End Game

by Kristi Belcamino

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Yes.” She swallowed the sob caught in her throat. “I was just about to leave.” She tried to sound confident, but her teeth were chattering.

  The bearded man appeared in the doorway to the stairs.

  “Found the kid.”

  Rafael stepped out from behind him. His eyes grew wide. “Tommy!”

  She crouched down and hugged the little boy with relief.

  “Hey, Sherlock.” The huge hulking bearded man turned to Detective Kelly. “We’ve got to clear out. Now. We found a passageway that led outside from the basement. We also found three other boys. Marcia’s going to stay with them on the front lawn until the cops come — she’s got no record. She’s clean—nobody can touch her for any of this. But we gotta split, man.”

  Kelly shot a glance at Tommy, but directed his words to the bearded man. “What about ...”

  “He’s not going to hurt anyone ever again. Let’s boogie, man, we got no time. Cops are almost here.”

  Tommy raised her eyebrow, but Kelly steered her by the elbow out of the room. She looked with wide eyes from one man to the other.

  “Let’s go. We’ve got to hurry.” He led Tommy and Rafael to the front door. As they walked into the foyer, it sounded like a freight train was about to come through the window. When the front door opened, Tommy felt the ground vibrate. In the dark, dozens of motorcycles revved their engines and shot down the driveway toward the gate.

  Within seconds, Kelly loaded her and Rafael into his car and also peeled out.

  They passed a line of squad cars with lights and sirens as they drove away.

  Tommy arched an eyebrow but Kelly just shook his head and looked away, staring straight ahead, knuckles white on the steering wheel.

  TOMMY SLUMPED IN THE shower and let the hot water pound her. She was exhausted, but strangely elated. She knew she should be frightened, but she just felt relief. Rafael was safe. She had made him take a bath first, given him some warm milk, and then tucked him into bed in his Sponge Bob pajamas.

  Even in the hot shower, she felt her face grow warm when she thought about Detective Kelly. He said he was staying over at her place if she liked it or not. Her legs were shaky as she dried off and pulled on a pair of white flannel men’s style pajamas.

  Not bothering to pull a comb through her wet hair, Tommy just pushed it back with her fingers, brushed her teeth, and then headed into the front room. Detective Kelly had dimmed the lights, lit a few candles, and had dinner on the table.

  “You look a lot better,” he said. “Before we have wine with your dinner, I want you to take a swig of this.”

  He handed her a rocks glass with bourbon. She downed it in one gulp.

  “Better?”

  She felt the warmth burn down her throat and into her belly. “Yes, much.”

  He pulled out a chair for her and dished out some spaghetti noodles with little green flakes on them.

  Tommy took a small bite and then another. “Yum, what’s this?”

  “Just something I came up with in the kitchen. A little of this, a little of that.”

  Tommy put down her fork and stared at him. “What happened back there?”

  “Eat,” he said. “Eat first. We’ll talk after.”

  A few minutes later, Tommy pushed back her plate with a sigh.

  “Thank you. That hit the spot.” She felt happy and sleepy after the bourbon and two glasses of wine.

  Detective Kelly led her to the couch, where she curled her legs under her and leaned back on the cushions, looking at him.

  The detective explained how he had turned to some friends to help rescue Rafael. Apparently, Bear and his buddies found a locked, secret hallway that had a soundproof room and bunk beds for three other boys. All of the boys had been “adopted” by Dewey Nelson when they were intercepted trying to sneak into this country from Mexico.

  “What about Nelson? That man said he’d never hurt anyone again.”

  “Bear said to watch the ten o’clock news to find out more. We’ve got five minutes,” Kelly said, flipping on the television.

  Right then, Detective Kelly reached for his phone. “Just got a text. Hold on.”

  His eyes grew wide.

  “What? What is it?” Tommy asked. “Did the man I hit die?” She suddenly felt sick.

  “No, no he’s at Hennepin County Medical Center with a concussion. Looks like he’ll live. A long life in prison, probably.”

  “Then, what is it?”

  Again, Kelly gave her a searching glance.

