by Cara Putman
Andrew slowed his steps and drifted to the side, trailing the group. He glanced around. They’d reached the residential section, and cell-like rooms lined each side of the hall. Looked like a jail had been hurriedly adapted for kids, and not very well. The rooms were no more than five-by-eight, with dingy white-painted concrete blocks. The doors had small windows made of reinforced Plexiglas that gave a limited view into the narrow rooms. Two sets of bunk beds were shoved against each wall with a bland dresser at the foot of each. The dresser gave a modicum of privacy to whoever claimed the lower bunks, but not much.
There was nothing personal. Nothing childish that made the space a place for youth.
It was stark, spare, empty. A dreary place for kids to live.
He cleared his throat. “Where are the kids?”
Joanna looked at her watch and then at the folder she carried. “They’re wrapping up breakfast and then they head to gym. A PE teacher comes each day to make sure they expend their energy in healthy ways.”
“What are the unhealthy ways?”
She turned and met his gaze, a frown darkening her expression. “When you put this many children in one place, Mr. Wesley, they won’t all get along. Add in cultural issues, clan and family challenges, and it creates a dynamic mix waiting to explode.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to look casual when in reality he wanted to lean in and ask hard questions. “Do they have tutors?”
“Many of the children are too young for school, and almost none speak English, let alone speak it well enough for school.”
“We’re in Texas, aren’t we? Doesn’t someone who works here speak Spanish?”
“Son.” His father’s tone said back down, but he couldn’t.
“These are kids. Shouldn’t we give them a great impression of the United States so they want to return legally?” He clenched his fists inside his pockets. “Leaving them to fend for themselves isn’t the way to make them friendly adults.”
The woman stopped walking and gave him her full attention. She seemed to grow a couple inches as she faced him. “Mr. Wesley, I hear you, but the reality is we cannot. These kids are here anywhere from days to weeks or even months. It’s a logistical nightmare to keep them fed, healthy, and safe.”
His dad cleared his throat as he looked back at him. “The tour is this way.”
Lilith rolled her eyes, muttering something about leaving the juveniles behind. Why did his dad keep her around?
Joanna led them through the cafeteria, where Andrew stopped. His feet refused to move as he took in row after row of children, toddlers up to surly teens, shoveling dry cereal into their mouths like they wondered where the next meal would come from. Adults skirted the room, watchful gazes locked on the children, but the little ones struggled to feed themselves. There were too many kids and too few adults to provide what the youngest needed.
The kids were clothed and had food, but he knew from working with kids similar to these that much more was required.
While the tour continued, Hayden moved from the lobby to her rental. She didn’t want to risk running into Snowden. Since she had some time, she finally returned Carmen’s call.
“Hayden, you’ve got to get back here immediately.”
“What’s happened?” The panic in Carmen’s voice made Hayden wonder if another attorney had died.
“The partners have fired Leigh. She’s gone—something about copying files outside the firm. A security officer walked her to her desk and watched her clear out her personal things. I didn’t even know we had security. I’m also supposed to tell you you’re gone the moment you get back.” There was a muffling sound as if she put her hand around the phone’s speaker. “It’s got something to do with the Rodriguez case and Randolph being a coward.”
“What do you mean?” Hayden was still caught on the part about Leigh being escorted from the building and confirmation her job was gone the moment she landed in DC.
“Something is very wrong. Randolph is getting orders from someone, and it ain’t a partner.” She took a breath and her next words were muffled. “I think Rodriguez is involved.”
“Maricel?”
“No, her ex. He calls at least once a day. Let me tell you, I get off the phone as fast as I can.” She paused. “Is there anything you need me to get from your office?”
Hayden shook her head, grateful she’d already copied her electronic files. “No, I’ll be okay. Sounds like I don’t need to come back in.”
“Maybe not. Good luck.”
“Thanks.” Hayden’s mind was spinning. Daniel Rodriguez called the firm every day? He’d also come to see Gerard . . . had he also ordered Gerard’s death? She dialed Savannah, her hand shaking. She swallowed in a futile attempt to steady her voice.
“This is Savannah Daniels.”
“Savannah, they’re doing it.”
“Hayden? Doing what?” There was a hard edge to Savannah’s southern-tinged words.
“The partners have fired Leigh, and I’m next as soon as I get back. Angela’s already gone.”
“Did you get the deposition?”
“Yes. But not much more.”
“It’ll be enough.” There was a pause. “Don’t go to the office, come to mine instead. We’ll figure this out.”
“Okay.” Someone was walking toward her car. Hayden squinted, then whispered into her phone, “I’ve got to go. I’ll call you tonight.”
Matt stood outside her car with an oversized envelope. She rolled down the window and took it from him.
“This has the logs from the couple nights before and the night Miguel died. I don’t know if it will have what you need.”
“Thank you.”
“I also included the employee logs that show who was working.” He glanced around. “Come with me.”
She climbed from her car and followed him around the front of the building to a side entrance.
“I’m not sure the kids will talk, but your best bet is the yard. Older kids come out in five minutes.” He gestured to a bench sheltered under a large tree. “Wait there, and the cameras shouldn’t reveal your identity.”
