Perdido County- Dark Road

by Larry Darter

  “Is it still there?” Wolfe said.

  “No, they pulled out yesterday sometime,” Godwin said. “That’s when I lost my hat.”

  “Tell me about that,” Wolfe said.

  “Well, I rode out to where they had the tent set up. I paid my money. Me and this cute little Mexican girl kind of got started.”

  “What did she look like?” Wolfe said.

  “Real cute,” Godwin said. “I can show you if Alvarez will give me my phone back.”

  Wolfe nodded to Alvarez. She picked up a phone off the table and handed it to Godwin. He pulled up a photo and handed the phone to Wolfe. Carpenter was standing beside the door with his arms crossed. Wolfe held out the phone to him.

  “Is this the Garcia girl?” he said.

  Carpenter looked at the image. “That’s her,” he said.

  “This girl is fifteen years old, Charlie,” Wolfe said. “In Texas, that’s statutory rape.”

  “But we didn’t have sex, sheriff,” Godwin said. “Honest. I’d just got my clothes off when this big guy came in the tent. He told me to get out. He threw my clothes at me and said to git. I didn’t even have time to grab my hat. I guess they tossed it out when they took down the tent. That’s why I was down there this morning. I was looking for the hat. It cost me three hundred dollars over at El Paso.”

  “What did the guy look like?” Wolfe said.

  “Hell, he was big,” Godwin said. “That’s all I remember. I didn’t get a good look at him. He was throwing me out at the time. I put my pants and boots back on, got on my horse, and lit out.”

  “When did this happen?” Wolfe said.

  “Late afternoon yesterday,” Godwin said. “It wasn’t quite dark when I got back to the ranch.”

  “You hear a gunshot?”

  “No sir,” Godwin said. “But this is West Texas. Gunshots are so common you don’t hardly pay attention to it.”

  “Where is this mobile brothel now?” Wolfe said.

  “I don’t know,” Godwin said. “I swear I don’t.”

  “So how do people find out about it?”

  “You know that Tejano club, El Rincon, on Third Street?” Godwin said.

  “Yes, we know it,” Alvarez said. “What about it?”

  “There is a bartender there,” Godwin said. “If you want to get laid you ask him and he can tell you where to find the tent.”

  “What’s his name?” Wolfe said.

  “All I ever heard him called is Freddie,” Godwin said. “Honest to God that’s all the name I know.”

  “What’s he look like?” Wolfe said.

  “Young Mexican fella, maybe twenty-two or thereabouts. He’s short like me, thin, and has his hair shaved on the sides.”

  “Okay, Charlie,” Wolfe said. “You can go. If I need anything else, I know where to find you.”

  “Sheriff, you won’t tell anyone I told you about any of it will you?” Godwin said.

  “No, Charlie,” Wolfe said, “and don’t you be telling anyone we had this little talk either.”

  “Yes sir,” Godwin said, “I mean no sir, I won’t tell a soul.”

  Wolfe turned to Adcock. “Thanks for your help. You can have him back now.”

  Adcock nodded. “Come on, Charlie. I swear you’re like babysitting my sister’s kids.”

  The two men got up and left.

  “So, what you thinking, Owen?” Alvarez said.

  “I’m thinking we might have a connection between the murder and the missing girl,” Wolfe said.

  “Hey, sheriff,” Riggs said.

  “Yes, Barney?”

  “I hadn’t heard the victim’s name until just now, Glen Roberts,” Riggs said.

  “You know something about him?”

  “Just that he was in here last week,” Riggs said.

  “What for?”

  “He wanted to make a missing person report on the Garcia girl,” Riggs said.

  “He talked to you?”

  “Yes sir, he said he had come on behalf of her mother,” Riggs said. “He said the mother had made a report but had heard nothing for over a month.”

  “What did you do?”

  “All I could,” Riggs said. “I checked the computer but didn’t find a report on the girl. I told Roberts the mother must not have made a report. I couldn’t take a report from him because he wasn’t a relative or anything. I told him to have the mother call us or come in if she wanted to make a report.”

  Wolfe nodded. He turned to Carpenter.

  “Come on Chase, let’s go see Ms. Garcia,” he said.

  Carpenter nodded. He and Wolfe left the room.

  ◆◆◆

  “Did you find Zoe?” Luna Garcia said.

  “No, Ms. Garcia, not yet,” Wolfe said. “But, we think we have a lead. I need to ask you something about another matter possibly related to your daughter’s disappearance.”

  “Okay,” Garcia said. She nodded toward Carpenter. “Unlike that one, at least you seem concerned about finding Zoe.”

  Wolfe nodded. “I want to help find your daughter ma’am,” he said. “A man named Glen Roberts came to the department about a week who said he was helping you look for Zoe.”

  Garcia beamed. “My God, Glen came to see you?”

  Wolfe nodded.

  “I didn’t realize he was doing anything. He never called me back.”

  “So, you knew Mr. Roberts.”

  “Yes, of course. Glen is Zoe’s father.”

  Wolfe said nothing. Garcia looked at him for a moment and gave him a wry grin.

  “He didn’t tell you that?”

  “No ma’am.”

  “I guess he wouldn’t have,” Garcia said. “He told me to stop calling him after he got married.”

  “Did you?”

  “Yes, until last month,” Garcia said. “I was so desperate. No one was willing to help. So, I called Glen. He said he was sorry, but he couldn’t do anything. But, then he did. Glen is a good man.”

  ◆◆◆

  Carpenter parked the Tahoe in the lot outside El Rincon.

  “This is a waste of time, Owen,” Carpenter said. “They won't tell us anything.”

