Death Returns, page 3
part #3 of Death Card Series
I turned to Isabella. “Well, what do you think?”
“I like Angela well enough, and they seem nice, but I’m not going to live there,” she stated in a determined voice.
I didn’t say anything and wondered how this was going to work out. I heard Isabella when she whispered in Sweet Pea’s ear, “Mama and you are my family.”
Sweet Pea whined and licked her face before turning to me with a puppy smile.
CHAPTER 4
That night, Isabella and I dined in the hotel’s fancy restaurant. Again Isabella was enchanted as the waiter pulled out her chair, settled her in it, and placed a large, white cloth napkin in her lap. She looked at me and beamed. I smiled back. I was emotionally drained not only by all that had happened that day but also by what I was sure to come. I wasn’t comfortable with Isabella living in Santa Fe—why did I feel that way? She’d seemed happy enough playing with Angela. Who was I to say no?
We left Sweet Pea in the room the next morning and climbed the stairs to the pool on the roof. I sat on the side and acted as a lifeguard for Isabella and another little girl, whose mother was busy reading a novel, not paying attention to her daughter. Every once in a while, the mother tore herself away from her book, glanced at her daughter, and turned to smile at me. “Thanks so much for keeping an eye on her.” Then she’d go back to her reading. I wondered whether I would ever be able to relax as she was doing.
I wanted to check with the local authorities to see what they knew about Maria and Miguel’s next door neighbor. I believed he was nothing but trouble, and I wasn’t willing to simply turn Isabella over without knowing she was going to be safe.
After swimming, we dressed, ate a quick breakfast, and scooped up Sweet Pea so we could head over to meet Grandmother and her granddaughter. When we got there, Grandmother was snoozing and a beautiful Indian girl with long braids sat beside her. The girl immediately jumped up and shouted, “You must be Isabella! My name is Veronica.” She made a disapproving face. “I know, it’s a terrible name, so just call me Nica.”
Isabella and I laughed.
Grandmother stirred from her nap and greeted us. “Good morning, my daughter.” She held her hand out, and I sat down beside her. Nica was enthralled with Sweet Pea, and after she played with her a bit, she asked, “Grandmother, can I show Isabella and Sweet Pea the Indian Museum?” She turned to Isabella, “My mother works there, and I want her to meet you. Is that all right, Grandmother?”
“Leave the dog with us and go, my children.”
“Is it safe for them, Grandmother?”
“The museum is nearby, and Nica knows her way around Santa Fe. She’s been trained in the old ways to be aware of all around her. They are safe for now, my daughter.”
“I know I worry too much. I just don’t want anything to happen to Isabella,” I said wistfully as I watched them walk away.
Grandmother looked deep into my eyes and pulled me close to her. She silently hummed a chant, and I sank into her. It felt like old times when my own grandmother had held me tight and talked to me in a low, soothing voice, telling me that I’d always be protected and loved.
“Tell me, daughter, what’s on your mind?”
I told her a little of Isabella’s story and some of my concerns. She listened and nodded every now and then with sorrow in her eyes. “Grandmother, I read about a murder that took place here, and it turns out the man lived just down the street from Isabella’s new family. Is this place going to be safe for her?”
Grandmother became lost in thought and didn’t answer me for several minutes. Then she simply said, “My daughter, within each of us is the wisdom necessary to survive. Mother Nature always provides for us if we let her. Sometimes we’ve already closed our choice to live. We just have to wait and see.”
I looked at her and said nothing—I couldn’t. I told her I wanted to meet with the police and find some answers to my questions about the murder. She nodded and wore a pleased expression as she said, “Go, my daughter. Isabella and the dog are safe here with me.”
I found the police station not too far from the center of the Historic Plaza and entered. I was greeted by a typical-looking policeman in navy pants and a light blue shirt with a shiny badge that immediately caught my eye. “I need to speak to somebody about the murder that happened the other day.”
Another man came from the back offices. He looked more like a cowboy than anything else—he was tall, wore a big Stetson cowboy hat and cowboy boots that echoed with each step on the tile floor. His pants were blue jeans, and his shirt was identical to the one worn by the policeman in front. However, instead of a typical police badge, his was an old-fashioned sheriff’s badge.
“Sheriff? This here lady wants to speak to you about the murder.”
“How can I help you, Miss?”
“Well, it’s a long story …”
“C’mon in the back to my office then, and let’s get started.”
As I followed him, I looked him over. He had an air about him that reminded me of Mike—very sure of himself—and I instinctively knew I could trust him. I thought he was part Indian because of his tan skin, dark hair, and dark eyes that gleamed with intelligence. His body was muscular and trim, and his broad shoulders narrowed down to a small waist. His hands were rough from work. No sissy there, I thought.
“My name’s Coyote, by the way. And yours?”
“Rosalie Bennett. You can call me Rosie, though … everyone does.”
“Okay then, Rosie. What can I do for you?”
“I’ve brought a young girl here to meet her aunt and uncle and their family. Next door to them is a man who seems to be trouble. I wanted to see if you could enlighten me about who he is and whether he’s someone I should be concerned about.”
“What’s his name?”