  “I don’t know if I should show you this. It’s a picture. Not a pretty one. It’s very graphic. It’s a picture of Dewey Nelson.” He looked over at Tommy and raised an eyebrow. “He’s dead.”

  She tried to grab the phone out of his hands. “Let me see the bastard.”

  “He’s dead. And naked. And in a compromising position, so to speak.”

  “Give it to me,” she demanded.

  He slowly handed her the phone.

  Dewey Nelson was on his knees on the basement bed. A noose was wrapped around his neck. Pornographic pictures were splayed in front of him. Tommy had heard of deaths like this — called erotic asphyxiation — where people try to intensify the feeling of an orgasm by strangling themselves to the brink of passing out before loosening the noose. Except some, like Dewey, didn’t loosen the noose in time. On purpose or by accident.

  “I can’t believe that coward would kill himself.”

  Kelly just shook his head. “I don’t think he did.

  Tommy thought about that for a second, remembering the bearded man’s words about Dewey never hurting anyone else again. “Oh.”

  Just then, the ten o’clock news started and a live shot of Dewey Nelson’s house was on the screen with flames leaping fiercely into the night sky.

  Reporters said that firefighters had found Dewey Nelson dead in one room of the house. Nobody was sure how the fire had started, but said they suspected Nelson had planned the arson fire and then killed himself.

  There was also no mention of exactly how Nelson had died. Or that he was the police chief’s cousin. But there was a statement from the police about Belinda Carter’s death: They had released Jason Carter from custody after finding evidence in Dewey Nelson’s house that he had murdered the New York woman.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  AFTER TUCKING TOMMY into the couch with a bundle of blankets, Detective Kelly leaned down and kissed her forehead. She had nearly drifted off to sleep, but felt the kiss and smiled. He stretched out in her big armchair putting his feet on the ottoman.

  When Tommy awoke the next morning, Kelly was gone. He’d left a note, saying he would call her around lunchtime.

  Rafael and Tommy had just finished their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and were watching cartoons in their pajamas when the phone rang. It was Kelly. She handed Rafael a big bottle of bubbles and pushed him onto the balcony.

  “I’ll be out in a second, go see how far you can get the bubbles to go,” she said, closing the door behind her so the boy couldn’t hear her conversation.

  “We found him. Rafael’s dad.”

  “Oh, thank God.” Tommy felt relief seep through her limbs.

  “The chief called in some favors. From what I heard, it might have cost him some pesos, too. He came to me this morning and asked if I had the kid. I told him that depended on why he was asking. He said if I did, he had some information that might help get the boy back home,” Kelly said. “I think the chief — in his own way — is trying to make up for what his cousin did and for refusing to help me in the first place.”

  Tommy wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She had a hard time believing the chief had been ignorant of his cousin’s aberrant behavior for the past thirty years.

  “Tommy, there’s something else. They found Belinda Carter’s handbag at the mansion — I’m sure part of that is what tied Nelson to her murder. But inside her bag, they found a file folder of not
es with your name on them. She was doing her own little investigation of Nelson. She and her husband had attended a fundraiser for Nelson the weekend she was killed. After the dinner, Nelson had invited them to his house for drinks. When she went to search out a bathroom, she somehow stumbled onto Nelson’s little operation. That was why she took Rafael.”

  “Why didn’t she rescue the other boys?”

  “Rafael was kept in isolation. I guess all the boys were until they had been ... initiated ... by Nelson. Rafael’s room was the easiest to find. Plus, she saw him that night. He’d snuck out of his room.

  “We think she contacted you for help in exposing Nelson. But he must have gotten wind of it and decided to knock her off. He probably wanted Rafael back so he could pump the boy for information in case Belinda had told Rafael what was going on.”

  “Good God. So, Belinda wasn’t a crazed woman with baby fever? I knew it.”

  “Nope. She was trying to expose a monster.”

  “Poor Rafael was just a pawn in all this. Thank God we got to him before he was ... initiated,” Tommy said, using the same word that Kelly had chosen. “How do we get him back to his father?”

