Bus Stop at the Last Chance (Loni Wagner Western Mystery Book 2)

by Sue Hardesty

  “Are you that stupid? Look!” He pulled on a pair of Levis that wouldn't budge. “They're nailed to the goddamned floor! The crazy bitch nailed my clothes to the floor and ran home to her mama!” Pacing and kicking at the dirty clothes, Danny worked himself up into a rant.

  Loni fought a giggle. “Can I ask why?”

  “She got tired of me stripping and dropping everything when I came in.”

  “Let me make sure I understand this. As soon as you hit the door, you started undressing and dropping clothes?”

  “So? What's wrong with that? It's what I've always done.”

  Loni let that one go. “How long has she been doing this?”

  “Four days.”

  “She's been nailing your clothes to the floor for four days?”

  “Well yeah. I'm about to run out.”

  “Yep.” Loni counted. “Four Levis and four shirts. Four briefs. Eight socks.” Loni shook her head. “Danny, you know I can't arrest Juanita for this. But what I can do is not write up the report and save you the embarrassment.”

  For the first time, Danny stopped and stared at her. “Loni? Is that you?”

  “Yeah, Danny, it's me.”

  “You left for California twenty years ago. What are you doing back here?”

  Laughing, Loni corrected him, “It was only ten years, Danny.”

  “Heard you became a big-shot detective out there. Why'd you come back here?”

  “My grandma had a stroke. Had to come back and look out for her and my granddad.”

  “Life's a bitch, ain't it.” He walked over to the door and opened it for Loni. “I'd appreciate it if you forgot about this.” Danny ducked his head. “Not one of my better moments, huh?”

  “Done, Danny.” Loni punched his arm as she nodded at the clothes nailed to the floor. “Got to admit, though. Juanita always was damned creative.”

  “Bye, Loni.” He slammed the door in her face, and she drove away, still laughing. It felt good.

  CHAPTER 7

  AN HOUR LATE, LONI flopped into her chair and leaned back with her eyes closed and her arms hanging down. “I am so glad to be back to work. This weekend was godawful.” A few silent minutes passed before she opened her eyes and lifted her head. Looking around she saw Junior staring at her with disgust. Closing her eyes again she muttered, “Maybe not.”

  Lola's voice was soft and sympathetic. “I heard about the Barclay boy. Carl's over there now.”

  Slumping forward, Loni leaned over her desk and rested her head in her hands. “Yeah. This time I'm really glad I'm not him,” she muttered through fingers. “Chelsa show up yet?”

  “Yes. She's already come and gone, and I gave her request to Judge Sal's clerk for the judge to sign. Tomas said he'd get it to her after the next hearing.” Lola waited a beat. “So what'd you find out about Manny?”

  Loni sat up in her chair. “I gotta appointment with the arresting officer Friday morning.”

  “Friday!” Lola’s voice jumped several decibels. You're going to wait until Friday?”

  “He wouldn't see me sooner than that.”

  The morning dragged on and on with Lola huffing at her, Junior being a butthead, and James testifying in court. Loni tried to work through her old notes on last summer's drug bust until she finally admitted to herself there was nothing to find. She stood and stretched, wondering where to start next. Time to talk to Carl.

  Loni wandered into Carl's office and knocked on his desk, startling him. “What the hell, Loni. Don't you know a door is to knock on?”

  Pulling out the uncomfortable chair, Loni sat. “Listen Carl. I've spent hours going over my notes and found absolutely nothing. I don't know where else to look.”

  “So. What are you going to do?”

  Loni shrugged. “Wish I knew.”

  “Okay. Give the files to Junior for a few days. Maybe he can see something with fresh eyes.” Carl leaned back and grinned. “At the least it should keep him busy and out of trouble.”

  Shrugging, Loni walked back out to Lola’s desk. “Lola, you know where Junior went?”

  “No!” was her curt answer.

  Gathering her files, Loni stacked them on the edge of Junior's desk. Satisfied, she wandered back to her desk, looking for something else to do. She picked up a book and stepped to Lola's desk. “Do you do any computer work with the Apache Web Server program? Or know anyone who does?”

  “No. Why should I?”

