The Cartel (37 page)

“No. I can’t do this.” She shook her head.

“You can. Come on.”

“Why are you doing this to me? Why are you trying to change things between us? You know I can’t do this. I’ll never be normal. I’ll never be a woman for you. Not in the way that you want. Take me back, Alex. Now.”

She was such a stubborn girl, and he hated it when she pitied herself in this way. “You will stand. You will walk. Why are you fighting me on this? Try? What do you have to lose? Stop feeling sorry for yourself, and start making things better for yourself.”

“Feeling sorry for myself? Is that what you think?”

Alex knelt down and faced her, his hands resting on her knees. “Yes, Bella. It is what I think. You’re a strong, determined woman, but your determination is headed in the wrong direction. Don’t determine that you’re going to be stuck in this chair forever. If you do, that’s what will happen.”

“Then you wouldn’t want to be my friend or…she paused. “Is that what you’re saying?”

“You’re beautiful, charming, intelligent and your friendship means everything to me, but if you are convinced that you’ll never walk and you allow yourself to be a victim, then I don’t know if I can be a part of your life.”

Bella shoved his hands from her knees. “I was right about you all along. You don’t want to be with me because I’m in a wheel chair. You want a walking, dancing Bella.”

“Of course I do. As I said before whether or not you’re in the chair doesn’t change who you are inside. What you make of the chair and your attempt to create a better life for yourself is what makes you who you are. It’s when you stop trying that you’ll start dying.”

“You are so ignorant. Go away. I don’t want your help, or your lectures. You may think you’re helping me, but you’re not. Go away.”

“Bella, please. I’m sorry. Please. Maybe not today but you have to promise me you’ll try to walk again and not for me or your father, but for yourself.

“Leave me alone. Now!” she yelled.

Pedro came up behind them and wrapped his hands around the handles of the chair. “I think she asked you to go away,” he said, his eyes trained on Alex.

“Don’t do this, Bella,” Alex said ignoring Pedro’s presence.

She looked away from him.

After a minute of silence with the watchdog glaring at him, Alex started to walk away. He called back to her. “I won’t give up on you, Bella. Don’t give up on yourself.” He hoped she would listen to his words. He was aware that if she gave up on herself, that she would surely give up on the two of them ever having a relationship. Alex knew that he was falling in love with her and the thought of losing her hurt, but more than that, the thought of her losing herself hurt even worse.

Julio arranged for Miguel to travel to a different city almost every day. Today he was in Monterrey and today would be his thirty-second speech. He was more nervous than usual. The rural areas he’d spoken in brought in the poor, and they were the people who wanted change. However, Monterrey was home to many wealthy people who liked the distance from the City, people who lived in villas and elaborate haciendas and liked the expensive lives they led. He may not be as welcome here as in other places. But it would be a good warm-up for the audience Julio had told him would be present in Mexico City, which was scheduled in a little over a week.

He stepped inside the city’s cathedral, glad to see that the gathering was a good size, and this pleased him, giving him much needed confidence.

He placed his Bible on the pulpit and faced the crowd, his eyes catching glimpse of a young boy of maybe thirteen and his spirit and his faith renewed with the freshness and innocence of this boy. He was on a mission to save children like this one in the audience from succumbing to the evils of drugs and perversion.

“There is only one salvation.” He paused and raised his right hand high. “And, that is in Jesus Christ our Lord. There are those out there who deem themselves higher than the Lord and they steal from you, and they deceive you and your families. They kill the innocent, and they reap the wealth. But their evil does not go unnoticed, my friends. Psalms 37; versus 1-4—
Fret not because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass, And fade like the green earth. Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight in yourself in the Lord; And he will give you the desires of your heart.”
With each word spoken, Miguel’s voice raised an octave and his strength grew, for the words he spoke were the truth.

“You see, these men who destroy in the name of wealth and power will wither away, but it is good people like you who keep your faith in the Lord who will thrive. However, we must fight against this evil that threatens our cities, our children, and our livelihoods. Drugs and money are the products of evildoers and these men that I speak of, and many of you have heard their names, will be done away with. They come from prominent families and they threaten your very lives. It is time to take their power away and take back our beautiful country from such corruption.”

Miguel went on to speak in this manner for over an hour, quoting more verses, speaking of real situations caused by the implosion of drugs being funneled through the country, and at one point, going so far as to name the Espinoza family as being behind much of the corruption. He still had yet to name Javier as a culprit, but by the time he made his way to Mexico City he knew that he would be able to do that as well. The people knew of whom he spoke. The implications made were not subtle.

After shaking parishioners’ hands and speaking one on one with many of them, Miguel was escorted back to his hotel room where his supper would be brought to him and he could get a night’s rest before leaving early in the morning for the next town. He sipped a glass of red wine that the man who had been assigned to him as his bodyguard brought to him. He sighed heavily after taking a long sip and wondered if word had spread about his confrontational speeches. He felt certain that by the end of next week in Mexico City, his words would have spread throughout the entire country.

Julio also warned Miguel that his life might be in danger as he traveled the country, his remarks creating great hostility, angering many influential people. But Miguel no longer feared reprisal, for with each sermon, his belief in what he was doing grew stronger. It no longer concerned him about whom he was speaking out against. The evil he wished to see destroyed was far more important.

*****

The ten days Alex was away from Bella before
Christmas were difficult, and not knowing if she would ever speak to him again made it more difficult. He didn’t realize how close they’d become until they were apart. It was the first time he’d felt happy since before his mother died, and how quickly his mood had changed with her anger and fear. He had to do something to fix things between them and it had to be something big.

