by Gerald Lopez
Arnou yelled something in French before speaking English. “I hate it when you smoke those things.” He turned to Walter. “Our grandfather died of cancer from those things, and still this one smokes.”
“We all have to die from something,” Marianne said casually. “Stop causing trouble, Arnou.”
“Is that what I’m doing, dear sister?”
“Yes,” Marianne said.
Arnou stood behind his sister, and put his arm around her waist as he spoke. “This detective pervert is probably the reason Gabriel and Galen have gone into hiding. I offered him these—” He grabbed his sister’s small but perky breasts and got himself elbowed in the stomach so hard he lurched forward.
“My brother is trying to show you what a big, tough man he is, Detective,” Marianne said.
“That pervert prefers the company of little boys to good-looking twenty-three year olds like us,” Arnou said.
“Cordo, please get my brother out of here,” Marianne said.
The muscular black man who had escorted them to Marianne now took hold of Arnou.
“Mr. Detective, I’m going to stick my foot in your ass one day!” Arnou said, as Cordo dragged him out of the room.
“That’s ‘kick my ass’”, the detective said.
Marianne smiled. “I like you, Detective.”
“Marianne, I was worried about you,” Walter said. First Corinne went missing, then Naomi didn’t show up at—”
“I’m so sorry for worrying you, my friend,” Marianne said, then blew another puff of smoke into the air. “He’s handsome and can fight your detective. That’s good, because the night isn’t over yet, and all its problems have not been settled.”
“What problems?” Walter said.
Naomi ignored Walter, and focused on the detective. “We need your help for a few hours, maybe the entire night. Innocent lives are at stake. There’s no time for details. When you leave through this back door, see if you can locate my Pucci scarf. It’s my favorite so don’t lose sight of it.”
“And Arnou?”
“He’ll give chase when he can,” Marianne said. “In this case, he’s not the real enemy just an idiot who can mess things up for everyone involved. Keep him at bay however you can. I’ll deal with the fallout. Our cause is a good an honorable one, you’ll discover that for yourselves soon enough.” She kissed Walter’s cheek as she started toward the door they had walked in from. “Naomi’s fine. I haven’t heard anything about Corinne today.” She opened the door to leave then turned back. “Stay safe. I’ll send Robertito word when things are good. He can be trusted. Thank you, Detective. Make haste now.”
“DID YOU HEAR that?” Lucie said.
“Thunder,” Adele said. “It’s fixing to rain. We’d better move this party inside, ladies.”
“I’ll get the wine,” Mercedes said, and chuckled.
They managed to get inside right before the hard and noisy rain started. The room was dark, except for the light from one lamp.
“Your brother’s dead,” Mercedes said. “You can put on more than one light now.”
“Woo-hoo!” Lucie said, then ran and put on two table lamps. “Let there be light!” she laughed.
“I think we should break out the fancy cheese and crackers,” Adele said.
“I second that,” Mercedes said.
“And I third it!” Lucie said.
The women laughed, then headed to the kitchen.
“That rain really is coming down hard,” Lucie said. “I feel bad for anyone caught outside in it.”
“SORRY ABOUT ALL of this craziness, babe,” Walter said.
“There,” the detective said, then pointed in front of them. “Is that a Pucci scarf?”
“Yes!” Walter said, when he saw a skinny woman in a hooded jacket over a short skirt coat waving a scarf toward them. “Time to give chase I guess.”
They ran after the woman down one alley and then another. She had a distinct advantage in that she was wearing flats, and the men chasing her wore slick dress shoes. Walter slipped and fell when they went down a cobblestone street and his detective helped him up.
The detective stopped for a moment and removed his shoes, then his socks. Walter did the same, and the two continued the chase barefoot with their shoes and socks—tucked into the shoes—in hand. It was raining even harder, and the detective lost the girl and scarf.
“She had to have gone left,” Walter said. “Straight ahead is a dead end and there’s nothing to the right but an old, brick warehouse.
Walter had been correct about the girl running down the street to the left, but she wasn’t alone. There were three men with her—Arnou and his boys.
“God, Arnou really wants to put his foot in your ass,” Walter said to his detective. “Babe, please, please teach him a lesson… soon.”
The woman struggled against a man who was holding her arms behind her back.
“Let’s dance, Detective,” Arnou said. “Just me and you… for now.”
After handing his shoes to Walter, the detective walked to the middle of the narrow cobblestone road and faced Arnou. He had to give it to the guy, he didn’t flinch even once.
“Faces out of bounds, right?” the detective said, then smiled.
“Of course,” Arnou said, then looked back at his gang of two. “You boys heard that. Leave the detective’s face alone this time.”
“Bunch of pussies,” one of the men said.
Arnou and the detective charged at one another and fists flew. The detective managed to duck most of Arnou’s blows. The young Frenchman was trying to prove something, and was letting emotion affect his skills—what little he had. The detective didn’t have youth on his side, but he did have experience, and he managed to get in several good blows. He finally managed to kick out Arnou’s legs from below him, and sent him to the ground with a loud thump.
