Boy Who Said No : An Escape to Freedom (9781608090815) Read online

  “Maybe he missed his girlfriend so much he went crazy,” offered the commander. “Maybe he shot himself, hung himself—who knows?”

  “Not Mederos. That’s not his style. He’s one of the coolest men I’ve ever known. Christ, he could launch those rockets without blinking an eye. The guy has nerves of steel. Besides, he didn’t take his gun.”

  “True,” said Mikhail.

  “We have to face reality. A key man in the force has defected, and we must leave no stone unturned to find him.”

  “It’s not going to be easy. He’s not only good at what he does, he’s smart as a whip.”

  “He may be smarter than any one of us, but he’s not smarter than all of us,” said Pino.

  Mikhail raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

  “Never mind,” said Pino. He walked out of the office without shutting the door.

  CHAPTER 31

  I could not have been more grateful for the hospitality of the Lopez family. Although I was very nervous, I felt like I had found a safe haven from the authorities—at least for a few days.

  Señor Lopez and his wife treated me with the utmost care and respect, and Pedro and Joey seemed thrilled to have me around. The second night I was there, I helped the boys with their math homework. Joey had a test the next day, and he came home after school, proudly displaying an A. His parents praised him, but he graciously gave most of the credit to me.

  Joey was an earnest, ambitious young man. He showed me his baseball card collection and some coins his grandfather had given him. He stored them carefully in a cigar box, each one wrapped in a small scrap of cloth so they wouldn’t get scratched. He impressed me by knowing all the dates of the coins and which country they came from. He was obviously interested in history.

  After dinner, Joey and I played gin rummy. He told me he played a lot of cards with his friends—and it showed. He quickly won the first two games. I prevailed in the second two and he won the last. I congratulated him, but he modestly said it was just good luck. I think he felt uncomfortable beating me. He reminded me quite a bit of myself at his age. His brother wandered into the room when the game was finished, and the three of us talked about getting together in America.

  Maria’s cooking was a highlight of my stay. The first night she prepared lemon chicken with beans, rice, and fried plantains. She served a chocolate cake for dessert. It was a rare and wonderful treat. I had no idea where she managed to get chocolate, and I wasn’t about to ask. It had been a long time since I’d had a home-cooked meal.

  Suddenly, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. I missed my own family. I thought about the times we had shared in the past and the times we’d be unable to share in the future.

  I wasn’t sure whether my father had told my mother about me trying to escape. I tried not to think about it. If she knew, she’d be worried and unable to sleep. I could imagine her lighting a candle in church for me, making a novena, and pacing the floor with her rosary beads after the family had gone to bed. I hoped my father had spared her this news, at least for a while.

  On my third day with the Lopezes, I wandered into the living room with a cup of coffee. The curtains were closely drawn for security reasons and the lamp on the end table was turned down low. I grabbed a coaster and placed my coffee cup on it so as not to leave a mark on the table. I was feeling a little drowsy and hoping the coffee would keep me awake.

  The boys were at school and Señor Lopez and his wife were at work. I had the house to myself. I tried my best to relax. I sat on the sofa to watch the news, hoping my picture wasn’t being splashed across every television screen in the country.

  To my surprise, there was no mention of me. Instead, there was an episode of the television series Zorro. I was so engrossed in the adventures of the masked swordsman that, for a moment, I forgot about my situation.

  The door creaked open. I looked up to see Esme, a startlingly beautiful woman in her early twenties. She had flawless skin, a finely chiseled nose, and full lips dressed in pink lipstick. Long eyelashes fringed her brown eyes and large, round breasts strained the bodice of her red dress. Silk stockings accentuated shapely legs that ended in black high heels.

  Her slender waist was cinched in a wide leather belt. Pearl earrings dangled almost to her collarbone, and a matching pearl bracelet encircled her wrist. It was not the kind of attire I was used to seeing women wear, especially during the day. I felt a surge of adrenalin as I stood to greet her.

