said. "The panel van at the smelter ma

y or may not be the same vehicle," Kerney replied. "But it was similar enough to catch your interest," Bratton said, "and it's owned by a state Motor Transportation officer, who just happens to moonlight on his days off as a security guard at the smelter." "You did a background check on Mendoza?" Kerney in

quired. "On ever

• ybody who lives, in Playas," Fidel replied. "All fifty-six of them. Mendoza enlisted in the army at eighteen and served a& a truck d
• river. After discharge he got a job as a long-haul driver for an outfit in El Paso. Three years ago he joined the Motor Transportati
• on Division as a recruit and went through the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy. He was assigned to Lordsburg upon graduation and has been there ever since." "Do you think he's your man?" Kerney asked. Fidel eased himself down on the arm of the couch. "Unknown, but consider this: The smelter is a sprawling, huge plant, off limits to outsiders. It's run by a skeleton crew of ten employees who are just there to basically maintain it and deal with environmental cl
• eanup issues. Can you think of a better place to warehouse illegals? There must be a dozen places in that smelter where you could hide people for a short time with no one the wiser." "That makes sense," Ker