This character plays an important role in the novel. Tino Cruz is a friend of Victor Guzman, he is sort of like his sidekick but not as much as Arthur is to Erik. He is more

Victor’s best friend than his goon, but still looks up to him. When Victor is around Tino has a totally different personality, especially towards Paul. You can tell that Tino has a different personality when Victor is around, because he is always laughing about Paul or making fun of somebody even though he feel’s kind of bad about doing it. In the parts of the book when Paul comes over to Tino’s house to help him with things, Tino tends to be a bit kind-hearted towards Paul than if he was at school. Tino is very symbolic in this plot; he symbolizes the differences of Tangerine to Lake Windsor Downs. There are many differences between Tino’s house and Paul’s. There are also many differences between the people as well. Tino also teaches Paul the hardships and responsibility of real work and just plain old life

Luis Cruz is the brother to Tino Cruz which attends tangerine middle. He is described as a guy in jeans with a plaid work shirt. He walks with a bad limp. We later learn this limp happened when he was younger on a tangerine picking trip. Luis owns a tangerine grove, he has developed a new type of tangerine the "Golden Dawn." This symbolizes a new day or chance at better life. For example getting him and his family out of poverty. Later in the book Luis shows bronze after standing up to Erik but is hit from behind with a Billy club on the head. He later has an aneurysm and dies.