  “Please, sit down,” Esme said. Her wide smile revealed a set of perfect white teeth. She brushed a strand of wavy black hair away from her face.

  “I heard the television and wondered if you might like some company.” She nodded toward the television set. “Do you mind?”

  “No, please. Turn it off, I’d love to have some company.” Esme walked to the other side of the room and switched off the TV. She sat down on the couch next to me, crossed her legs, and began tapping her foot nervously. I studied her slender ankles with interest.

  She smiled and nodded. “My parents call you their hero.”

  “That’s overstating it. But thanks anyway.”

  Esme sensed that I didn’t know what to say, so she took the lead in the conversation. “I don’t mean to be nosy, but how long do you think you’ll be staying with us?”

  “I’m not sure. I could be here a week or so—or I could leave today. It’s out of my control.”

  Esme took my hand. “It must be difficult. My father told me how you saved my brothers.”

  I pulled my hand away from hers and smiled. “It was my honor. Pedro and Joey are very special people.”

  “Joey said you helped him with his homework. Are you a teacher?”

  “No, I’m just good at math.”

  “I’m terrible at math.” Esme inched closer to me and pressed the length of her leg against mine. I felt myself getting aroused.

  I took a deep breath. “Tell me about your husband,” I said, hoping to steer the conversation in a different direction.

  Esme sighed and waved her hand dismissively. “He’s in prison. He’s been gone for a very long time—and he’s got a lot more time to serve. I’m very lonely and bored without him.”

  “How long is his term?” I asked, wanting to keep the conversation focused on her husband.

  “Six years. More than four to go.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “What about you? Are you married?”

  “Not yet, but I have a girlfriend. She’s already left for the States.”

  “So you must be lonely, too.”

  “I miss her, but I’ve been very busy.”

  Esme snuggled against me. I could feel the heat of her body against mine. I closed my eyes for a minute, enjoying the sensation. She put her hand on my thigh, and I looked up at her, startled. I let her hand linger for a minute before I placed it back on her lap. She frowned.

  Provocative cologne scented the young woman’s skin, and I was beginning to feel a little disoriented. My body urged me to surrender to temptation, but my mind warned against it.

  I was in a safe house, fleeing for my life. Being so powerfully attracted to a woman was the last thing I expected to happen. My heart was racing. I was trying to quell my urge to take Esme in my arms, to run my hands over her breasts, and to insert my tongue into her mouth. Christ! I thought. Have you lost your marbles?

  Esme interrupted my reverie. “It seems like we’re in the same boat,” she said in a low, husky voice.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re missing your girlfriend, and I’m missing my husband. We’re both very lonely.”

  “Uh-huh,” I said. I didn’t want to insult her, but I didn’t want to encourage her either. What if her parents came home and found us doing something improper? I shuddered to think of the consequences.

  Esme draped her arm around my shoulder, pressing her firm breasts against my side. She began kissing my ear, darting her tongue in and out and nibbling my earlobe. I sighed an
d moved slightly away from her. I broke out in a cold sweat—it was all I could do to resist her.

  “What’s the matter? Don’t you like me?”

  “Of course, I like you. Who wouldn’t like you?”

  “I don’t know. You seem—”

  “What?”

  “Reluctant.”

  I sat up straight and moved my body a few inches away. “I have a girlfriend,” I said. “And you have a husband.”

  “Why should that matter? Neither one of them are here, are they? Let’s just relax and have fun.” She ran her hands over my chest and undid the top button on my shirt. “They’ll never know. We wouldn’t be hurting anyone.”

  I took a long look at Esme. What she was saying sounded like something a man would say to a woman, not the reverse. I considered her proposal for a minute. She was alluring.

  I took a deep breath. I needed to keep my wits about me. As much as I wanted her, I knew it would be folly to follow my instincts. I tried to focus on my goal of escaping. I hadn’t come this far to lose everything over the need for a woman.

