Chapter 41: Chapter 41

I've been here before as I walked through the prison. My eyes searched tirelessly for my nephew. My eyes wet with tears knowing full well he didn't belong here they had made a mistake. He hadn't killed anyone he was being framed for a crime he didn't commit. His jail time was not an easy one, I knew as my heartbeat inside my ear, he was just waiting for his trial to free him. Our family wasn't aware that in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico people are not free until proven guilty it was reversed. You served time before you were found innocent. My head swam as I recalled every single piece of information I had gotten when I learned this and now I was walking along the prison looking for him. My nephew wasn't an ordinary man, he was my protector, my way of living, and more my brother than a nephew. I knew he wasn't a quiet person. Wouldn't take things the easy way, he would and could make people listen and that is exactly what he was doing. He was talking, talking about how unfair things were in Mexico. He spoke to anyone that wanted a story and this was dangerous for him and he didn't care. I heard a noise and I turned my head to see prisoners walking around or were they, visitors you couldn't tell, they were all dressed the same. There were no prisoner uniforms just men in regular clothing. Someone shouted "Visitante-Vistors" and the men in plain clothing began to turn their backs away from me. It was then that I realized they were prisoners. It felt unreal and remembered being led into a yellow building that resembled so much like an apartment, but this one didn't seem to have doors, nor windows. No bars on them, just open space. I remember going up the stairs, turning in every corner right, left, straight, another turn until I was taken into a corridor which led to a cell at least I thought it was. No bars there weren't any. As they led me through I could see a body on the floor with stab wounds all over his body, his clothing drenched with blood spilling from lacerations. I couldn't see his face didn't know whether it was him. I ran to him and fell to the ground beside him. I lifted his face with my hand and saw with my own eyes, my nephew. I screamed, but to my dismay, nothing came out. I know I could hear myself scream but I heard nothing, piercing noise to my ears made my body tense even more. I kept screaming, but none could hear me. All of a sudden, I felt arms, arms around me and that made me pull away and squirm away as if I was a small dog who was afraid of his master. In the far distance I could hear something but so faint, my name so far in the distance “Fio!, Fio!" then another voice “The truck is still here.” “Look the gate is open.” “Wait, the lock is broken.” I heard another person's voice. “Fio” this voice was deeper and stronger and my heart hammered faster. I couldn't move, remained where I was. I wasn't safe, someone had touched me. I was sure of it or was I. I couldn't tell. I tightened myself as much as I could. I was scared, would it be my turn. My turn to be face down full of blood spilling from my body. I couldn't tell. I didn't want to look up until his hand was grabbing me tightly.: concern Then I heard myself scream. "Fio, Fio it's me, Diego" I looked at him, but couldn't see him, I tried pulling myself away from him, but his grip was tighter now. "Fio!" I heard him once again and this time he took me into his arms and lifted me. He released me and took a hold of my face. "Someone get me something to wrap her in, she's in shock." I heard him say. "I found her keys on the floor, Fio always carries a blanket, I will get it" I didn't know who was talking. I wasn't thinking and then she pressed the key to open the truck, the lights went off again. "Then I heard screams." I just grabbed Diego and placed my head in his chest to shield myself from the screams." Everyone calm down" His voice was strong, but I could feel a tremor in his voice. "Let's all step back and call the police." I heard sobs as Diego pulled me away. I looked up as Diego helped me walk towards them. I saw my friends afraid as I was and crying. I looked at Melba now and she didn't think twice, she quickly went towards me and pulled me away from Diego. I knew what she was thinking.

