Chapter 9
9
T he following morning, Alejandro and Camila sat across the street from Richard Larson’s apartment complex—the big man who had broken into her house. They had left her car in her parents’ garage, and Alejandro had rented a gray Honda Accord from a small lot. Much less conspicuous.
Initially, he planned to break into Larson’s bottom unit and search the place, but when they rode past, there was a blue pickup truck parked outside and the front door was ajar. They drove past the complex and went across the street to park in front of an insurance office that didn’t open until ten.
While they watched, a burly redhead took items from the apartment and placed them in the truck. He had a full beard, no mustache, and a belly that made him look seven months pregnant.
“Do you think he’s a thief?” Camila asked quietly.
Alejandro shook his head. “He is moving too confidently for a thief. He’s supposed to be there.”
“If he’s supposed to be there, he must have made plans with Richard before, or he knows Richard is dead.”
“I believe it’s the second, which means someone tipped him off. But why is he taking his things? It’s mostly electronics.”
“I didn’t notice, but you’re right. The Samsung TVs, the computer.”
Finally, the redhead locked the apartment. He gave his surroundings a cursory review and then climbed into the truck. Alejandro started the car and followed at a safe distance, keeping two cars between them most of the time. They didn’t have to follow him for long. After ten minutes, he pulled into the parking lot of Luxury Pawn.
Alejandro drove past the spot and parked on the side of the building.
“I’ll wait a few minutes until he has taken everything inside, and then I’ll go in and ask him a few questions.”
“I’m coming with you.”
He sighed heavily, like a parent dealing with an obstinate child. “No, you’re not.”
“Why not?” Camila demanded in an exasperated voice.
“Because we do not know who this man is, and you need to be careful.”
“I’m not a delicate little flower, Alejandro. I can take care of myself. Besides, what can possibly happen if I’m with you?”
“I appreciate your confidence, but?—”
“But nothing. I’m coming, and you can’t stop me. If he knows anything about the men who broke into my house, I want to know what he knows.”
Alejandro shook his head in annoyance.
“Don’t give me that look. Besides, I might be able to help you.”
“You will get in the way.”
“We’ll see about that.”
He shot her another look. “If you’re going to come with me, you need to listen to me and follow my lead.”
“I can do that,” she promised.
He hesitated, but then said, “Okay, this is what I’m going to do…” He spent the next few minutes explaining his plan.
After a short wait, they climbed out of the car and walked into the pawn shop, Camila ahead of Alejandro—her tight jeans hugging her hips, ponytail swinging as her head turned on a swivel. A small bell above the door tinkled when they entered. Alejandro’s gaze swept the interior, noting shelves filled with all types of merchandise—radios, TVs, tablets, and binoculars. As they approached the counter, he also noted that the light on the wall camera was off, indicating it didn’t work.
“Hello, welcome to Luxury Pawn. How can I help you?” the redhead asked in a jovial voice.
“ Hola amigo , I’m looking for a television. I have a preference for Samsung. Do you have one?” Alejandro asked.
Camila walked over to a wall where the shelves were filled with small kitchen appliances.
“Samsung, huh? I have a forty-inch over there.” He pointed toward the back of the store, where there were several televisions.
“I was looking for something a little larger. Say… a forty-eight inch?” Alejandro asked.
“Forty-eight inches, huh?” The guy stroked his beard. “Well, it so happens I just got something in, and it’s practically brand new. I haven’t had a chance to put a price on it yet.”
“Oh really? Can I see it? The wife and I have been looking for something affordable that works in our son’s room.” Alejandro flashed a smile at the guy, but talking about their imaginary son made his insides twist.
“Well… okay. Hang on.” The man disappeared in the back, and Camila walked up to the counter.
“He’s going to bring the one we saw him take from the apartment,” she whispered.
“Shh,” Alejandro said out the corner of his mouth.
The man brought out the television and placed it on the counter. “Here she is.”
“That’s nice. How much?” Camila asked.
“Give me two fifty cash, and it’s yours.”
“One fifty,” Camila said.
The man laughed. “Too low. How about two-twenty-five? A television like this is worth at least a thousand dollars if bought brand new, and this one works like a charm. I’ll even throw in the remote so you don’t have to buy one.”
“Two hundred,” Alejandro interjected.
He shook his head regretfully. “I need to make my money back. Remember, I had to buy this from a customer, and the margins are really small.”
“Which customer did you buy this from?” Camila asked.
Oh shit.
The man’s smile faltered. “Huh?”
Camila repeated the question. “Which customer did you buy the television from?”
“What she means is?—”
“That’s none of your business.” The owner looked at both of them with the beginnings of suspicion.
“We know you picked up this television and some other items from Larson’s apartment. What we want to know is, who told you to pick up the items?” Camila demanded.
“What’s it to you? Are you cops?” the man asked.
“He’s a friend of mine,” Camila said.
“Bull. Shit.”
Camila rested her hands on her hips. “We saw you taking the items out of the apartment, and we’re pretty sure he didn’t give you permission to take his things and pawn them.”
“You don’t know shit. Get the fuck out of my shop.” The man’s face turned apple-red.
“No need to get upset,” Alejandro interjected in a calming tone. The conversation was going downhill and the guy was looking rather twitchy.
“Oh yeah? The two of you came in here and basically accused me of stealing. I don’t appreciate that.”
“If you didn’t steal it, then it’s not a problem, right?” Camila said. “Tell us who told you to get the items, and we’ll be on our way.”
The man reached under the counter and pulled out a Beretta. Camila gasped, and Alejandro yanked her behind him, fixing a friendly smile on his face and lifting his hands in a disarming way.
