Three shirt deal

Chapter 37

Thenext morning when we returned to the hospital the doctors agreed to let me spend some time in Secada's room. I met with her father and mother for a moment before going inside.

"My daughter, we work for her college education," Hector said in halting English, his dark eyes burrowing holes in my self-esteem while her mother looked down at her Bible. "Many hours in fields, many nights in restaurants. She is the first in our family for degree."

"I know."

"Cal State University in Los Angeles," Hector said, still searching my face for a response. "She study criminology, graduated in top ten percent."

"Yes. She's very smart."

"In the police, she has many partners. Many jobs. This is first time for her to be hurt."

Facts issued as a challenge. What he was really saying was, "After all this, look what you let happen." I didn't have much of an argument because Secada was my partner and she'd gone down. I'd been unable to protect her.

Hector couldn't seem to find anything more he wanted to say to me.

I finally said, "I'm sorry I let this happen."

Hector gave no sign that he accepted my apology.

I was allowed into the room and sat in a chair beside the bed looking into Secada's eyes. She wore no makeup and her hair was tangled, but she was still beautiful. She had been watching my exchange with her father through the glass.

"I see you had a talk with Popi," she said, trying to smile. "He's a very basic man."

"I can see how much he and your mother care for you."

"Yes," she said, softly. "Sonrisas de me alma-the smiles of my soul. But you shouldn't feel bad if they don't understand. Popi sees things with ancient eyes. He has loyalties and values steeped in the traditions of the past." I waited, wondering what she was trying to tell me. "In our old hill town near Cuernavaca, we had a family of close friends who all looked after one another. I had many 'tios,' 'uncles' who treated me almost as a daughter. These families would give us things they couldn't afford if they thought we were in need. In good times, my father always did the same for them. The people in the mountain towns all had very deep loyalties to one another."

That triggered something in me, some idea. But it was gone before I could grab it.

As we talked, Secada was strangely distant, as if by her attitude, she could send me a message. She seemed determined that we would not repeat the personal mistakes of the last week.

"Alexa came to see me," she said, deliberately bringing my wife into the conversation. "The chief, too. Alexa has been back to talk to me three times. She seems very interested in the Hickman case. She's asking a lot of good questions. She's a little different than I thought. Nothing like I imagined."

I didn't respond to that, but said instead, "Alexa agrees with us that the case against Tru was bad due process," I said. "She and I are going to keep working it together."

"She can take over for me," Secada said. "This is good."

"It was your idea."

A small smile appeared, but was quickly gone. "She's intelligent and very beautiful, your Alexa. But she is impulsive. Don't get yourself in more trouble."

The remark had the flavor of a warning as well as a farewell. We looked at each other and I could see that whatever we had once felt, it would never be discussed again. Somehow that was a huge relief.

"I'm leaving here today," I said. "Alexa and I are going back to L. A to pick up the loose ends."

"I will pray for only good things to happen," she said.

The nurse entered the room and beckoned for me to leave. I leaned down and brushed my lips on Secada's forehead. As I stood up, I saw tears glistening in her eyes.