Road Dogs

by Elmore Leonard

  Today he walked in Jimmy's office and saw something had Jimmy by the throat. It was the same as last night driving him home, he wouldn't say a word. You have a good time? Nothing. It was a good dinner? No answer. Zorro asked him what was wrong, can he be of help. Jimmy said he couldn't talk about it. It wasn't business, business was good. Zorro had the feeling it was like someone had made Jimmy promise not to say a word about something that happened or something he saw, under pain of death. He wouldn't sit down. Kept walking to the window. He wouldn't answer the phone. It rang, Zorro had to pick it up and say he wasn't in the office. The guy Foley called, asking where he was. Zorro said he was out. The same thing Zorro would say when Jimmy used to put his nose in the powder. Zorro believed he could help him if he knew what was wrong.

  Or could it be Cundo scaring him again?

  Or past scaring him. Cundo in a rage this time over something Jimmy did. Cundo wanting Little Jimmy cut up with a chain saw and dumped in the ocean. Cundo through with him. Could that be?

  Foley came up the stairs and Zorro stopped him, spread his hand open on Foley's T-shirt.

  Jimmy don't need you bothering him today.

  What's wrong, he's sick? I hear Cundo's laid up, Foley said. Might have ptomaine from eating some Cuban dish. Is that Jimmy's problem? I'd like to know where they ate and stay away from the place.

  Jimmy didn't go out to eat. I brought him home from Cundo's.

  Cundo went out

  I don't know. You told me one time, Zorro said, you don't want nothing to happen to Jimmy.

  I meant I'm on his side. I said I didn't want nothing to happen to him and you said, 'It won't.' If I'm gonna believe you, you have to believe me.

  I can tell you, Zorro said, he's ascared to death of something can happen to him. He won't talk to me. He went to confession so he's in the state of grace his life comes to an end. He knows I'd go out and shoot whoever is scaring him. He has papers on his desk today, and his desk is always clean.

  Legal papers?

  I don't know, maybe. Or they deeds to property. The only thing he said to me, 'I'm so tired.' I said, 'Go to bed.' But it wasn't that kind of tired.

  What happened last night? Foley said. Dawn served macaroni and cheese, she said to be funny. Then after they took Cundo Dawn and Tico took him out to eat Cuban and today he's sick as a dog. That's according to Dawn.

  Foley looked right at Zorro, the little mustache on the face like a fox; Zorro a young-looking fifty. We go in, Foley said, I'd like you to stand up with me and we'll get it out of him.

  Little Jimmy stood back of his desk looking out the window. Gray out there today: looking at the bar across the street where a man was stabbed with a screwdriver the other day. He looked around as Foley came in with Zorro, took their time but came right up to the marble desk, their stares pinning Little Jimmy to the window.

  I hear you're having a nervous breakdown, Foley said. Have you thought it might be booze?

  I can't talk to you, Jimmy said.

  Who said you can't?

  I tell you, you'll try to talk me out of what I have to do.

  But you want to tell me, don't you?

  I have to see the properties, the houses, this building, are put in Dawn Navarro's name. He looked at Zorro. You call her the bruja, and said to Foley, She told him she knows he's my boyfriend, why I keep him close by.

  I don't get it, Foley said. You don't sign the properties over, she tells everybody you and Zorro are getting it on?

  No, but is what she said. We never like that. Zorro is a devout Catholic. He's going to shoot her she says that about us.

  Then what's the problem? Foley said. If you don't want Dawn to have the properties, don't give 'em to her. You hold the deeds, don't you? Cundo told me that himself.

  Yes, but I don't think I can deny her if she wants the houses.

  Foley said, You mean 'defy her,' don't you? You're afraid not to give her what she wants. She put a hex on you? You don't give her the houses she'll turn you into a fairy? I mean a real one, with a magic wand. He began to smile and Jimmy showed a grin.

  Jimmy said, She's surprised, she thought I would want her to have the properties.

  Foley said, This isn't Cundo's idea.

  Jimmy said, No. Then took time to say he didn't think so. She has the right as his common-law wife, you might say.

