“And because he’s had people killed for disagreeing with him. Nobody’s bulletproof in his world, except maybe him. Plus, he’s still furious with Ramona because she let their daughter get abducted. He’s angry and short-tempered with everyone right now because he’s cash-strapped from fighting for control of the Cartel’s area, bleeding money like it was an arterial wound. He’s desperate for funds and willing to do anything to get some.” He sighed, “So, you want to meet her or not?”
Hunter let a few seconds of silence go by before answering, “Where?”
“Abbey Road Cafe, it’s quiet there.”
“Abbey Road, like the Beatles Song?”
“Yeah, there’s a small museum at the café with Beatle memorabilia in it. It’s pretty good, actually.”
“Huh.”
“Not what you’d expect in Mexico.”
“Long as the food’s okay.”
“It is.”
“Okay, what day and time?”
Ike told her.
“I’ll bring Norma with me.”
“Bueno.”
~**~
Norma told Hunter a bit about the location as they arrived at the brightly painted exterior that showed pastels of orange, red, yellow, and blue in a homage to the 60’s. Ike waited at the door and led them to a table where Ramona and Anita sat near a five-foot high black and white framed photo of the Beatles in their heyday.
Anita’s face lit up and she ran to Hunter, who picked her up and hugged her. She said to Ramona, “It is all right if I hold her a while?”
Ramona nodded, then pointed to the chairs across from her, “Please, sit.”
Hunter sat so she faced Ramona and the Beatles poster as she put Anita on her knee. Hunter noticed the bruise on Ramona’s cheek that ghosted through extra makeup like the bottom of a building thunderhead. Norma sat beside her, and Ike remained standing.
The waiter arrived and both Hunter and Norma ordered Modelo. The man nodded and slipped away, returning with two dark bottles of cold beer a moment later.
Hunter took a sip, gave Anita another quick hug and said to Ramona, “I’m listening.”
Ramona smiled a little at Hunter for addressing her that way, like, who does she think she is? Ramona said, “I have names of two of the women who took Anita.”
Hunter put her phone on the table and was ready to one-handed type so she could still hold the child. “Go ahead.”
“Sandra Avila and Sofia Cardenas. There was a third woman, huge, maybe three-hundred pounds, that I believe was with her, and a fourth that is muscular.”
“Are they from Acuña?”
“No, from Juarez, at least originally.”
“Who do they work for?”
“I think for Juarez, but I’m not certain.” She looked at Hunter as if the woman was dense.
“So, the Juarez Cartel has people here.”
“Yes. Either them or the Zetas, who are after everything from Laredo to Arizona. They have a foothold in Juarez.”
“But not here?”