  “Well, Maria's sister in LA ordered this book online and sent it to me for my birthday. She thought it would help me learn to cook with Shiichoo.” Loni showed Lola The Apache Cookbook. “But when you open it up, it explains how to get the most out of an Apache computer language.”

  Lola broke up in laugher as she flipped through the book. She put her head down and pounded the desk.

  “It's not that funny!”

  “Yes, it is.” Lola handed the book back, swallowing her laughter. “That's a classic. Have you told Maria's sister yet?”

  “I don't think she'll find it as funny as you do.” By now Loni was laughing, too.

  Lola sighed, shaking her head, her dark red curly hair cascading down her back. “You end up in the weirdest things."

  "Yeah, well. Wasn't all me. Most of them Chief got me in to."

  "True. At least things are different from the first day you walked in here. Do you remember?”

  “How could I forget? The first thing Chief said when I walked into his office was 'Holy shit, you're a girl!' Then he got up and left me sitting there.”

  Lola chuckled. “And when he came out of his office and asked why I didn't tell him you were a girl, I thought he was going to fire me on the spot.”

  “Yeah. And the longer I sat there waiting for him to come back, the more I knew I was in deep shit. Especially after I read the framed posters on his wall. I can still quote his favorite saying. 'Women are as useless as rubber lips on a woodpecker.'“ Worried, Loni added, “You know what? I know you've got my back, and I'm glad Chief didn't fire you for helping me.”

  Lola leaned over and hugged Loni.

  Filled with relief, Loni hugged her back. “I really am working on Manny's case as best I can, I promise.”

  She felt Lola’s warm breath as she said softly, “I'm sorry. I’m just so worried.”“

  Lola fit into Loni as though she had always been there. She felt so good, Loni wanted to hang on forever, but before she could bring Lola even closer, someone grabbed Loni's arm, jerking her around and slamming her into the wall.

  “You don't touch her, you freak.” Junior bellowed at her.

  “Damn it, Junior,” Lola yelled at him. “Leave her alone! You sound just like my bastard of an ex-husband.”

  “Well, heck Lola. You don't want anyone thinkin' you're queer, do you?”

  “Junior.” Lola pointed her index finger at him. “It’s none of your business what I am. Get out of my sight and make a few rounds around town until you decide to behave.”

  Junior stared at her until she yelled, “Out! Now!”

  With a grin, Loni watched him leave. “When Junior comes back, tell him that stack of files is from Carl.” Loni grinned. “Tell Junior the key to solving our newest cocaine problem is in those files but Carl said I was too dumb to find it.” Calling Coco, Loni took her outside for her usual morning sniffing around, reading her doggy newspaper. As Loni leaned against a wall waiting for Coco, she watched a young girl knocking on the door. The girl had the round face, almond shaped eyes, and the chocolate-colored skin of a Pima. Reaching around her, Loni buzzed to get in. She pulled the door open, asking the girl her name. “Como se llama?”

  The girl shook her head. She was so tiny that Loni couldn't figure out her age. Her clean, full-skirted dress was yellow with large red polka dots, and her rubber flip-flops were covered with sequins.

  Her eyes darted around, hesitating to enter, as Loni continued to hold the door open for her. “Por favor, entra.” Loni nodded toward Lola behind the booking c
ounter. “Lola le ayudara.”

  The girl slowly followed Loni up to the desk.

  “Hey Lola.” Loni nodded to the girl. “She won't talk to me. Maybe she'll tell you what she wants.”

  Loni walked back to her desk, turned her chair and sat down, listening to Lola's soothing voice comforting the young Pima girl who was frantically trying to make Lola understand her. In total frustration Lola turned to Loni. “A little help here?”

  Loni joined them at the counter.

  “Mua at g Gaso g Chuk Baha ab e-kih-ab g wainomikaj.” The girl shook her finger at Lola.

  Oh shit! “She said somebody killed a man named Blue at his house. Or her house. I'm not sure which,” Loni interjected and turned to the girl. “Kut heDai I mua g Chuk Baha?”

  “Gaso! Gaso!”

  “Says someone named Fox killed him.”

  “Ask her where she lives.”

  “Bah' o kih g Gaso?”

  “T wo I men g Gaso.”

