Death Returns, page 6
part #3 of Death Card Series
I reached for my cell phone to call Coyote but then thought better of it. I’d already done a quick search of the house, and it appeared nothing had been taken. What could he do anyway? It was too late to apprehend the intruder because I felt sure he was now long gone. I opened the refrigerator to grab a bottle of spring water and was surprised to see the refrigerator nearly empty. I realized the break-in had been about more than money—he was after food. The phone rang and pulled me from my thoughts. I smiled when I saw it was Mike calling.
“Hey, how goes it?” he asked.
“It’s going all right, I guess …”
“Did you get Isabella situated with her family?”
“That’s going to take some time yet, I’m afraid.”
He’d heard me express doubt about Isabella’s situation before, so now he said, “You need to remember what you’re there for, right, Rosie?”
“I know. How‘s your case going?”
“It’s like gum to a shoe … we can’t seem to get it done. We’ve come so close but haven’t been able to get enough on the guy we know committed the crime. We had his place wired, and we’ve been tailing him, and have done all the other things we need to. It’s just a matter of time, though, and he’ll slip up.”
“Good. Does that mean you’ll be here soon?”
“That’s why I’m calling. I should be there in a couple of days.”
His words put a smile on my face. I went outside to sit on the deck. I drew in several deep breaths as I collected my thoughts. I looked around and my eyes came to rest on the toolshed in the corner of the property. Was my intruder inside, enjoying the food he’d taken out of the refrigerator? I left my chair and slowly made my way down the steps of the deck toward the shed. As I got closer, I heard the noisy crunch of the small stones on the driveway. I turned and saw Coyote get out of his truck.
“Hi, Rosie.”
“Good afternoon, Coyote.”
“I heard I’d missed you this morning at the office, so I thought I’d stop by on my way back into town. What’s going on?” He eyed me carefully. “You okay?”
I told him about the break-in, and afterward, he looked at me with concern. “Is the toolshed where you were headed when I arrived?”
I blushed furiously. Even I knew it would have been a dumb thing to do alone. “I wanted to make sure nobody was actually living there and could bother me again,” I said, defensively.
He considered me. “Well then, let’s go down there together and have a look, shall we?”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Sure.”
As we walked stealthily toward the shed, I was glad to have Coyote with me. When we reached it, he was ahead of me. He swung his arm wide, holding me back. Then in one swift movement, he kicked open the door and swore. “Shit!”
“What? What’s the matter?” I pushed Coyote aside and peered in to see that indeed someone had set this place up as his home. Articles from both my cupboard and refrigerator were stacked in a pile against the far wall, and empty wrappers were on the floor. There was an open sleeping bag on the floor—a large, teenage boy sound asleep on top of it.
“Damn it, Stalking Deer, get up!” demanded Coyote, lightly kicking at the boy. “Wake up, Redmond!”
The boy stirred and looked surprised to see Coyote looming over him. “Whaat?”
“You heard me. Get your lazy ass up right now.”
“I’m not going back to the reservation, and you can’t make me,” yelled the boy.
“Being out on your own isn’t going to solve your problem, Redmond, and you know it. Now get up. You’re coming with me.”
“Where to, Uncle Coyote?”
“Maybe a few days in jail will keep you safe and give you enough time to straighten things out …”
“You can’t make me,” he growled.
“You heard me … move!”
I watched as Coyote stacked all the food items in his nephew’s arms and guided him back to my house to return most of what he’d taken. I followed them with a few loose items. I was impressed that Coyote would tend to this detail.
Afterward, I stood on the deck as they went back to the shed and Redmond gathered his belongings and followed Coyote to his truck. Redmond hopped inside, and Coyote tossed his things into the open bed. I walked toward the truck. Coyote turned to me. “Call me if you need me.”
CHAPTER 11
It was time to check in with Maria. I didn’t want to arrive at her doorstep with Isabella and Nica and ask whether Angela could have a sleepover with them. That wouldn’t be fair. I picked up my phone. “Good afternoon, Maria. How is everything going?”