“Listen, güey , we don’t want any trouble.”
“Then get out of my shop with your accusations. I don’t know nothing about no Richard Larson. Whatever you’re trying to pin on me, I ain’t having it.”
“Fair enough. We made a mistake. We’ll leave you alone now.” Alejandro took a step back and bumped into Camila. “Let’s go, honey ,” he said through gritted teeth.
Whenever a gun was pointed at him in a situation like this, it was better to keep the perpetrator and the weapon in his eyesight, so he continued backing up.
When Camila opened the door, the owner yelled, “And don’t come back in here, or I’m calling the cops!”
They exited the building and went to the car. Camila climbed into the passenger seat. Clutching her chest, she took several deep breaths. “Oh, my goodness. That didn’t go well.”
“I told you not to come.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“I told you to follow my lead. I know what I’m doing.”
“I’m sorry! The conversation was going so slow, and I wanted answers!”
Resting his arm on her seat, Alejandro leaned in. “And how did the conversation progress when you took the lead? Did you get the information you wanted?”
She opened her mouth and closed it again.
“This isn’t one of your magazine interviews. We’re dealing with dangerous people, as you saw.”
She slumped in the seat, looking defeated. “Now what?”
Alejandro felt bad as he watched her crestfallen expression. He softened his voice. “It was possible he didn’t know whose apartment he had raided, but now we know he did know. We never told him Richard’s full name. You said Larson. He said Richard Larson.”
She blinked. “You’re right, but how does that help us?”
“It doesn’t.” Alejandro climbed out of the car.
“Where are you going?” Camila asked.
He shut the door and headed toward the pawn shop, answering over his shoulder, “I forgot something.”
She opened her door. “What did you forget?”
Instead of answering, Alejandro took long-legged strides back to the shop and re-entered. The bell above the door jingled again, and the owner came out from the back.
When he saw Alejandro coming at him, he tensed. “The fuck, man. I told you I don’t know nothing. Get the fuck out of my shop.”
Alejandro kept walking toward him, and the redhead finally figured out the situation was going downhill. His eyes widened, and he reached under the counter again, but Alejandro was ready this time. He rushed forward with a long stride, grabbed the back of the man’s head, and slammed his face into the wooden surface. He let out a squeal of pain as blood burst from his nose.
Alejandro yanked him over the counter, knocking papers and products to the floor. The redhead fell to the floor with a groan, and Alejandro grabbed him by the collar and forced him to his feet.
“Wait, stop?—”
Alejandro shoved him against a load-bearing wall. Pressing an arm across his throat, he leaned in close enough to see the different shades of red in his beard.
“The woman outside saved you earlier. I don’t like for her to see my violent side. She’s not in here now, which means I don’t give a fuck. So, you’re going to answer my questions right now, ?co mprendes ?”
“Yeah, yeah, comprendes ,” he replied in a quivering voice that strained from the pressure Alejandro applied.
Alejandro didn’t bother correcting his Spanish. “Who told you to go pick up those items from Larson’s house? No bullshit this time. We saw you take the items from his apartment.”
The man frowned, then he burst out laughing.
“What is so funny, pendejo ?” Alejandro yanked him forward and shoved him against the wall again.
The man winced and swallowed hard. “You think I’m going to tell you anything.”
“You are a lot dumber than you look.”
“I’m not talking, man. No way, no how. They’ll kill me, man.”
“Who?”
He clamped his mouth shut.
“Listen to me. You need to be worried about me—the man standing in front of you—and no one else. Death will be a blessing compared to what I’ll do to you if I close this shop early and take you in the back room.”
The man gulped and fear filled his eyes.
“Who told you to go to his apartment and get his things?”
“You gotta promise me you won’t repeat where you got this information from. I have a family, man.”
“And yet you’re mixed up with people who could kill you if you talk?”
He shrugged. “Gotta do what I gotta do.”
Alejandro paused and stared into his eyes. “How do I know you’ll tell me the truth?”
“You’ll know. I wouldn’t make this up.”
“Okay, you have my word.”
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Slowly, he opened them again. “I received a call from Javier Reyes’s assistant. If you don’t know who he is, he owns the Celestial Palace. His assistant told me there had been an incident and Larson was dead. Said if I wanted the stuff, it was mine, but I should go in there and get it now before the cops showed up.”
“Why would he call you?”
“He and I go way back. We’ve helped each other out over the years.”
“Helped how?” Alejandro asked.
“If he needs weapons or whatever—I’m his guy. In exchange, he lets me know about opportunities like this. He’s worked for Reyes for years.”
Alejandro eased up on his throat. “What does Reyes have to do with this?”
He chuckled. “You don’t know, huh? Larson was one of Reyes’s guys. A fixer. He got rid of problems, but apparently someone took care of him this time.”
“And the assistant found out because he works for Reyes.”
“Exactly.” The man wiped away the blood dripping from his nose.
“You have been very helpful.”
“You’ll keep your end of the bargain?”
“I will. And make sure you don’t pass on any information to your friend. If you betray me, I know where to find you.” He dropped his arm and stepped back.
“Believe me, I won’t say a word. I don’t want anybody to know I had anything to do with you. You better be careful if you’re messing with the Reyes family, man. Alvaro Reyes was a thug, but his son, Javier? The guy’s a fucking lunatic.”
Alejandro digested that bit of information. “Good to know.” He walked out of the store, the little bell above the door tinkling as he left.
He climbed behind the wheel, and Camila looked at him expectantly.
“What did you do?”
“I asked the questions again. Nicely, this time.”
“Nicely? Why do I doubt that?”
Alejandro started the car and glanced at her. “You’re not going to believe what I found out.”