  “They found a landowner,” Kelly continued. “The man who owns the land that Rafael’s father farms. He’s arranged to have Rafael’s father meet at an airstrip just east of the farm tomorrow afternoon.”

  “I’m coming,” Tommy said. “I’m not letting go of this boy until he’s in his father’s custody.”

  “I know. We’re on board an eight o’clock flight to Mexico City.”

  “What?” Tommy wasn’t sure she heard him right.

  “Of course, you’re coming. The chief pulled some strings and got permission for us to escort Rafael home. I’ll pick you guys up at five in the morning. Be ready,” Detective Kelly said, hanging up.

  Tommy looked over to her balcony. Through the bank of windows, she could see Rafael outside laughing and blowing bubbles into the air, fourteen stories above the Mississippi River.

  She slid open the glass door. He turned to her with a big smile.

  “Tommy! Tommy! Did you see that one! It was gigantic! It almost floated all the way to the river!”

  She smiled and put her arm around him.

  “Rafael, I’ve got some great news. You’re going home.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  RAFAEL THOUGHT RIDING in a jet plane was about the most fun a kid could have. He didn’t wipe the grin off his face the entire flight to Mexico City. Tommy and Kelly couldn’t help but smile at one another, as well, seeing the little boy’s excitement to see the earth from the air and knowing he would be reunited with his father in a matter of hours.

  They’d let Rafael have the window seat. Tommy sat in the middle seat. At one point, she turned with a wide smile from watching Rafael and was startled to find Detective Kelly staring at her with an odd look on his face. Immediately, she felt the flush as her skin reddened and looked down. Damn, her redheaded complexion always gave her away, she thought.

  Feeling his gaze still on her, Tommy looked up and met Kelly’s eyes. His eyes were misty and she felt, rather than saw, him raise his hand toward her face. Then his face began to move closer and her breath caught in her throat. Suddenly, Rafael whooped with joy over seeing the Grand Canyon out the window below and the spell was broken. But before he turned away, Detective Kelly gently brushed a loose strand of Tommy’s hair back behind her ear and then let his fingers graze her cheeks as he settled back into his chair.

  Tommy stared at him, but he wouldn’t look up. Instead, he cleared his throat and grabbed a pack of cards.

  “Okay, Rafael, get ready to lose at Go Fish.”

  “Bring it on,” Rafael said with a grin.

  The trio had a brief layover in Mexico City to catch a smaller plane that would take them to the rural landing strip. Apparently, the landowner whom Rafael’s father worked for owned his own plane and pilot and agreed to fly Rafael’s father to the remote airstrip to pick up the boy.

  During their layover, Tommy excused herself and hurried off to the gift shop where she filled a bag with some of Rafael’s favorite American candy and bought some Mexican stamps.

  “What’s in the bag, Tommy?” Rafael asked as soon as she returned.

  “It’s a secret. You’ll see.”

  About a half hour after leaving Mexico City, the smaller plane landed, bumping along the red dirt of the rural airstrip. There was nothing for miles except small rolling hills and giant cactus ripe with purple, red, and pink blossoms. A small shed stood at one end of the landing strip.

  After his three passengers had disembarked, the pilot pulled away and parked at the end of the narrow runway, giving another plane room to land and allowing him room to take off later on.

  Rafael was the first to hear the distant motor of another plane approaching. This small plane also kicked up dust on landing. As they waited for it to taxi toward them, Rafael could barely control his excitement. He was holding onto both Tommy and Detective Kelly’s hands and jumping straight up and down.

  “That’s Senor Pinto’s plane. He’s the one who owns our land. He is a very nice man. He has a mansion, but no kids. He always gives us toys for Christmas.” Rafael talked nonstop, trying to say as much as he could with one breath.

  Then, the plane stopped and he became very still. The hatch opened and a small set of steps unfolded. Then a figure appeared in the doorway.

  “Papa!” Rafael shouted and broke free, running over to the plane. The man coming out of the plane ran, as well and the two met halfway in a great big hug.

  The older man, wearing a plaid shirt, work boots and jeans, whipped off his cowboy hat and put it on Rafael’s head before he lifted him up in the air and swung him around. Rafael screamed with laughter.

