“You talked yourself into this marriage thing as a way to try to save her? Get her a fuckin’ green card?”
I’m quiet for a moment. There could be a bit of that in there. I shrug. But how can I admit there’s a lot more to it than that? That already, she means something to me.
“Let’s pick this apart. Her mother was killed by her father when she was sent back to Colombia. I want to know all we can about this man. What have you found out, Mouse?”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I tell him, “Not a lot. He’s supposed to be a general in their army, but I’m having no luck finding his service record. From what Mariana’s said, he’s a violent man. And vindictive, with what happened to her mother. I found letters, Prez. Letters from her mother that backed up her story. I’ve got a feeling about her father. There’s a reason I can’t find him.”
“Have you asked Devil?” My eyes sharpen. I hadn’t thought of that. “It’s a long shot, but he might have heard something.”
Devil owns a security firm in London, works internationally, and we came across him when he was a consultant to the feds. He’s got fingers in a lot of pies and has been a good friend to the club in return for our services.
“I’ll get on to him,” Drummer offers. “Just give me all the info you’ve found about this General De Souza. If there’s something we can dig up on him, might strengthen her reason to seek asylum.”
“What about Todd Jenkins? Reckon we can get him to come clean?”
“Think you’ll have no end of volunteers to try.” Drummer sits forward. “Problem is, we can threaten, but can’t leave a mark on him. Police wouldn’t believe an admission of guilt if it looked like it was beaten out of him.”
I frown. “Could we bribe him?”
“How much money would it take for a man to voluntarily put himself inside?”
It’s a good question. More than I’ve got. My account’s being drained by Mariana’s lawyer. I shake my head.
“Have you thought about getting her fake papers?”
“I have. Should have done that from the fuckin’ start. Thing is, I don’t think she’d have taken them. She was doing everything right. Respected that, you know? That’s why I stayed clear. Knew it would do her no good to be associated with us.” I shake my head. “She’s training to be a nurse, Drummer. Too many people know about her status. She’d have to move elsewhere and start all over again if she had a new name.”
His fingers drum on the table. A sure sign he’s thinking. “If she hadn’t, through no fault of her own, got into a situation that put her DACA status in jeopardy by being charged with a felony, she’d still be here and workin’ toward her goals. If she’d kept her nose clean for another six years, her brother would have been able to sponsor her. But now the system’s got hold of her, it’s not going to be easy to get her out of its clutches. What does her lawyer say?”
“Summed it up in about the same way.”
“Mouse, you spend your time with computers. Perhaps you don’t mix with humans enough. You say none of the CCTV cameras were pointed at the junction? No fuckin’ need to stop there, Mouse. Your computers can’t help you all the time. Some of those stores were open when the collision happened. Have you thought about putting a leaflet up to see whether anyone saw anything?”
Of course I hadn’t. I just went to my go to. Technology. “You think that might work?”
“No fuckin’ idea, Brother. But what would it hurt to try?”
Nothing at all. Just a trip back to the stores. “As soon as Mariana’s out of solitary I need to go and see her again.”
“Expected that. I don’t like hearin’ what happened there. Something’s not right. Heard stuff about those detention centres, shit I don’t like.” Drummer’s eyes darken. “You’re her lifeline while she’s in there, Mouse. Go as often as you can. And Drew? You brought him back here for a reason.”
“I like the kid, Drummer. He’s been forced to grow up fast. I feel responsible for him. Didn’t like leaving him on the Rez. It was a fun time, but he stays any longer? He’s going to get shit thrown at him. Doesn’t deserve that along with losing his sister. It would be better for him to go back to his old school.”
“Took a likin’ to him myself. Carried himself well while he was in here. Polite, respectful. Probably used to keeping his head down. He can stay. Prospect can give him a ride to school if there’s times you can’t take him. How old is he again?”
“He’ll be sixteen in a couple of months.”
