American Tropic - By Thomas Sanchez Page 0,40
One was let go for lack of hard evidence to hold him. We are still holding the other one.”
Another reporter yells angrily: “Those two suspects were locked up when the last murder occurred. That means there must be another killer out there. Maybe there’s even a team calling themselves Bizango.”
“Well, there’s at least one Bizango. Next question.”
“Is it true the cruise ship’s security cameras caught images of the captain’s killer?”
“It’s true. We have video of whom we believe to be the perpetrator. We also have other important information regarding this investigation that we’ll be releasing soon.”
“The Fantasy Parade? You going to cancel it now?”
“No. It would take a catastrophic category-five hurricane bearing down on this island before I would cancel the Fantasy Parade. Trust me, every precaution is being taken to keep people on this island safe. I have coordinated with the County Sheriff to put his one hundred fifty deputies on our streets to join with sixty Key West police. Florida Highway Patrol is bringing a canine unit, SWAT team, and one hundred officers. This is an unprecedented show of force.”
From behind the circle of reporters surrounding the Chief, Zoe makes her way toward the Detention Center. She walks up the front steps to where Noah is standing, and stops.
Noah leans forward to give Zoe a kiss on the cheek, rushing her with his words. “Thanks for coming. I didn’t expect you to be here when they released me.”
Zoe pulls back from Noah’s attempted kiss. She lowers the sunglasses covering her eyes and stares over the top rims. “I didn’t come here for you. There are still some bail-bond documents I must sign, formalizing the financials of your release.”
“I’ll pay the money back. Don’t worry, I won’t jump bail and leave town.”
“That’s the least I expect from you. But you should know, it’s me who’s leaving Key West.”
Noah hides his surprise and keeps his words steady. “You’re leaving? When? You can’t go before Nina’s Quince. She’ll be crushed. She still considers you her aunt.”
“I’ll be here for Nina. Then, right after the Fantasy Parade, I’m out. Our divorce will be finalized then.”
“We’re still married. You know, it’s not over until it’s over.”
Zoe gives Noah a radiant smile. “No, it’s over.”
Luz sits alone on her living-room sofa. The bamboo window shades are drawn against the intense outside tropical light. In the darkened room, her solemn gaze is fixed on a family home movie playing on a television screen. The images flickering across the screen show Luz’s living room ten years before, decorated with balloons and ribbons for Nina’s birthday party. On the screen, little Nina is a healthy five-year-old wearing a festive paper-cone hat. She leans over a birthday cake with five candles. The red letters on the white-frosted cake spell out HAPPY BIRTHDAY NINA! Nina shuts her eyes tight to make a wish. She blows out the five candles on the cake with a burst of air. She looks up with triumph. Surrounding Nina are Noah, Zoe, Joan, and Carmen, all ten years younger, wearing colorful paper party hats and singing loudly, “Happy birthday to you, dear Nina! Happy birthday to you!” Joan stops singing and speaks at the camera: “Honey, give me the camera. I want to film Nina with her proud mama.” The movie image goes out of focus, then refocuses with the image of Luz lifting Nina onto her shoulders. Mother and daughter joyously wave to the camera.
As Luz watches the television screen’s flickering images of her and Nina, the muscles of her jaw twitch. She holds back her emotion as Joan comes in and sits close to her. Luz takes Joan’s hand. They watch the screen as the five-year-old Nina excitedly opens birthday presents.
Joan’s throat tightens. She gets her words out without crying: “Seems like only yesterday. She was so healthy, so full of life.”
Luz holds Joan’s hand tighter. “Our daughter made it to today’s birthday. Every doctor said she wouldn’t.”
“Why did God do this to her?”
Luz puts her arm around Joan’s shoulders. She tries to hide the hurt in her voice. “We can’t blame God for Nina’s condition.”
“I hope we’re doing the right thing, having this Quince party.”
“We had a fancy hotel Quince for Carmen when she turned fifteen. Even if this one is in our backyard, it will mean the world to Nina.”
Joan brushes a tear from her eye. “You’re right. It’s a miracle she’s with us. We do have God to thank for that.”
“I count every day of her fifteen years as