GRINGA (93 page)

             
‘Okay,’ I say, relieved with his promise. ‘I
’ll
take your word for it.’

             
‘Ask him to call me. Tell him I will handle it myself.’ He hands me his card as Grey drags him away by the arm. ‘I give you my word,’ he yells over his shoulder.

             
I’m surprised Grey’s not arresting me. Maybe he’s lurking around waiting to follow me to Diago. 

             
I look around for Manual, but he’s left already. How do I get out of here?

             
Austin
ambles over. ‘Need a lift?’

             
‘Yes please.’

             
He jerks his head towards his car. ‘Hop in, I’ll take you to Diago.’

             
‘Eh, to Tana-Mera, please.’ It’s best not to go to Diago in case I’m being followed.

             
We drive in silence. When we reach Tana-Mera,
Austin
stops the car and fishes out his wallet.

             
He thrusts some money at me. ‘Here.’ 

             
‘What’s this for,
Austin
?’

             
‘Take it. With all that’s going on, you’re gonna need money. It’s the least I can do.’

             
I think of all the thousands of dollars we have at the ranch. I think of
Paris
’s words about having to declare bankruptcy and tears spring to my eyes. 

             
‘Thanks
Austin
,’ I say and give him another hug. ‘I don’t need it right now, but if I do, I’ll ask you for it. But, I gotta tell you, I’m so touched by this gesture.’

             
He shrugs and puts away his wallet. ‘Keep it. I told you; I got your back.’ He snatches the money out of my hand and stuffs it deep into my handbag. Gotta make sure it doesn’t fall out.

             
I leave the car smiling with
Austin
’s money in my bag. I may have misjudged him after all.

             
I look up into
Troy
’s face. His deep frown tells me he’s seen me hugging
Austin
. 

             
‘It’s nothing,’ I say. ‘Look!’ I flash some of
Austin
’s money at him and smile. ‘
Austin
gave me this to help with …’ 

             
Troy
frowns. ‘
Money
? You need money?’

             
‘No, no, no. 
Austin
’s like, just trying to be helpful, supportive. It’s a good thing
Troy
. We need all the support we can get.’

             
He says nothing. 

             
             
             
             
             
CHAPTER TWENTY

             
I awake with a start. Something’s not right. I open my eyes, blink hard then look next to me - the bed is empty.
‘Diago?’

             
No answer. The clock on the wall says 6AM.

     
             
An uneasy feeling
runs through
me.
Throwing back the sheets, I
jump out of bed and stumble around. ‘Diago?’ Where can he be at this part of the morning? Maybe he’s outside. As I
hurry
out of my room, I stumble
upon
Manual, sitting on the floor, his arms wrapped around his knees,
muttering to himself.

             
‘Manual?’

             
He starts to rock like a mental patient.

             
A feeling of dread washes over me. ‘Manua
l w
hat’s wrong?’

             
‘Gringa
…
Diablo say I must keep gringa ins
ide.
Gringa go outside, she get hurt.’

             
‘Keep gringa …’ I dash to the window, look outside and gasp.

             
Diago is standing on the outskirts of the property smoking a cigarette. About twenty FBI agents with guns drawn face him.

             
‘Ohmigod!’
Minus
shoes and gown
, I race outside
. ‘No!
S
top!’

             
My shouts are drowned by police scream
ing at Diablo
. ‘G
et down on the ground! Let see your hands!’

             
Diago continues puffing on his cigarette.

             
My heart slams around my chest as I r
ace
to him. When I get to him, I will shield him with my body. They will not shoot him if I’m in front of him. I will not let them shoot him.   

             
Diago throws down his cigarette, stubs it out with his boot and reaches inside his shirt.

             
The police open fire on him.  

             
I stop running and watch in horror as his body jerks around then falls to the ground.

             
A woman is screaming hysterically – me.

             
Diago’s
body is
jerking sporadically.

             
I sprint towards hi
m
.
             

             
Grey
appears
in front of me and grabs me by the waist. ‘Payton, don’t!’

             
Adrenalin charged, I spin around and knee him in the groin. He bends over in pain
. I kneel before Diago’s bloodied body.
 

             
‘Diago! Oh God! Oh God! Diago ... please  ...’ I cradle my husband’s head and stroke his face, which is strangely untouched. My hands are hot and sticky with Diago’s blood and that freaks me out even more. ‘Oh God! Oh God!’ 

    
             
‘Tr ...’ he whispers.

    
             
‘Diago ... I love you ... oh God! I’ll take care of
Troy
. There’s an ambulance on its way ... oh God Diago …please baby, don’t die ….please …
please!
’

             
The police inch closer, guns now pointed at me.  Diago is gurgling in my arms.

             
‘Oh God! Please baby, don’t …’

             
A police officer searches for a pulse. ‘No carotid!’ he shouts.

             
A female FBI agent pulls me away from Diago. I
shove
her off but she is joined by two other police officers. Together, they overpower me and drag me away.

             
I know Diago is dying and I want to be there for him right now. They won’t let me.

             
‘Please,’ I beg, ‘he needs me. Please
!
’

             
They cuff me.

             
‘Please, he’s dying, let me stay with him. Please
!
’

             
They drag me away.

             
‘Please, he shouldn’t die alone. I beg you, let me stay with him, please
!
’

             
They shove me into the back of a police car. I turn and look at Diago. His body is
still
jerking.

             
Grey appears at the police car window. ‘Payton, I’m so sorry.’

             
I look at Grey through my tears. ‘He’s dying, Grey. Please let me be with him, please.’

             
‘Let her go,’ Grey says to the FBI agent hovering around.

             
‘No can do,’
the agent
says. ‘SAC’s orders.’

             
‘This is bullshit
!
’ Grey says. ‘Let her go. It’s her goddamn husband.’

             
‘You’re off the case,’ the FBI agent snarls at Grey. You shouldn’t be here.’

             
I look past them at Diago. His body is no longer jerking.

             
‘No weapon on him,’ a police officer shouts.

             
Grey looks at me and I see helplessness in his eyes.

             
I shake my head from side-to-side. ‘You guys promised
.
’

    
             
Grey looks at me and swallows hard. ‘He ... he …’ His voice breaks and he throws his arms into the air in a surrendering motion. ‘I’m sorry.’  

             
‘You have a right to remain silent …’

             
“No carotid”.

             
Diago is dead.

             
‘… anything you say can be held against you …’

             
My beast is dead.

             
‘…if you can’t afford one …’

             
My husband is dead.

             
‘
Ma’am, y
ou understand all we said?’

             
The only man who ever truly loved me is dead.