I was calmer now and so was everyone else. We sat in Sara's car which was parked across the street overlooking Ricardo's home. We knew better than to leave a crime scene. We remained silent for a moment until Diego's words came out. "Let’s Fio's truck out of here.” Zulema was next to speak. “We can’t that would be interfering with a police investigation what if there are fingerprints on it.” Diego looked my way. I was still holding on to Melba. “I don’t think Fio would want her truck impounded and not see it for months. We need to make sure that it is not here before the police get here. And what are we going to say when they ask us what we are doing here?" Sara said this time. "Look I've been investigating this thing for quite a while and I can tell you this isn't something random. It's a message and if we want to stay clear away from the Zeta's then you guys need to do what I suggest." "Zetas" I spoke this time. My voice came back again. "Fio" I heard Diego say. "Yes, and love I think we need to get your truck out before the cops come." I looked at him and I nodded a yes. "And what are we going to tell the cops?" This time Melba asked. "Fio was passing by picking up her truck when she noticed the lock to the gate of her friend's home was broken. She wanted to check if he was okay and then discovered..." He stopped and looked at all of us. My guess is he didn't want to bring back the scene. "Look, let me do the talking" “Isn’t this dishonest.” Sara said. “Not if you want your friend to be okay, look at her.” She’s terrified this is something she won’t forget. “I think we all won't’ forget” Sara added and everyone nodded. “No he's right, we need to protect Fio right now, she could go to the edge she’s already seen too much shit already.” Melba said taking a hold of me and moving me away from the view. The truth was we really couldn't see anything, my truck was in the way. You had to walk in and light it up to see Ricardo. I closed my eyes just at the thought of it. "I want my truck out." I said finally. Patty was the one who volunteered to reverse my truck, I noticed she didn't turn on the front lights. I looked as my friend drove away and parked it near the curb. We sat there and waited until we could hear the sirens approaching us. We didn't make up a story, we didn't have time for it. We just sat there when the first officer parked his car and exited his vehicle. “Who called 911 and reported a homicide?” The officer asked. Diego took lead. “Sir, that would have been us.” “Please come this way.” Diego and the officer went over to the scene. Another police car came by and then another one after that. They had started to surround the area. “The officer came back to the front where we were all together.” My ears began to sound crisper now and not so low anymore. I kind of expected that I was coming back to normal. “Who found him first?” the officer asked. We all looked at each other and then I spoke first, Diego didn't seem happy about it. “I did officer.” He looked towards us and then I lifted my hand. Diego looked at me and I at him but looked back at the officer. Diego quickly came to my side. “I was given a lift from Club Border to over here.” “Who was this individual who gave you the ride? Ms." "Fiorella and sorry, but I didn't get his name. I just asked for the ride, sir." The officer looked at me and then jotted down on his pad. His next words were not very nice. “Do you often ask strangers for rides,” My anger flared up, I didn't have alcohol in my system anymore that had vanished the moment I came across.." " This isn't about me." I said to the officer a bit agitated. He looked at me for a while. "Just trying to get the facts correctly, don't want to charge the wrong person here." he said looking at me once again. "Look at my hands...." I was quickly stopped by Diego as he placed himself in front of me. "Look officer, these ladies have seen something indescribable here. Let's try to make this.." "You are?" the officer asked him. "The boyfriend." he said. I coughed. Then stepped around Diego and started up the conversation with the officer. “Anyway the man was alright he didn’t do anything he came to my friends' house and dropped me off with my directions.” “So was your truck parked in the driveway.” Great I had to think quick. “I parked my truck earlier when I came to tell him that I was going to the club but he did mention to me that he might be going out but I didn’t want to block his driveway so I opted to park my truck around the corner.” Diego just looked at me then. I just continued with my story. "When the guy dropped me off, I noticed that the gates were opened. I decided to go in and tell my friend if he could walk me to the truck but when I came close I saw the blood on the floor and then I looked up and saw his body.” “How exactly did you see his body if it is dark under the porch Miss Pena?” Fuck he got me there. I didn't break. I lifted my phone. "But then again, how did you know there was blood?" "I stepped on something wet, sir." I lied. "You know tampering