  “She doesn't want to tell us where she lives. Says Fox will run. He's probably already gone.” Loni turned back to the girl. “Heg at wo I gei, heDai I meDk.”

  The girl stared at Loni several seconds. “I really hate a smart ass,” she said in perfect English. Turning, she rushed out the door.

  Startled, Loni looked at Lola and sputtered, “Guess her English is fine.” Loni hurried to the door to see if the girl was in view. Unable to find her, Loni returned to Lola's counter. “Better call the cops on the Gila Reservation. It's their jurisdiction.”

  “What did you say to her?”

  “It's an old Pima truism: 'He will fall who runs.'“

  A small smile formed as Lola shook her head at Loni. “What do you suppose she really wanted?”

  “My guess is she's afraid of reservation cops. Whatever went down, she wanted somebody to know who did it, and she didn't want to be involved.”

  Lola grinned at Loni's shrug. “First it was Spanish. You understand O'odham, too?”

  “Just some words like yes, no, sit, move your butt, or eat shit.”

  “Sounds like you're a fine communicator.”

  Loni shrugged. “Pointing is good, too.”

  “Well then,” Lola added, “good thing Papago and Pima are both O'odham.”

  “The Pimas I know mostly speak Spanish. Sometimes it's easier to talk to Willie than Bahb.”

  “He doesn't know English?” Lola asked.

  “Not like Shiichoo. She was forced to go to the Indian boarding school when she was really little. Bahb managed to escape that hellhole until he was in his teens.” Leaning on the counter, Loni tried to recall Bahb's voice. “Shiichoo made sure he learned enough English to get by, so it's pretty broken.” Loni smiled. “Shiichoo understands O'odham better than she speaks it. She knows a bit of Apache. They both know Spanish.”

  “Do they talk to each other in mixed languages?”

  Smiling at an image in her mind, Loni tried to explain. “Sometimes I've heard them rattling words off to each other, and I swear they don't have a clue what the other's saying.” Loni laughed. “I asked Shiichoo about it one time. She said 'I watch his body language to see how well I'm doing.'“

  Loni returned to her desk just as the phone rang. Lola hung up and disappeared through a door to the judge's chambers. Things were quiet for a few minutes until she heard Lola's jingling bracelets coming toward her. Loni looked up just as a smiling Lola hand her a warrant. “You owe me,” Lola warned. “Don't think I won't collect.”

  “Yes!” Loni jumped up, stuck her fist in the air and did a tap dance around Lola. “Something good's gonna come out of this day yet. Call Chelsa, will you? Tell her the kids will be home soon.”

  “Good luck,” Lola said with an indulgent smile. “Let me know what happens, okay?”

  “Of course.” Loni pocketed the warrant.

  Ignoring the heat, Loni trotted to the police lot for her truck. Heading up Caliente Butte to get the kids, she wound around one ostentatious house after another until she arrived at the Taylor home. Parking in the shade for Coco, she left the windows down and walked by the two-story white pillars to the double front door and rang the doorbell. Sensing someone peering at her through the peephole, she rang again.

  “What do you want?” A shrill voice came through the intercom beside the door. “I didn't call you.”

  “I've got a warrant, ma'am.” Loni unfolded it and tilted it toward the camera eye at the top of the door. “I need you to step out.”

  The door opened a crack, and Loni saw part of Mrs. Taylor's face. That same sour expression hadn't changed a bit since she was Loni's high school typing teacher. The skin was stretched across her face like a skeleton's grimace. “I called my son,” she warned. “You better leave now.”

  Loni pushed the warrant through the crack at Mrs. Taylor, but she refused to take it. “I've come for the children,” Loni said. Mrs. Taylor shook her head. “If you resist, I'll haul your sorry ass to jail. Comprende?” Loni couldn't believe she had said that. Pushing the door open, she shoved the warrant into Mrs. Taylor's stomach and stepped around her into the house.

  Two children stood at the top of the stairs. “Are you Max and Trina?” They solemnly nodded in unison. “Your mom wants you home and sent me to get you. Are you ready to go?”

  Four frightened eyes turned to their grandmother.

  “She won't stop you, I promise,” Loni reassured them.

  Without a sound, they scurried down the stairs and out of the house with her. Four-year-old Max clung to his sister Trina, who was three years older. They both wore wrinkled white tees and dark shorts.

