by Marin Thomas
“Maybe. Let’s get out of here.” He motioned for Lucy to exit the cave first.
Lucy wiggled her way back outside where she discovered Maddie waiting, a lizard tail hanging out of her mouth. “Bad girl.”
“Maddie’s an excellent lizard hunter.”
“She doesn’t eat them, does she?”
“No.” He pointed to the dog’s mouth. “The tail’s still twitching.”
“Maddie, drop it.” Lucy stomped her foot on the ground, but the dog stared defiantly.
Holding his hand out, Tony approached Maddie. She relaxed her jaw and the lizard plopped onto Tony’s palm. He placed the slime-covered reptile on a rock then pointed his finger and warned, “No, Maddie.”
The dog whined but didn’t move from her spot.
“You’re the only one she obeys.” Lucy smiled at the boxer’s pathetic face. “You two belong together.”
“I’m moving, remember?”
Lucy didn’t need a reminder that Tony wanted to leave Stagecoach. “Maddie could go with you.”
“Don’t even think about it, Lucy.” Tony pitched a bottle of water to her, then poured half of another bottle into a bowl for the dog. Maddie lapped up the water before returning to her spot in front of the rock so she could keep watch over the sunning lizard.
“Now what?” she asked.
“I talk to the chief and discuss setting up a surveillance team to monitor activity at the mine.” Tony guzzled the remainder of the water. “Did you find someone to help you with your bull riding?”
“Not yet.” Lucy had planned to call Shannon later today for recommendations on instructors.
“You’re welcome to stop by my mom’s and use the bucking machine whenever you want.”
Practicing on a mechanical bull wasn’t the way she envisioned preparing for the rodeo in Ajo. “What I need is a real bull to test my skills.”
“You’re talking crazy.”
“You don’t think I’ll go through with the rodeo, do you?”
“I know you’ll try, but I’m betting your father stops you.”
Why was she surprised that Tony didn’t believe she’d stand up to her father? Shoot, she didn’t even have enough faith in herself to reveal the truth about what happened the night her brother had died.
Tony whistled for Maddie to get in the truck, but the dog no longer stood sentry by the lizard. Instead, she paced in front of the boarded-up mine entrance, sniffing the ground. “What’s the matter, girl?” he asked.
The boxer wagged her tail and whined.
“What do you think she smells?” Lucy asked.
“Not sure. Could be an animal.” Tony gripped one of the boards at the bottom and ripped it off. He got down on his hands and knees and directed the flashlight inside the cavern. “Shit.”
“What?”
Tony spoke rapid-fire Spanish and Lucy gasped. “Is someone in there?”
“A girl.” He got to his feet.
“How did she get in there if the entrance is boarded up?”
“These nails should be old and rusted,” he said, peering closely at the planks.
“They look new to me.” Lucy ran her finger across a shiny nail head.
“Someone’s removing the boards then putting them back in place.”
“What did the girl say?”
“She’s thirsty and hungry.”
“Is she coming out?”
“I hope so.” Tony tore off more boards until there was enough room for a person to crawl out, then he spoke to the girl.
Nothing happened. “She’s probably scared to death,” Lucy said.
Tony spoke in Spanish again, and finally a pair of small bare feet appeared in the opening. Her abductors must have taken her shoes so she wouldn’t try to escape.
Once the girl had wiggled out of the cave Lucy said, “Untie her hands, Tony.” The bedraggled female child was short and thin—Lucy guessed not more than twelve.
Tony snapped the plastic bands, freeing her hands, then fired off questions. The girl whispered one-word answers—mostly sí’s. The poor child looked tired and weak.
Lucy helped her into the backseat of the truck and handed her a water bottle. Maddie jumped in beside the urchin and Lucy smiled when the girl hugged the dog. She offered the child more water, then secured the seatbelt across her lap.
“What’s her story?” Lucy asked when Tony headed back to the entrance.
“She got left behind when the others were taken away.”
“How?”
“Fell asleep in one of the tunnels and didn’t wake up when the men came for them.”
“Amazing that her abductors didn’t try to find her.”
“My guess is that something scared them and they left in a hurry.”
Lucy glanced over her shoulder. The girl was filthy. “How long has she been in the mine?”
“A couple of days.”
“I can’t believe this has been going on right under our noses.” Lucy’s father would be livid when he heard a child had been abandoned at the mine, although she doubted he’d give Tony credit for being right about the human-trafficking ring. “How soon do you think you’ll organize a surveillance team?”
“Depends on how much information the girl gives us.”
“Did she tell you her name?”
“No. Once she believes we mean her no harm, she’ll tell us more about herself.”
By the time they arrived at the entrance to the highway, their passenger had fallen asleep.
“Tony?” Lucy whispered.
“What?”
“Keep Maddie with you for a couple of days. She makes the little girl feel safe.” And darned if the dog hadn’t sensed the child needed her.
“I suppose she’d enjoy Maddie’s company while she’s in custody.”