Drummer nods, then gives a half-smile. “In Arizona he can get his driver’s permit already, only needs to be fifteen and a half. Eligible now. He’ll have to have someone over twenty-one driving with him for six months, but helping him learn to handle a car might be a better use of the prospect’s time than just acting as a taxi service.”
I sit back. I hadn’t thought of that. Buy him a car… I grin, fuck, kid’s not even mine and he’s already becoming expensive. “Great idea, Prez. And getting a car will help take his mind off his troubles.”
“A bit of independence always helps,” Prez agrees. “Only thing is, he’ll have to have a legal guardian go with him to get his permit.” My face falls. Prez notices. “Fuckin’ world we live in, parents being torn away from kids. Bet there’s an expedited way for someone awaiting deportation to sign their child over. Must happen often, especially where there’s a risk to the parent returning to their home country. Documented kids probably better off livin’ here.”
“You could well be right, Prez. I’ll get hold of the lawyer. See if Mariana can sign something.”
His face grows grim and his lips press together. “Just think about it carefully, Mouse. Make sure this is a step you want to be taking. If Mariana stays in detention, or fuck, is deported, you’ll have responsibility for him until he’s eighteen. Can’t decide it’s not what you want later.”
It might fuck up my plans to go with her if that happens, but I’ll take that step when it comes. Apart from that, “I’m already responsible for him, Prez.” There’s no way I’m walking away from the boy.
One of his close scrutinising looks, then he raises his chin. “We’ll bring this to the table later. Now scat. You’ve got a car to buy.”
I laugh out loud as I leave Prez’s office. I find Drew at the pool table playing with Truck. I wait until their game’s finished. The prospect’s won, but the result doesn’t surprise me.
Drew looks at me anxiously. I smile, and slap his back. “You’re fine. You’re staying.”
“Mouse?”
“Yeah, Sam?”
“I take it Drew’s going to be here a spell?” At my nod, she continues, “Viper’s just finished two new blocs. If you don’t mind moving, you could take one of them. One suite for you, one for the kid.”
I hadn’t considered living arrangements. Brushing my hands through my hair, I don’t take long to consider it. “I don’t mind moving, Sam. That’s a great idea.” I like the kid, but not so much I want to keep sharing a bed with him.
Truck’s putting away the pool sticks. “Guess that’s my afternoon sorted,” he grumbles, but there’s a twinkle in his eye as in that roundabout way he offers his help.
In the end, Truck and Drew move my shit as I go to compose and print the leaflets Prez suggested, then take them into town and visit the stores. All are happy to display them after a few dollars change hands.
That night, Prez calls the brothers into church.
“As you might have noticed, Mouse is back with us.” There are a few chuckles and comments at that. “He’s at last come to his senses and is ready to ask for help.”
“Got cowboys attacking the reservation?” Joker puts in. They’re all well aware I go back to the Rez.
“Don’t see how you could help if we had,” I reply drily, “if anyone’s a bunch of cowboys, you lot are.”
Blade points his knife toward me. “Careful, Brother. It’s you that wants help.”
But most of the others are laughing. Drumme
r shouts for quiet, then points at me. “Fill ‘em in, Mouse.”
Where do I start? “I met a woman…”
“Knew it!” Viper and Rock bump fists across the table, then hold out their hands, and money’s passed down the table to them.
“Called that!” Blade turns to Dollar, who shrugs and gets out his wallet.
“Always a fuckin’ bitch at the bottom of it,” Shooter observes.
“Nothing wrong with that.” Peg’s comment is echoed by Wraith, Heart, Bullet, Viper, and Rock. Even the prez is nodding while the single men look on incredulously.
“So who do we need to kill?” Road asks sounding resigned.
Drummer bangs the gavel, then growls, “Can we get fuckin’ started? Want to get a bit further than hearin’ Mouse has got himself a woman.”
“Is she a Mac or a PC?” Shooter enquires. Drum gets him to shut his mouth fast with one look.
It was quite amusing, even my lips quirked. “Neither, she’s flesh and blood.”
