Easter's Lilly (24 page)

“
Right,” Max said. “Focus…”

We went home and dad was waiting for us. “Are you all right, baby?”

“
Fine daddy,” I answered.

“
How long until the results come in?” he asked.

“
A day or so,” Max quickly answered. “We’re excited.”

“
I’m glad it’s done.” He walked away and Max and Hector looked at each other with that mischievous glance they get before they are going to do something bad. Max walked outside the kitchen and looked around. Then the two of them started feeling around for cameras and bugs and it took them no time to find the first camera. Max stepped on it and it broke into pieces on the floor. I put my hands over my mouth in shock. It had to be my dad. There was no one else. Or was there?

We walked outside to the end of the driveway. “I told you,” Max started.

“
What about Leticia?” I asked. “It could be her, you know. Diego is handsome and she’s the right age.”

“
Did you hear that little brother?” Hector said laughing. “Your woman thinks Diego’s handsome.”

“
How handsome?” Max asked me.

“
Would you two cut it out!” I yelled. “Seriously, what about Leticia?”

“
That is something to be considered,” Hector agreed.

“
Okay, we need a plan.” Max responded. “I’ll start following her around,” Max said and looked at me for a reaction.

“
How about Hector takes Leticia and
you
take my dad.”

“
I’m just kidding, querida,” he said smiling. “Yes, that’s what we’ll do.”

“
I won’t mind following
her
around,” Hector added. “How focused do I need to be?”

“
I’m going to kill you both myself,” I scolded. “Now get serious and find the leak.”

“
Yes, ma’am,” they both said simultaneously and saluted me. I could see my dad from the front door. He walked out to us. “What are we doing outside?” he asked. “I had the house swept, it’s clean.”

“
You can never be too careful,” Max answered.

“
What are you talking about that is so private?” he asked.

“
Lilly’s amnio,” Max answered. “She’s a little anxious.”

“
They should call me with the results as soon as they’re in,” dad said. “It’ll be a relief, Lilly, really.”

“
I asked them to call me, dad. I’ll let you know when they do.” He didn’t like that. His face turned cold when he heard that he was not in control of my results and I began to think that the boys were right.

“
I’m going to Las Vegas tomorrow to find out why Diego is wandering around like a free man out there,” dad revealed. “You’ll call with the results?”

“
Of course, daddy,” I said and I kissed him on the cheek. We went back inside but were weary of our conversations. Max and Hector spotted bugs all over the house so we knew it was one of them.

After he left in the morning Hector and Max swept the house again. Hector said he didn’t see anything unusual about Leticia. I think they were convinced it was my father.

“
Go ahead and call him with the results,” Max suggested. “Let him tell Diego while he’s there.”

I called my dad and gave him the news. “You were right, daddy. I was already pregnant when I slept with Max.”

“
The baby’s Diego’s then?” he asked. “You’re sure?”

“
Yes,” I answered, trying to sound like I was crying.

“
Did he leave you?” he asked.

“
No, daddy, he knows and he’s still here.”

“
Good man,” he continued. “You’re very lucky.”

“
I know,” I said. “I know.”

“
When are you coming home?” I asked.

“
Soon,” he answered. “I’ll let you know.” He was quiet for a minute. “I’m sorry, baby.” He hung up.

Max came in with the mail. “It’s here. Diego’s DNA is in my hands.”

“
Let’s go,” Hector started.

“
He asked me if you left me,” I said, a little surprised.

“
I would never do that. I told you, baby girl,” he answered.

“
You’re sure we’re doing the right thing?”

“
Very sure,” he told me. Leticia came into the living room with the baby. “Max we need to talk for a minute.”

“
Go ahead,” he answered. “I have time.”

“
Can you come with me for a minute?” she asked.

“
Okay,” he answered reluctantly. “Are you sure you don’t want Hector?” he asked as he winked in my direction.

“
Very sure,” she answered. “I have to show you something.”

She and Max walked down the hall and left little Diego with Hector and me. “I’m going to put him to bed,” I said. “He looks tired.”

I left Hector and laid Dieguito down in his bed. He grabbed his teddy bear and drifted right off to sleep. I came back out and Hector was looking out the window. “Lilly,” he whispered. “Come to me.” I recognized the tone. It was urgency. I walked to him and he hugged me. “How long has he been in there?”

“
Too long,” I answered.

“
Stay close,” he continued. He pulled his gun and looked out the window while hiding behind the wall. “Did you hear that?” he asked. I didn’t hear anything but he was definitely scaring me. “Max!” he shouted. “Max, get out here!” Max came running down the hall with his gun drawn.

“
Did you hear that?” Max asked.

“
Yes, what the hell were you two doing?” Hector asked.

“
I can’t help that I am devastatingly handsome,” he answered.

“
We were set up,” Hector said. “Whoever set this up, thinks Lilly and I are alone in here and you are…” He paused. “Naked.”

“
Funny,” Max replied.

“
Seriously,” Hector went on. “What the hell were you doing in there?”

“
I was peeling her off of me,” he answered.

“
I knew you were in there too long.” They were both checking out the house.

“
She was trying to handcuff me to…” He stopped and glanced at me. “Something in there so that I wouldn’t be able to come back out. She was definitely trying to keep me out of the living room.”

“
Handcuff you to the…” Hector laughed. “To the what?”

