Boy Who Said No : An Escape to Freedom (9781608090815) Page 21

  “I know the problems involved.”

  Manny looked at me in dismay. “You know what will happen? They’ll post your picture on TV and on telephone poles all over the country. The police, the militia, and every CDR in every neighborhood in Cuba will be on the lookout for you. It will be a manhunt the likes of which the country has never seen.”

  “I know.”

  “Then use the good sense God gave you.” I nodded my head back and forth and Manny looked exasperated. “Can’t you at least wait until after the exercises?”

  “No. If I don’t do this now, I have no idea when—or if—I’ll get another chance to escape. Fewer and fewer fishermen are willing to risk it. Too many people have died. My window of opportunity is now, and I have to take it.”

  Manny put his head in his hands and grumbled. “Then promise me you’ll take your machine gun and enough ammunition to defend yourself. If you don’t use it, you can throw it into the ocean. But you’ve got to have it—just in case.”

  Lazo looked thoughtful. “Maybe that’s not the right strategy,” he said.

  “What are you talking about? How could he possibly benefit by not being armed?” Manny’s voice was harsh and filled with conviction.

  Lazo paused for a moment and looked at Manny as if he had given this some thought. “The first thing they’ll do when Frankie doesn’t show up is to search his cubbyhole. If his weapon is missing, they’ll go after him immediately. But if his gun is still there, we could stall them—say he went to see his girlfriend or something. It might buy him a few hours.”

  I was grateful for Lazo’s clear thinking. “He’s right,” I said. “A few hours could make a world of difference.”

  Manny sighed heavily and adjusted his shoulders. A look of sadness crossed his eyes before he pulled me into an embrace. When he finished hugging me, he said, “When?”

  “Late tonight, after everything has quieted down. That way they won’t miss me until morning.”

  I left under the cover of darkness with the help of Manny and Lazo. A slight breeze whipped the air and a steady rain slicked the streets. Rain beaded my hair and eyebrows. Branches of trees were reflected in black puddles like long slithering snakes. I ran all the way to Santa Maria, called Sophia to pick me up at our arranged meeting place, and then flattened my body against an ocher-colored building, nervously awaiting her arrival.

  Sophia and Rigo arrived in short order and drove me to their house. The sun was just cresting the horizon. I stripped off my military clothes, including my underwear, rolled them into a ball, and stuffed them in an old linen bag for disposal.

  I put on civilian clothes but carried nothing that would identify me: no license, no wallet, not even a toothbrush. Sophia had arranged for my clothes to be disposed of safely so I would leave nothing incriminating behind.

  I ate a quick breakfast and prepared myself psychologically for my departure. Cuni had already arranged with Sophia and Rigo to drop me at the home of Señor Lopez. As part of Havana’s underground, his home would serve as my hiding place until the boat left. I was eager to get there. The less time Sophia and Rigo spent with me the better.

  The couple climbed into the front seat of their 1957 Chevy Bel Air. I lay down in the back seat so I couldn’t be seen. Rigo was very nervous about transporting a fugitive, and the poor man kept lifting his shoulders toward his ears, blinking his eyes, and wiping his chin in anxiety. He was driving very cautiously, obeying the speed limit with the utmost care. The last thing he needed was to be stopped by the police for speeding.

  Sophia began talking to me from the front seat, as much to distract us from a very nerve-racking situation as to impart information.

  “I talked with the family the other day. Everyone is okay in the States.”

  “How’s Magda?”

  “Fine. She’s missing you.”

  “Good. Did you tell her I love her?”

  “I told her as much as I could without mentioning your name. I always speak in vague terms in case the authorities are listening in on our conversation. You can’t be too careful.”

  “I understand. Does she know about my situation?”

  “I told her someone she knew was going ‘to party’ today or tomorrow. I’m sure she understood. She said to tell you to be careful and to have a very good time.”