“Fine, Rosie—the baby’s sleeping through most of the night, so we’re all getting more rest.”
“That’s wonderful. Good sleep makes such a difference—I know how I get when I don’t have enough sleep,” I chuckled. “I’m calling to see if you’d let Angela spend tonight with Isabella and Nica here at the house for a sleepover.”
She hesitated.
“I don’t mean to pressure you.”
“I know she’d like that. Right now, though, she’s helping me with the little boys until my sister arrives. What time were you thinking?”
“I can pick her up around 3:30 or so. Does that work for you?”
“That’d be good.”
“I’m going to the store to pick up some milk and a few other things. Can I pick up anything for you while I’m out?”
“No, thank you, Rosie.” I knew she didn’t want to be beholden to me.
“If you change your mind, just let me know, okay?”
“Thanks, Rosie.”
I grabbed my purse and carefully locked up the house. Without giving it much thought, I drove to the only grocery store I’d been to. I looked around, hoping I wouldn’t see the neighbor anywhere near. Luck was with me, and I went inside.
I’ve learned so much about an area by the food the grocery store sold and promoted. I saw many Mexican ingredients, as well as a large assortment of ethnic food. Being the largest grocery store in the area, it held almost anything anyone could want. I loaded my cart with an assortment of things, many of which I wouldn’t normally buy. Since the girls were having a sleepover, there were some sweet things and special treats in my basket too.
I pushed my grocery cart to my car, quickly unloaded it, and left it with the others to be picked up later by one of the kids responsible for collecting them. As I backed out, I heard a commotion coming from behind the building. Not wanting to get caught in whatever was happening there, I immediately stepped on the gas and headed out of the parking lot. As I neared the exit, an older boy ran in front of my car, and I swerved to the left, only to have the man who chased him run into the front of my car. I jammed on the brakes, came to a squealing stop, and looked up in time to see the boy smiling triumphantly as he ran away.
Filled with dread, I hurriedly got out of the car. The man lay on the ground, gasping as he tried to fill his lungs with the air that had been knocked out of him. I saw he wasn’t really hurt, and he confirmed this by holding up his hand, signifying he was all right. I stared at his hand and saw an odd tattoo across it. “Do you want me to call the police?” I asked.
His eyes widened, and he frantically shook his head. “I’m okay,” he puffed. “No police.”
He noticed me staring at his hand as I tried to make out the tattoo. He jerked his hand back and hid it. The more I studied him, the more he scowled at me. “It’s okay now; you can scram,” he panted and turned away with a slight limp.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to call an ambulance?”
“No, just go!” He called over his shoulder, “I’m fine.”
A few curious customers had gathered, and I made my way back to the car. Adrenaline coursed through my body and made me feel weak and sick. I’d have to be sure to report this to Coyote, but first I needed to drop off the groceries at the house. I’d pick up the girls and Sweet Pea from Grandmother before we collected Angela for the sleepover party. It should be quite a night with the three of them chattering like magpies.
The girls reminded me of my own sister-friends, and I felt this could be the same for Isabella, Nica, and Angela—something I’d love for them. And the nice thing was they’d all be living close to each other. I was beginning to see that Isabella’s living here in Santa Fe would have its perks.
When I tucked the girls into bed much later than usual, I bent down and kissed each of them goodnight, beginning with Isabella. Her sweet voice called out, “I love you, Mama,” followed by Nica and Angela. My eyes watered at their sweet voices of love.
“I’m leaving the nightlight on in the bathroom, so if anyone needs to get up during the night, you’ll be able to see where you’re going, okay?”
There was a chorus of “Thank you” as I shut their bedroom door and gave them privacy.