He knew that Antonio and Javier were pleased with his work. He’d become adept at laundering drug money through a local family jewelry business. He was also learning how to manipulate accounting procedures.

However, he also knew that Isabella wouldn’t approve of these business dealings. He wrote her that he was raising campaign funds in the States for her father, who was considering running for President with the
Partido Revolucionario Institucional
, the leading Mexican political party. He didn’t know if she would read his letter, but he sent it anyway, and in it he apologized for the way he’d spoken to her, but told her that he still believed that she could walk. He told her how much he missed her and he prayed that they could continue their friendship. He hoped she would believe the lies he told about what he did for her father.

Javier was gaining favor with the elite as well as the population at large. Those in power were touting him as a man who would become the first president without any taint of corruption. His status as governor was also helping his political prospects. Things looked good for the coming election, but if Bella and the majority of the population knew the truth about Javier and Antonio’s dealings, his chances of winning the election would surely diminish.

Alex enjoyed Bella’s naiveté. It lent her a certain sweetness. But he also realized it could harm her in the long run. He wished he could tell her the truth, but that would be impossible if he wanted to keep seeing her.

Instead, he concentrated on his work and on finding a perfect Christmas gift for Bella. One that would please her so she’d have to forgive him and get over the argument they’d had. He was making great money working for Antonio and Javier and he’d been stashing it away. He knew exactly what he wanted to buy her, but he wondered if it was too extravagant. He decided to ask Javier, who agreed that the gift was a wonderful idea.

“Let me tell you, I don’t think you have enough money to buy her a horse of the caliber she’s used to,” Javier told him, when Alex phoned one evening from Los Angeles to discuss the prospect. “And I understand she’s quite angry with you.” Javier chuckled.

“Yes, well, maybe that will change with this gift. How much could a horse cost? A couple of thousand dollars?”

Javier laughed aloud. “My dear boy, you are street-wise, but there are some things that you’re so ignorant about it’s funny. I suggest that I buy her the horse, and you buy her a new saddle. We gave the saddle she used to own to the school after her accident.”

“Well, I... It’s that I really wanted to buy her the horse.”

“All right. Let me put it to you this way, Alejandro. Do you have a few hundred thousand dollars to spare on a horse for my daughter?”

Alex’s mouth fell open. “No, I didn’t realize…”

“Of course you didn’t. The gesture itself is quite noble. You must be falling pretty hard for my daughter.”

“I like her a lot, sir.”

“Of course you do. Your idea is brilliant, but I think I’ll give you an early Christmas present. I’ll buy the horse for Bella, and you buy her the saddle. I know you have your mind set on buying the horse for her, so I’m going to give you a list of some contacts I have in the horse business. You will have the joy of finding Bella the perfect mount. As soon as you think you’ve found it, give me a call and I’ll wire the money. But trust me when I tell you that you don’t have much time. You’ll be booking a lot of flights, because when you’re in the horse business, my boy, you have to play like the players.”

Alex wasn’t sure what Javier meant, but he had the feeling he would soon find out. After getting the names and numbers he needed from Javier, he hung up, dazed by the conversation, but excited all the same.

The search proved exhausting. After a week, Alex knew the difference between Holsteiners, Trakkheners, Thoroughbreds, and Selle Francais. He could distinguish between grays, bays, and chestnuts. He began to fancy himself quite the horse connoisseur. He flew from coast to coast, from Miami to the Hamptons, and back to California. After looking at some one hundred different show jumpers, he came across what he’d been searching for, a 17 hands, bay Holsteiner mare. To Alex, she was the most exquisite animal he’d ever seen—amazingly powerful with big, sweet eyes that reflected a gentle spirit. She was six years old, and her potential was clear when he witnessed her rider sail over various jumps.

Alex knew this young mare was the right one and she had wonderful bloodlines. He got the selling price down to $125,000, and made arrangements to have her shipped from the Florida stables to her new home in Mexico. They paid extra to ensure the mare’s arrival by Christmas.

He phoned Javier, who thanked him, telling him he trusted Alex’s judgment; he would not need to fly up to look at her for himself. The money was transferred from a Swiss bank account to the owner’s account, the transaction swift and neat, and Alex returned to Los Angeles. The mare was on her way to Mexico for Christmas. Alex, his heart filled with anticipation, followed close behind, leaving a disgruntled Hector in charge of operations. Alex felt guilty about leaving everything for Hector to do, but Emilio assured him that it would be all right for the holidays. This would be Alex’s second Christmas without his mother. The year before he could barely recall, as his life had recently taken a new path, and he’d begun his studies. This Christmas he wouldn’t need to study to escape from his pain of being without his mother over the holidays. This year he would be with Bella, if she would still have him, and thinking about her surprise gift warmed his heart.

*****

“How dare you beckon me like a servant! What in the hell do you want anyway?” Pedro bellowed at Emilio—whose eyes danced with amusement at Pedro’s agitation.

“Well,” Emilio began as he paced across the floor of the suite he’d rented in Miami Beach for the week, “It would appear, my friend, that you and I have some common interests.”

“I doubt that.”

“Don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions.” Emilio shook a finger at him. “I guarantee you’ll want to hear what I have to say.”

“I’m listening, but I don’t have a lot of time,” Pedro replied, glancing down at his gold Rolex.

“Alejandro Peña is a thorn in both our sides.”

“I don’t have any problems with Alex.”