“Check what?”

“I didn’t take the Jeep back to the States. I took the Explorer. I picked it up at the airstrip. There is a tarp over the cargo space in back. Adelita begged me to bring her with me when I came back to get you. I said no. She may have hidden in the back.”

“May have?”

“I thought I’d convinced her that we could take care of it. I promised her we would.”

I feel the pressure building again, the need to rip something apart or scream. Instead, I center myself, focus on drawing strength from deep inside. “Care of what? What exactly did you promise, Max?”

“When we were in the border station, I showed her some pictures of cartel members, to see if she could identify who attacked her. She identified Luis. She also identified the man who came to her village. The one who kidnapped her.”

I know before he says it.

“Ramon.”

He nods. “She went crazy when she saw his picture. Said she had to stop him from kidnapping any more girls. I promised her that we would stop him—you and I. She agreed to stay at the border station until we got back.”

“But she didn’t. How could you have not known she was in the back of the car?”

Max releases a breath. “On the way here, I thought I heard something—a noise—from the back.” He lowers his eyes. “I just figured something had shifted. You’ve seen the back of my truck. I keep tools in the back. And other stuff. When I didn’t hear anything again, I forgot about it.” He holds out his hands. “Anna, how could I have known she stowed away? She told me she’d wait for us.”

My eyes drift out through the window to Adelita, tied like an animal to the well. I’m not ready to concede that Max was not to blame for her being here. Part of me admires her courage and determination. Part of me wants to shake her until her teeth rattle.

She has not uttered a sound since arriving at the village. Her face is turned toward the direction of the dogs, the sound of them worrying at the corpse and snapping at each other hangs heavy and grotesquely on the still morning air. She must be so scared.

“Anna?”

Max’s voice pulls me back. I shift my gaze to him.

“Luis said they’re expecting a shipment today. We have to get the girls out of here.”

He’s right.

Luis didn’t say when the truck was due, but what if Ramon gathers the troops and directs them to the church to wait? Our luck is running out.

Esmeralda appears suddenly at our side. She, too, heard all that transpired outside and understood the conversation between Max and me. Her grasp of the situation is evident in the shadow of fear that darkens her eyes. “What are we going to do?” she asks.

I look up at Max. “You take the girls. Get as far away as you can.” A tiny pause. “And you will make sure they stay put this time, right?”

A spark flares in Max’s eyes. “I’ve already had one new asshole ripped today. Don’t need another one.” He jabs a finger in my direction. “And you?”

“I’m going to wait for the shipment to arrive. When the men are busy unloading the truck, I’ll free Culebra. Then we take care of Ramon.”

Max hefts the backpack. “What about Luis?”

“Get the girls to safety. Meet us back where you camped out that first night. We’ll bring Luis there.”

“Just you and Culebra? There must be twenty men in the village now that Ramon is back.”

I allow a growl to erupt from the pit of my rage. I lean close so that only Max can hear. “Good thing I’m hungry.”

CHAPTER 42

ESMERALDA HAS THE GIRLS UP AND GATHERED around her. She whispers how important it is that they be very quiet. Max climbs out the back window first and I lift the girls one at a time to his waiting arms. I focus all my attention on listening, making sure no one is approaching the church until they are all safely hunkered down outside. Then I signal Max to move out.

Esmeralda grabs my hand and kisses it.

I touch her cheek.

Then they are gone.

I still have Max’s duffel and I open it and take inventory. There are two grenades, the guns and plenty of ammunition. Too bad Max didn’t pack real explosives—dynamite or C4. It would be an easy way to take care of both the drugs and the men—rig a bomb.

The fact that I don’t know how to rig a bomb I view as a minor impediment. And make a note to do some research on that when I get home.

I listen but don’t yet hear the approach of a vehicle signaling the arrival of the drugs. Time to alert Culebra and get him ready to act when I say the word.

I open my thoughts to him and he’s there.

What’s going on? I haven’t heard from you for hours. Did Max make it?

Come and gone, I reply.

What do you mean gone?

Just left with the girls.

So, it’s just you and me.

How many men with you?

Three now. Two just came back. They think Luis is loco. They said that fucking all that young pussy has softened his brain. They found out what he did to the villagers when he discovered the new girls had gone missing. They plan to go along with him until the truck gets here, then get the hell out the first opportunity they get.

Think they all feel that way?

At least the ones who went out with Ramon looking for Max. They aren’t too crazy about Ramon, either. Think he’s planning something. Trust is not big among these thugs.

I let a beat go by before changing the subject. How are you holding up?

Fine. I’m done waiting for these cogidas locas to tell us where Santiago is. I say we get one or two of them somewhere alone and make them talk.

My thoughts exactly. There is one complication. I tell him about Adelita following Max and how she came back to stop Ramon. That it was Ramon who kidnapped her from her village. I also tell him that right now she’s tied next to the well and that Luis will probably kill her after he uses her to help process the shipment coming in today.

Brave girl, Culebra says. Stupid, but brave. But you have no intention of letting him kill her.

Not a chance. I’m thinking we let her work for the narcos. Then when the truck gets ready to leave, we lob one of Max’s grenades into it. That will take care of one problem. If we’re lucky, most of the men will be inside, too. Ramon, you can take care of. Once I’ve got Adelita safe, we’ll take her and Luis and meet Max. Can you get free?

Just tell me when.

Culebra falls quiet and I do, too. More waiting. More nervous energy building up with no way to release the pressure. I wish I could let Adelita know I’m here and that we’ll get her out when the time comes. I take out one of the grenades and toss it hand to hand, feeling its round heft, listening to the safety ring jingle against the fuse. This tiny activity brings some relief, some promise of action to come.

While vampire rests quietly inside.

She is not restless or anxious. She is patient.

And hungry.

CHAPTER 43

LUIS IS THE ONE WHO ALERTS ME THAT THE TRUCK is on its way. He comes out of his shack, a cell phone at his ear and Ramon at his heels, and heads for Adelita. In a minute, he’s cut the rope binding her to the post and is dragging her toward the church.

I remembered the first time I watched the village from my hiding place in the brush. How the church bells called the villagers to what I mistakenly thought was worship. I’m in the same place now, the duffel safe beside me, watching the same procession of men, women and children answer the peal of the bells. The difference this time, though, is that half the men are limping, their leg wounds bound by clumsy bandages, their faces drawn and pale from the pain.

I’ve removed all traces of the girls’ presence from the church. The empty water bottles, the wrappers from the protein bars. Even used a rag from the duffel to scrub away Peppi’s urine stain before moving back to the other side of the village.