I had been sleeping soundly when I awoke with a start. I heard the girls as they raced out of their bedroom and headed to the kitchen. I smiled as I listened to their giggles. I rose, threw my robe around me, and went to join them. After fixing them bacon and scrambled eggs, I brewed my coffee and took a cup with me outside to the deck. I left the sliding door open and heard them whispering. The gist of what they said was something about the mean man next door. I stepped back inside and said, “Remember your pinky vows, right?”
The girls’ eyes grew big as they wondered how I knew what they’d been discussing. All three nodded without saying a word. I poured a second cup of coffee and went back outside to plan my day.
When I’d picked up Angela the previous afternoon, Maria had invited Isabella to spend the day with them at the house. My first thought had been to say no, but then I’d realized it was the right thing to do—let Isabella spend some alone time with her aunt, uncle, and cousins. We’d agreed that I’d pick her up at 7 o’clock after they had eaten supper. Although Isabella seemed hesitant about spending the day with them when I’d talked to her about it earlier, she’d stepped up to the plate and agreed to the plan.
Later, when I dropped off Nica with Grandmother, I knew she was disappointed not to be going to Angela’s house too, but there was nothing I could do about that. I drove on to Maria’s, and as I pulled into their driveway, there was the neighbor, eyeing us as we got out of the car. He made a lewd gesture, which I ignored and hoped the girls hadn’t seen.
Maria greeted us at the door with her finger on her lips, signaling us to be quiet. “C’mon in,” she whispered. “We had a tough night last night but the baby is finally asleep now.” I peeked inside the bassinet in the living room and saw a little rolled-up pink bundle, eyes closed.
“Isabella? You have your cell phone with you, don’t you?” I asked. “Call me if you need me.”
“Yes, Mama.”
“Have fun and behave.” Isabella hugged me tight and tilted her face up for a kiss. I whispered in her ear, “Love you.”
When she turned away, she wore a broad smile, something Maria didn’t miss. Isabella grabbed Angela’s hand, and they headed into her bedroom. When Maria’s eyes met mine, there was a flash of complete understanding between us, as only mothers can experience. I knew without any doubt that Maria was my friend. I hugged her and left to meet with Coyote.
“Good morning,” I said to the policeman at the front desk, and he flashed me a smile. I continued toward Coyote’s office.
“Good morning, Coyote.”
“Hey there. C’mon in.”
I sat across from him and watched his expression change to a darker one when I relayed what’d happened at the grocery store. When I mentioned the man’s tattoo on the top of his hand, Coyote pulled one of the file folders piled on his desk toward him and drew the same design as the tattoo I’d seen. “Did it look something like this?”
“Yes, it sure did. Like a scorpion. What does it stand for?”
“It represents a gang set up by one of the cartels who served as border commandos for them. When they started just a few years ago, that group set up their own sting operation to get rid of the former group’s members. That’s how they got their name—the Scorpions—and believe me, they are as deadly as any living scorpion. Some of them have entered the United States to get rid of anyone in that former group because they felt money had been withheld from them. That’s what we think might have happened to Raoul, the man down the street from Miguel.”
“Sheriff!” the deputy called out, as he burst into the room. “We just received a call that a man’s been shot behind Albertson’s Market.”
“Wait! I’ll go with you,” I said to Coyote.
He looked confused, not sure what to do with me. “Okay, just keep up with me. C’mon!”
I hopped into his vehicle and buckled up, and he pulled out of the parking lot with his siren blaring. Something inside me stirred and made my blood course with excitement. I couldn’t deny it—I loved being a part of it.
Another car with the deputy and his partner followed close behind us. The ambulance had already been called, so we all arrived together. “What have we got here?” called the ambulance driver, who ran behind Coyote.
“I’m not sure. Let’s see.”
I followed and gave them plenty of space to do their job. I stood inside the yellow tape that the deputy and his partner had already secured to block off the area against any voyeurs.
The medic was on the ground examining the man, and he shook his head as he touched the victim’s neck and searched for a pulse. When I peeked around him, I was shocked. It was the same man who had run into my car the day before. The medic turned his head away from the victim, and I saw that the victim had been shot execution-style, leaving a clean bullet hole in his forehead. I took a deep breath in to steady my light-headedness.