  Or you might not, Foley said. He watched Jimmy turn in profile to the window again and stood looking at the gray sky, no life in it.

  You know what it sounds like you're telling me?

  Jimmy turned his head. I don't know. What?

  Cundo's dead.

  Jimmy stared at Foley and Foley waited, but Jimmy turned to the window again.

  Tell me if I'm right or not.

  Foley waited.

  What happened last night?

  Waited and said, At the dinner.

  Jimmy shook his head.

  Cundo was there, wasn't he?

  I'm not talking to you, Jimmy said.

  You can always run. Go to Vegas and spend some of Cundo's money. Or you can stay.

  And tell her, Zorro said, to forget what she wants.

  The day before yesterday, Foley said, I told Cundo I would never let Dawn have the homes in her name. He asked if she'd said something to me. I said, 'No, but I'll bet you a dollar she'll sell the homes out from under you and take off.' Cundo said, 'No, the homes stay in Little Jimmy's name.' You can have that notarized, Foley said, and I'll sign it.

  Zorro nudged him.

  Why are you afraid of her? You've got Zorro here. Zorro's pledged his life and could feel Zorro looking at him not to let anybody take advantage of you. Or take a shot at you, some guy Dawn knows will do it for her. Foley said, Jimmy, you gotta man-up this time.

  Zorro said, We only dealing with a woman.

  Jimmy said, Yes, but she has a gun.

  She still only a woman, Zorro said.

  Jimmy, whose gun is it? Foley waited. Or is it hers, she's always had it?

  I don't know, Jimmy said. A gun is a gun and she has one. Wha's the difference whose it is?

  Look at me, Foley said. Jimmy, don't give her any of the properties, nothing.

  He was looking out the window again.

  I don't see her, Jimmy said. Maybe she'll go away.

  Chapter TWENTY-SEVEN

  FOLEY PUT THE VW IN THE GARAGE, PULLED IT UP TO THE freezer; it was on, making a humming sound. He crossed the back patio to the kitchen and thought about going in. He would have if Cundo was alone. Or Dawn, if she was by herself. It was different now. He walked along the side of the house to the front and looked in through the open door. They left doors open out here and there were never any bugs or flies in the houses. Something Foley couldn't understand. There were no sounds from inside this afternoon. No Buena Vista riffs. Cundo liked the Social Club when he could listen to the music and wasn't having a conversation. Foley called Cundo's name through the open door.

  Tico appeared on the second-floor balcony.

  The man is not doing so good, still throwing up. Dawn took him to UCLA Medical.

  When'd they leave?

  Wasn't too long ago. Tico said, Listen, if you not doing nothing, you want to help me measure the roof? Dawn don't know how many balloons and lights we need.

  Foley, looking up at Tico. You have a tape?

  I do, but I need someone to hold the end. I bet you good at holding a tape measure. I'll find you a beer when we through.

  Foley asked himself if he wanted to go up on the roof with Tico.

  Yes, he believed he did.

  Foley followed Tico upstairs to the third floor and then to the metal stairs on the side of the house, like a fire escape to the roof, Tico bringing along a volleyball.

  The one I have being a Mikasa Competition ball, forty-nine ninety-nine. I had a chick walk out of the store with it under her top looking eight and a half months gone. I play the game on the beach, get anybody wants to try me.

  They were on the tar-
and-gravel roof now. Nothing in the way of the gray sky hanging over them.

  I say to Dawn, 'How 'bout we put up the net for the party? Choose up teams among the neighbors and play us some volleyball.' She don't think much of the idea. But I bet when the party gets going I bring out the net? They people gonna want to play. He lobbed the ball to Foley and backed up a few feet. You think?

  Foley bounced the ball, said, Maybe, and caught it on his sneaker, standing on one foot with it till he put the ball in the air and caught it on his other sneaker, put it in the air again and this time kicked it to Tico.

  Tha's pretty good you can do that. He held the ball straight out to the side in one hand, flipped it to his shoulders and let the ball roll along his other arm to his hand. You like that? He backed up again, getting closer to the edge of the roof.

  Foley said, Dawn told me about the macaroni and cheese.

  Tico grinned. The old man didn't think it was funny. What he did, lit a cigarette and stuck it in the cheese food.

