Breaking Creed

17

The girl smelled of sweat and French milled soap, the kind that hotels had in little fancy wrappers. As far as Creed could tell, she had no luggage except for a leather bag around her shoulder. Even as she strangled his neck and whispered her pleas, Creed could see Grace sitting very still and staring up directly into his eyes. The dog was alerting. She was telling him that this girl was her target and there were drugs somewhere on her.

He hadn’t realized until almost the last seconds that it was the girl and not the man with the leg cast that Grace had been racing toward. Grace’s intent stare told him there was no doubt. Was this display some kind of ploy to get the drugs in her handbag past security? The girl could have recognized him and Grace. They’d been all over the news, and she’d have seen or heard their names. But how did she know they’d be at the airport today?

He tried to untangle her long, thin arms from his neck, trying to be gentle and not dismantle her act, while his eyes started to search around them.

“She’s there,” the girl whispered. “Don’t let her take me, please. She’s right behind me.”

And sure enough, the woman had cautiously approached them. She looked as if she needed to capture a wild animal without spooking it or alarming everyone around them. She was maybe forty, dressed casually in slacks and a matching blouse, a designer handbag on her shoulder, dark eyes, and dark hair swept up in a matriarch style that made her look older.

“Amanda, dear,” she said in perfect English, but Creed could hear the Spanish accent. And no matter how much the woman pretended, she had not been able to fake the least bit of sincerity. It was enough for Creed to realize that the girl might not just be high or playing a game. That she might actually fear this woman.

“It’s my uncle Ryder,” the girl named Amanda said, without looking back at the woman. “I didn’t realize he was working here today.”

The girl stood back now, and Creed held her shoulders. He felt her body sway as though she would fall backward if he released his hold on her.

“You remember me telling you about my uncle Ryder,” Amanda said, and she squatted down to tap Grace on the head, like someone who had never petted a dog before in her entire life. “And this is his dog, Grace.”

The dog allowed the pats but she didn’t take her eyes off Creed, telling him in her own way that this was what he wanted her to find. He hadn’t released her yet, so she continued to alert, patient, but her hind end wiggled.

“Where are your parents, Amanda?” Creed decided to play along.

“Oh, they’re still at the vacation villa in Colombia.” She looked up at him, meeting his eyes, and now he had dog and girl staring at him, each wanting something from him. “I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if you just took me home.”

“No, they would not like that,” the woman said, barely containing her anger.

“Everything okay here, Mr. Creed?” One of the CBP officers had wandered over.

Both women and Grace now stared Creed down, as though their eyes could make him say and do exactly what they wanted, what they needed.

He took a better look at the girl. Her face was flushed with perspiration, her cheeks almost gaunt, as though she hadn’t eaten for days. She was tall with long limbs, like a gawky teenager who hadn’t grown into her body yet. Although she wore pencil-tight jeans, her blouse billowed out and over her thin frame. He stared into her eyes. They were bright blue and anxious but the pupils weren’t dilated. Her face was painted with too much makeup to make her look older, but Creed guessed she couldn’t be more than fifteen or sixteen.

“Need me to call someone?” the CBP officer asked.

“No, that’s okay, Officer Salazar,” Creed said, glancing at the man’s name tag and noticing that his right hand rested on his gun belt. “I’m just surprised to run into my niece. I didn’t realize she’d be here today.”

Creed watched the woman’s face and could see the spark of anger before she tucked it away. She lifted her chin and shook her head, defiant, as if she wasn’t used to being treated this way. He felt her eyes scan the length of him, settling on the badge hanging from the lanyard around his neck. She was trying to figure out what authority, if any, he had here. He wasn’t dressed in a uniform, and he knew she was contemplating how she could dismiss him, especially now, in front of the CBP officer.

“I’ve been taking very good care of her for her parents,” she told Officer Salazar, as if imploring him to intercede. “Her uncle barely knows her. He has not bothered to keep in touch with the family.”

She had just made a mistake. A big mistake. Whatever game the girl was playing, Creed decided he disliked even more the one her keeper was playing. A teenager he could forgive for making up stories and games, but this woman’s insistence on lying was making him suspicious and starting to piss him off.

“All the more reason for us to catch up,” Creed said, and smiled as he offered a hand to Amanda. “I was just going to take a break. How about I walk you to your ride?” And with only a glance at the woman, he added, “I’m sure Officer Salazar won’t mind helping you process your luggage.”

“Not a problem. I can do that. Anything for you, Mr. Creed. We certainly appreciate all your help.”

Creed shook the man’s hand, thanking him. Officer Salazar’s back was turned to the woman and he wasn’t able to see her eyes flash daggers into Creed.

“Amanda and I’ll meet you out front.”

He took the girl’s arm as he pulled the pink squeaky elephant out of his shoulder pack and tossed it to Grace. She caught her reward in midair. At least he was able to get one of the three females to stop staring at him.