The big bad border patrol agent was a softy. Lucy hopped out of the truck, retrieved the cooler from the back and set it on the passenger seat. “In case she wakes up thirsty.”
“Thanks.”
“Let me know how things work out for her.”
“I will.”
Lucy shut the door. After Tony drove off she closed the gate and secured the chain. As she walked to her truck, she rehearsed how to break the news to her father that, whether he liked it or not, Tony Bravo was going to be crowned a local hero after today’s find.
* * *
TONY ESCORTED THE young girl through a back door at the station. Heads turned as they walked down the hallway with Maddie.
“Where did you find this munchkin?” Officer Luger said when Tony stopped at the front desk.
“Is the chief in?” Tony wasn’t giving any details to the biggest blabbermouth in the building.
“Yeah, Romero’s in.” Luger nodded at the girl. “She a runaway?”
Ignoring the question, Tony guided his charge through the office. When they reached the chief’s door, he knocked.
“Come in.”
Tony ushered girl and dog inside, then shut the door. Romero’s eyes widened. Tony motioned for the child to sit. “Lie down, Maddie.” The dog settled next to the girl’s feet.
“What’s going on?” his boss asked.
“I went out to the Durango mine this afternoon.”
Romero sat straighter in the chair. “I told you to wait until I had a chance to speak with Durango himself.”
“Lucy offered to take me out there.” He skipped the deal he’d made with her.
“Why is this girl with you?”
“She was hiding inside the mine.”
“Were there others?”
“She said there were nine others close to her age.”
“How old is she?”
“Twelve.�
��
A low whistle escaped Romero.
“She won’t tell me her name,” Tony said.
The chief spoke in Spanish to the girl but she ignored him and petted Maddie. “What else did she tell you?”
“That she was kidnapped on the way home from school and the bad guys threatened her family if she refused to go with them.”
“Damn thugs. Does she know the name of her captors?”
“No. But she said the men carried big guns.” Tony turned in his seat. “According to her, they all walked across the border then got into a van concealed by bushes.”
“What color was the van?”
“Black.”
“Do you think these guys could be the men you spotted running through the desert outside your mother’s trailer park the other night?”
“I doubt it,” Tony said. “It’s too bad they got away, but they split up and it was impossible to track them.”
Romero reached inside the desk drawer and removed his sack lunch. He held it out to the girl. “¿Tienes hambre?”
She dug through the bag and pulled out a sticky bun to share with Maddie.
“When did you get a dog?” Romero asked.
“That’s Maddie. She belonged to Michael Durango. I’m taking care of her for a few days.”
“What else have you learned?”
“Not much. The girl slept most of the way here.”
“I’ll call in Dobbs to process her.” Carmen Dobbs was one of four female field agents in the Yuma district. “She’ll get a name out of her and a description of the men who kidnapped her.”
“How soon can we set up a surveillance team out at the mine?” Finding the girl today was a lucky break, and Tony didn’t want the trail to grow cold.
“I’ll make a few phone calls while you wait for Dobbs.”
“Thanks, chief.” Tony nudged the girl’s arm and she and Maddie followed him from the room. The kid needed a shower and clean clothes but he’d leave that up to Dobbs. He stopped at the women’s restroom and pointed to the door. The girl shook her head—if she’d been without water for a while it would be hours before she’d have to go.
He collected a handful of water bottles from the refrigerator in the officer’s lounge then ushered her into an interview room. He told her to stay with Maddie and wait for the nice lady to help her get cleaned up. He returned a few minutes later with a water bowl for Maddie, then locked the door, not wanting the girl to walk out of the station and try to make her way back to Mexico with Maddie in tow.
Chapter Seven
Lucy parked the truck in the driveway then skipped up the porch steps, eager to find out if her father had returned from California. As soon as she stepped inside the house, his voice bellowed from the office down the hallway.
“Is that you, Lucinda?”
Her father sounded as if he was in a bad mood. Bracing herself, she paused in the office doorway. “How was your trip?”
“Never mind my trip.” He glared over the top of his reading glasses and shook one of the fundraiser flyers she’d had printed. “What’s the meaning of this?”
“Where did you get that?”
“On the way home from the airport I stopped at the Chevron station in town and noticed this in the convenience-store window.” He flung the paper aside. “Is this some kind of joke?”
“No.”
He vacated his throne—Lucy and her brother’s name for the huge leather chair covered in a brown-and-white cowhide—and stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the Bryan Mountains.
Lucy engaged in a glare-down with her father’s reflection in the glass. “Since you cut off my trust fund and the federal grant for the Pony Express was reduced by half, I needed to find a way to make up the loss.”
“And riding a bull will bring in enough money to save your redneck taxi service?”
Ignoring the insult, she said, “People still remember what a great bull rider Michael was. It makes sense that I’d honor his memory by using rodeo events to help fund the Pony Express.”
“You’re trying my patience, daughter.”