  Then, the man put Rafael down and stooped into a crouch. Standing a few inches away from Rafael’s face, he held the boy’s chin and spoke in low tones. Rafael looked very serious and nodded several times before a great big smile broke over his face and he leaped into his father’s arms again.

  Tommy wiped a tear away. Detective Kelly put an arm around her and gave her a squeeze.

  “Happy tears,” Tommy said, turning to him.

  “I know,” he said and gently wiped away a tear she has missed. “I’m trying not to bawl myself. That would ruin my tough cop image, you know.”

  Rafael and his father walked over to where Tommy and the detective stood.

  Up close, the older man looked to only be in his forties, but a lifetime of working out in the sun had worn deep creases into his burnished skin. His hair was still black with just the tiniest frosting of gray at his temples and his eyes crinkled as he smiled at Tommy and the detective.

  Rafael was suddenly serious. He took his father’s hand, put it in Tommy’s, and then said something to his father in Spanish, before turning to Tommy.

  “Tommy, I would like you to have the pleasure of meeting my father, Senor Vasquez.”

  A fragment of Tommy’s high school Spanish returned to her as she gripped the man’s hand. “Senor Vasquez, el gusto es mio.” The pleasure is mine.

  “Encantada.” Likewise, the man said, before he was introduced to Kelly, who spoke to him in Spanish. During their conversation, both men looked her way several times, but Tommy didn’t know what they were saying.

  Rafael led his father back over to her.

  “My papa wants to tell you something. I will translate.”

  “He said thank you for bringing his son home. He realizes now that ...” and here Rafael got tears in his eyes as he translated. “Although at first he thought he couldn’t give his son the life he deserves here in Mexico, he realizes now that his son belongs here with him.”

  It was the older man’s turn to swipe at some tears that had seeped out of his crinkly eyes.

  Mr. Vasquez went on, and Rafael continued to interpret.

  “He says Mr. Pinto — the landowner — has given him his own plot, given him the deed o
n the ranch and his own stock of cattle, so he is a landowner now, too, and can pass that onto his ... children ... his son.”

  Rafael looked at Tommy. “Guess I’m going to be a real cowboy.”

  She smiled. “You’ll be the best cowboy there ever was. I know it.”

  The pilot came over and said something to Rafael’s father.

  Mr. Vasquez nodded and said something in Spanish to his son.

  “We have to go now, Tommy,” Rafael said, looking excited. “I get to fly in another plane!” Then he looked a little somber. “I’m going to miss you.”

  Tommy handed him a little backpack. Inside she had packed the treats from the airport gift shop and some photos she had printed out this morning. They included a photo Kelly had snapped of the two of them.

  “Here you go, Rafael. I put a pad of paper and a bunch of envelopes with my name and address on them. I bought some stamps at the airport. Write me. Please.”

  “Yes, Tommy. I promise.”

  They hugged and when Tommy pulled away, Mr. Vasquez came over. He took both of her hands in his and then stood there, his wise eyes looking deep into hers, saying what words never could. He stared at her for a few seconds and then squeezed both of her hands and said, “Gracias, Senorita St. James. Vamos Dio.” Go with God.

  “Thank you. Vamos Dio.”

  Then, holding hands, Rafael and his father, walked away and boarded their plane.

  Kelly started toward the other small plane to tell their pilot they were almost ready to leave, but Tommy stood riveted at the spot where she had said goodbye.

  She stood still as the doors to the small plane closed and the propeller started up.

  The red dust swirled around Tommy St. James as the small plane taxied down the dirt runway and turned around. The whine of the engine grew louder as the plane turned and started to go faster down the runway, once more coming toward Tommy. It would pass her right before it lifted into the air.

  As it went by, Rafael’s smiling face appeared in one of the windows and his small hand pressed against it, fingers splayed. Tommy raised her hand in a similar gesture, smiling until her cheeks hurt. Then, blowing a long, kiss toward the plane that was growing smaller in the blue sky, she turned away, turning her back before the tears slid down her cheek.