with evidence is a felony." "How is it a felony if I didn't tamper with anything." I concluded. I didn't expect what came next. The office smiled at me. I took a closer look at him and hadn't realized how handsome he was. "We just need to do our job here and if there is anything else we need to ask, we would need to contact you." "So that's it." I said to him not understanding. Diego nudged me with his arm. I was about to speak when Diego took my hand in his. Then the familiar sense came rushing back once again the heat filling my body through my veins. I quickly pulled my hand away from his. I didn't turn to look at Diego, but I knew he looked down my way. “Okay, then I guess we will be on our way." We were about to get into Sara's car when the officer made us stop once again. "Just need your names and phone numbers to reach you if we have any questions," Diego spoke out first, “We would like for our names to be anonymous when the reporters ask about us.” “The reason for that Mr..” “Mr. Diego Bolatrez," he said firmly and then continued "These ladies here are teachers and we would like to keep them from any scandals if necessary.” “The officer looked at me and then at my friends.” “Please officer..” Sara began to beg and the officer answered her with his name. “Officer Cadena.” “Okay, please officer Cadena we have to protect ourselves. I wouldn’t want my students to know that their teacher was at a club and well…” The officer looked at me mostly and then at everyone else. “I’ll keep your names anonymous from the reporters.” “And Miss Pena, I could swear I’ve seen you from somewhere.” He said to me unsure of something. “I don’t think we’ve met.” I game him an "I want to get out of here face". “You remind me so much of a woman that came out on youtube. She sang like an angel.” “I..” couldn’t say anything. “Sir, if you don’t mind I think these ladies should be going home.” “Yes sir just leave your name with the officer ladies.” He motioned to another officer nearby. “Miss Pena I’d get yours.” Diego wasn’t pleased that much I knew because he quickly said. “You might need mine too.” “Sir and who would you be.” “I'm here fiancée.” I quickly looked at him. “Officer this man is delusional, I am not his fiancée.” I walked up to the officer and gave him my full name Fiorella Pena and my number. If you need anything else you may call me.” I said to him. I walked away. “Count on it.” I heard him say. I walked toward Melba and Zulema. Let’s go ladies I want to get the hell out of here. I didn’t bother saying bye to Diego. I couldn’t bear to see him right that instant. We walked up the truck and I pressed the button to open the truck. We all scrambled in. I turned on the truck and held on to the steering. "Oh, God Richard.” Melba touched my shoulder. “I know.” She said.

The next morning I looked at my friends. They were everywhere in my house. They hadn’t wanted to go home, they wanted to stay with me. I felt at ease with their presence which didn't allow me to have a dream. The way Richard was hanging from the top of the... I shrugged. I was just glad I didn't dream. Later on during the day, we caught the local news to see if we were mentioned and were glad that our names hadn't been shared and well Diego's name wasn't either. We did however hear them saying that it was a cartel rival, but didn't mention which one. It was to no surprise to find out that Diego's station had gotten more of the story than our local one. There were more details in his story that kind of made us shiver. If it hadn't been for Sara who looked through her phone and showed us the feed. We looked on as Diego was covering the story for his news station, but what didn't seem right was his version was more dead-on than our local station. "I bet his father is happy for the higher ratings," I said as Sara turned it off. "So, does this mean he will remain longer?" Patty said to me. I looked at her and I hadn't thought about it. "I don't know." and sat back down on the sofa and switched at the channels. I wasn't interested in anything I saw. Patty's words echoed in my head. My phone rang which took me off my thoughts. “Hello,” I said to the receiver. “Miss Pena” a male voice came from the other end. “Yes,” I continued. “This is Officer Cadena, I was wondering if it would be okay if I head out there to take some more information.” More information I thought to myself. I could have said no, but if I did would that make me guilty of moving my truck from a crime scene. I didn't think twice and agreed. “Ah! a sure officer is there anyone else you need to talk to.” “It’s only you.” “Oh, it’s just that all my friends are here with me.” “Well, then I’ll be there in about five minutes.” “Do you know where I live sir?” “Yes, Miss Pena I sure do.” He hanged up. I looked at that phone as I heard the sound of an ending call. I didn't know whether it was a good idea or not. I could have said I'd talk to you at the station. Why had I agreed to it? I looked at my friends now and thought well they are all here. I guess it wasn't going to hurt.