“Need some tips on what to do?” Bullet raises his hands, making a circle with his forefinger and thumb with one, and using a finger of the other, makes a show of pushing it in and out of the ring he’s formed. “Part A goes into part B just like this.”
I sigh. “If I do, I’ll come and find you, Brother.” In truth, their assholery is touching. It’s their way of showing they care.
At last they quiet down, and I’m allowed to tell my story which is basically a repeat of what I told Drummer earlier.
Heart raises his eyes. “Get me the names of the cops who arrested her. I’ll run them past Marc, see what she knows. Could be ones who are overeager to get immigrants off the streets.”
That’s something I hadn’t thought of. I raise my chin in thanks.
Blade’s knife stops spinning when it’s pointing toward me. “I’ll come with you to visit the motherfucker who rammed her.”
Peg’s fast to raise his hand. “Me too.” He starts flexing his muscles.
“Need to use persuasion, not force,” Drummer reminds them as he did me. He runs his hands down his beard, then suggests, “Maybe he was mistaken? Maybe he was going too fast, she stopped when he thought she was going to cross. Yeah, yeah, Mouse, I know that wasn’t the way of it, but it would enable him to save face.”
“Want me to see what funds we can free up?”
Prez stares at Dollar for a moment. “Don’t want to pay the asshole if we don’t have to, but if it comes to that, could be useful.” Then he looks at me. “Movin’ this along, I’ve put a call in to get Devil to contact me. I’ll let you know when he does.”
Wraith’s staring at me, his head slightly tilted. “You really ready to marry a woman you’ve only seen a couple of times, and one of those behind bars?”
I purse my lips, breathe in through my nose, then let the air out on a sigh. “I would have gone back the first time, ’cept for her need to be squeaky clean. You know what the cops think of us.” I don’t need to explain. “So I kept away, but kept thinkin’ about her. Couldn’t get her off my mind. Truth, Brothers? That’s why I spent time on the Rez, tryin’ to get my head straight. She’d ridden on the back of my bike, kinda felt right havin’ her there.”
“She feel the same about you?” Viper asks.
“Haven’t had a chance to ask her,” I admit.
“You claimin’ her, Brother?” Peg asks.
I look around the table. Wraith had eyes only for Sophie from the moment he met her. Drummer, the man known for tapping everything in sight, only had to meet Sam once to be a goner. Peg himself met Darcy by the side of the road and was immediately smitten. Heart, well, it might have taken him a little longer, but then the circumstances were different for him. Slick, too, he claimed his old lady fast, though it took longer for them to make it together. Rock wouldn’t have gone out on a limb for Becca if there hadn’t been anything there. There are no looks of derision coming my way from the men with old ladies, it’s only those who haven’t met their one yet who don’t understand.
Clearing my throat, I say the words, “I’m claimin’ her.”
Prez gives a sharp nod. That seems to have come as no surprise. “Well, let’s help our brother get his woman home. By whatever means we can.”
“Breaking into a prison, Prez. We’ve not done that before.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, Blade.”
Chapter 18
Mouse
Mariana should be out of solitary by now, that’s what Carissa told me when I called. She still doesn’t know the reason she was removed from the general population, but Drummer’s comment about it worries me, and I’m determined to find out. Today we’re going to visit her.
Drew’s waiting by the side of my bike, bouncing on his feet in anticipation of seeing his sister again.
“Sorry, Wraith wanted a word.” I go to the saddle bag and take out a helmet and pass it to him.
His hands don’t move to take it. When I lift my eyebrow he shrugs. “Don’t need to wear one in Arizona.”
“Wrong, kid. You’re not eighteen. Anyway, I’m responsible for you.” I hope I’m not going to regret that when I see his sullen look. I’ve started the process to make it legal with Carissa, she’s going to prepare a document for me and Mariana to sign.
Straddling the bike, I walk it forward to give him room to get on. While I was doing so, he’s at last put on the helmet and has it buckled up. At my nod, he climbs up behind me. The winter day’s chilly, but at least it’s not raining. I grin to myself. If Mariana signs that document, soon Drew will be driving us there himself. I’ve already got Blade looking for a car for him. A good runner, but cheap and easy to learn on. Not that the kid knows that yet. Didn’t want to get his hopes up until everything’s in place.
