Found at Sea - By Anne Marie Duquette Page 0,30

of here soon.”

Aurora nodded, but Dorian had a parting request.

“If you can’t get me out, that’s okay. Just take care of my daughter.”

* * *

TANYA WATCHED JORDAN and the guard leave. Her hands still shook from anger and pain at the insults she’d been forced to hear twice. Garbage, was she? Just because she and her parents were in jail and just because she’d smuggled a small quantity of soft drugs into a foreign country didn’t make her trash.

Well, maybe it did look that way...

But she didn’t feel like white trash. In truth, she was scared to death. Dad’s still missing, Mom’s sick and Jordan Castillo won’t give me the time of day. If Rory doesn’t pull this off—I don’t know what’s going to happen to us. How could I have been so stupid?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Aurora’s return. “Have you been crying? How’s Mom? Is she worse?” Tanya immediately asked. Her sick stomach felt even sicker as Aurora related the details of the visit, including the lie about her father.

“Don’t even think of telling her the truth,” Aurora warned. “Dorian needs hope if she’s going to survive this.”

“Is—is she dying?” Tanya asked.

“I wouldn’t go that far, but she’s pretty sick. If she keeps refusing food, she’ll be in serious trouble. The doctors are worried...” Aurora’s voice trailed off. “Tanya, have you thought about telling the authorities the truth? I promise I’ll do everything to help you, but it’s going to take time, and I don’t know if Dorian has that on her side. She’s not tough like us, sweetheart. This is hard on her—too hard.”

“I know.” Tanya clenched her hands and rested her forehead against the bars of the cell, then lifted it again, unwilling to show any weakness. “When they took Mom away to the clinic, I did tell the guard about the marijuana—that it was mine, not my parents’. But she didn’t believe me. No one did.”

“You finally told them?” Aurora echoed.

“What did I just say? They wouldn’t listen.” Tanya had indeed told the truth, begging and pleading for her mother with no effect. The expression on the guards’ faces matched that of her aunt. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

Aurora sighed and looked around. “Where’s Jordan?”

“He left. He thought I was a piece of garbage, just like everyone else around here. Just like you.”

“Tanya, please. I’ve got to go. Take care of yourself, okay? I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Aurora pivoted so Olivia could lead her out.

“It’s the truth!” Tanya screamed. “I’m telling the truth. I’m not a piece of trash. I’m not.”

Neither the guard nor her aunt broke stride. For the first time since her arrest a month ago, Tanya began to cry.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Tijuana, Mexico

Late afternoon

THE HOT SUN baking the dirt of the parking lot felt good on Aurora’s shoulders after the gloom of inside. She noticed Jordan playing catch with some of the children, using a much-patched, badly faded football. He saw her, made one last throw and headed toward her.

Aurora also noticed Roberto, lingering at the edge of the lot. He’s finally here. Both approached her, each sizing up the other as they neared the truck. Roberto kept silent. Jordan didn’t.

“Friend of yours?” he asked Aurora, gesturing toward Roberto.

“Roberto’s been helping me track down Gerald. I told you about him, remember? Roberto Ortega, this is Jordan Castillo. Jordan’s my dive partner.”

The younger man’s wary gaze relaxed. “He can hear our business, señorita? Or no?”

Aurora tossed Jordan her truck keys by way of answering. “Would you mind starting her up for me? Turn on the air-conditioning too, please.”

Jordan caught the keys, but stood his ground. “Let me remind you that we’re equal partners now. No secrets.”

After the visit with her sister, Aurora didn’t have the energy to resist, especially since Jordan was right. “Did you find out anything about Gerald?” she asked Roberto.

He nodded. “Sí. His location, everything. I have a friend whose uncle works for the government. It took money, señorita, but he ran a check on his computer for you.”

She listened as Roberto, first in slow Spanish, then speaking faster, excitedly reported his developments. He’d found Gerald’s location in a men’s prison about thirteen hundred miles southeast, in Mexico City. The prison was new, modern and Gerald was assisting the prison staff in setting up their computer network. This had gained him extra privileges, food and more freedom around the prison than the other prisoners.

“Are you sure?” Aurora asked, unable to take in the good news as she