  I smiled and leaned back down against the seat, thinking about how wonderful it would be to see Magda again. I could picture her face, her smile, her hair. When I thought about the last time I kissed her, I could practically taste her lips on mine. Our life together was going to be great. I just needed to get through the next couple of days in hiding and then survive the trip to the States.

  I closed my eyes for a minute, listening to the sounds of the city. A band was practicing in the distance, probably a high school band. They weren’t very good. I was trying to figure out the song they were playing.

  When we turned onto one of the main streets in Havana, jack-hammers blasted the air. I sat up a little and peered over the front seat to see what was happening.

  “Watch out, men are working over there,” warned Sophia in a high-pitched voice. We were a couple hundred feet from the police station, and several policemen were milling around outside.

  “Oh, my God!” Rigo turned around to look at me. “Get down. Hide!” His face was red and contorted in panic. He began talking to himself under his breath: “What should I do? What will become of us?”

  “Watch where you’re going,” screamed Sophia. Her hands flew to her face and she leaned back in her seat, her right foot braced firmly against the dashboard. “What the hell is wrong with you, Rigo?”

  Rigo swerved the car, but not fast enough to avoid crashing through a barrier and sinking the right front tire into a deep pothole. The car stopped with a thump, the tire suspended in air, spinning uselessly. The boards of a sawhorse littered the street and a red lantern lay crushed on its side. Glass shattered into a thousand shards that sparkled in the light. For a moment we sat in stunned silence. I looked out the window to see a policeman coming toward us.

  “Christ, what do we do now?” moaned Rigo.

  “Just stay calm. I’ll take care of it.”

  I got out of the car and opened the front door for Sophia. She stood tall in her black pumps. “Talk to Rigo,” I said softly. “Just keep him busy until I straighten things out.”

  I walked toward the policemen very casually. “We’ve run into a little problem,” I said with a smile. I was hoping my face wouldn’t betray my emotions.

  “Looks like it,” he said.

  “Would you mind giving me a hand? It’s not a very deep hole. I think we can push the car out of it without much trouble. I’d really appreciate it.”

  “I think we can help,” he said. He turned and waved to his buddies who were smoking cigarettes outside the station.

  “Help me get this guy out of this pothole,” he hollered.

  The men grumbled a little, took a final puff on their cigarettes, and snuffed them out beneath their shoes before walking our way. One of them looked me up and down. The others didn’t bother.

  Four policemen pushed the back of the car while I worked the steering wheel. We soon extracted the vehicle from the hole. The entire operation took less than five minutes.

  I shook the hands of all the men, thanking them profusely.

  A policeman looked at me. “Maybe you should drive, instead of him,” he joked, pointing at Rigo. We chuckled. The last thing I needed was to get behind the wheel where I could be seen by every passerby. But I couldn’t say so. Sophia piped up.

  “He would drive, but it’s not his car,” she explained. She winked at the men. “You know how you men are about letting other people drive your cars.” The men laughed at themselves and nodded. Rigo, Sophia, and I got back into the car, and the men waved us on while I pretended not to be as relieved as I was.

  Shortly thereafter we pulled up to a lovely home with a stone pathway bordered with marigolds. Señor Lo
pez stood outside, chatting with a couple of neighbors. Sophia and Rigo stayed in the car while I got out. I turned and casually waved goodbye as if I would see them again very soon.

  When Señor Lopez saw me, he excused himself from his friends, opened the door, and waved me in. He was a tall man, especially for a Cuban, about six foot one. He had a pleasant face and wore beautifully tailored clothes, although his collar and cuffs were frayed. Like the rest of us, it had been years since he had bought any new clothes. He shook my hand vigorously. He was an ebullient, welcoming man.

  Señor Lopez ushered me into the foyer. He, his wife, Maria, and their two sons lived on the first floor of this elegant house, and their daughter, Esme, occupied the second floor. Señor Lopez explained that Esme’s husband had been sent to prison for “subversive activity.” She lived upstairs to be near her family.