  Loni lifted the two up into her truck and watched Max lean up against Coco. He weakly smiled when Coco licked his face. Trina stared at the road ahead with big blue eyes. Tears ran silently down her face during the fifteen minute drive until she saw her mother waiting in the driveway for them. Chelsa opened the passenger door and lifted the excited children out of Loni's truck, hugging them as though she would never let go of them again. Satisfied, Loni quietly backed out onto the street and drove back to the station.

  Loni pushed through the large door when Lola released the latch and, reacting to Lola's hasty waving, hurried up to her counter. Lola plucked a set of keys from the key rack beside her desk and threw the keys to Loni. “Clive just called. He's chasing a speeder coming fast from the south and could use some help,” Lola said. “Take James's car. He's still in court.”

  “On it,” Loni answered as she grabbed the keys out of the air, turned, and ran back out the door to James's car parked around to the side of the building. Speeding out of town, Loni quickly found a place to wait beside the highway for the car to pass. She didn't wait long. A yellow Corvette convertible flew by with Clive close behind, his siren blaring and his lights strobbing. Loni pulled in behind him and stomped on the gas. The Corvette suddenly took the left fork curving onto the dead-end road that dropped down to the river bottom. Flying off the end of the road the car hit the deep sand and stopped, the wheels continuing to turn, throwing sand everywhere. By the time Clive and Loni reached the car, it was buried to the bottom of the doors in sand. Loni parked next to Clive and they looked at each other and back to the struggling driver, spinning his car even deeper in the sand. Grinning, Clive and Loni scrunched through the sand up to the car listening to the perp stringing, “Shit, shit, shit!” His voice was so high that he sounded like a little girl. Climbing over the door the driver staggered around, banging on the hood, so angry he tried to kick at the sand before he fell on his butt.

  “Hey,” Clive poked at the perp to get his attention as he pulled him to his feet. “Hey!”

  “What!” the perp turned his angry face to Clive.

  Clive fanned his face and stepped back a few feet. “How much have you had to drink?” Shaking his head, Clive continued, “Whatever made you think you could drive across this dry river bed?”

  “That damn GPS that's what. The damn thing said there was a bridge here.”
<
br />   “Guess not.” Loni grinned at the perp. “Not that I remember anyway.” She turned to the giggling Clive. “You remember ever seeing a bridge here?”

  “Is that the one they moved up river to Why?”

  “Why would they move the bridge to Why?”

  “Why don't you go to hell?” The perp slurred his words as he struggled to cross the sand. "Think you're funny?"

  Clive followed, laughing. “Hey Loni. Can you take this here dummy in for me? I've got to get to court and I'm late now.”

  Smirking at his need to hurry, she agreed. “You'd better push it, or Judge Sal will have you shot.”

  “Nah. She won't bother having me shot. She'll do it herself.”

  Loni hauled the man through the station door and up to the desk. “He's got no ID, Lola. He's not saying anything either.”

  The perp looked Lola over and smirked. ”Shoulda sent her. I’d tell her anything she wanted to know.”

  “Hey.” Loni poked the perp. “Be nice.”

  Lola ignored him. “Let me get some fingerprints and I'll do a search.”

  “Cool! You can feel me anywhere.”

  “In your dreams, little man. I’m talking about a computer search.”

  “All his prison tats should make him easy to identify,” Loni remarked.

  “How do you know they’re from prison?” Junior's loud voice reverberated in the large room as he walked up and hovered over Loni. “You can't tell one tattoo from another.”

  Loni jerked. “Damnit, Junior. Get away from me.”

  “Just trying to help. Looks like you're letting a perp insult Lola. Although I agree with him.” Junior smiled at Lola. “You look real nice.”

  “That's so bad.” Loni groaned.

  “Stop butting in!” Junior demanded.

  “I wasn’t butting in,” Loni snapped. “I'm just trying to arrest this guy while you stand here staring at Lola with your tongue hanging out.”

  “Was not!” Junior pushed into Loni’s space and leaned over.

  “Were!” Loni stood her ground.

  “Not!”

  “Boys, boys, boys. Shut up.”

  Junior smirked. “See, Loni. Even Lola can't tell the difference.”