“And I leave . . .”
“When the first rush of kids is over. The younger detainees won’t be much help.”
“Thanks. Quick question. Daniel Rodriguez?”
He looked at her, expression as hard as stone. “A dangerous man. Stay away from him.”
His hard words settled on her, confirming what she already knew in her gut. He stalked away, and Hayden settled on the bench and tried to relax. Matt had made it clear she wasn’t welcome at the facility. The last thing she wanted was to kill her case by doing something harmful, but she had to talk to these kids. As the children filtered into the yard, a few discretely headed her direction. When they neared, she quietly asked if they knew Miguel. Many of them looked at her blankly.
She bit back frustration at the lack of help and the fruitlessness of the trip. If she didn’t get some kind of clue, she’d have to seriously consider not refiling. The thought of suggesting that to Maricel left the remnants of her coffee souring her stomach.
Then the bench shifted as a teen collapsed next to her. He scowled at her, distrust and anger darkening his eyes.
“Why you ask for Miguel?”
“His mother sent me.”
“Too late.”
“Sí.” She couldn’t deny it was too late for Miguel. “But I want to find out who killed him.”
The kid shook his head, and his face tightened as his gaze skittered around the yard. “A man. Drawing on his . . .” He gestured to his neck.
“Tattoo?”
The kid nodded.
“What was the tattoo?”
“Serpent. Ugly. He didn’t belong.”
“He was here the day Miguel died?”
Again the young man nodded. He froze as the sound of feet and chatter approached. “He not here now.”
“Have you seen him since Miguel died?”
&nbs
p; “No.” The kid thrust his hands in his jeans pockets and studied her. He seemed to reach a decision. “Miguel scared. Knew someone want him.”
“Who?”
The young man shrugged. “Tall guy. Mexican. With snake. Miguel knew him.”
Tall, Mexican guy with a snake tattoo. That didn’t give her much to go on. But just knowing Miguel was concerned helped.
“Gracias.”
“You will find him?”
“I will try, but it would be helpful to know more. Is there anyone else I can talk to?”
The young man shrugged. “Yo no sé.”
Hayden nodded and then watched as a flood of younger kids gushed into the yard. The young man went to join them. She hadn’t gotten his name, and when she turned back he had disappeared.
Surely someone could confirm what he had said. He couldn’t be the only one who had seen the man or heard of Miguel’s fear. Someone had to have let the man in. She returned to her car, the heat boiling up around her.
While she waited Hayden couldn’t get her voice mail to open so called Emilie, but didn’t bother to leave a message. She’d catch up with her when she got back to town. She’d learned what she could. Now she’d have to make the case work.
CHAPTER 38
The tour ended, and Andrew waited next to the door for his father to quit receiving fawning accolades from the center director and his staff. Where was Hayden? Oh, right. She’d said she’d probably be in her car. He’d check on their way out.
Time ticked until Lilith touched his dad’s shoulder. “It’s time to head back to the plane, sir.” She turned toward Joanna. “Thank you for the enlightening tour. I think we’ve seen everything we needed.”
Andrew’s father raised his eyebrows. “I think the plane will wait for us.”
“True, sir, but I don’t think Eastman Klondike would be happy if we missed our appointment with him. He seems interested in supporting your campaign with a nice check and some from his wealthy friends as well.”
His father hesitated, and Lilith leaned closer and whispered something in his ear.
So much for a tour for the sake of the children.
“All right.” He turned to Joanna, and the woman blushed as he poured on his charm. “I add my thanks. It’s helpful to see the excellent work you do here.”
Andrew bit back a retort; the center staff probably did the best they could with the number of children assigned here.
Dan and Lilith exited, and Congressman Wesley paused, hand on the door. “Coming, son?”
“I need to check on something. I’ll catch a ride with Hayden or grab a cab.”
“That might be difficult out here.”
“I’ll catch up.”
“Don’t take too long. Lilith reminded me about an important meeting. Guess that’s why I keep her around . . . otherwise I’d miss half my appointments.”
“I’ll be quick as I can. If I get delayed I’ll find another way back to DC.” Hayden had disappeared, and Andrew needed to find her. He hurried up to Joanna and waited while she finished talking to the woman behind the Plexiglas divider.
She finally turned her attention to him. “Yes?”
“Did Hayden McCarthy sign out?”
Joanna turned to the guard. “Did she?”
“Yes.” The woman swung the clipboard sign-in sheet to her, and Joanna ran a manicured nail down the list.
“She signed out about the time we started.” Joanna frowned and pulled her phone out. “Matt, did you deliver the information I requested?” She listened a moment and then nodded. “Thanks.” She turned back to Andrew. “Matt says she was killing time in her car after he got her the info. Try there.”
Andrew nodded as he headed to the door. “Thanks.”
“Be careful.” Her words pulled his attention around.
“I will.”
Someone pounded on her car window, and Hayden jumped as she shoved the small sheaf of logs onto the passenger seat.
Director Snowden leaned into her door. “What are you doing?” The words growled from between clenched teeth as a muscle pulsed along his jaw.