The woman elbowed the man holding her and managed to escape. She ran across the street and down the right lane before disappearing. Meanwhile, with Arnou groaning on the street clutching his legs, the other two men rushed forward toward the detective. From seemingly nowhere Robertito appeared. He ran up and began fighting Arnou’s men alongside the detective. When Arnou’s men joined Arnou on the ground in pain, Robertito left, and the detective walked to Walter.
“The girl must’ve gotten scared,” Walter said. “She went back the way we came.”
Arnou started laughing. “You lose, Detective!” He laughed again.
Walter and the detective walked away, and as soon as they were out of sight of Arnou and his men, Walter whispered in his detective’s ear.
“I know where she went. Follow me.”
“Anywhere,” the detective said, then smiled.
Walter kissed his detective’s wet lips, and smiled. “Wait until I get you somewhere dry and out of those wet clothes.”
MERCEDES’ PHONE RANG, and she went into the living room to answer it. Her loud gasp moments later quickly brought Adele and Lucie to her side.
“Who was it on the phone?” Lucie said.
“What happened?” Adele said.
“That was my Pierre,” Mercedes said. “A friend of his who helps the police called to tell him they now know the identity of the dead woman.”
Chapter 10
God Sees All
“DON’T KEEP US in suspense,” Adele said. “Whose body was it they found?”
“Nina—the Nina we know,” Mercedes said. “Louise’s mother.”
“God sees all, and he decided to take two baddies out at one time,” Adele said. “In case either of you were wondering who I’m talking about—it’s our brother and that abusive mother Nina.”
“We’d better stop attributing so much to God, or he may have to come after us,” Lucie said.
“You have a point there, Lucie,” Mercedes said. “And he does seem to be on a roll. Maybe we should wear black just to your brother’s funeral, to stay on God’s good side.”
“God doesn’t care
what we wear to a funeral,” Adele said.
The loud sound of lightening cracking overhead made the women jump.
“Black is good,” Adele said. “Yes, that will do I think. We can wear red the day after the funeral.”
WALTER HAD LED the detective to a back alley and into an abandoned building, where they silently waited until they saw Arnou and his boys walk by. Arnou was fussing in French.
“Arnou was saying he’ll own your ass one day,” Walter said. “But I have news for him—your ass is mine, Detective.”
The detective smiled then gave Walter a quick kiss.
“I’m pretty sure the woman we were following purposely went down that other alley—she knew we were being followed. I think she wanted to go to the abandoned warehouse at the end of the right alley.”
“Wait a few minutes then lead on,” the detective said.
“THANK YOU FOR staying with me through this, Father,” Maxime said.
They were back inside Maxime’s preparation room, and Maxime had his gloves on.
“It’s not a problem,” Father Albion said.
“I loved Corinne, and always hoped and prayed she would be mine one day. There were never any other women for me—not one. In my mind and heart there was never any doubt she would be mine, I just never knew it would be this way. Now she’s mine to prepare for her final earthly rest.”
“Maybe you’re the only one who knew her as she truly was. So it’s very appropriate that you are the one doing this final favor for her.”
“Perhaps you’re right, Father,” Maxime said, then got to work.
BEFORE THEY GOT to the abandoned warehouse, they found the Pucci scarf tied to the door of a small building.
“This was used by the factory guard when the place was still up and running,” Walter said. “That was before it became a warehouse. One day this whole area will be razed to put in clubs and condos.”
The detective untied the scarf from the door and handed it to Walter.
“I’ll be sure to get this back to Marianne,” Walter said, then put the scarf in his pocket.
They walked into the one room house. A corner of the roof leaked, and there were holes in the floor. In the center of the room was a bed, and crouched in a far corner was a wet Gabriel holding his brother, equally as wet, Galen.
“It’s OK,” Walter said, as he approached Gabriel. “We’ve been sent here by friends.”
Gabriel was scared, so the detective was worried he’d run for it.
“It’s not safe for you out there right now, Gabriel,” the detective said.
Gabriel stood, left his brother in the corner, then took off his shirt, pants, and underwear. Slowly he lay down on the bed with his naked ass in the air.
“You can have me, just leave my brother alone,” Gabriel said. “I heard Arnou say what you wanted from us.”
He was skinny even for a young man, the detective noticed. Walter was about to say something, but the detective stopped him.
“Gabriel had the right idea to get out of those wet clothes before he gets sick. But, damn, Gabriel, you can at least keep your drawers on. Nobody wants to see that skinny ass.”
Gabriel got up, put his underwear on then looked at the detective as if unsure of what was going on. The detective took off his shirt and trousers but left his briefs on. Walter did the same.
“We’re friends sent here by Marianne,” Walter said.
Gabriel let out a sigh of relief then sat on the bed. He began to cry and the detective walked to him. The boy turned, grabbed onto the detective, and cried some more.
“How old are you, Gabriel?” the detective said.
“Seventeen. My brother’s only five. Mama had me when she was sixteen. Galen was a surprise to her. We’re all the family we have now. Mama’s been dead a year and two months.”
“Gabi,” Galen said, then cried.
