-nonsense heart of this tale… finds a darkness I didn’t see coming. This is good stuff, very good stuff.”
—Stuart M. Kaminsky, Grand Master, Mystery Writers of America
“There’s a new no-nonsense female private Detective in town: Georgia Davis, a former cop who is tough and smart enough to give even the legendary V.I. Warshawski a run for her money… Hellmann knows how to distill the essence of a character in a few unadorned but dead-right sentences.”
—Dick Adler, Chicago Tribune
“Hellmann’s done her homework here and it shows: the writing is assured, the voices authentic, and the understanding both of criminal investigations and relationships among cops, lawyers and prosecutors come to life with great urgency. Davis’ arrival on the mean streets is long overdue.”
—Sara Paretsky, author of the V.I. Warshawski series
“Libby Fischer Hellmann has indisputably crossed the line into the realm of great crime fiction writers.”
—Crimespree Magazine
SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE
SET THE NIGHT ON FIRE
“A tremendous thriller, sweeping but intimate, elegiac but urgent, subtle but intense… this story really does set the night on fire.”
—Lee Child
“Superior… Passion, pain, and protests emerge in vivid detail.”
—Chicago Tribune
“Set the Night on Fire is a compelling story of love, truth and redemption. This will be a break-out novel for this talented writer. Highly recommended.”
—Sheldon Siegel, New York Times best-selling author of Perfect Alibi
“A top-rate standalone thriller… A jazzy fusion of past and present, Hellmann’s insightful, politically charged whodunit explores a fascinating period in American history.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Top Pick! Electric! A marvelous novel.”
—Romantic Times Book Reviews
A BITTER VEIL
A BITTER VEIL
“The Iranian revolution provides the backdrop for this meticulously researched, fast-paced stand-alone …A significant departure from the author’s Chicago-based Ellie Foreman and Georgia Davis mystery series, this political thriller will please established fans and newcomers alike.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Hellmann crafts a tragically beautiful story… both subtle and vibrant… never sacrificing the quality of her storytelling. Instead, the message drives the psychological and emotional conflict painting a bleak and heart wrenching tale that will stick with the reader long after they finish the book.”
—Crimespree Magazine
“A Bitter Veil is so thought-provoking that it especially would be a great title for book clubs to discuss.”
—BookReporter.com
WAR, SPIES AND BOBBY SOX
WAR, SPIES AND BOBBY SOX
Finalist for Foreword Magazine’s 2017 INDIES Book of the Year Awards in the War/Military Category
Winner of the IPPY (Independent Publisher Book Awards) Silver Medal in the War/Military Category
Finalist for the 2017 Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year award (Indie Fiction)
“Libby Fischer Hellman powerfully illustrates what individuals could have faced while living in such perilous times. This is an engaging read with much food for thought.”
—Judi Gigstad, BookReporter
“An entertaining and a thought-provoking read… The author’s passion for the topic also shines throughout the book.”
—Brian Johnson, Public Libraries Online
NICE GIRL DOES NOIR
NICE GIRL DOES NOIR
“I don’t usually like to read short stories, but these are terrific! My highest recommendation here.”
—Molly Weston, Meritorious Mysteries
“[A] great place to get acquainted with Hellmann’s talent… not only universal but has greater depth and emotional value. Aspiring short-story writers would do well to pay attention.”
—Naomi Johnson, The Drowning Machine
(Also in Italian)
All of Libby’s novels and short stories are widely available as AUDIOBOOKS on Audible and other audiobook retailers, including Overdri
ve.