“I don’t know,” I said, embarrassed. “I can tell you where he lives, though.”
“Okay, we’ll start there. What’s the address?”
Once I gave him the address, he looked up surprised. I knew he was curious about how I was connected to Isabella’s family, but I remained quiet. He frowned in thought. “Is that the murder you’re talking about—the one just down the street from there?”
“Yes. I read about it in the newspaper. I have the clipping right here,” I said as I pulled the article from my purse. “Is Isabella going to be safe there? What’s that murder all about anyway?”
“Still working on it,” he said, shutting off any further conversation about it. “Who did you say are the aunt and uncle of this little girl?”
Once I repeated their names, he nodded. “I’ve seen Miguel around town. He works for my friend’s landscaping company. He seems okay. However, the neighbor next door you’re worried about is someone we’ve been watching. He’s a troublemaker. We’ve been called there several times for disturbing the peace, but we have nothing conclusive enough to put him away. I’ll keep an eye on him, though.”
I wrote down my telephone number and pushed it toward him. “I’ll be here in Santa Fe for the next six weeks and I hope you’ll be able to do something about that awful man. Thanks for your time, Coyote. I guess I’d better head on back to the Palace of the Governors and Grandmother ...”
Coyote suddenly smiled. “By any chance, do you mean that wise old lady who sits there?”
“I do. Why?”
“That wonderful woman is my grandmother. Be warned. If she’s taken with you, there’s a reason for it,” he said with a chuckle. “She’s got something on her mind …”
“What is it?”
“I’ve no idea,” he said. “Even if you ask her, she may not tell you.”
“Oh my,” I said. We smiled at each other, lost in our own thoughts of what Grandmother’s reason might be. I rose and called over my shoulder, “Thanks again, Coyote.”
“I’ll call you,” he responded.
I felt more at ease knowing he had his eye on that awful man who lived next door to Maria and Miguel.
When I joined Grandmother, she smiled. “You met my grandson, Coyote?”
“Yes, Grandmother.”
She wore a pleased expression. “Come sit, my daughter.”
“Where are the girls? Have they come back yet?”
Just then, Sweet Pea barked, and I looked to see the girls coming our way. “I thought I would get us all lunch. Can you leave here?” I asked Grandmother.
“We can go next door to the little restaurant. The food there is good.”
“All right. Let me help you collect your things. Will this spot still be here for you when we’re finished, or do we have to have someone stay?”
With a queenly wave of her hand, she said, “No, this is mine. Little Squirrel will watch my things for me.”
Little Squirrel looked at us and waved us away, confirming she’d take over.
Our lunch was prepared the Tex-Mex way, the fusion of Mexican and American cuisine, and was exceptionally good. We sat outside on the restaurant’s wooden deck and listened to the girls as they excitedly made plans to spend more time together. Then, we heard heavy footsteps bound up the stairs, headed toward us. Coyote approached our table. “Rosie, may I see you for a moment, please?”
We stepped to the side of the deck. “What’s the matter?”
Looking embarrassed, he said “I thought I recognized your name, so I looked you up in our computer files. I had no idea you are the one who solved the Grim Sleeper serial killer case in California.”
“Certainly not,” I laughed. “And it wasn’t just me. My grandmother was the lead, and we played only a small part ...”
In his eagerness, he interrupted me. “Would you be willing to assist me every now and then for the time you’re here? I have several cases I’m working on, and I could really use your help.”
I was flabbergasted. Did I really want to do this? It was true I was going to be at loose ends at times while Isabella was getting situated here in Santa Fe, but still …
“I’ll take whatever time I can get,” he said as if he read my mind.
“Let me think about it, okay?”
“Sure. If you can meet me tomorrow, I’ll show you something I’m working on right at the moment. Then you can decide if you want to get involved.”
There was a part of me that already stirred with excitement because I’d taken great satisfaction from my part in solving several murders in Las Vegas. Maybe I could actually be of service in Santa Fe too. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Fair enough. Anytime works for me. You have my number, right?”
“I can’t guarantee anything, you know.”
“No problem. I think you’ll do just fine.”
Coyote followed me back to the table and kissed his grandmother’s leathery cheek. She grabbed his arm and pulled him toward her. “Take care of this woman, Coyote, you hear?”
“I officially ask Mother Earth, Father Sky, and the Great Spirit to walk in our shoes,” he chuckled. “May you do the same, old woman,” he added affectionately before placing an additional kiss upon her wrinkled, weathered face.
I saw the ease they had with each other, and it reminded me of my time with my own grandmother. How lucky I’d been to have had her in my life.
Coyote tipped his hat, and off he went. I looked away from him and saw Isabella stare after him, lost in thought. She met my eyes and smiled. “He’s a real Indian cowboy, isn’t he, Mama? I didn’t know Indians could be cowboys.”
Nica smiled at her. “That’s not all Indians can do. Wait until you see …”
CHAPTER 5
It was time to wrap my mind around moving into the house I was renting. I had already paid for another night at the hotel, so we wouldn’t actually sleep at the house until the next day. Today, we’d go grocery shopping and bring in some food and other essentials for our stay there. “C’mon, Isabella, it’s time to go shopping.”
