by Dave Daren
I found the same old men gathered outside the cell phone store, the dominos game still going. I parked in front of a fire hydrant and ran over to the group. The men all stopped chattering when they saw me approach, and one tapped the shoulder of Aranda’s messenger.
“I have what he wants,” I blurted out. “Whoever brings me Sofia first, safe and sound, will get the information.”
The messenger nodded, and I jogged back to the car. I left Three-Eights territory as quickly as I could and didn’t stop until the gas tank was getting dangerously low. I pulled in at a 7-Eleven to refuel and call Theo.
“Anything?” Theo asked when he answered.
“The consensus is that it was Perez,” I replied. “I let Aranda and Jabba know that I’ve got information for whoever brings Sofia to me first, unharmed. I was going to call Shorty and see if his buddies can help keep an eye on the Three-Eights and the Chuchos Locos. I figure we’ll let them guide us to wherever they’re holding Sofia.”
“I’ve got some guys who can help with that as well,” Theo replied.
“We’ll need to be ready to move as soon as they do,” I said.
“No problem,” Theo declared. “We got a few tricks of our own. We’ll be ready.”
“Just don’t do anything yet to provoke them,” I warned. “We need to find Sofia first.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Theo mumbled. “We’ll wait.”
I wasn’t sure how long Theo would wait, and as much as I appreciated the back-up he was bringing, I also wasn’t sure how long I could keep a rein on all the hot-heads that probably entailed. I called Shorty, and he promised to set his own watchers, and maybe provide a more level-headed assist. I just hoped we had enough eyes to know when the gangs were ready to move.
“Hang in there, Sofia,” I murmured. “We’re coming.”
I was still standing by my car, trying to decide what to do when the phone rang again. It was Perrin, and I was tempted to ignore it. There was too much going on, not to mention the distinct possibility that her father had been back in her life for a year already. But her life could be in danger as well, and I couldn’t turn my back on her.
“Perrin,” I said.
“Hey, Vince,” she replied. She sounded scared and I was on the alert again.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Maybe nothing,” she said.
“But?” I prodded.
“But there’s this guy that’s been hanging around all day,” she said. “I saw him outside the house when I left this morning, and near the office. He followed me to my favorite lunch spot. It’s really creeping me out.”
“Things are moving,” I said. “Someone snatched my paralegal this morning.”
“Oh, god, Vince,” she wailed. “What do I do?”
“Where are you?” I asked as I glanced at my watch. I was surprised to see that most of the day had already passed.
“I’m still at work,” she said. “I keep finding excuses not to leave. I don’t want to go back to my friend’s house or my apartment. What if this guy breaks in?”
“I could find somewhere to hide you for a couple of days,” I replied.
“Can I stay with you tonight?” she asked.
“I don’t think that’s going to be any safer,” I said. “I’ve got people watching me as well.”
“But you’ll be there,” she replied. “You’ll protect me.”
“Perrin,” I hesitated.
“Please,” she begged.
“I might have to leave you alone tonight to deal with some business,” I said. “You won’t feel any safer.”
“I will,” she insisted.
“Do you remember where it is?” I finally asked after a full minute of silence.
“I do,” she replied enthusiastically. “Oh, thank you, Vince.”
“I’ll stop and pick up some burgers,” I said. “Any preferences?”
“If you’re going to In-N-Out, I’ll have a burger, fries and a chocolate shake,” she hummed.
I realized I was grinning and tried not to laugh.
“Right, I’ll see you there,” I finally declared.
I got back in the car and tried to figure out where the nearest In-N-Out was. After consulting Google, I hit the road once again. I’ll admit, the idea of having Perrin nearby wasn’t all bad. Her company was always appreciated, and I did feel better knowing she would be at my place. I just had to hope that the gangs would be too caught up either finding or keeping Sofia that they would abandon their watch on Perrin.
Doctor Steiner called as I was waiting in line at the drive-thru. I gave my order as quickly as I could, then answered the phone.
“This was great!” Steiner greeted me. “I think I could enjoy doing this all the time.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” I replied. “So what did you discover?”
“Either man could be a good match, but after studying the work that was done, I’m convinced that Dalton is Burke,” he declared.
It was what I’d been expecting, but I still felt a jolt of surprise when he said it.
“You’re certain?” I asked.
“Absolutely,” he said enthusiastically. “I mean, if you have time, I could tell you exactly how I matched them up.”
“I’m actually waiting in line to get my food,” I replied quickly. “But I’d definitely love to come by your office soon and hear about it. Or maybe dinner.”
“Dinner, sure,” Steiner declared with even more enthusiasm.
“You’re sure it’s Burke?” I pressed. “The man with the boat and the daughter?”
“That’s him,” Steiner agreed.
“Thanks, Dr. Steiner,” I said. “How about I treat you to dinner when this is over and you can explain what you did and I can fill you in on the rest of the story?”
“I would love that,” Steiner enthused. “Hey, I’ll call you next week, maybe. I’ve gotta meet my wife at some cocktail fundraiser in a few. She hates it when I’m late, but wait until I tell what I’ve been working on, right?”