  He was pretty mad?

  She was just messing with him.

  Foley watched him start to grin.

  And you went out after?

  Foley waited.

  We did, we went to a Cuban place.

  What'd he eat made him sick?

  I believe camar=n, shrimp.

  You brought him home?

  Yes, I put him to bed. Laid him out Tico serious now. He said, Hey, want to play a game? Roof ball. From Costa Rica. He turned around, stepped to the edge that looked down on the brick patio in back, and turned again to face Foley. You suppose to be drunk when you play it. One man stands here, his back to the edge of the roof. So you can feel they's nothing behind you. I'm already here, I can be the first one. What you do is throw or kick the ball at me. You do it three times, the first one from five paces, say fifteen feet. The next one from ten feet, and the last throw you closer still, from five feet. You want to play?

  How do you win?

  The other man can't handle the ball.

  Anybody ever fall off the roof?

  Tha's the one loses. Man, this is a serious game. You playing or not?

  Let's loosen up first, play catch.

  Tico said okay and they threw it back and forth, Tico left-handed. After a minute Foley said, I'm ready.

  You're good where you are, Tico said, and threw the ball to him.

  Foley tossed the ball underhand in a high arc, letting it roll off his fingers. He said, You drove Cundo home? to Tico looking straight up before moving in a step to catch the ball.

  Man, I never saw that kind of throw before, looking at the sky. What you do in roof ball I'll tell you this one secret you throw the ball high and hard, wing it right above the man's head. He throws up his hands and can lose his balance.

  Did Dawn take care of him?

  What?

  When you got home.

  Yeah, she gave him something, put him to bed.

  I thought you did.

  Yes, both of us. Move in and throw another. He said, Yes, nodding, about there is good. Foley threw the next one hard at Tico's feet. Tico did a dance step and kicked it back to him. You didn't catch it. No, you have to handle it is all. Five feet in front of him Foley threw the ball straight up with both hands, as high as he could and stood looking at Tico's head bent back, his feet moving, then planted and bent back to catch the ball above his head.

  He said, All right, I took your best shot. Now is my turn. Come here and stand on the edge.

  Foley took a minute to stretch and twist his body one way and then the other, Tico patient, the ball under his arm as he watched.

  Listo? You ready? I guess so.

  You on the edge? Your heels have to touch.

  I'm on the edge.

  And Tico drop-kicked the ball at him, hard, and Foley caught it with his forearms at his midsection doubled over. He brought the ball up with one hand gripping it and tossed it back to Tico.

  Tico said, Man, you quick for an old dog.

  This time Tico bounced the ball twice and used his foot to press the white ball against the black tar-and-gravel roof. Now as he stepped to kick Foley said, You check on Cundo today? Tico tried to hold back but his foot topped the ball and it rolled to Foley.

  That's two, Foley said.

  You kidding me? That wasn't my shot?

  You kicked the ball, didn't you? But you didn't answer my question. You check on Cundo today?

  I was busy.

  He was annoyed too.

  When Dawn asked you to get me up here help you measure, weren't you at the house?

  When she told me? Yeah.

  You see Cundo?

  He was getting in her car.

  How'd he look?

  Tico said, You want to cheat me, okay, I take my third shot.

  I asked you how he looked.

  Sick, man, how you think?

  He rolled the ball with his foot, playing with it, rolled it toward himself and scooped it up with the toe of his slender brown shoe, caught it and shoved a pass at Foley. This time he got his hands up to stop the ball and it bounced back to Tico.

  You didn't handle it that time, I get to do it again. Huh, where you think I'm gonna shoot it at you? Tico faked a shot and grinned. Not that one. He faked another and shoved a two-handed bullet at Foley, high. Foley turned his head and the ball sailed past him and they heard it bounce in the patio below.

  Man, you still don't catch the ball. Now you have to go get it, Tico said, stepping closer to Foley, an arm's length, moved in another half step and put his hand on Foley's chest. You want to go down the stairs, Tico said, or you want me to help you? He gave Foley a gentle poke with his finger. Tell me how you think about it right now, how you find yourself.

