Chapter Sixteen
Axe was glad he’d brought the emergency backpacks full of first aid equipment, freeze-dried food, and weapons. He was going to need all of it if he were to infiltrate a migrant caravan. But first, he needed pictures of Carmelita, Ana, and Eduardo.
“Your job is to get me into Ana’s house,” he said to Pablo. “I’ll also need a fake ID.”
“I can make you one with Eduardo’s stuff,” the snitch said. “I know where the neighbor hides the key. She didn’t do a good job of dissuading Leanna, so I’m docking her on the pay.”
“How much?” Axe counted his cash.
“Fifty bucks.”
“Not paying. Comes out of your expenses.” Axe put the money back in his pocket.
“Hey, I ought to charge you for damaging my ride,” Pablo said.
“Docking you for not watching my back. I told you Leanna and I were going to be at the cantina.”
“You didn’t tell me you let her go in alone.” Pablo sniffed. “That was stupid.”
“Whatever. Let’s get the intel I need. Oh, and my phone’s gone, so I’ll need a new one.”
“That’ll cost you.” Pablo produced a phone from his pocket. “Let’s see, five hundred.”
“Nope. I paid for everything up front.” Axe twisted the phone from Pablo’s hand. “Thanks. Let’s go.”
“Hey, your father said you’re good for the money.”
“My father said you were the big boss of the block. The way I see it, you overstated your qualifications, and I overstated the pay. We’re even.” He patted Pablo’s shoulder a little too hard, causing the dandy to wince. “You look like a pimp wearing a disco suit.”
Fifteen minutes later, Axe stood watch as Pablo retrieved Ana and Eduardo’s key from under the neighbor’s doormat. Eduardo made fake IDs for the migrants, and Ana cooked and packed food for them. At least Pablo was good for information and spreading gossip.
“I’m sure old Belinda saw me,” Pablo said when he returned. “But she screwed up, so I’m keeping the key.”
“You going to feed him?” Axe pointed to the large grey cat flicking his tail at them.
“Let’s get in there and make you an ID,” Pablo said. “Guess I’ll give him water. Old Belinda’s paid to feed him. Not me.”
He unreeled the hose and filled the water side of the dish.
“I can’t believe Ana and Eduardo were mixed up with the smuggling operations,” Axe said.
“Don’t use the word ‘smuggling,’” Pablo said. “We prefer to call it ‘migration facilitation,’ or ‘border crossing services.’ ‘Human movement operational support,’ ‘migrant logistics specialist’…”
“I get the picture.” Axe waved his hand in a circle. “Except, I’d think a schoolteacher and engineer would keep their noses clean.”
“What they need is extra income, under the table,” Pablo said. “You know how it is. Gotta pay taxes, pay the protection racket, pay for permits, fees, pay, pay, pay.”
“I get it. Except now, they’re being extorted by the gangs, and my guess is Carmelita is a hostage to get them to pay.”
“They can’t afford what Carmelita will bring.” Pablo unlocked the door and pushed it open. “Phew. Do you smell that?”
“Dead animal.” Axe covered his nose with his sleeve, as his heart rate jumped. “Maybe a rat.”
The cat dashed through the narrow opening before anyone could stop him.
Pablo swallowed and gestured through the door. “You go first.”
“Chicken.” Axe pushed into the dark, dank house. The putrid odor hit him between the eyes, but it was the sight in front of him that turned his stomach.