We drive up to the facility. Drew’s not the only one excited to see Mariana. Now I’ve claimed her in front of my brothers, I’ve got to start getting her onside with the idea. Somehow my brain has accepted she’s mine. And I’ll be fucked if that doesn’t sit easy.
We again go through security which makes me feel more like I’m entering as an inmate than a visitor, and I feel ill at ease as if somehow they’re going to lock me up. I eye the door behind me as though checking my escape route as we wait in line.
The same guard that was here last time is on visitor duty once again. I suppose I stand out, a Native American with a Hispanic boy, but he recognises me, and walks up with that sneer which I assume is habitual. Idly I notice he’s got marks healing on his face as though somebody scratched him. I can’t summon up any sympathy.
“You come to visit Mariana De Souza?”
His tone annoys me, but I tamp down my irritation, suspecting full well things can be taken out on the inmates. I content myself with a simple, “We are.”
He snorts and shakes his head. “Well, you’ve had a wasted journey. She’s not here.”
What? My heart leaps. Drew turns to me with hope in his eyes.
He might be a boy almost grown into a man, but I don’t object when he takes my hand and grasps it firmly. I can feel him shaking as he asks, “She’s been released?”
“Nah,” the guard informs us with something akin to glee in his voice. “Transferred to another facility.”
What? I step forward, trying not to appear menacing, but failing. Carissa did suggest that was going to happen, but why wasn’t she, and we, told? “Where is she?” comes out as a snarl.
“How would I know? We just stop them from getting out. ICE deals with everything else.”
Now it’s Drew holding onto me firmly, holding me back. The guard’s moving closer as if he’s longing for me to take a swing at him. I notice another guard coming up to cover his back.
It’s hard, but I resist my impulse to attack, knowing I’d only end up behind bars. “Let’s get out of here,” I snarl, turning and dragging Drew with me.
Collecting my phone, I don’t bother putting it away. As soon as we’re clear of the building, I call Carissa.
“What do you mean you didn’t fuckin’ know? Surely her lawyer should have been informed?”
“No, I don’t have a fuckin’ clue when. Just that she isn’t here now. Or that’s what they’re saying. Can you find out what the fuck’s going on?”
I end the call quickly, hoping she’s more successful at getting answers than me.
“Could she already have been deported?” Drew’s in pieces. I’m trying to keep it together for him, when all I want to do is lash out at something. I’ve got to man up. Be the adult here.
Deported? I fucking hope not. The cloudy sky above reflects what I’m feeling, as if the sun’s gone from my life. I never had her. I already miss her. I’ve got to be fucking strong for Drew.
“I don’t think so.” I try to sound convincing as in my head I go back over what Carissa told me. “She should have her day in immigration court before being sent out of the country. Carissa hasn’t received word to bring any of her personal possessions in either. I also think they need time to get her a Colombian passport. She hasn’t got one.”
Drew confirms what I already know. “No. Just her birth certificate. That might be all she needs.”
“And that’s back at the trailer and we haven’t been asked for it.” I’m grasping at straws. “Don’t think it happens this fast.” But I won’t be satisfied until Carissa gets back to me with some answers. Where the fuck are you, Mariana?
All the way back to the compound I’m thinking of how I can find out where they’ve taken her. The dark web is like a home to me, government systems not so much. I need help with this one.
Leaving Drew with Sophie, who, after a quick explanation, and by a rise and dip of her head, assures me she’s got him covered, I retreat to my office, calculate the time, and place a call to an international number.
“Cara. It’s Mouse.” Cara can get into systems I can’t. Face it, she can get into anything.
“What do you need, Mouse?” It’s early morning there, but she sounds wide awake.
Quickly I explain my problem, concluding with, “I need to know where Mariana’s been moved to.”
Mouse Trapped Page 14