  “Cuni has told me so much about you,” said Lopez. “I’m honored to have you in my home.”

  “I’m happy to be here.”

  Señor Lopez looked at me wistfully. “I can’t thank you enough for saving my boys.” He took his wife’s hand. The look that passed between them was one of pure love. “You were truly heroic. My family is forever indebted to you.”

  “That’s kind of you to say. And it’s very generous of you to put me up. I know it’s risky.”

  “It’s the least I can do. I’ve worked with Cuni for a long time. He’s a good and honorable man. He’s done a lot for people. I’ve told him that I’m here for anything you need. Anything.”

  “Thanks. That means so much to me.”

  The boys burst into the room and ran over to hug me. They were jumping around like small children. They were in much better spirits than when I last saw them.

  Joey looked up at me shyly. “Thank you so much for saving us. If it weren’t for you, my brother and I would be dead. I pray for you every night.”

  I stooped to be at eye level with them. “Thank you, Joey. But that’s what a man does. I’m sure you would do the same thing if you were in my position.”

  Joey and Pedro smiled and extended their hands for me to shake. “Well, thanks anyway,” said Pedro.

  Señor Lopez smiled. “Cuni has told everyone in the underground about what you did. The soldiers who are going with you on the trip have all heard about you. They’re eager to meet you.”

  “I’m eager to meet them, too. But tell me, Señor, what’s your involvement in all of this?”

  “I provide funds where needed.”

  “Why, may I ask?”

  “I hate Fidel. And when an ordinary citizen escapes to safety, it’s a blow to him. But when a soldier escapes to the United States, it undermines his entire regime. It’s my way of helping to get rid of him. It’s very important to me.”

  “What about your boys? Why aren’t they going?”

  “This trip is only for soldiers. The boys will go at a later date.”

  I knew enough not to ask more questions.

  “Let’s get you settled,” said Maria. She handed me a pillow and sheets and said she’d be back in a minute. She returned with clean underwear, a comb, a toothbrush, and pajamas.

  “You can stay with us as long as you need,” she said. “But for your sake, we hope it’s only for a couple of days.”

  I took the nightclothes from her, but I knew I’d be too nervous to use them. I bedded down in my street clothes and kept my shoes on in case I had to leave in a hurry.

  Both of the boys came in to hug me goodnight. Joey leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. It felt great to be appreciated. I hugged him and thought about how nice it would be have sons like Pedro and Joey one day.

  I slept very lightly.

  CHAPTER 30

  As usual, Lazo got the troops up around five a.m. for a long run, and they returned to the mess hall around seven for breakfast. No one had missed me yet. At ten a.m. everyone gathered to leave for Las Villas. This was the first time Pino noticed my absence.

  Pino called Brown into his office for questioning. Brown reported that Lazo had told him I was sick. He suggested that they send one of the troops to check the latrines. When it was reported that I wasn’t there, Pino informed the base commander that a man was missing.

  Captain Martinez sounded the alarm and questioned the guard who was on duty the previous night. But he claimed no knowledge of the situation.

  If I were to miss military exercises, Pino and Brown would have a lot of explaining to do to Raúl Castro. I can only surmise what transpired.

  “What’s your gut feeling on this?” asked Pino.

  “The last time he was late he went out drinking, but he did report back,” said Brown.

  “Well, I never believed that story.”

  “Believe what you want.”

  “He knows how important these exercises are, and he knows not to miss them.”

  “Yes, but if he’s going to be away for more than a month, he probably wanted to see his girlfriend before he left. He’s pretty lovesick.”

  “I don’t want to report a man missing if we don’t have to,” said Pino.

  “What do you suggest?”

  Pino thought for a moment. “Get Lazo and Manny in here.”

  Manny and Lazo arrived in Pino’s office, trying to conceal their anxiety. They pretended that they were completely dumbfounded that I was missing.

