“I’m not getting my hair wet,” Maria said. “They need to get a rubber raft for me.”
“You promised us fake IDs,” Patricia said.
“Where can I rent a toddler? That should move me to the front of the line,” Maria added.
“You fools!” Scabby looked up from texting and slapped the dashboard. “Haven’t you listened to a thing I said? The effing border is almost closed. They’re slow-rolling everyone. Trucks are lined up three miles deep. All the agents are overwhelmed with the caravan folks, and the shelters are stuffed with asylum seekers. If you’re going over, you’re doing it the old-fashioned way. Swim.”
“Actually, I’m not stupid.” Reuben glared at Juan. “This is my van, and if I want to wait in line, I can.”
“And what exactly are you going to do when themigraask you why you’re going over?” Juan’s voice was full of snark.
“I’m asking for asylum from you. Get out of the van,” Reuben roared.
“No effing chance.” Scabby pulled a gun. “Ivan, get these girls into the Moneygram store and wait for their wire transfers.”
“I need to pee,” Reuben said.
“Fine, give me the keys,” Scabby said. “And don’t come back without the money.”
“Don’t worry, we won’t.” Reuben grabbed his backpack and rolled out of the van. “It stinks in here.”
“Says the main cause of global warming.” Ivan waved his hand in front of his nose. “I’m not the one hitting the rice and beans.”
“When I get to America, Patricia and I will eat steak.” Reuben slammed the door.
“She’ll dump you,” Scabby said. “She was only faking it because of Leanna’s game.”
“Hey, I like Reuben,” Patricia said. “At least he’s nice.”
“Okay, okay.” Ivan opened the back door. “Ladies, gather your stuff. Remember. When we get in there, look like tourists. After you pay us, we’ll meet the coyotes at the Cantina Gallina Bonita.”
“You idiot,” Scabby griped. “Don’t tell them where the meet point is. Now I have to change it. I’ll text you the new location.”
Reuben took Patricia’s hand and helped her out. The two of them giggled like high school sweethearts as they headed for the Moneygram store.
Ivan crawled out and extended a hand to Maria. “Are you going to be okay?”
“I’m a little woozy, but hey, it helped pass the time quickly,” she said. “After we cross, I’m headed for one of those sanctuary cities where they can give me free food and free needles.”
“How about you?” he asked Leanna.
“I’m good. You guys go ahead,” Leanna said, feeling anything but good. She was going to have it out with Juan, the liar, and make him give her five hundred dollars back.
As soon as the others disappeared into the Moneygram store, she glared at Scabby Juan. “Okay, spit it out. There is no Carmelita, and there’s no caravan. I saw nothing but trucks carrying vegetables. There aren’t even any tour buses. You ripped me off five hundred dollars on a wild goose chase.”
Juan averted his eyes and scratched his goatee, letting small flakes of skin fly. He cracked the joints in his neck by moving his head first to one side, and then to the other.
“Well?” Leanna raised her voice. “What do you have to say? You lied to me. You and Ivan showed me pictures of a teenager and two guys sitting on a flatbed truck. You put me on an emotional roller coaster, thinking my daughter’s alive, and that I would meet her. You made me think they were on the road for days, walking miles and miles, and now, I find out that Monterrey is only three hours from the border, and that the caravan was one big show for the news media.”
Juan heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes. Since he held the gun, Leanna refrained from slapping him.
“Explain,” she said. “Why did you drug and kidnap me? Where’s Carmelita, if she exists?”
He caressed the gun and pointed it at her. “Shut up.”
“You owe me an explanation and my money back,” Leanna said. “You lying, conniving son of a bitch.”
“No. I am your protector.”