Hayden straightened, grateful for the door separating them, but wondering if he’d crawl through the cracked window and choke her. Was her presence alone enough to enrage him, or had she somehow gotten close to something important without realizing it? She hadn’t done anything—other than sit and talk to one young man.
“You need to leave. Now.” His intense gaze bored through her. “I’ll have you arrested for trespassing on government property.”
“I didn’t trespass.” Hayden hesitated. She probably shouldn’t mention who had issued the invitation. She held up her hands in a placating motion. “I’m just sitting in my car.”
“You think I don’t know you were in the yard with the detainees?” He breathed in and out while watching her intently. It felt like he wanted to read her mind.
Hayden held her breath. She matched his gaze, even as she wanted to roll up the window and speed away. She hadn’t done anything wrong and certainly hadn’t disrupted any of the center’s activities. But in the end she had only gained a vague description of a man who may have been involved in Miguel’s death. No judge or jury would accept that as confirmation of an individual drawing the knife across his neck.
She stifled a shudder. Someone tapped Director Snowden’s shoulder, but he didn’t budge. Didn’t say a word as his gaze bored through her.
His reaction seemed far beyond what was reasonable. What did he want to hide?
Miguel’s killer or an inept cover-up?
That had to be it.
Her resolve to pursue the case deepened, despite losing her job.
Someone edged him to the side, and she looked into Andrew’s concerned face. “There you are. I’ve been waiting for you.” He nodded to the director. “Hayden was kind enough to wait for me, but we should leave now or I’ll miss my flight home. Thank you again for the tour.”
“Don’t think I don’t know what’s going on.” Snowden stepped away from the car.
Andrew climbed into the passenger seat, and Hayden turned the key in the ignition.
“We need to get out of here,” Andrew warned. “That man was seriously miffed at you.”
Soon they were on the highway headed toward Waco.
Andrew dialed a number on his phone, then waited. A moment later he tried again. “No answer. Let’s head to the Waco airport.”
“No problem, if you’ll pull up directions on your phone.” As Hayden tried to slow the car to take a curve, the brakes failed to respond. Instead, the car picked up speed down the short incline.
“What’s wrong?” Andrew grabbed the door handle and braced his feet.
Hayden bit her lower lip as she concentrated on slowing the car. She wobbled the steering wheel from side to side, continued to stomp on the brakes, and prayed. The car slowed fractionally, but the curve arrived before she could control the turn.
She tried to relax as everything in her screamed that they were seconds from a crash.
Andrew reached an arm across her. “Hold on!”
The car flew over the shoulder and into the ditch.
CHAPTER 39
The car engine moaned, and the wheels spun almost as much as Andrew’s head.
“Hayden, take your foot off the gas.”
Andrew’s voice seemed to cut through her panic. She looked down at the pedals. “It’s not on it.”
A bump already grew where her head had collided with the steering wheel, but fortunately the air bags hadn’t deployed. He’d bounced off the dash, but the seat belt had restrained him from crashing into the windshield. He blew out a breath and slowly turned toward her as his muscles protested. “Try backing up the car.”
Hayden’s hands trembled on the steering wheel, and she seemed dazed. He touched her arm and she startled. “Look at me, Hayden.”
Slowly her head swiveled toward him. “Shift the car into reverse and see if it will back up. If it does w
e can drive to a gas station. If not, we’ll call a tow truck.”
“Okay.” She took a shuddering breath, then shifted into reverse and pressed on the gas. The car didn’t respond.
A pickup truck eased onto the shoulder behind them, and a guy in jeans and a flannel shirt climbed from the cab. “Looks like we’ve got help.”
Hayden turned and looked. “That’s Matt. He’s a guard at the detention center. He got me records I need.”
Matt crouched to knock on the window, and Hayden rolled it down.
“Everything okay?” Matt’s voice held the appropriate tone of concern, but Hayden still seemed nervous.
“No. The brakes stopped working and we slid right off the curve.”
“All right. Stay here, and I’ll check under the hood.” Before Andrew could stop him, the man was under the vehicle. Andrew stepped from the car and followed him. He hunkered down and watched the guard. The man grunted as he slid back out.
“Looks like someone cut the brakes. Who did she tick off?”
Andrew shrugged. “I don’t know.” But if someone cut the brakes, they didn’t only want her out of town, they wanted her hurt. “This could have been a lot worse.”
The man nodded, and Andrew sensed he was on their side.
“Why were you behind us? Shouldn’t you be at the center?”
“Today was my day off. It would look odd if I spent too much time there.” He stepped up and brushed his hands across his jeans. “I wanted to dig, but Snowden wouldn’t leave.”
“Maybe the congressional tour was too much.” His dad could put people on edge even when they had nothing to hide. What did the director not want the world to know?
Hayden opened the door and leaned against it. “I’m calling AAA for a tow truck.”
“Good plan.” Andrew gave her a reassuring smile and turned back to the guard. “I’m Andrew Wesley.”
“Matt James.” He glanced at Hayden. “She’s in over her head. Something bigger is at play.” They chatted quietly while Hayden made the call.
“Tow truck is on the way.” Hayden glanced between the two of them. “What do I need to know?”