  “Do you know where Mederos is?” Pino asked Lazo.

  “No, sir.”

  “I must warn you, there will be severe repercussions if you lie. Are you sure?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Was he at breakfast this morning?”

  “No, sir. I haven’t seen him all morning. He didn’t look well yesterday. I understood he was sick.”

  “Was anything unusual going on with him?”

  “What do you mean, sir?”

  “To your knowledge, did he have any problems? Was he depressed?”

  “No, sir.”

  Pino sighed. “It’s imperative that he demonstrate the rocket at military exercises. We need to find him—soon. Had he mentioned that he was planning to escape?”

  A muscle in Lazo’s cheek jumped involuntarily, but Pino failed to notice. “No, sir, he never said anything like that.”

  “Manny?”

  “I never heard him speak of it.”

  Pino hesitated for a moment, thinking. “Was something bothering him?”

  “Not that I know of,” said Manny. “Except—”

  “Except what?”

  “Except yesterday he said he wasn’t feeling well.”

  “That’s all?”

  “That’s all he said.”

  “What about the girlfriend? Do you think he went to see her?”

  “I have no idea,” said Manny.

  “Lazo?”

  “He didn’t say anything like that to me.”

  “But it’s a possibility?”

  “Anything’s possible.”

  “Do you know where she lives?”

  “I have no idea,” lied Manny. “Every time we’ve seen her, it’s been at the beach.”

  “You know her name, don’t you?”

  “It’s Magda,” said Manny, trying to appear helpful. “Magda Hernández.”

  “Too bad it’s such a common name,” interjected Brown.

  “Do you know where she goes to school?”

  “In Guanabacoa, I believe,” said Lazo.

  Pino stood to indicate the interview was over. “That’s all for now, men. If you think of anything else, notify us immediately.”

  Manny and Lazo saluted and left. They said not a word, but exchanged worried glances as they walked down the hall.

  Lieutenants Pino and Brown had a window of twenty-four hours before they had to leave for Las Villas. They had wanted to get an early start so they’d have more time to practice on location for military exercises. But, if necessary, they could postpone departure until the following day. The troops were well trained, and the delay probably wouldn’t make
much difference to their performance. They’d prefer to postpone the unit’s arrival for a day rather than to show up without me—and have to explain my absence.

  Giving me the benefit of the doubt, the two lieutenants decided the best course of action was to keep things as quiet as possible and try to find me on their own. They immediately left for the high school in Guanabacoa and obtained Magda’s address from the school’s secretary. For whatever reason, however, she failed to mention that Magda had not been in school for more than a month.

  When the lieutenants arrived at Magda’s house, they found it abandoned with a sign posted outside that read, “Do Not Enter. House Inventoried.” Pino and Brown walked around the neighborhood, inquiring about the family’s whereabouts. No one knew where the Hernándezes had gone.

  Finally, one woman told them that she had not seen anyone come or go from the house for weeks. Pino checked with a member of the local CDR and his suspicions were confirmed. The family had been issued visas and was thought to be in the States.

  Pino turned to Brown and said, “This man had a girlfriend whose family was anticommunist, and you didn’t know it? What’s wrong with you?”

  “It’s not my job to know the political sympathies of all of my men,” retorted Brown. “That’s your department.”

  “With the amount of time you spend with your troops, I’d expect you to know these things. If you had paid the slightest attention to what was going on with your men, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

  “You want me to grill every soldier about the political leanings of every single person they know?”

  “It wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

  Brown shook his head. “It would be a total waste of time. If a man’s family was anticommunist, do you think he’d tell me?”

  “There are ways.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” snapped Brown. “We must find Mederos before we leave for Las Villas.”

  “I don’t like this at all,” Pino told Mikhail when he returned to base. “Mederos didn’t go to see his girlfriend. She left the country more than a month ago. I’m willing to give him a few more hours because he’s our best man—and we need him. But my guess is he’s trying to escape.”