Max looked at me again. “To the bedpost,” he admitted. “Yeah, go ahead and laugh.”

“
I can’t believe she chose you over me. I’m the pretty one,” Hector teased.

“
You idiot,” Max said laughing. “You know they’re going to try to grab Lilly.” I was so scared; I couldn’t believe how they were making jokes.

I heard a gun cock and someone came behind me and grabbed my neck. That, however, was not the scary part. I was right behind Max, as I always was when there was danger. He had zero reaction time. With one hand he pushed her gun in the air and with the other he shot her in the head. She fell to the ground behind me and I was covered with blood. We turned when we heard a shot and Hector fell against the wall. Max picked up Leticia’s gun and began to shoot at the men with both guns. I had never seen anything like this except for in the movies but Hector got up. He grabbed his gun and started shooting like nothing had happened. There were five men and Leticia and they were all down. “My baby!” I screamed and little Diego came running down the hall crying. I grabbed him and hugged him. Max was checking the men to make sure they were all dead or unarmed. “Max, your brother.”

He ran to Hector and Hector said, “I’m fine Max, really.” Max grabbed his hand and picked him up while I called 911. “Uncle Max… Uncle Max…” Dieguito called. Max went to him and sat him on the couch. “Do not move, little man, you hear me?”

“
Yes sir!” he said, proud to be part of the group. I ran to Hector and started unbuttoning his shirt. When I opened it, I must have made a face. Max said to me, “Watch it now, he’s my brother remember.”

“
She thinks I’m pretty,” Hector said laughing.

“
Prettier than me?” he asked me.

“
Of course not,” I answered. Then I winked at Hector.

“
Knock it off, you two.”

“
He’s getting suspicious, Lilly, tone it down,” Hector jested.

“
How do you two joke at times like these?” I asked.

“
Who’s joking?” Hector answered.

“
If I wasn’t trying to save your life right now, I’d smack you.” Max reached into his wallet and pulled out a credit card. He pressed it against Hector and Hector let out a yell. “Now she thinks you’re pretty,
and
a girl,” Max said laughing.

“
You know I’m too stubborn to die,” he reminded him. “I can’t leave you alone.”

“
You’re not going anywhere,” Max replied. We heard the sirens. “Stay with me, man.” Max said. Hector starting coughing up blood and Max started to panic.

The person in charge of the FBI came inside; they called him Luke. He walked over to Max and said, “So, Mick’s dirty?”

“
Yeah,” Max told him. “I think Diego has something on him. I don’t think it’s malicious intent.” He never took his eyes off of Hector as the paramedics began to take care of him.

“
Would you like to hang around and watch the shop for me?” he asked.

“
You mean run the police department?” Max asked.

“
I need FBI on it,” he continued. “Come on, Max. Help me out with this.”

“
We’re going home as soon as Hector’s okay,” he told him.

They finally got him ready to take to the hospital. There were FBI and police in our living room when someone ran in and said, “Luke, turn on the TV. Channel 8.” We turned it on.

“
Diego and Jorge Montiago have escaped the federal penitentiary in Nevada,”
the broadcaster said
. “It is believed that Michael O’Hara, chief of police in Sedona, Arizona is responsible for signing them out illegally.”

Max sat down on the couch like the wind had just been knocked out of him. He looked at me and grabbed my hand. I sat beside him.

“
What do you say, Max?” Luke asked.

“
Yeah, why not,” he agreed. “I’ll stick around. I’m not taking her back there with those madmen running around loose.”

“
We are going to hide you in plain sight,” Luke continued.

“
How’s that?”

“
We found you a three bedroom house in the city. Right in the middle of everything.”

“
Okay,” Max agreed. “Less hiding in the trees, I suppose.”

“
Unless you are sick of Hector already,” Luke suggested.

“
No, we need him,” Max said. “I need him.”

Max got up and grabbed an envelope that was sent by Miguel in Las Vegas and said, “Look, I’ll answer all your questions but please let me go be with Hector.”

“
Go,” he said. “Then you can tell me how Leticia got that big hole in her head.”

Max paused. “Where’s her purse?”

Luke reached down onto the floor and handed it to Max. He opened it and pulled out a bunch of ID’s and passports. “Lilly would have been Amelia Montiago.” He looked at me with sadness in his eyes.

“
They would have killed you after the baby was born,” he surmised. “Giving you my dead mother’s identification was a message to me.”

He opened the next one. “So, Diego was Max and Jorge was Hector.” Max looked at Luke. “They were going to take her and leave the country.”

We need to find them,” Luke exclaimed. “Go to your brother. I’ll be by later to check on him and give you your new address and keys.”

“
Thanks, Luke,” was all he offered. We ran at high speed out the door and Max put a police light on his car as we sped to the hospital. He got to the desk and said, “I need to talk to someone about the Olivia Montiago case.” He flashed his badge and she asked, “What do you need?”

“
Please do a DNA check on this guy,” he told her. Compare it with the baby’s DNA. All the information is in the envelope.”

“
Yes, sir,” she answered. “I’ll take care of it personally.” She brushed up against him as she walked away.

Max smiled at me. “Don’t worry, baby.” He kissed my hands. “I only have eyes for you.” Then we asked about Hector and they said they were prepping him for surgery. “I need to see him,” he insisted.