Walter walked over to Galen and picked him up. “He’s soaked from the rain.”
“Strip him down to his undies like us,” the detective said.
“I’ll hang our clothes off this old dresser,” Walter said, then jumped as he looked toward the bed. “There’s something under there—a dog… or rat!”
THE WOMEN WERE back in the kitchen eating cheese and crackers when Lucie heard something.
“That was the front door,” Lucie said. “Someone’s in the house.”
“Quickly get a knife or something to defend yourselves,” Mercedes said.
The women grabbed knives out of the kitchen drawers, and stood at the ready. When they saw the shadow enter the kitchen and were about to scream a man spoke.
“It’s me, Pierre.”
“Pierre, what are you doing sneaking around with your gun?” Mercedes said.
“Following orders,” Pierre said.
“What orders?” Mercedes said.
“Get me some cheese and crackers while I say what I have to say,” Pierre said.
“Fix them for him, Lucie,”Adele said.
Lucie gasped. “Adele, you’re still in your sexy nightgown.”
“Close your eyes, Pierre, while I go put something more decent on,” Adele said.
“Oh my God,” Lucie said. “I need to get dressed, too.”
“No need, dear,” Adele said.
“Don’t bother, Lucie, love,” Mercedes said. “Adele, go change and be quick, we want to hear what Pierre has to say.”
“MOVE OVER HERE next to us,” the detective said.
Walter did so, handed Galen to Gabriel, then stood protectively in front of them. The detective moved to the front of the bed then crouched down and peered under it. A low, whiny sound could be heard coming from under the bed.
“That definitely sounded like a dog,” Walter said.
The detective slowly walked forward, knelt down, then carefully reached under the bed with both hands.
Chapter 11
More than just Dust
ADELE RETURNED IN a long caftan, and Lucie and Mercedes looked at her and clapped. Pierre was busy eating crackers and cheese.
“Much more decent, and such beautiful blues and greens in the fabric,” Mercedes said. “I love how the material sparkles.
“It has small sequins scattered throughout the pattern in the fabric,” Adele said.
“That was a quick change for you,” Lucie said.
“Yes, well it is just Pierre, so I didn’t need to spruce up the hair and makeup,” Adele said. “Still, I did change into something more covered up. We don’t want Pierre’s mind to wander.”
“That’s for certain,” Mercedes said. “Pierre, hurry up and swallow that cracker so you can tell us what’s going on.”
Pierre swallowed his cracker then spoke.
“Robertito called me, and told me to come over here. He said that he may need our help later on.”
“With what?” Adele said.
“He said they may have to use this place as a safe house for some people in trouble,” Pierre said.
“Oh my God,” Lucie said. “Do you know who the people are, Pierre?”
“Robertito couldn’t say,” Pierre said. “He can’t bring them to our house because people know I used to be a police officer. But he remembered that you and Adele have always said if we ever needed help with anything—”
“Yes, of course,” Adele said. “I just wish we knew what the people he’s bringing over might need.”
“A bed,” Lucie said. “We need to have a bed ready—maybe two.”
“Oh my God,” Mercedes said. “We don’t know when they’ll get here. Let me give you two a hand.”
“Any news on who killed Nina?” Adele said.
“First they thought it was her husband François,” Pierre said. “But at the time of the murder, he was at one of the clubs asking if they’d see Louise. People remembered him being there, and the club also had one of those cameras that showed him and the time.”
“Thank God for that,” Mercedes said. “The man has had enough problems in his l
ife.”
“If not François, then who do they think killed Nina?”
“Robertito says they don’t know yet, but they’re pretty sure it wasn’t the dancing man killer,” Pierre said.
“LOOK AT THIS big dust bunny I found under the bed,” the detective said, as he looked at the dirty, nearly naked child he’d dragged out from under the bed.
The child began to cry, and the detective sat down, held the child and tried to comfort it.
“Oh my God,” Walter said. “I think I know that child.” He walked over to his detective, looked at the child, then got his wet shirt. After sitting beside his detective he gently wiped the child’s dirt covered face. “It’s Louise.”
Louise began to cry and speak in French. Walter responded in French saying his name several times.
“Louise’s mama beat her badly this time,” Gabriel said in English so the detective would understand him. “When we found her she was hiding underneath some old boxes and newspapers next to the garbage. Her Mama had thrown her out in the street for the dancing man to get.”
“No,” Louise said, and struggled to get free from the detective, who held her even more securely. “Not the dancing man.”
“There’s no dancing man here, honey,” Walter said. “The man holding you is a good friend of mine, and he’ll keep you safe I promise.”
“Nina heard my friend Jimmy’s CD player which had a song by Dalida playing—we love Dalida, but Louise hates her stuff. She thought we were the dancing man coming to kill her, and dance with her corpse to Dalida. Mr. Peters, Mr. Detective, Louise could barely stand when we found her let alone walk. She told us she had to crawl to get to the boxes—that’s why she’s all scratched up. My friend Jimmy had to carry her here while I carried Galen who was too tired to walk.”
“You guys did good,” Walter said.