“I’m sure she’ll forgive you,” I replied.
“So next week,” Steiner repeated before he hung up.
I was at the window by then, so I collected my assorted burgers, fries and beverages and headed home. Despite the evening rush, the food was still piping hot when I pulled onto my street. I spotted Perrin’s Volvo and pulled into a spot just in front of her.
That’s when it really hit me. I had to decide how much to tell Perrin. Was it enough to confirm to her that her father was alive, or did I tell her everything, including the fact that he’d been quietly sneaking back into her life for the last year? Which was worse? And what would she do when she found out?
Perrin wasn’t inside the car, nor was she in the foyer when I finally managed to unlock the door. I climbed the stairs, wondering if she had gone to the drugstore for a few essentials. I kept telling myself that she would be back soon, and that I wasn’t going to get another mysterious phone call today advising me that they had another hostage and expected me to cough up the information.
I didn’t realize how tense I was until I spotted Perrin standing against the wall next to my door. I exhaled slowly, letting the tension seep away. Perrin looked up from her phone and smiled when she saw me. She pulled the headphones from her ears and bounded towards me.
“Yum!” she said as she spotted the bags.
“Admit it,” I teased, “you only love me for the food.”
“You wouldn’t have it any other way,” she replied as she took the bags from my hands so I could unlock the door.
“How’d you get in?” I asked.
“The woman with the bichon let me in,” she said. “She wanted to know if I was dating you.”
“And what did you tell her?” I asked as I finally pushed the door open.
“I told her we were still in the early stages, but things looked promising,” she said as she followed me inside and dropped the bags on my kitchen table.
“That will set
the building’s gossips talking,” I laughed.
We both sat down at the table and started to pull out the food. We both crammed a few french fries in our mouths, followed by a bite of burger.
“What happened to your paralegal?” Perrin suddenly asked. “Is she okay?”
“Someone put antifreeze in her gas tank so the car would break down on her way to work this morning,” I explained. “I got a call this morning demanding your father in exchange for her.”
Perrin sat frozen in place, a pair of fries still halfway to her mouth.
“Vince,” she finally said. “I didn’t realize. I just thought you meant someone had tried to kidnap her. I didn’t think that it had actually happened.”
“We’re going to get her back,” I assured her.
“That’s the business you have to take care of tonight,” she surmised.
I nodded and we ate in silence for a few more minutes.
“Mom asked me about the deposits,” she finally said when she’d finished off her hamburger and most of her fries.
“What did she say about it?”
Perrin shrugged and scrunched up her nose.
“It was weird,” she declared after a few moments. “She seemed mad, but I think it was more at dad or whoever was sending the money. Like they had somehow screwed up her plans.”
“Their plans,” I corrected.
Perrin took a long slurp of her shake.
“I have a feeling I won’t like what you’re going to tell me,” she replied.
I debated how much to tell her then. All I had was one doctor’s certainty that Burke and Dalton were the same man, which just led to a whole new batch of questions that I was only beginning to guess at. And I wasn’t sure I could handle any more drama at the moment. Sofia was still out there somewhere, and that had to be my priority.
“I’m pretty sure your father’s alive,” I finally said. “And probably here in California.”
“And my mom knows?” she guessed.
“I think so,” I agreed.
“So was this some sort of elaborate escape plan?” she asked.
“It looks that way,” I replied.
“Christ,” Perrin growled as she slammed her shake against the table. “This… this is insane… I can’t…”
“I have more information I’m expecting,” I added. “It should clear up a few points.”
“When the fuck were they going to clue me in to their scheme?” she asked angrily.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I’m not sure how much of what’s happening now was planned, and how much is just… well, life.”
Perrin stood up and paced angrily around my kitchen.
“And these gangs that have been following us around,” she asked as she came to a halt next to me, “these guys know he’s alive?”
“They think he is, but they don’t know where he is,” I explained.
“That’s why they’ve been following us and why they took your paralegal,” she said.
“Yes,” I admitted.
She started pacing again, though she’d picked up her shake this time and was sucking down the contents.
“Unbelievable!” she finally exploded.
“It does sound like something you’d find on the Hallmark Channel,” I replied.
Perrin shook her head and finally sat down again. “So now what?” she asked.
“So now we wait until I get a call from my friends,” I said. “And then I go rescue my paralegal while you stay here, safe and sound.”
“There better be something good on T.V. tonight,” she replied. “Because I’m not getting any sleep.”
“I’ve got some old episodes of Archer we could watch,” I laughed.
Perrin finally smiled as she looked me over.
“So is that like your alter ego?” she asked.
“I hope I’m smarter than that,” I protested.
“Well, you did untangle this mess,” she noted. “Which is more than anyone else did.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” I replied as I munched on another fry.
“You’ll be able to find her, right?” Perrin asked, suddenly sober. “You’ll be able to save her?”
“I hope so,” I said honestly.
“Damn them,” she muttered. “Damn them for creating this whole mess.”
It was a sentiment I shared, fully and completely.
