“Ah,” said Rubalcava, as his eyes flickered to the end of the alley behind Jack. “John worries too much. I am sure it is nothing.”

“But as a police commander being away from your office, does it not raise any questions?” asked Jack. “They might wonder where you are going.”

“At this time of day it is okay. Every day I leave my office before three o’clock to pick my two sons up from school … but you have reminded me of something.” Rubalcava retrieved his business card and gave it to Jack and said, “John has a way of contacting me through his wife, but if she is not available, call me yourself if it is urgent. Please memorize the numbers. Do not get caught with this card tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry,” replied Jack. “Tomorrow I will be travelling under a false surname and anything I have, like my real wallet or notebook, I will leave in John’s office for safekeeping.”

“That is good. So if you are in dire trouble, call me and say you were robbed by a policeman and got my number from your consulate. I will say you were probably robbed by someone pretending to be a policeman and hang up. Then I will come to this spot.”

“Thank you,” said Jack.

“I will also go through this alley every day at this time while you are working here, so you can meet me if you have something. I will also do it on my way to work, between eight-thirty and nine. If it is more urgent, then call me.”

“Again, thank you. It is very much appreciated.”

Rubalcava eyed Jack curiously for a moment and asked, “So tell me, Jack, why do you risk coming here? This is not your country.”

Jack retrieved a picture of Lily Rae from his wallet and showed it to Rubalcava. “I promised her mother I would do everything I could to find her. You know how it is with promises. They are something that should not be made if you do not intend to keep them.”

Rubalcava smiled. “That I understand, amigo … that I understand.” He glanced down the alley and added, “If John does not know the identities of the men Tio sends to meet you tomorrow, perhaps he can take their pictures. Maybe I will know them.”

“Thank you. I am hoping I will learn much more when I meet Tio. I may act a bit like a tourist and bring my own camera. He might be willing to have his picture taken with me.”

“He may feel safe enough to do that in Mexico,” noted Rubalcava.

“Until I meet him, I do not know how long it will take to get what I want. It may take a few meetings with him to find out what happened to the girl.”

Rubalcava stared at Jack a moment. “Out of curiosity, do you have children, too?”

“Yes, a baby boy and another baby on the way.”

“Ah,” replied Rubalcava as he reached out and grasped Jack’s hand with both of his and shook it. “We have something in common, you and me … besides our work. It makes us even more like brothers.”

Jack reflected on how much more dangerous Rubalcava’s situation was. I have been in some dangerous situations, but they pale in comparison. He is walking a very high tightrope without a net. How long can he stay before a gust of wind comes …

Adams returned and said, “It was nothing. Only a street vendor.”

Rubalcava smiled at Jack as if to say I told you so.

“Is this other thing still on for tonight?” asked Adams, speaking to Rubalcava.

“Yes, I have heard several policemen will be receiving extra pay tonight, but I do not know how large of a shipment it will be.”

“Same place they used before?”

“Yes,” replied Rubalcava.

“Good. Last time I found their tracks the next day where they crossed.”

Adams looked at Jack and said, “The Sinaloa cartel is running a shipment of marijuana across the border tonight, a mile from the bridge I first showed you yesterday morning.”

“Will you be there?” Rubalcava asked Adams.

“Only to watch and see who picks it up on my side of the border. Don’t worry, I won’t jeopardize you by doing anything.”

“I know you won’t, amigo.”

chapter twenty-seven

As Adams drove Jack back across the Bridge of the Americas, he said, “I forgot to mention to you, you’re invited for dinner tonight.”

“You don’t need to do that.”

“It’s already done. Yolanda, wants to meet you. She’s never met a real Mountie before.”

“Is she expecting me to arrive on horseback?”

Adams chuckled and said, “No, I told her about you.”

“Nothing bad, I hope,” said Jack.

“From what I told her, she said you sounded like me … except to say I’m not as genteel.”

“Genteel? What the hell do you mean by that?”

“She meant at handling, what was your word … yes, delicate situations. She suggested I could learn from you.”

“I think we can learn from each other.”

Jack was introduced to Yolanda. She was an attractive woman and her Mexican features suited her well. She was quick to smile and embraced Jack like he was a long-lost relative. The dinner she served consisted of numerous dishes, with Jack’s favourite being a slow-cooked pulled pork. Conversation was light and Yolanda asked Jack about his family. When Jack told her Natasha was pregnant, he saw her give John a quick smile.

After dinner, as they sat at the table sipping white wine, Adams excused himself to go to the washroom.

Yolanda took the opportunity to look at Jack and say, “John speaks quite highly of you. He wishes you were his partner.”

“I really like him, too. I guess for the moment we are partners.”

“I’m slightly jealous of partners,” said Yolanda. “I know they tell each other everything. More than they tell their wives. I never get all the real details.”

Jack could see her eyes studying him. He had the feeling there was something bothering her in particular. “I think Natasha feels the same way, sometimes,” said Jack. “Although she once told me she doesn’t want to know anything secret, so she doesn’t ever have to worry about slipping up.”

“I guess there’s that,” replied Yolanda, frowning slightly.

Adams returned and suggested as Jack had a big day tomorrow, perhaps it was time to drive him back to his hotel.

“I thought you were working tonight?” said Jack.

“Going out around eleven. The shipments usually cross around one or two in the morning.”

“Let me join you,” said Jack. “I know I’m not here long, but I still feel like we’re partners for the time we are together.”

Adams smiled and said, “On one condition. Tonight you carry a piece.”

“I told you I was a lousy shot … but okay, just for tonight.”

At midnight, Adams and Jack turned around at the same bridge southwest of El Paso where someone had previously fired shots at the U.S. Customs hut. Adams then backtracked about a mile and pulled off the highway and parked so the car was hidden by a few clumps of scrub brush.

Adams handed Jack a set of binoculars and said, “If you look left about a quarter-mile across the highway from where we came from, you’ll see a slight ridge on the Mexican side of the border. Last time that is where they came over. All I want to do is try to identify the truck that picks it up on this side.”

“You know it’s a truck?”

“We’re talking marijuana. They wouldn’t be using the police to guard it if the shipment was small. Once they load, I’ll belly-crawl to the road and take a look at the truck when it goes past. The guys guarding it over the border from Mexico should vamoose pretty quickly once the load is delivered. With luck, we’ll wait about five minutes after it leaves and then pull out. We’ll still have plenty of time to catch up to the truck before it reaches the city.”