“Don’t . . . you . . . dare,” she warned me, trying to pull back.
But I didn’t let go. My grin began to spread.
“Alex!” she said.
This caught the attention of our girls. “Do it, Daddy! Do it!”
I saw a hint of a smile on Taylor’s face. I knew this was the permission I needed. So I yanked her all the way forward on top of me into the pool. Coming up out of the water, Taylor tried to frown but couldn’t stop herself from smiling. The girls were exploding with laughter on the patio. There was nothing better than hearing unbridled glee coming out of both of our angels.
The next thing I knew, Joe had scooped up Carol in both arms and was running toward the pool with my screeching mother-in-law. They both splashed into the water right next to us. Then Olivia and Nicole jumped back into the pool right behind them, and soon we were all laughing so hard, our stomachs hurt.
Taylor gave me a kiss. “Babe, I’m so glad you talked me into coming on this trip. It really has been a wonderful week for all of us.”
“Thanks for trusting me.”
The last thing I’d said to her this morning in the pool now felt like a dagger jabbing hard into my ribs. Thankfully, I spotted a blue Ford truck with Policía—Matamoros on the side finally pull up to the marketplace. A uniformed officer probably in his forties with a crew cut and a thick mustache got out. I hurried over to him.
“Please tell me you speak English,” I said.
He nodded. “Yes. And you are?”
“Alex Mahan.”
“Officer Sanchez. But call me Raul. Tell me what happened, Alex.”
“My father-in-law and I were shopping here in the village when some men grabbed him. We’ve been helping out over at a nearby orphanage this week—Casa de Esperanza.”
“I know it well. The director, Esther, is a friend.”
“Well, I was standing over there when I looked back and spotted three guys jump out of a van, pull Joe into the vehicle, and speed off. I ran after the minivan but couldn’t stop them.” I pointed. “They took off that way.”
Raul squinted down the road. “You are from the States?”
“Yes, Austin.”
“I have a cousin who lives in Austin. Beautiful city. My kids love to swim in Lake Travis. What can you tell me about the vehicle?”
“Gray minivan. Probably ten years old. Honda Odyssey, I think.”
“Did it have plates?”
I thought about that for a moment. “No, I don’t think so, actually. I don’t recall seeing anything on the back.”
“I’m not surprised,” he said, jotting some notes on a small notepad. “What about these men? You say there were three of them?”
“Yes. All young guys. Probably early twenties. They were wearing regular T-shirts, jeans, and work boots. Two of them had facial hair. Goatees. The other guy was clean-shaven, I think.”
“Any tattoos? Or other markings?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. It all happened really fast.”
“Had you seen any of these men before today?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“How many times have you been here to this village this week?”
“Three other times. We’ve been picking up groceries and other items for the orphanage. Has this kind of thing happened here before?”
Raul sighed. “Yes, I’m afraid so, Alex. Local criminals often look to exploit generous Americans like you who’ve crossed over our border to do God’s work with the missions and orphanages here. They likely spotted you earlier this week and have been following you. They probably know you’re over at Casa de Esperanza and were waiting for an opportunity. I’d expect a ransom note to arrive over there by morning.”
“How would they go about delivering a ransom note?”
“They have their ways. Probably pay a kid to walk it over there.”
“Is there anything the police can do?”
“I will interview the people here to see if anyone will talk, but it’s unlikely. You see, these people are too afraid to speak up. But I will try my best. Then I’ll go back to the station, enter this information into our system, and see if anything matches up. I promise we’ll do everything we can. Maybe we’ll get lucky.”
“Do things like this usually turn out okay?”
“Depends. Do you have money?”
“Are you suggesting I pay the ransom?”
Raul took a moment, pressed his lips together. “I wish I could advise you otherwise and tell you not to pay. To allow us to find these men, bring them to justice, and get your father-in-law back safely. But this is a different world than in the States. We have the type of crime around here you likely never see in Austin. As police officers, we’re doing everything we can to keep people safe. But we’re overwhelmed right now. And I know the most important thing to you and your family is to have your loved one back with you as soon as possible. As much as I hate to admit it, the safest way to accomplish that without risking something happening to your father-in-law may be to pay.”