GRINGA (48 page)

    
             
Maria sighs and looks at me. 
             
‘We really need to sleep. This has been going on for more than an hour, Senorita.’ She’s sounding really cranky now and amazingly, her English is marvellous right now.   

    
             
‘Okay, don’t know if it’s gonna help though,’ I say, remembering his threats at Christa.

     
             
I step out of my room and walk towards Diago. His back is to me as he rambles belligerently at someone in the dark.

   
             
I spot
Troy
in the shadows, smoking a cigarette. Maybe I’ll take Diago a lit cigarette. I walk up to
Troy
. ‘Can I have one? For Diago.’

             
He silently hands me one and then lights it for me.     

    
             
Cigarette in hand, I walk to Diago. ‘Diago,’ I say gently, holding out the lit cigarette to him. ‘I brought you a cigarette and I’m sorry about ...’

    
             
At the sight of me, he backs away and fires wildly into the skies again. The recoils sends him stagging and he topples backwards.

             
I scream and duck behind a wall, terrified of stray or ricocheting bullets, burning my hand with the lit cigarette in the process. Everyone around us takes cover.

    
             
When the shooting stops, I peep over the wall and see Diago lying flat on his back.

             
Ohmigod! Did he shoot himself? Horrified,
Troy
and I look at each other, then dash to Diago.

    
             
‘Diago!’ I scream and kneel next to him, my heart racing. ‘Diago! Ohmigod Diago!’

    
             
Troy
searches
frantically for a bullet wound. N
othing
. N
o blood either.

             
I check his pulse - fine.

             
‘Just the fall,’
Troy
says.

             
We exchange smiles of relief. 

             
Gently, I stroke Diago’s face and plant kisses on his lips. ‘Let’s get him to bed,
Troy
.’ 

             
Slowly, I remove the gun from his hand and pass it to
Troy
.

    
             
When I try to remove the whisky bottle, he won’t let go, so I leave it with him. We dare not wake him for fear he will start all over again.

             
Slowly, with the help of a seven sleepy men, we haul his ass to bed.

             
The men leave and under the watchful gaze of
Troy
, I cover Diago with a sheet and tuck him in.

             
‘Goodnight honey,’ I whisper, stroking his face and wanting to just curl up besides him. ‘I’m sorry I hurt you. I really didn’t mean to.’ After more kisses, I reluctantly leave the room.               

*
             
             
*
             
*

It’s easy to forget that someone is listening to everything you say and I do just that - until I’m accosted by the FBI at the rock pool again.

‘Hello Payton,’ Depp says. ‘Haven’t heard from you for a while and we’re kinda wondering how you doing – you know, if everything’s okay.’

‘Oh yeah …yeah… like, everything’s okay
. B
een busy with
eh,
stuff.
’

             
Of course I have trouble meeting their eyes - I deliberately stayed away from the rock pool
to avoid them. T
oday I really wanted
to
swim and here they are. Damn!

             
‘Can we meet tomorrow?’ Grey asks.

             
‘Eh
… yeah …sure. Tomorrow is good.
’

             
Depp nods.
‘Same place?’

             
‘Yeah, sure, of course.’

             
I’m tossing and turning in bed. I look at the clock – 4AM.

             
When I finally drift off to sleep, it’s time for me to wake up and face my FBI music.

             
As usual, an FBI agent slathers on some face cream and takes my place on the table, while I slip downstairs to talk to the FBI.

             
Dreading this meeting. So much has happened since our last meeting. 

             
I walk into the meeting room and baulk. My father, Elaine, Paris and Austin are present.

             
‘Oh! H …hi ...’ I shoot Agent Depp an irritated look. He could have at least warned me that they were here.

             
‘Everything okay?’ I ask. I really don’t want to see them again, but …   

  
             
‘Hi Payton,’ Depp says and pulls a chair for me. ‘Your family
hasn’t
heard from you in a while so they
were worried. They asked for our help.
Hope you don’t mind.’

  
             
My father gets up and gives me a hug
. S
tandard one-arm hug, which I reluctantly accept. No use making a scene in front of the FBI. 

             
‘I’m fine,’ I say and withdraw from my father’s hug.

    
             
‘Payton honey,’ Elaine says in a voice dripping with saccharine, ‘what happened?’ She touches my hair. ‘You look
different
, nice ...’

             
The bitch has never complimented me in my life, so I’m assuming she wants something.

             
‘The last time we met – well, it was just terrible – things were said and, well, we want to apologise, make it right, Payton.’

             
  I’m not six. Hello! Just spit it out, Mommie Dearest.

    
             
Austin
moves forwards to give me a hug. ‘Hey Payton. Sorry about all the drama – the Christening ...’    

    
             
‘The christening … oh yeah.’ 

   
             
‘You’ll be happy to know we didn’t have the naming ceremony after all,’
Paris
says, her voice tinged with bitterness.

    
             
I look at her in surprise. ‘Why?’

   
             
She jerks her blonde mane towards
Austin
. 

   
             
I look at
Austin
. ‘Wha ...?’

   
             
He shrugs and gives me a weak smile. ‘It wasn’t right that we have it. You were so upset and I ... we’ll do it soon, okay?’

   
             
I’m touched but guilty. ‘Thank you,’ I say, ‘but really, you shouldn’t have  ... ’

    
             
‘Yes, we should have!’ he says, his voice defiant.

             
Go
Austin
! 
    
             
‘Moving on ...’ Depp interrupts. 

     
             
This is the part I hate. ‘What’s on today?’ I murmur, chewing on my lower lip.  

  
             
They talk about Diago, keeping the conversation casual. Oh, they’ve heard a lot since our last meeting and they probably know all there is to know, but they obviously don’t want to alienate me by accusing me of sleeping with one of their most wanted.

             
‘Has he talked yet
? ‘B
out the policemen …?’

             
‘
Eh, n
o.’ My ears grow hot and my face starts to flame.

    
             
‘Nothing at all?’ Agent Grey’s piercing stare has me squirming in my seat. 

    
             
‘Um ... no … too soon ... don’t think he trusts me that much ... need more time
.’
Even to my ears they sound like a bunch of lame excuses. ‘I mean - I’ll do it,’ I hastily add.

             
‘Wait a minute,’
Austin
pipes, turning his whole body to look at me. ‘Payton?’

    
             
I do my utmost to avoid his eyes. Everyone’s eyes for that matter. 

    
             
Austin
’s voice suddenly drops to a hush. ‘Something’s …what ... what’s going on here?’

    
             
I force myself to look at him. ‘Mmm?’

             
‘Payton!’ he hisses, a knowing look in his eyes. ‘You can’t be serious.’

             
‘Fuck! Does he have to blow what little cover I have?

             
‘What are you talking ‘bout, Aus?’ My voice sounds shrill, strained and I feel transparent and exposed. 

    
             
Austin
’s stare unnerves me as he shakes his index finger at me, ‘You’re falling ...’ he catches himself just in time.