  Foley said, I think you're giving me a bunch of shit, Dawn taking Cundo to the hospital.

  Tico said, Oh, is that right?

  I think he's dead, Foley said. I can't see Dawn shooting him or clubbing him over the head at the table come up behind him from the kitchen but I can see you sneaking up. She make you do it? Foley said, and felt the fingers move on his chest, saw Tico begin to turn to get his shoulder into the shove, and Foley took a finger from his chest, twisted it and saw Tico's mouth come open and saw him rise straight with the pain, and Foley went down, rolled into Tico's legs and pulled him by the finger in his grip to sail into space this gray afternoon, Tico's scream cut off as he hit the patio.

  Foley crawled around to wrap his fingers on the edge of the roof now, still scared, more scared looking down at Tico lying on his back looking up. Foley could tell he was dead.

  He knelt down next to Tico looking at his bloody eyes, felt his throat for a pulse; he didn't find one. The young man from Costa Rica, former Mayan spear-chucker in another life, had left for the other side, his lavender scarf still cinched to his head. Foley thought of pressing his eyelids down, but thought about it a few moments and left him staring at nothing.

  He phoned Jimmy's office from the house across the canal. Zorro answered and said, She stop by just now.

  Foley said, Alone? Wanting to be sure.

  All by herself. I tole her Jimmy was out, don't know where he went. Maybe to have his lunch.

  Good, she'll look for him.

  He told Zorro about playing roof ball with Tico.

  Zorro said, Man, tha's some game. I'm glad I never play it. Listen, you want me to move the body away from there, I will.

  He isn't our problem, Foley said. We'll let Dawn figure out what to do with him.

  Chapter TWENTY-EIGHT

  DAWN DROVE HOME AND EASED HER SAAB INTO THE GARAGE next to the VW. Foley was back and Tico, with his cheerful innocence, had lured him up to the roof. She hoped Tico was still here, inside having a drink, Dawn dying to know how he worked it. One push and a huge problem would be solved. Foley would be in the freezer now with Cundo, his buddy. She didn't look forward to seeing Dr. Jack stretched out cold, but not frozen, not quite yet. The freezer was padlocked, the key should be in
the kitchen. But she had to pee, bad. If she did look at Foley one last time her dream partner no more she'd do it later. First have a drink and put k.d. lang on, loving her natural, barefoot style. Fall into a deep chair and light a Slim. It was a shame Foley hadn't worked out. Foley too close to his convict buddy to see the score.

  Little Jimmy was the only possibility of a problem now. She should have kept him around. Now the sweet little son of a bitch was hiding, his bodyguard lying for him.

  Zorro could be her other mistake, not warming up to him along the way, a stand-up guy with kind of a long nose but dreamy eyes she should've looked into to see who he was and what he liked. He wasn't getting it on with Jimmy; she made that up. Was he married? She didn't know but it wouldn't matter. He'd called her a witch. If he believed it, good. She could do something with it, tell his fortune and watch his eyes glow. She might want to keep him around.

  Little Jimmy took an oath before God he would not tell what happened, and in Jimmy's case it sounded like it would be enough; though she couldn't count on his promise keeping him quiet forever. As soon as she got to talk to him and the properties were signed over, Little Jimmy might have to go.

  Leaving Tico.

  The Costa Rican seemed to like the way this was working out. But if Tico didn't accept whatever she'd offer, if he insisted on at least half the score, she'd be facing another problem.

  After eight years of planning how to snare the little guy's fortune, after all the waiting, rejecting Foley as a partner and taking on Tico, she jumped at the idea of shooting Cundo, always a possibility in the back of her mind. With Tico's gun don't forget that. It was so simple and she was so fucking anxious to get it over with, she didn't look at the odds and ends that would have to be cleaned up. Well, she did, but maybe not closely enough. Foley, she knew for some time would have to go. The others she felt she could deal with in time. If she wasn't confident she wouldn't have come this far.

  The brick patio looked wet in places. Still drying.

  Falling from way up there Dawn looking up could leave a mess, a lot of blood, depending on how he hit the bricks. Tico must've hosed down the patio, cleaned up after himself like a good boy.