GRINGA (84 page)

It’s a week since my meeting with the FBI and I still have no clue as to how I can save Diago from Prison.

             
I’m surprised to see Paris and Elaine at the ranch.
Paris
is chain-smoking with Liam on her arm. Elaine’s clothes are un-coordinated – blue slacks and red top with no earrings – what the hell?

             
‘I need to talk to you, Payton,’ Elaine says. Her voice is strained.

             
‘Wassup Elaine?’

             
‘It’s your father,’ she says, clenching and unclenching her fists.

             
‘My dad?’

             
‘That girl he’s enamoured with – she
sixteen
! Remember her? The village fair? Slutty, big lips …?’

             
‘Yes, yes, yes, yes!’ How could I forget her? ‘But …Elaine, she looks older than sixteen. Are you sure?’

             
‘Positive. Now it’
s
statutory rape.’

             
‘Oh fuck! What the hell’s wrong with him?’ 

             
‘I don’t think he knew, the old fool,’ Elaine says, turning her bracelets around several times.

             
‘That’s six years in the slammer,’
Paris
says as she lights up another cigarette. ‘Six years in a
Mexican
jail. For rape.’

             
I have to sit down. How dumb can he be to get himself in this situation? ‘Where’s he now?’

             
‘In a holding cell,’ Elaine says.

             
‘Oh my God! Let’s go to him,’ I say, grabbing my handbag.

             
Unsure how everyone at the ranch is going to react to my father raping a young Mexican girl, I decide not to say anything. ‘Maria just tell Diago that …that ... tell him my dad is unwell so I have to go …’

             
Prison guards only allow one person in, so in I go to see my dad, while Paris and Elaine hang around outside. While waiting, I look around me - bare floors, guards with hostile look on their faces and a stench similar to a public toilet. Six years here – my father will never make it in this hell-hole.

             
My father finally appears, handcuffed but still in civilian clothes - trendy jeans and a sleeveless black T-shirt. He’s now sporting an earring in one earlobe. I notice a black eye and a cut on his forehead.

             
‘Dad! What happened?’

             
He shrugs. ‘Two guys in my cell …’

             
‘Oh dad,’ I say as a sense of helplessness oozes through me.

             
‘They took my watch,’ he mutters.
‘Can you get me out of here, Payton? Please?’ 

             
‘Sure dad, I’ll get you a good lawyer. I … I …I’ll contact the American Embassy.’

             
His bottom lip trembles and I can’t hold back my tears. He’s an asshole but I still love him.  

             
Finally I leave and blinded by my tears I bump into someone. ‘Sorry,’ I mutter.

             
‘Payton?’

             
I look up into Grey’s face. Depp is next to him.

             
‘What’s the matter?’ Depp asks. ‘Why you here? Why you crying Payton?’

             
I really don’t want to share this with them.

             
Depp takes my arm. ‘Come with me,’ he says and leads me into an interview room.

             
‘What are you guys doing here?’ I mumble.

             
‘FBI business,’ Grey says, frowning at the sight of my tears. ‘Payton,’ Grey’s voice is soft and caring, ‘why are you crying? Tell us.’ 

             
The truth about my father pours out between sobs. 

             
‘That’s terrible,’ Depp finally says.

             
‘Better not mention this to anyone of the locals,’ Grey says. ‘People here, they don’t accept this kind of crap.’

             
I nod.

             
‘We’ll help find a good lawyer. We’ll even talk to the judge, see what we can do.’

             
My shoulders drop from relief. ‘Thank you so much,’ I say. ‘I really appreciate it. Thanks guys.’

             
We arrange to meet the next day at the prison. As I leave the prison, I think about how strange it was to bump into Depp and Grey at the prison. Could they have anything to do with my father’s arrest?

             
Should I tell Diago? Maybe it’s time I told him everything. He would probably strangle me if I did. Normally, I wouldn’t care about him killing me, but right now, my father needs me. I have to stay alive and get him out of the hell-hole. It’s best I say nothing to Diago. 

             
It is morning and I can’t wait for Diago to leave the ranch so I can sneak off to see my father. The moment I see the tail lights of Diago’s Jeep disappear from sight, I
climb
into my Jeep. Luckily, I drive myself these days, so I have the privacy I need.

             
But prison guards refuse to let me see my father and Depp and Grey are nowhere to be found. I’m stunned – I don’t quite know what to do. 

             
Then, Depp and Grey arrive, looking grim. Bad news, I’m sure.

             
‘Payton, your father …’Grey shakes his head from side-to-side, ‘We’re looking at six to ten.’

             
‘What! What about the attor …?’

             
‘Most Mexican lawyers are Spanish speaking, but we’ve managed to secure the services of someone that speaks English. He’ll consult with your father tomorrow.

             
‘Tomorrow?’ My shoulders slump. ‘Only tomorrow?’

             
I fall silent and think of my father’s battered face. 

             
‘You know, Payton,’ Grey says, ‘there is a way, we can get around this.’

             
‘There is?’ I jerk to attention. ‘What dya mean?’ 

             
It’s a while before he answers. ‘If the Mexican government is aware that you are working for them, they will release your father in ...’ he looks at his watch, ‘forty five minutes.’

             
I leap out of my chair. ‘Ohmigod that’s great Can you arrange it? Forty five minutes?’

             
‘We can,’ Grey says.

             
‘Then do it. Please!’ I look at Depp. ‘Please!’

             
Depp does not meet my eyes. Where’s his enthusiasm?

             
‘Just give us Diago,’ Grey says softly.

             
For a moment, I think I may have misheard. 

             
I look at Depp – he’s still avoiding my eyes. 

             
The back of my neck is suddenly very hot. ‘Yes’
,
and I betray Diago – it’s jail for him right away. ‘No’
,
and my father spends six to ten in a
Mexican
prison for raping a young girl.

             
‘Forty five minutes,’ Grey repeats his eyes boring into me.

             
I look at Depp for …help, I guess. Son-of-a-bitch is still not looking at me.

             
Slowly, I sink into a chair
.
 

             
‘All you gotta do is get him to confess. On tape. We do the rest.’

             
My hands creep to cover my ears. 

             
‘We’ll make it easy – we’ll get them to let out your father right away even though we don’t have Diago.’

             
My head jerks to look at him.

             
‘“Right away”?’ My voice is a mere croak.

             
‘Yeah. You’ll have five days to deliver.

             
‘“Five”?’

             
Grey nods. ‘Failing that, of course, your father will go back to jail. Fair?’

             
‘I … I…’ What do I say to an indecent proposal like this?

             
‘I mean, this is your
Father
right? Biological ... not step?’

             
I stare at him as I digest the enormity of the situation.

             
Diago for my father - the love of my fucked up life for my deadbeat father.

             
‘Payton?’ Grey’s voice is tinged with impatience. ‘A nod from you will do.’

             
I cover my face with my hands.

             
My father for my lover…

             
My deadbeat father … for a man who would take a grenade for me. 

             
He’s still my father though. Why should I sacrifice the love of my miserable life for a man who was never there for me? For a man who sired me then emotionally abandoned me, knowing I did not have a mother?

             
I love Diago. He loves me. He loves me more than anyone in my life. I feel safe with him. He needs me. I need him. That is enough.

             
My decision made, I raise my head slowly to look at Grey and I see, well, I
think
I see uncertainty in his eyes.

           ‘They took his watch,’ Grey says.

            I stare at him.

            ‘He was crying this morning…’

            I bite my knuckles.
             
             
             

           ‘A nod from you, Payton is all we need.’

            I cover my face with my hands.

            ‘Payton?’