I stared at Lucia. I recalled the story vividly. It had been all over the news at the time. The father and two sons slaughtered in a gangland style execution in their own home. The body of his teenage daughter had never been recovered, and she was assumed to have been kidnapped and murdered. Or worse.
I swallowed as I remembered how often I had wondered about the fate of that poor girl, and how many times I had prayed that she had escaped.
‘Please, have a seat, Lucia,’ Alejandro said again as he indicated the armchair. ‘And tell us what really brought you to L.A, and why the hell you have dragged me and my wife into your fucked up life.’
I shot him a look of annoyance. She might have lied, but she was still just a child. Did he have no compassion at all?
Lucia walked further into the room and sat down and I followed her back towards the sofa. Alejandro reached for me and took my hand, pulling me to sit beside him. I was thankful to have something solid beneath me as my knees trembled.
She stared at us both and then she took a deep breath. ‘I watched my father and my brothers slaughtered and when they came for me, I ran.’
‘And that’s it? You just ran and they never caught up with you? You expect me to believe that?’ Alejandro asked, his handsome face pulled into a frown.
Lucia glared at him defiantly. ‘I used to run track for my high school. I was the best in the district. I also knew my neighborhood better than any of those goons. So, I ran, and then I hid. I lived on the streets for a few weeks until the heat died down a little. But I knew I needed a long term plan. It was only a matter of time before my father’s enemies came looking for me, or the state found me and put me into care. So, I went to see one of my brothers friends, Blake. I thought that he’d be able to look out for me. And at first he did. He got me false papers. He told me he loved me. We were planning to move to Boston and get married, but it seemed he was just after the kudos that marrying a Ramos would give him. He was still seeing his ex-girlfriend behind my back. I caught them fucking and laughing about what a sucker I was. So, I ran. Again. I caught the first bus I could find and I ended up here in L.A.’
I sat in stunned silence, wondering how the hell this poor kid had coped with all of the tragedy in her life. But Alejandro didn’t seem to share my concern and he narrowed his eyes at her. ‘So, it was just a coincidence that you ended up in the shelter where my wife works?’ he snapped.
I frowned at him and was about to tell him to back off, but Lucia was already answering his question.
‘Believe it or not, it was. A very fortunate and happy coincidence, but I didn’t seek Alana, or you out, Mr. Montoya.’
Alejandro snorted and shook his head in apparent disbelief.
‘But why would Lucy seek me out? Or you?’ I asked. I was completely bewildered by this whole thing.
Lucia’s lip trembled and I heard Alejandro sigh deeply. ‘Because, Alana, the family believed to have murdered Luciana’s family, are … I mean, were our biggest rivals in Chicago. Our family is very well known in Chicago. And, as Lucia well knows, sometimes our enemy’s enemy can be our greatest ally.’
‘Theywereyour biggest rivals?’ I asked, wondering at the meaning behind his deliberate use of the past tense.
Lucia laughed. ‘Before their boss and his second had their heads chopped off and put on spikes.’
Alejandro flashed her a look and she stopped laughing and clamped her mouth shut in a dramatic, teenage fashion.
‘What?’ I looked at Lucia and then Alejandro. ‘Did you have anything to do with that?’
‘Alana!’ he snapped. I should have known better than to ask such a question in front of Lucia, and I looked down at my hands. I felt completely out of my depth here.
Alejandro reached for my hand and squeezed it before he carried on addressing our guest. ‘Let’s pretend that I believe you ended up in L.A, and at the shelter by chance, what brings you here to our door tonightyoung runaway?’
‘Oh, that,’ she said with a sniff. ‘I hate that foster home. They hate me too. They tried to make me go to church to confess my sins. They think me being pregnant means I’m this complete lost cause and that I need to repent. They made me read the bible after dinner! And the guy is a creep!’
‘Lucy,’ I said, still unused to her real name. ‘You can’t just run away. Did you even tell them you were leaving?’
She shook her head.
‘They’ll be worried about you. You’re going to have to call them,’ I insisted.
‘Okay. But can’t I stay here with you guys tonight?’ she asked, her eyes wide and imploring.
‘No!’ Alejandro barked.
I put my hand on his knee and squeezed. ‘Maybe just for tonight? It’s late.’
Alejandro shook his head.
‘Please?’ Lucia pleaded.
He rolled his eyes. ‘Fine. One night. Then you’re out of here and back to your foster family.’
She nodded eagerly. ‘Thank you.’
‘You’ll still need to call them,’ I reminded her.
‘Of course. Can I borrow your cell?’
‘Where is yours?’ I asked her. No teenager that I knew would be without their cell phone for more than five minutes.
‘The Bakers took it off me. They said it was too much temptation. In case I spoke to any boys,’ she pulled a face and looked down at her rounded belly. ‘Like, I’d want anything to do with any boys!’