Chapter 16
Perrin and I stayed up late, watching sports and cheesy movies. Perrin started to fade, and I sent her back to the bedroom, while I dozed off on the sofa. I never slept, not deeply. I was terrified I would miss the phone call if I did, leaving Theo high and dry.
It was Shorty who called first, just after three o’clock, letting me know that one of his buddies had seen several of Jabba’s man gathering for a meeting before heading off towards Reyes Dorados territory. I quickly called Theo, who said he’d just heard from his own guys, who’d spotted some of the Three-Eights on the move as well.
“Do we know where yet?” I asked.
Theo chatted to someone else for a few moments and then came back on the line.
“Looks like they’re heading towards one of Perez’s warehouses,” Theo said. “And it looks like these are just scouting parties for the rest of the crew.”
“Then we’d better move,” I replied.
“Hang on,” Theo said and then he rattled off an address in the heart of Walnut Hill. “There’s a Wal-Mart just down the street. Meet us in the parking lot.”
“Won’t there be cameras?” I asked as pulled on the cargo pants I’d laid out earlier.
“Taken care of,” Theo replied and hung up.
Perrin stepped out of the bedroom, dressed only in her panties and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She watched me finish dressing and then stepped up to kiss me.
“Be careful,” she pleaded.
“I always am,” I replied. “I don’t know how long this is going to take, so you might want to head somewhere else after I leave. Just so you’re not alone.”
“I’ll head over to my mom’s in a bit,” she replied. “She’s always up early and I think we need to talk.”
“That may not be the best place,” I suggested. “I was thinking more like your friends’ house in Malibu.”
“I’ll think about it,” she said. “Let me know as soon as you’re finished.”
I nodded, then drew her in for a long, wet kiss. She smiled when I released her and I brushed the hair from her eyes.
“You’d better go,” she said after a moment.
I nodded, grabbed up my phone and my pocket knife, and headed out the door. I heard it close behind me as I quick-stepped down the hallway. The building was eerily quiet, and I felt like a lumbering oaf as every step I took seemed to land with a thud. No one came out to investigate though, and I slipped as quietly as I could into the foyer.
I found a shadow near the front door where I could watch the street without being seen. I stayed there for ten minutes, watching the cars and nearby doorways, but nothing stirred. My own watcher seemed to have left, and I practically ran to the Ford. I slipped inside and pulled out of my parking spot, unobserved by anyone.
There were very few cars on the streets, and I stuck to the smaller roads where I could speed along with less chance of running into traffic. Or police cruisers. I’m pretty sure I set a new record for the trip to East L.A., and I found the Wal-Mart easily enough. Theo, his brother Hector and two other guys were already there, gathered around Theo’s tow truck. It looked like a meeting of the Raiders offensive line, and I looked like the scrawny new quarterback recruit.
“What’s the news?” I said as I joined them.
“The rest of Aranda’s guys just got here,” Theo said. “We figure they’ll start moving in soon.”
“Damn,” I muttered.
“Most of the access points have been boarded up,” Hector added, “so they’ll have to go through the front entrance, where the Reyes are stationed.”
“But there’re a couple of windows on the second floor that are still available,” Theo said. “One of them’s even open a crack. Someone just needs to find a way to climb up there and slip inside while Aranda’s men provide the distraction.”
“Okay,” I said.
The other four men all looked at me like I was the slow child in the classroom.
“By which you mean me,” I guessed.
“We’re too big,” Hector pointed out. “The drain pipe would collapse before we even made it off the ground.”
The others all nodded their agreement. Theo helpfully pulled a piece of rope from the back of the truck and mimed tying it around his waist and then the pipe.
“You’re skinny,” Theo pointed out. “Don’t weigh anything. You could shimmy up there using the rope and find Sofia.”
“Okay,” I drawled as I thought of a thousand reasons why this didn’t sound like a good idea. “But how do I get her out? I don’t think she’ll want to shimmy down a drain pipe.”
“There’s a fire escape,” Theo reasoned. “It’s on the back of the building. We’ve seen at least two guys up there, but once the shooting starts, we figure they’ll leave their posts and join their buddies.”
“And if any of them don’t, you can just take them out,” Hector added.
“Right,” I muttered.
“Don’t worry,” Theo said. “We got a few distractions of our own planned. You give us the signal, and we’ll clear everyone out of your way.”
“So why not do that now?” I asked.
“Sofia’s still inside,” Theo sighed as he again shook his head at how slow I was. “Probably tied up. We need to know she’s ready to move as soon as we start our little display.”
“Okay, fine,” I conceded as I accepted the rope. “I’ll call you when I have her.”
All four nodded approval at me, and then Theo quickly drew me a map in a patch of dirt, showing the location of the cracked window and the fire escape. It wasn’t the best map for the moment, but at least I had an idea of where everything was.
Hector walked with me while Theo and the two unnamed accomplices started to work on the ‘distraction’. We crossed the street to an empty lot, littered with trash and stray carts from the megastore across the street. A few homeless people camped here as well, and Hector advised me to walk slowly and hunched over, in case one of the gangs was watching. We shuffled past several inert forms, most of which stank like alcohol.