We left Sweet Pea behind and headed to the largest food market—Albertson’s on Guadalupe Street. Getting out of the car, the hair on the back of my neck stood up and I felt goosebumps crawl along my arms. I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. As I walked slightly ahead of Isabella, I heard noise from the side of the building. I peeked around the corner into the alley and saw Maria’s crazy neighbor arguing with another man. They heard me gasp and they turned toward me. “Who’s that?” the other man demanded of the neighbor.
I didn’t hear what he said, just his taunting laughter. I hurriedly backed out of the alley and pushed Isabella away before they saw her. I rushed her inside. “What’s the matter, Mama?”
“Nothing worth seeing, sweetheart,”
When we came out of the store with our groceries, I heard several popping sounds. For a second, I thought someone had set off fireworks. Others around us heard them as well, and a man came running from the alley side of the store and called out, “Someone call an ambulance. There’s been a shooting!”
“Isabella, get in the car right now.” I pushed the grocery cart to the back of the SUV and began to unload our things. I felt someone at my elbow and shrieked when I turned and saw it was Maria’s neighbor. “If you tell anyone you saw me there with that man, I’ll take your little girl and hurt her. Do I make myself clear?” As he looked me up and down, he added, “Or maybe it’ll be you. I can think of a lot of things I’d like to do to you …”
“Get away from me right now or I’ll scream,” I threatened.
“I wouldn’t do that, lady.”
“Don’t even think about hurting us, do you understand?” The neighbor looked surprised at my boldness and then seemed excited. Apparently, he liked a challenge. I felt sick.
Another man approached us. “Are you all right, ma’am?”
“Just a misunderstanding,” the neighbor said in an oily voice.
“That’s for sure,” I said, disgusted. “Now if you’ll get out of my way, I’m leaving.”
Both men stepped back, and I got behind the wheel. My hands began to shake, my heart raced with adrenaline, and I could barely breathe. I backed out of the parking lot and drove to the rented house with whirling thoughts. I was in trouble. What should I do?
I felt sure we’d be safe staying at the hotel for the night. Still, I needed to be on guard to keep Isabella from harm. If Mike and Brian knew what’d happened, I could hear them now. “How do you do it? What trouble have you gotten yourself into now?” Sometimes it seemed as if they were right and trouble did follow me.
I needed to talk to Coyote about the best way to handle things. When we got to the house, I telephoned him. I began to give him a brief description of what had happened when an urgent phone call for him interrupted us. “Can’t talk now, Rosie. I’ll have to talk with you later.”
That evening, once again, I indulged Isabella by having our last dinner in the expensive restaurant at the hotel. It would be our last bit of elegance before being on our own with no one to wait on us. While dessert was being served, I saw Coyote talking to the maître d, who turned and pointed us out to him before he escorted him to our table. All eyes turned toward him as he made his way to us. He looked like a handsome cowboy straight from a classic Western movie. He made a show when he removed his cowboy hat, held it to his heart, and bowed low. “May I join you, fine ladies?”
“Certainly, sir,” I answered, barely able to stop myself from swooning over such a romantic gesture. Isabella’s eyes widen with appreciation at being included in his request, and I chuckled. She certainly was not the only one taken with her ‘cowboy Indian.’
“You said you’d be here for a while, Rosie, but you didn’t say exactly where you’d be. I only have your cell phone number. I thought I’d better find out where you’re staying so I can keep an eye on you.”
My heart fluttered at the thought I might need protection. I gave him the address and he said, “That’s Earl’s place. Great location, near everything, but you’ll still need to be careful. We’ve had a few break-ins, so remember to keep a light on in the front room at night. That’ll help.”
Noticing my concern, he added, “Santa Fe is like every other place these days with all the drug addiction and problems. Just be aware of all around you.”
“Any news on the neighbor yet?”
Looking at Isabella, he gave a slight shake of his head. “We’ll talk about it tomorrow when you come in to see me.” He smiled at Isabella. “So you’ve met Nica?”
Isabella said excitedly, “She’s my best friend!”
Coyote and I looked at each other and sensed that’d never change—they’d be friends forever. Some things you just know …
CHAPTER 6
It would be easy to say it was the food I’d eaten that kept me up all night, but it wasn’t. I was filled with worry. Maria’s neighbor and his threat loomed large. How was I going to explain to Maria and Miguel there was no way I could have Isabella stay with them? Not yet, anyhow. Not with him nearby.
Isabella jumped onto my bed and tugged on my arm. “Time to get up, Mama. It’s our moving day.”
“Are you going to take a last swim this morning?”
“No, Mama. It’s Saturday, and we’re picking up Angela for lunch, remember? I want Nica to come too. Can she, Mama? Can she, please?”
“We’ll see whether she’s with Grandmother today and if it’s okay with her.”
“Then it’ll be a real party, Mama!”
I forced myself out of bed and into the shower. Isabella was already packed and had made her bed as well as she could with Sweet Pea sitting in the middle of it. I didn’t bother with my hair and simply drew it back in a ponytail. I knew Isabella’s patience wouldn’t last long enough for me to do much more than that.
