Free Redemption's Warrior by Jennifer Morse and William Mortimer Page A

family.” Juanita begs.
    “Okay, okay,” he laughs. “The best word to describe my family, noisy. Dad comes from a big, Catholic, construction, family. He owns a cement truck. Developers use his truck a lot because he’s disciplined with time management. Construction schedules run around the concrete pour.
    “My Mom’s not Catholic.” He gives her a lopsided smile. “This causes loud arguments. My Mom is Jewish.”
    Juanita cocks her head looking at him through her left eye. She can see the aura surrounding Christopher. The edges black with grief, the center his family life, Juanita takes a sharp breath. “Oh! They taught you to chip away at obstacles until your dreams are within reach.”
    Christopher nods. “Yes. My mom taught me. Do you know the term
mitzvah
?”
    Juanita shakes her head. Eye to eye with Christopher she pulls on her hair. He has learned pulling on her hair means code for upset. He takes her hand. “What?”
    Her mouth pulled down in an upside down smile she asks, “Do you think they’ll like me?”
    Christopher’s face lights up like Christmas morning. “Juanita! You and my mom live life by the same code. You just use different names. A
mitzvah
is a good deed given freely and makes life beautiful for others. Mom devotes her life to
mitzvahs
; for family, friends, neighbors, or strangers. Like you, she devotes herself to kindness and creating beauty.
    “She also taught me
Shabbat
, Friday evening, is a meal and a time of celebration. We set aside worries. Focus on our gratitude’s.”
    Juanita sighs blissfully. Her eyes are soft and dreamy. “Oh, how wonderful. Your mother taught you to balance work and gratitude, love, and family.”
    Although she lives with
La Currandera
and loves her teacher it has been years since Juanita has felt tended heart and spirit. She longs to belong to a family again. Drawn to Christopher she sees in him a person of strength and integrity. She hopes, she believes, together they will build a wonderful, intergenerational family, to share with his established family. Throughout the day she drops into reverie picturing their future. She falls asleep, replaying their conversations. She is filled with the deep powerful presence of Christopher’s love.

CHAPTER TEN
DANIEL’S SHAME
    L eon Vargas and his son Miguel head west at sunset in their thirty foot fishing boat, the
Caballito de Mar.
For five generations their ancestors have lived in the fishing village
; Barras de Playta
just north of
Mazatlan.
A simple life, when they’re not at sea they tend to their boat and fishing equipment. Devoted to a god and family, Sundays are a day of church and family gatherings.
    Every few days they motor to their hereditary fishing spot one mile off
Islas Tres Marias
. They drink hot coffee and eat
pan dulce
.  At sunrise they set their poles and fly jigs and begin to troll. On board is enough diesel fuel for a full day assault. Dry ice and canvas will protect the catch. Deep in the locker, frozen with ice, their cargo will be safe for the all night trip back to Mazatlan and then home. A good catch will be ten tuna that weigh anywhere from fifty to one- hundred-fifty pounds. A successful haul will also include several dozen Dorado. Father and son each prime shotguns to ward off tiburon. Leon nods to Miguel cleaning his gun, “A Vargas does not share his catch with sharks.”
    Shotguns also provide protection. Fishermen fear an escapee prisoner from Islas Tres Marias pirating their vessel. Losing control of their fishing vessel jeopardizes their lives and livelihoods. Never once have the Vargas men seen a prisoner from
Islas Tres Marias
. All fishermen have been warned aid given an escapee will result in their own imprisonment. Most fishermen will shoot to avoid losing control of their boat.
    • • •
    Every day of his captivity a fire consumes Christopher. Each memory activated of his former life, the duplicity framing him with drugs and stealing his treasured car,