  Suddenly the image of Magda flashed through my mind, and I imagined the guilt I’d feel if I betrayed her. I was just about to say something when the front door burst open, and Esme’s mother walked in carrying a bag of groceries. She headed straight for the kitchen, barely giving us a glance. I got up from the couch, fastened my button, and took the bag from Maria. I set it down on the kitchen table.

  “I hope you’re hungry,” Maria said cheerfully. “I’ve got food for dinner.” She looked at me, and said, “I hope it’s enough for a young soldier.”

  “And a hungry one at that,” I said. I smiled at Maria, and she patted me on the back. Esme stood up and unpacked the bag. And I went down the hall to use the bathroom.

  • • •

  Right after dinner, Señor Lopez took me aside and said, “Cuni is coming tonight to take you to a different location.”

  “Where?” I asked, both sad and relieved to be leaving this house.

  “He’s contacted your Uncle Luis, and your uncle’s willing to put you up for a while. Cuni thinks it’s too dangerous for you to stay here much longer. I’m too well known for helping people out.”

  “But my uncle lives right in the center of Guanabacoa. That’s where I grew up. My parents live there. It’s the first place they’d look.”

  “That’s why Cuni wants you to go there. He believes it’ll be the last place the authorities will search. He says they’ll figure you’re too smart to be hiding in the most likely of places.”

  “Reverse psychology?”

  “Something like that.”

  “What do you think I should do?”

  “Cuni has a lot of experience in these matters. You should trust his judgment.”

  “All right,” I said. But I wasn’t totally convinced of the wisdom of this decision.

  That night around ten, I was welcomed into the home of my uncle, his wife, Rosa, and my cousins, Magali and Marisol. The girls were seven and eight. Cuni came in to talk with Luis for a while before he left.

  “Frankie will be here with you for about ten days,” he said. “It may be a few days more or less, depending on how soon I can get a boat.”

  “I understand,” said my uncle. “My nephew is welcome to stay here as long as necessary.”

  Cuni nodded. “This is a very dangerous situation, and I want you to understand what’s required.”

  “Shoot,” said my uncle.

  “The most important thing is to keep everything looking normal. Do the same chores, talk to the same people, keep your regular routine. Don’t do anything unusual or anything that will draw attention.”

  My uncle grew silent for a moment. Something was obviously bothering him. “We usually keep the front door open during the day,” he said in a concerned tone. “What should we do about that?”

  “If that’s what you do, then do it,” said Cuni. Luis and I looked at each other quizzically. Luis seemed puzzled as if wondering how this could be accomplished.

  “Let me look around,” said Cuni.

  Cuni surveyed the house. The rooms ran one behind the other from front to back: living room, master bedroom, girls’ bedroom, and kitchen. A small hallway led to the backyard. Cuni examined the closets and the backyard. Rosa made us some coffee, and we sat down at the kitchen table to talk.

  “Frankie will have to hide under the bed in your bedroom during the day,” Cuni told my uncle.

  “All right,” said Luis tentatively.

  Cuni thought for a moment. “What time do you usually close your door at night?”

  “When it gets dark—eight thirty to nine.”

  Cuni looked at me. “Then you’ll have to stay under the bed all day, every day, until you leave. Lie face down so you can see people’s feet in case someone comes into the house. Eat lunch under the bed. The way the house is laid out, you can scoot to the bathroom without being seen. Wait until it’s dark to come out for exercise and dinner. You can sleep on the couch at night—as long as the door is closed and the shades are drawn.”

  “All right,” I said, feeling nervous about the prospect of doing this.

  “I’m sorry, Frankie, I know this will be uncomfortable, but it’s necessary to ensure your safety.”

  “It’s not a problem.”

  Cuni turned to Luis. “Are you sure you’re okay with this? You’re taking a big risk.”

