Page 38 of Pax

“You shouldn’t have to get used to it,” said Luke. “Are you alright?” She eyed the men suspiciously and took a step back.

“I told you. I’m not interested in what you’re offering.” The men looked at one another, then at the young girl.

“We’re not offering anything,” said Luke. “We’re here to help a friend.” She carefully took one step backward, staring at the five men.

“Y-you don’t want me to get on a boat to America?”

“No. We don’t, but did someone ask you to do that?” She nodded, looking at the tray of broken glass. “Can you sit and speak with us?”

“Let me tell my papa that I’m taking a break. We’re slow tonight.” They heard her shuffle to the back of the restaurant and then came out with five bottles of water and several different dishes. They looked at her and smiled.

“We didn’t order anything,” said Luke.

“No, but you look like you can eat. My papa is the best cook within a hundred miles. His food is excellent. Eat, and if you don’t like it, you don’t pay for it.”

“Thank you,” smiled Eric. “Have a seat. Why are men trying to get you to take a boat to America?”

“I don’t know. They came in and told my papa that they knew of doctors who could help me there. I’ve seen doctors. I’ve seen hundreds of doctors. There is nothing they can do for me.”

“So, did they leave you alone?” asked Hex.

“No. But it wasn’t about me any longer. My mother was hit by a car and lost her leg, broke her back, and other injuries. She’s completely disabled. It’s just me and papa running the restaurant all day.”

“I see. So, they think you’re an easy mark because you need your mother to be healthy,” said Hex.

“I guess so. We don’t want to leave here, but men like those come in every now and then and cause problems.”

“Do you know who the men were that asked you to go to America? Had you seen them before?” asked Luke.

“No. One was American, but the other, he wasn’t Mexican. He sounded like he was from El Salvador. The accent is very different.”

“What did they look like?” asked Eric.

“Older than all of you,” she said, staring at their faces. Hex and Cam just nodded, knowing that the men were probably not older than the two of them. “They both had white hair mixed with their darker hair, but the American was balding. He thought he was covering it, but he wasn’t.”

“Were they tall?” asked Luke.

“Hmm,” she said, staring at the men. She stood and waved a hand for Luke to stand. He smiled at her and stood beside her. “If I am here on you, I was only to here on him.”

“So, at my shoulder?” asked Luke. She nodded. “That would make him about five-nine or -ten. What’s your name?”

“Valeria. Valeria Maria Gabriella Sanchez,” she smiled. Turning, she saw her father’s smiling face standing in the entrance to the kitchen. “This is my papa. Jorge Gabriel Tomas Sanchez.”

“Señor Sanchez, it’s very nice to meet you, and the food is delicious,” smiled Luke.

“Gracias,” he nodded. “You’re not going to hurt my daughter, are you?”

“No, sir. We have no intentions of hurting anyone other than those men responsible for taking people on the boats to America.”

“The ones who never return,” he said quietly.

“You knew?” asked Eric.

“We hear things. We never see these people again. Some are not from here, but they are often brought this way to pick up other people. One of the victims told me they chained him to the boat because of bad weather, but the weather was perfect. This is bad.”

“Yes. Yes, it is,” said Luke. “Very, very bad.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

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