Gringa - In the Clutches of a Ruthless Drug Lord (92 page)

             
I nod.

             
‘What about you? What are your plans without me?’

             
I grab his chin. ‘All my plans contain you so just stop, okay?’

             
Finally, it’s time to tell him about my father and the rape conviction. ‘So you see, I didn’t feel I had a choice, understand? It was my father and I felt I didn’t have a way out.’

             
He is so quiet, I began to shift in my seat. Then he shrugs. ‘Maybe I would do that same for
Troy
. Maybe.’

             
I hug him really hard, grateful for his understanding. 

             
It’s thirty days since I found him and we spend all that time in each others arms. I know our time together is limited and he knows it too, so every moment together is prized.

             
Troy
visits regularly. ‘Gringa, your father, he wants to see you.’

             
‘My father? Is he alright?’

             
‘Yes, he is fine but he wants to see you.’

             
I’m suddenly really concerned. ‘Okay.’ I look at Manual.

             
‘I arrange it, Senora,’ Manual says. ‘I will make sure no one is following us.’

             
‘Thanks Manual.’ 

Manual drives me to Siempre. My father looks at me and shakes his head. ‘Payton, you are asking for trouble …’

             
‘Dad!’ I snap. ‘No lectures. I’m a big girl now.’

             
He shrugs. ‘Fine.’

             
Elaine, Paris and Austin are also there.  

             
‘So where is he?’ they take turns to ask.

             
I shrug.

             
‘Heard that no Mexican will reveal his whereabouts cos of all the good his done,’
Austin
says.

             
I shrug again. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t been found as yet.
             

             
‘$
1
million dollars,’
Paris
says. ‘That’s the reward, now. C’mon Payton, we can split it.’

             
‘
Paris
!’ I say through gritted teeth. ‘Shut the fuck up!’ 

             
‘He’s going down, Payton,’ she says. ‘They’re gonna get him eventually so what’s the big deal.  $
1
mill – that’s buys a lot. 60 / 40 - how ’bout it’

             
I lunge at her ready to punch her in the face but she darts behind her mother.

             
Austin
walks over to me and puts his hands on my shoulders. ‘Don’t worry about her, Payton. She’s an idiot. You do what you need to do. He’s done bad but he’s also done a lot of good. They should just leave him alone. Everyone should just back off and leave you guys in peace.’

             
I’m so grateful to hear him say those words I actually give him a hug. At least I can still count on
Austin
. I remember the times when Diago wanted to kick the crap out of him and yet, he’s bearing no grudges.

             
‘Thanks for being a friend, Austin. I really need one right now.’

             
‘I will always have your back,
Payton
. No matter what.’

             
I nod and release him.

             
Suddenly to my horror, Depp and Grey enter the room. I spin around to look at my family. No one will meet my eyes except
Austin
. 

             
‘You fucking assholes!’ I snarl.  

             
Depp grabs my arm and shoves into another room.

             
‘You …you’re
harbouring
him,’ he
snarls.

             
I silently try to break his hold on my arm.

             
‘Payton!’

             
I look up.

             
‘You will spend years in a
Mexican
jail. You want that? For the double murders
and
this shit. ’

             
I don’t know what to say. I turn away from him. 

             
He grabs my arm and violently swings me around to face him. ‘Wake the fuck up!’

             
‘Depp, what do you want me to do? Give him up? Betray him
again
? He’s going down anyway. Life. Maybe even the chair or whatever this place dishes. If I give him up he’s never gonna want to see me again and frankly Depp, I can’t live like that. I love him, okay?’

             
He snorts.

             
‘You know what your problem is, Depp? You were never fortunate enough to love someone so much that you would die for that person? That’s your problem.’

             
He shakes his head. ‘You’re a dumbass!’

             
‘You’re getting personal, Mr FBI.’  

             
‘The fuck I am!’ he yells in my face.

             
I jerk back.

             
Grey rushes inside, grabs Depp and tries to drag him away. Depp shrugs him off and glares at me.

             
‘He tried to slice your throat you stupid bitch,’ he says. ‘Dumb …’

             
‘Hey, fuck you!’ I say. Our argument is now off the record. ‘You’re a fucking

cold-hearted sonofabitch!’

             
‘And you’re a fucking stupid, bleeding …’

             
Grey steps between us to prevent a, well, fist-fight I think.

             
Depp snarls at me, then turns and storms out of the house.

             
Grey looks at me. I look away. In spite of everything, I still like Depp better than Grey and it shows. 

             
‘Look Payton,’ Grey says, his voice strangely calm, ‘we’re afraid for you. You’ve become important to us and we’re ...I gotta tell you, things are pretty much out of our control now. ‘Give him up, get an attorney and save yourself. It’s best for everyone.’

             
Best for everyone?
Like you?

             
‘I’ll think about it,’ I say because, I need to say
something
.

             
He nods.

             
I look out the window - Depp is sitting on a wall puffing furiously on a cigarette. Grey and I exchange glances. I leave the room and walk up to Depp.

             
When he sees me approach, his scowl intensifies.

             
I stand in front of him and frown. How do I tell him to back off or he’s going to get killed?

             
For about
ten
seconds there is silence.

             
‘Depp, you need to back off.’

             
‘The fuck I do.’

             
‘Grey too. They will kill you guys, Depp.’

             
‘Tell me something I don’t know.’

             
‘Depp, this is serious.’

             
‘Tell me something I don’t know.’

             
‘Depp! Listen to me - you touch Diago, they
will
kill you.’

             
‘Yeah?’

             
‘Yeah. They …they told me this.’

             
He looks at me and sneers. ‘I could arrest you right now, you know?’

             
I say nothing.

             
‘You know what they wanna do? Replace me and Grey with some other agents. You want that?’

             
‘No. No.’

             
He glares at me then looks away.

             
I place my hand on his shoulder. ‘I appreciate what you did for Diago that night. I owe you. I’m trying to work things out but it’s kinda complicated right now.’

             
He stares pointedly at my hand on his shoulder.

             
‘He’s my husband, Depp. I’m struggling with this. I’m in a dark place.
He’s
in a dark place. I need help. I need a friend.’

             
He exhales loudly. ‘I care, Payton.’ 

             
I smile and nod. ‘I know you do, Depp. I know you do. I’m relying on that.’

             
We stare at each other for a moment. With a groan, he stands up and hugs me.

             
‘I’m so sorry, Payton. We fucked up. I’m sorry for you, for Diablo … I’m sorry.’

             
I’m surprised and touched by this gesture. ‘That’s okay. I’m sorry too.’

             
We grin at each other.

             
‘Eh, you hug all your snitches like this, Mr FBI?’

             
He chuckles.

             
Grey charges at us, a look of horror on his face. ‘Depp, you’re way out of line!’ he says. ‘Let go of her. Now!’

             
Depp looks at Grey then at me and quickly releases me.

             
‘It’s okay,’ I say. ‘It’s okay.’

             
‘I won’t allow him to be hurt,’ Depp says. ‘Give him up and I promise he’ll probably have to do some time. You can get the best attorney in
Mexico
who’ll show a traumatised child taking revenge or something like that. He’ll walk. Man, if OJ can walk  ... ’