What else was new? According to her father she’d been doing that since early childhood.
“First, you graduated college with a business degree then turned down a job with the Rushmore Foundation.” He pointed his finger at her. “I went out on a limb asking Jacob Nervier to hire you. Second, you came up with the ridiculous idea to drive inebriated, no-good—”
“You were on board with my business plan a year ago.”
“Because I didn’t believe you had a chance in hell of pulling it off.”
Her father never wasted an opportunity to remind Lucy that she was just his daughter. At times, she wondered if anything she did would ever be good enough. Cal Durango had pinned all his hopes and dreams on his son. It was too late for Lucy to right the wrongs of the past, but couldn’t her father see that her fundraising idea would bring back the excitement of rodeo for him? Only this time he’d experience it with her.
“You have to stop this nonsense.” The crevices bracketing his mouth deepened and he appeared older than his fifty-nine years. “Your brother is gone. As much as I’d give anything to bring Michael back, I can’t, and neither can the Pony Express.”
The hairs on the back of Lucy’s neck stood on end. “I’m not the only one having trouble letting Michael go.”
Her father’s head jerked as if she’d slapped him.
“You blame Tony for Michael’s death, so you’re trying to do everything in your power to ruin his life.”
“Watch yourself, young lady. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You wouldn’t allow Tony access to the gold mine until I—”
“Because Bravo didn’t have a shred of evidence that the ranch was being used to transport young girls through the desert.” He flung his glasses onto the desk. “I don’t know why we’re arguing about this. I gave you my permission to take him to Gold Dust Ridge.”
“And I’m glad you did.”
“Oh?”
“I just came back from there,” she said.
“And?”
“We found a young girl hiding in the mine.”
“Is she all right?”
That her father cared surprised Lucy. “Yes. Tony took her to the Yuma Border Patrol Station. His hunch was right.”
“Damn it, I can’t have young girls being abducted and held captive on Durango land.”
This was one situation where her father’s clout and influence wouldn’t work. “Tony’s speaking to his boss about putting together a surveillance team and monitoring activity at the mine.”
“When?”
“I don’t know. You’ll have to speak with Tony’s boss.”
“Don’t think I won’t,” he said. “I want this gang of thugs captured before the ranch is linked to the kidnappings.”
“I’m sure the border patrol will keep you posted on their investigation.” Lucy made it halfway to the door before her father stopped her.
“Stay right where you are, young lady.” He closed the gap between them and rattled the rodeo flyer in her face. “This nonsense ends today.”
Time to throw down the gauntlet. “If you don’t want me riding bulls then release money from my trust fund and I’ll cancel my rodeo appearances.”
Steam spewed from her father’s ears. “No.”
So be it.
“Lucy, are you home?” Drat. Her mother had returned from her hair appointment at the Bee Luv Lee Hair Salon.
“In Dad’s office.”
“What’s the meaning of this?” Her mother held up a flyer. Lucy had left flyers and pledge cards with all the businesses in town and Helen, the owner of the beauty shop, must ha
ve shown it to her mother.
“Can I count on a pledge from you, Mom?”
Sonja Durango nudged her husband. “Do something, Cal. I will not have a daughter of mine riding bulls.”
“Lucy is being stubborn.” Her father’s eyebrows drew together. “Wonder who she inherited that trait from?”
“I forbid you to ride a bull, Lucy,” her mother said. “Good grief, you’ll be the laughing stock of southern Arizona.”
Lucy sympathized with her concern that others would gossip about the family. After Michael’s death their mother had been the target of rumors among members of her philanthropic group who’d suggested that if Sonja had spent less time championing her causes and more time being a mother her son might have known not to drink and drive.
Insinuating that her mother had failed to teach her son an important life lesson was the furthest thing from the truth, but because Lucy hadn’t come forward about what had really happened the night Michael died, Sonja hadn’t been able to defend herself against the accusations.
“My back is against the wall, Mom. I need to make enough money to keep the Pony Express van on the road for the rest for the year.”
“For God’s sake, Cal, write her a check.”
“It’s a waste of money.”
“I don’t care about the money. I won’t stand by and allow another child of mine to get killed.” Her mother rummaged through her purse.
“Don’t you dare give Lucy money,” her father said.
“Don’t tell me what to do, Cal.” Her mother made out a check and handed it to Lucy, staring defiantly at her husband.
Her parents’ relationship had been under a tremendous amount of stress since Michael’s death, and Lucy refused to add to it by taking her mother’s money. “Thank you for wanting to help, Mom, but I have to do this on my own.” She set the ten-thousand-dollar draft on the desk.
When tears welled in her mother’s eyes, Lucy hugged her. “I’ll be fine. I’m going to wear protective gear and a face mask and I’m not riding the same bulls as the men do. The bulls I ride will be a lot less threatening.” Hating that she’d upset her mother, Lucy inched toward the door. “Don’t forget to tell Mom what Tony and I discovered at the mine today.”
