Pinned Up (Pinned Up Trilogy) (31 page)

“Oh, Betty, how I’ve missed you.” Kade whispers as he’s getting inside the car. He makes a poor attempt to control his enthusiasm about going home. The nurse waves at him as she walks away pushing the empty wheelchair.

“Mom is at our house baking your favorite desserts. I just finished making a special lunch.” I raise my eyebrows twice at Kade as I start the engine and drive away.

He smiles. “By the time I’m completely recovered, I’m gonna be horizontally challenged again. It’s okay. I’ll hit the gym hard and get back to my healthy regimen, but for now, I’m gonna enjoy Mama V’s pastries and your cooking. I can’t wait to be home!” He’s thrilled to finally be able to rest in the comfort of his own bed.

“Once you get settled, I’ll be going back to the hospital to be with Celeste. I’m so glad her recovery is progressing well. Josh rarely leaves her side, I’ll make sure to kick him out so that he can get some rest.” I pause for a few seconds, contemplating on the favor I’m about to ask Kade. I bite my bottom lip; my nerves are getting the best of me.
Screw it. Just ask him, Nina!

“Hey, Kade…you know how I think you’re like the bestest, most attractive friend in the whole wide world, right? Well—” Kade interrupts me.

“Spill it, Cheesecake. What do you want? This ought to be good if you’re resorting to lame flattery.” Kade smirks at me, highly amused.

“I need a favor. I’m hoping you can help me, but I don’t want you to tell anyone.” I say nervously. As I’m driving home, I have his full attention so I ask him my favor and tell him my plan. Right away, Kade shares my anxiety, but agrees to help me out whatever way he can.

It’s Wednesday, a few days have passed since I asked Kade for his assistance with my preposterous scheme. After several phone calls, he was able to come through for me, as always. Now, I’m headed to bring the truth to light, hopefully, the reality won’t be too difficult to endure.

I arrive at the Federal Detention Facility Diego Cruz was transferred to a few days ago after being held at county jail. As I pull up to the parking lot, apprehension stops me in my tracks. I can’t move, my hands feel sweaty, and I feel my stomach twisting. I can’t do this. The tightness in my chest is becoming unbearable. What am I doing here? What was I thinking? This is a bad idea. I shouldn’t be here.
Relax, Nina. Take deep breaths, you can and will do this.

The grey structure surrounded by a chain-link fence with barbed wire looks absolutely dreary. I don’t want to go in, but I force myself to exit my car and head to the entrance of the visiting section even though it’s not during administration hours. With just my driver’s license and keys in hand, I enter the ashen building. My nerves feel as if they’re about to combust. As I enter, I don’t make eye contact with the correctional officer. I hand him my ID and inform him I’ve been granted permission by the warden to meet with inmate Diego Cruz. I’m instructed to sign the visiting list while he verifies my early and unheard of appointment. Once he gets confirmation, he directs me to remove all items from my pockets; he instructs me to walk through a metal detector and has a female officer do a pat search of my body. The guard then guides me through the building, to the right is a large sign that reads VISITING along with the rules and hours, but we don’t head in that direction. We take a left that leads us to another hallway. We enter a small empty room with another door on the opposite end. There’s a camera at the top corner looking down upon us that catches my attention. The door immediately locks behind us and then the sound of a buzzer allows us to enter the next hallway that indicates it is for parole agents and attorneys. The officer leads me to a tiny office that is so small it is more like a booth, it has a chair and a small metal table attached to the wall, the upper part of the wall is a thick glass window. The officer informs me I have been allowed an hour visit and leaves. Ten minutes later, Diego Cruz stands before me and has a seat on the opposite end of the window. Shock doesn’t begin to describe his expression. I’m thankful for the element of surprise, the lack of prior notice of my visit. Once again, I’m grateful to Kade for coming through for me with this favor.

