Anointed (Vanished Book 3) by Michael Arches
Author:Michael Arches [Arches, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: thriller, Crime
Publisher: Pyrenees Publishing
Published: 2021-02-04T22:00:00+00:00
Chapter 16
Mount Evans Motel, Idaho Springs
By early evening, Athenaâs mind was toast. The aches and pains of late pregnancyâcombined with her worry for Leo, and Violaâhad taken a huge toll.
Beau interrupted her thoughts. âI just got a report from the Santa Muerte event. DEA managed to sneak two guys in. Hundreds of people packed into an old movie theater. Thank God there wasnât a fire.â
Athena realized that no matter how bad things got, they could always get worse. âWhat did you hear about the event?â
âViola showed up looking like a skeleton, and her fans loved it. One of the DEA guys there is Catholic, and he said about half of her mass was very familiar to him. The other half of the mass included crazy stuff like Aesopâs fables and Bob Dylan lyrics. A wild mix of old and new. At the end, Viola performed healings for dozens of people, but no obvious cures.â
Athena wasnât sure whether Beau or the DEA guys were being sarcastic about miracles. âWhat do you expect her to do, Boudreau? Sheâs a kidnap victim, and sheâll do exactly what Carlotta tells her, n'est-ce pas?â
He blushed. âOf course, but you know how cynical cops are. The bottom line was, she seemed to totally get into it, and the congregation loved her. Viola showed no obvious signs of physical or emotional abuse.â
Athenaâs irritation grew. âSo, tell DEA to get off their asses and save her before she does show obvious signs. How many guards were there?â
âThatâs the best part. Only two, and Viola also brought two attendants, but they donât seem to be either armed or dangerous. DEAâs putting together a team of six who will attempt to grab her at her next public event. Let us know when you hear about the next mass.â
That was what Athena had hoped to hear. Her annoyance vanished. âPerfect, mon coeur. Hopefully, the cartel will send her out again soon.â
-o-o-o-
Casa Santiago, near Louviers
Viola and the others made it back to the compound in time for dinner, but she wasnât hungry. She was still running on adrenaline or joy or insanity, not sure which.
Attendance at meals was mandatory, so Viola joined the others in the dining room. She was the subject of most of the conversation, with Maria and Emilio singing her praises.
Carlotta, on the other hand, asked probing questions about the audienceâs reaction, and Viola had to admit she wasnât sure. Then, the jefa got a call from Jesus in Houston.
When she hung up, she patted Violaâs hand. âHe says the social media reaction is very positive. The only frequent negative comment was that the service had ended too soon.â
What a relief. Maybe Viola had a knack for this stuff, after all.
Carlotta continued, âJesus says a half-dozen clandestine videos have already been posted online. Fortunately, our cameraman has sent his file electronically to Jesus, and he just uploaded the official video to your webpage.â
At the first opportunity, Viola left the table and went to her room. She took off her makeup and tried to remember what her life had been like a week agoâit seemed like eons.
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