June 11th, Oceanside, California 2:34 am

June 11th, Oceanside, California 2:34 am

I slipped out of bed surreptitiously and Alyssa stretched her arm and yawned before snuggling into a new sleeping position. My heart felt like it would beat out of my chest. I didn't know what to do. Joseph wanted me to do something with that tape, but what? Was I supposed to turn to over to the police? Was I supposed to take this on myself? I knew that Joseph wouldn't have approved of that. He would never want to endanger Alyssa or me. I had to find out what was going on. Who was that man that James killed? Who was that Cuban man? I had so many questions that needed answers. The first person I could think of that I could trust was Monica.

Monica was our cousin. She and I were very close. Our friendship began almost from birth, when we lived with her family in Alhambra. She and I were only three months apart so we shared everything, even at times, boyfriends. Well, more like fought over. When we moved out, Monica and I were best friends. She helped James and me with our business endeavors, but she stuck around much longer than I did. She now lived in Whittier, not far from home. She gave up the game year's ago, but never left. She still ran around with the wrong guys who were either in prison or on parole. She was married once, but she caught him sleeping with her sister and decided to take her kids and move out. He decided to keep it in the family and married Rosario, her sister.

She has five kids, two from Ramone, her ex-husband, and one each from Mario, Jesus, and Casper (I'm not even sure she knows his real name), None of which she knows the whereabouts of. Sometimes I feel sorry for her, but I don't know anyone as tough as Monica. She takes it all with a grain of salt and will spit it back in your eye. I knew that if anyone knew what was going on, she would.

7:59 am

I couldn't wait any longer to call my beloved cousin. I knew that she wouldn't be up yet, but dialed her number anyway. I wasn't sure what I was going to say. I mean, she was James' cousin too. How could I tell her that I thought he had murdered my husband?

The phone rang three times before a tired Latina woman in her mid-thirties picked up the phone, "Who the fuck do you think you are waking me up at...what fucking time is it anyway?" That's my Monica.

"Its 8 o'clock Monica. Its Jess, how are you?" I answered.

"Oh my God! How you been girl? I haven't heard from you in forever!" Monica sounded shocked to hear from me.

"I've been alright. Ya know, gettin' by. Alyssa is still having a hard time."

"Poor baby. She's a tough chica tho, like her ma. She'll be ok."

"Yeh, I know..." I paused and took a breath. I didn't call to reminisce or to chit chat with my cousin. "You heard from James lately, Mon?"

"Oh...yeh...uhm, a couple weeks ago maybe. He was in Texas, I think. Asked me for some help with some merchandise. I gave him the name of a connection I had in Hemet. You 'member Javier?"

"Hemet? What's Javier doing in Hemet?" Now for most people I know, Hemet will not sound at all familiar. Few people even know where it is. Out in a quiet little valley, approximately two hours southeast of Los Angeles, one mountain away from Palm Springs, is a little town called Hemet. What was once a beautiful retirement community, is now a cesspool. figuratively, if the Inland Empire (or the IE as the locals call it) were to have eaten bad Chinese for dinner and regurgitate, Hemet would be the trash can and its residents, the vomit..

"His girlfriend moved out there with her family because the houses are really cheap. They got a house for like $50,000. After some bastard shot her dad, he left her the house up here, but Javier convinced her that she should sell it and buy a cheaper house in Hemet and 'invest' the rest. Business is great down there."

"So I take it you're still 'in business'?"

"Just when I need the extra cash. I mean, ya know. Its for the kids."

"How are the kids anyway?"

"They are a'right. I mean, what can you expect right? So anyway, what's up? Why you looking for James?"

"I need to find him. I think he knows something about how Joseph died. Do you know where in Texas he went?"

Monica paused for a moment. Jessica could tell that she now uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was heading. "Amarillo, I'm pretty sure. What are you talking about? I thought Joseph's death was an accident?"

"Hit and run. I'm pretty sure James knows who ran. You up for a little road trip?"

"Hell yeah chica! Let's go! I'll have my ma watch the kids."

"That's right. I need to find a safe place for Alyssa. I'll take her to Joseph's mother's house in Vista."