  “I’m glad to do it,” said Luis. “I have only one request.” He hesitated.

  “Which is?”

  “That I be permitted to go with Frankie when he leaves.”

  Cuni looked momentarily perplexed, as if he wasn’t sure what he heard. I was also surprised at the pronouncement.

  “You want to escape, too?” asked Cuni.

  “I do.”

  “What about your family?”

  “I’ll claim them once I get to the States. But I have to get myself out first. I’ve wanted to do this for a very long time. I just haven’t been able to figure out how. This is a chance of a lifetime.”

  Cuni let out a whistle and leaned back in his chair. He looked up at the ceiling as if he were thinking, counting. A couple of minutes elapsed.

  Finally, he said, “All right. I can make room for one more man. Are you sure you want to do this?”

  “I am.”

  “What about the money?” I asked, knowing full well how much the fishermen charged.

  Luis suddenly looked stricken. “I didn’t know I had to pay. How much money do I need?”

  “Don’t worry about it,” said Cuni. “I’ll talk to Lopez. I’m sure he’ll cover your expenses.”

  Luis and Rosa instructed their girls not to say anything to anyone about me being in the house. The next morning Magali and Marisol went to school as usual. Rosa opened the front door as usual while I hid under the bed.

  The bed was covered with sheets and a yellow chenille bedspread that hung about an inch from the floor. Rosa tuned the radio to her usual station, and she chatted outside her house with the same neighbors—as always.

  When the girls got home from school, they played with their friends, running in and out of the house as children do. Sometimes they’d come into the room and jump on the bed. Depending on how hard they jumped, the springs would press on my back. But, to my relief, Rosa would always scold them and scoot them away. Often a ball would land near the bed, and I’d knock it away with the back of my hand without being noticed.

  I used the bathroom and ate breakfast early in the morning while it was still dark and the door was still closed. When no one was looking, Rosa would slide me a plate of food under the bed for lunch.

  The most difficult thing was staying still for so long. I was in very good shape and my body ached for exercise. When my leg muscles cramped, I had to work through the pain in my mind, since I was unable to reach down to knead them.

  Although I could hear noises and activity all around me, it often felt like I was in solitary confineme
nt. Sometimes I dozed off to sleep during the day, but I tried not to, afraid I might draw attention to myself by snoring.

  I watched patterns of sunlight shift on the floor as I waited for dusk. I thought about Lazo and Manny and what had likely transpired at military exercises. I went over in my mind the tactics Pino might use to catch me and what I could do to thwart them. By now I figured the CDRs had plastered my picture on walls and telephone poles all over the country.

  Expectantly, I listened for Rosa to close the front door at night so I could eat, exercise, and get some fresh air. After that, I liked to spend time sitting in my uncle’s backyard, studying the stars like Abuelo had taught me and thinking about my future with Magda.

  CHAPTER 32

  The military exercises were a huge success. Pino decided that the best course of action was to report that I was unable to perform my duties due to illness. This allowed him to avoid the repercussions of having a man gone AWOL under his command during such a sensitive time, while still giving him time to find me.

  Lazo launched the rocket in my place, and he did an exemplary job. He hit the target on his second attempt and was rewarded with kudos from the two Castros and with wild cheering from the crowd. As soon as the men returned to base, however, Pino announced that his top priority was to find me.

  I was considered a grave security risk due to my deep knowledge of Cuba’s military secrets and weapons. Pino’s biggest fear was that I would get to the States and divulge what I knew to the enemy. He was equally concerned that he would have to face the wrath of Raúl Castro for losing a man of such importance to national security. The consequences of that would be dire.

  Upon returning to base, Pino established a command center to locate me, complete with maps of Guanabacoa and other areas. He affixed colored pushpins to the maps that identified places where I’d most likely hide and from which I’d most likely try to escape. He called a meeting with all the officers of the unit, including Lieutenant Brown and Commander Martinez to discuss how to approach the matter.