The medical examiner pushed me aside in his hurry. He also knelt beside the dead man and began to examine the body. Coyote turned from where he stood over them and looked at me. He raised his shoulders in question, and I knew immediately what he wanted to know. I nodded. Yes, it was the same man I’d told him about. I waved to Coyote and mouthed goodbye. I called Uber only to discover there was one curious driver already there at the scene, just steps away from where the body lay.
Later, when I arrived at Marie’s to pick up Isabella, Miguel answered the door. He begrudgingly opened the door and motioned me in. “Isabella, your ride is here!”
Maria spoke to him in Spanish and stepped forward, shaking her head at his rudeness. “Rosie, please come in.”
“Did everything go okay?”
Isabella rushed forward into my arms, obviously upset. “How come you never answered me, Mama?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, alarmed.
“I texted you, but you never answered.”
“Oh my. I never heard the phone beep, sweetie. Let’s check it to see what’s happened.” I reached into my pants pocket to retrieve it and realized it must have slipped out of my pocket. I hoped it was in the car. “I’m so sorry.”
Isabella stared at me and looked forlorn. Angela had followed Isabella out and hugged Isabella goodbye. She turned to me with her arms raised for a hug. “Good night, sweetheart,” I said and hugged her.
I turned to Maria. “Thanks for everything. I’ll call you tomorrow, all right?”
“That’d be good.” Then she gave Isabella a hug.
When we got to the car, there was my phone on the floor halfway under the driver’s seat. I picked it up and checked it to see that yes, indeed, Isabella had sent me several texts. Again, I hugged her and said, “I’m so sorry.”
Isabella got into the back seat, where Sweet Pea enthusiastically greeted her. She squealed with delight, which made me chuckle. As I drove up to the house, I looked at the front door and saw something hanging from the knob. It looked like another dead crow. If it were, this time I’d call in Coyote.
True to his word, Coyote came and reviewed the dead crow in all its ugliness. He shook his head in dismay as he picked up the bird and the loose feathers. After refusing a cup of coffee, he collected the trash bag and said good night with his parting words, “Call me if you need me.”
I awoke the next morning to my cell phone chirping away. When I rolled over and looked at the clock, I was surprised to see it was already 7 a.m. I had slept soundly without any dreams—a nice treat. “Good morning, Mike,” I said in a cheery voice.
“Good morning, baby. I’ve got some good news. I’m finally done here. I have just a few loose ends to finish up, so I should be there tomorrow or the next day.”
“That is good news. Send me your itinerary, Mike, and I’ll pick you up at the airport.”
“Sounds great, but it might be easier for me to rent a car in Albuquerque rather than in Santa Fe. The woman who makes all our travel arrangements will check that out, and I’ll let you know, okay? I’m really looking forward to seeing you,” he said in a husky voice.
“Me too. It’s been too long,” I agreed, my heart thudding with excitement.
“Gotta run, Rosie. Stay out of trouble until I get there, hear? Love you.”
“Love you too.”
“Is Mike coming here to our house, Mama?”
“Yes, sweetheart, he is. Isn’t that nice?”
“Yeesss, Mama, it is!”
My mind began to race … how could I have Mike stay here? I now had Isabella to think of. What kind of mother, even a temporary one, brings her boyfriend home with her when there is a child involved? It was fine when Mike had stayed at my townhouse in Las Vegas. He’d been my security guard, and he slept in his own separate bedroom. But now that things were changing between us, what was the correct protocol?
I went into my bedroom and called Maria. I knew how important it was for Isabella to spend more time with her family. Maria suggested that Isabella spend the night with them. I had to admit if Isabella were to live there on a permanent basis, she would be lucky to have Maria as her foster mother. I just wished there was more space for Isabella so she’d feel she belonged there. Miguel? Was he capable of loving her as much as he did his own children? Was I worried about nothing?