He reaches the phone propped against the wall facing him; I do the same on my side. I take a moment to closely observe him. He’s a handsome man, but appears tired and completely defeated. Almost as if he’s given up on himself. He has olive toned skin, dark hair in a tight fade, and deep brown eyes. He has a long mustache that connects to his goatee. Even though he sits before me humbly, his presence is still intimidating. “Hija…What are you doing here? I’m supposed to place people on a visiting list. How did you manage to get an exception?” It feels strange hearing his voice along with his accent; we’re so close, yet completely out of each other’s reach.

“Please don’t refer to me as your daughter. I came here for clarification on things that have me perplexed. Our time is limited, if it’s okay with you, I’d like to know as much information regarding you, my mom, and Mateo Blanco.” This encounter isn’t about reuniting with my long, lost father; it’s about getting answers, nothing more.

He hesitates and pinches the bridge of his nose with his eyes closed. “Fine. You deserve to know my side.” With somber articulation, Diego Cruz begins to tell me his story. “I grew up in unimaginable poverty. I lived with my mother and youngest sister. I stole regularly and did whatever it took to put food on the table. As I grew older, I became more relentless. I was determined to get money fast and through any means. I always made sure to provide for my family. Even after my sister began a family of her own, I still provided for everyone. In my early twenties, I was introduced to trafficking drugs by my best friend, Mateo Blanco. The fast money quickly became addicting. I was willing to eliminate anyone that stood in my way of getting rich. By the early eighties, Mateo’s family soon considered me part of their organization. In time, they became incarcerated or killed. Mateo eventually became leader and I, his second in command. I traveled a lot to the U.S. conducting business. During one of my trips visiting some Columbians and New York mobsters on behalf of Mateo, I met your mother while she was attending school. I liked her, but I wasn’t serious about her. Unfortunately, our relationship caused her to get disowned by her family. Her dad knew about my part in the drug business. He was in the mafia and looked down upon my lifestyle. Gambling and racketeering, that was okay with him, but not drugs, that was beneath him.” He pauses and chuckles sarcastically.

“Your mom decided it was best for her to start a new life away from her controlling family. So, I helped her move across the country to San Francisco where she could begin a new life independently. I would see her on occasion, never telling her when we would meet next. Despite allowing a long time passing from each visit, I always found her happy to see me.

During this time, Mateo began dating an actress, an actress who I used to fantasize about many times. When I finally met her, I realized she was more beautiful in person than in her movies. I couldn’t get her out of my mind. One day after a meeting with Mateo, he called me shortly after and ordered a search for Kaitlyn, the actress. Apparently, she had fled with her and Mateo’s unborn baby and a large sum of his money. I was ordered to find her before she ran to the police. I had to threaten and force several cops to provide all pertinent information regarding the protection of Kaitlyn. It took a few months to find her, but I did it. Before I gave the information to Mateo, I called her father. One of the cops told me her dad used to be with DEA. I left an anonymous message stating Mateo was aware of Kaitlyn’s new identity along with her whereabouts and needed to leave now in order to remain safe. By the time I reached Missouri with lieutenants from the cartel, she was gone. My plan to keep her safe worked. Almost immediately, I was able to coerce the new agents handling Kaitlyn’s protection to relocate her to San Francisco. I knew that once Kaitlyn had her baby and was found by Mateo, he would kill her. I couldn’t have her death on my conscience. I loved her. I wanted her safe and was determined to keep an eye on her from a distance.

Despite my love for another woman, I continued seeing your mother. A year later, she informed me that she was pregnant. Immediately, I ended the relationship. I was well aware of what my lifestyle entailed and having a family wasn’t one of them. I loved money and power, but it all came at a high price. I knew that if I ever made a mistake, my mother, sister, and I would pay the price with our lives. I didn’t want to put you or your mother through such a risk. Although I kept my distance, I regularly provided you both with large sums of money. It was the least I could do.” He looks down at his hands with shame. “Throughout these years, I saw you grow up, but never allowed myself to get near you. I knew you were in the best hands.”

I take a moment to allow this new found information to register. “You provided us with money? This whole time, I thought it was my mom’s father.”

“No, he pissed me off for treating your mom the way he did. I had him set up. That’s why he ended up in prison.” Diego admits.

“Oh.” A question comes to mind right away, I fear the answer. I push my concern aside and ask it anyway. “Were you involved in the murders of Celeste’s parents and best friend?”

His look is subdued, he closes his eyes slowly and once he opens them again, he maintains eye contact with me. I notice the color of his eyes is the same shade of brown as mine. I also realize anything he says may incriminate him further. Regardless, he responds, “Yes.” I feel my heart shatter. “I did it on behalf of Mateo’s orders, but I was responsible for the execution. You can ask me whatever you want, I have nothing to hide. I’ll be getting served with a life sentence, if I’m lucky. I’ve accepted my fate. It’s the least of what I deserve for all my malicious actions.”

I swallow past the lump in my throat and decide to take advantage of the situation. I want to know as much as possible. “What made you use Emme as an informant?” Saying her name still brings me pain.

“You were in your second year at Berkeley, you began dating, going out, dressing differently, it was a pretty drastic change on your part. I became concerned. She was your age and was in a bad position; I seized the opportunity to find out more about you on a personal level. I was worried.” Diego confesses.

His reasoning comes across as very fatherly. I push the thought aside and continue listening to him. “I became very anxious regarding you once you became a teenager. During one of my visits to San Francisco, I realized you had changed middle schools. Something didn’t seem right. I contacted the counselor at your new school to find out how you were doing. She informed me that you didn’t speak, that you had been in school for about a month and didn’t talk in class or to anyone.” Diego’s eyes become red and swell up with tears that he refuses to shed. I look down on my hands, concentrating on his words.

“I went to your old school and asked the kids around if they knew you. I made sure to ask only individuals. I paid them to tell me everything they knew, most of the information was useless, until I found some piece of shit little bastard who was high. He said you had the reputation of being easy. He mentioned you gave it up to him and his friends at the same time. He also stated the whole school knew and that’s why you were transferred elsewhere.” His words bring a blow to my chest; I look up and see Diego’s tears running down his face.

“I made him tell me the names of the other boys. He did. I knocked him out and dragged him into the car I was driving; I brought him to a closed location and beat the truth out of him. He admitted that he and two of his friends forced themselves on you.” Diego becomes silent and after a few moments, he continues. “That day, I got rid of him and the next day, I did away with the other two boys.” Diego declares in a dignified manner.

Shock overcomes me. I vaguely recall hearing about one of the boys being a runaway or being missing years ago, but remember getting nauseous at the sound of his name. I quickly drew him out of my mind, not giving him a second thought. I always wondered what I would do if I ran into those three boys again, but that moment never came. Now I know why, my father killed them to avenge me. His truth sits heavy in my heart. I remain quiet, not sure what to say to his revelations.

Diego studies me carefully, unsure of continuing to shed light to his actions. He works past his hesitation and proceeds to speak. “I remained by Mateo’s side for several years. Killing him wasn’t an option for me, although it would have been easy to do. The repercussions would have been too immense. His extensive family would have put an immediate hit on my head. I’ve never feared death, but until you came into my life, I was frightened of not being there to protect you. I couldn’t get rid of Mateo, I felt that would also leave Kaitlyn in a vulnerable state since his youngest son has been raised to hate and retaliate against her. Keeping Mateo alive meant I was able to be informed of his plans and whereabouts. Once he was incarcerated, I took the opportunity and became the leader of my own drug organization. Upon Mateo’s release from prison, we became allies to overturn other cartels and their areas. Our alliance provided us a major fortune. Business was fine between us until he saw portraits of you. He inquired a lot about you. He wanted to know where I had found you since I have large pictures of you that were turned into art throughout my homes and offices. I downplayed you by indicating you were just some model and that I didn’t know much about you. Since Mateo has a thing for trophy girlfriends, you quickly became an interest to him. We argued about you and ended our alliance.” An evil glare overpowers Diego’s eyes as he reminisces about that quarrel with Mateo.