  “No way to know unless we ask,” Wolfe said getting out of the Tahoe. The men walked inside the bar. There was a big crowd inside and the traditional Latin music was loud. Carpenter and Wolfe waded through the packed dance floor to the bar. Wolfe saw no one behind the bar matching the description Godwin had given. Wolfe signaled to a bartender. Carpenter hung back and let Wolfe do the talking.

  “We’re looking for Freddie,” Wolfe said.

  “He’s not here,” the bartender said. “What did he do?”

  “Nothing,” Wolfe said. “We only need to ask him a few questions.”

  “He hasn’t shown up for work the last two days,” the bartender said.

  “You know where he lives?”

  The bartender shook his head.

  “If he comes in will you ask him to call the sheriff’s office?”

  The bartender nodded and walked away. Carpenter and Wolfe waded back across the crowded dance floor and went out.

  “Told you,” Carpenter said. “He was lying.”

  “Maybe,” Wolfe said. “But it could make sense he hasn’t come in the last two days and why.”

  “You think he shot Roberts?”

  “Don’t know,” Wolfe said. “I don’t know him. I don’t know what he is capable of. But, maybe he knows something about it.”

  “Well, if he is involved it seems like he has disappeared,” Carpenter said.

  They got back in the Tahoe and headed back to the sheriff’s office.

  “Anything you want to tell me?” Wolfe said.

  “Like what?”

  “Anything you think I might like knowing about,” Wolfe said.

  “No, not that I can think of,” Carpenter said.

  “I saw one of your campaign posters earlier,” Wolfe said. “Nice photo.”

  “Those weren’t supposed
to go up until after I talked to you about it,” Carpenter said.

  “Well, they did.”

  “You have a problem with it, Owen?” Carpenter said. “I’ve been planning to run for sheriff ever since I found out Bud wasn’t running next time. I thought you were only here to fill out the rest of his term.”

  “Maybe,” Wolfe said. “I haven’t decided whether I’m running yet. But, it would have only been common courtesy for you to tell me about it instead of letting me find out the way I did.”

  “Maybe so, but I think I’m a better fit for the job,” Carpenter said. “Perdido County isn’t like Dallas. You’ve been away a long time.”

  “You really think you’re the best man for the job, Chase?”

  “At least I don’t drive around with my unit full of beer bottles,” Carpenter said. “I heard about your accident. The wrecker driver said there were beer bottles in the cab and your unit smelled like a brewery. The guy at the package store also says you go through the liquor.”

  “Sounds like you already have a negative campaign ad ready to go, Chase,” Wolfe said.

  “Maybe you've got problems that don’t make you an ideal candidate,” Carpenter said.

  “Before you start spreading rumors, I don’t drink on duty,” Wolfe said. “I stopped three teenagers in a Honda with beer in the car right before the accident. I made them pour it out, and I was hauling the bottles back to the station to throw away. I didn’t want to litter the highway. Another thing is people who know me know I drink Lone Star beer. Always have, always will. If you check the dumpster in back of the station, you will find the broken bottles. They aren’t Lone Star bottles. I only buy the cans, anyway. As far as my off duty drinking habits, that’s none of your damn business.”

  The two men were silent the rest of the way to the office. Wolfe got out and shut the door without a word. Carpenter backed up and drove out of the lot and left for home.

  ◆◆◆

  Alvarez was sitting at Judy’s desk.

  “What are you still doing here?” Wolfe said.

  “Waiting to make sure you guys got back okay before I left.”

  “Well, we did.”

  “What did you find out?”

  “That Glen Roberts is the father of Zoe Garcia, Luna’s daughter.”

  “You’re shitting me.”

  “Nope.”

  “Roberts didn’t tell Barney that. I’m sure of it. Unlike Chase, Barney always does the best job he can.”

  “Yes, Luna wasn’t surprised Roberts hadn’t mentioned being Zoe’s father. His wife probably doesn’t know about it either.”

  “Speaking of that, how did the death notification go?”

  “Awkward,” Wolfe said.

  “They are always hard,” Alvarez said. “I hate doing them.”

  “Especially when you know the person you’re notifying.”

  “You know his wife?”

  “Yes, but I didn’t know that until I got there. Her name was still Reeves the last I knew, and so the first name had meant nothing. I guess there is over one Melanie even in Perdido County.”

  “Oh shit, I can’t imagine what that must have been like,” Alvarez said. “You should have let me go with you. How well did you know her before?”

  “She was my girlfriend throughout high school,” Wolfe said. “We broke up right before I got out of the Army. I knew I wasn’t moving back here, and I knew she didn’t want to move away. So, I ended it.”

  “Oh, shit,” Alvarez said. “I wish you had sent me instead of going at all.”

  “In hindsight, I’d have to agree.”

  “So did she know what her husband was doing on the CM?”

  “She had no idea about him being in Kimble,” Wolfe said. “She thought he was working in San Saba on a drilling site.”

  “He was having an affair,” Alvarez said. “Anytime a man lies to his wife or girlfriend about where he will be, it’s always about sex.”

  “That’s a cynical view of it,” Wolfe said.

  “No, it’s a realistic view,” Alvarez said. “So, why do you think he was out there? Looking for his daughter?”

  “That would be my guess,” Wolfe said.

  “So, the two things are connected.”

  “Looking that way,” Wolfe said. “By the way, what the procedure around here for nights after Judy goes home? I didn’t get my orientation before Bud took off.”

  “The calls get forwarded to the jail. There is someone there 24/7. One of us is on call every fourth day. If there is an emergency, the jail staff calls the on-duty deputy. We handle what we can on our own. If we need help, we call another deputy or DPS.”

  “When is my turn next?”

  “Um, Bud would have been on Friday, so that’s yours,” Alvarez said. “Barney has it tonight. I have it tomorrow night.”

  “I guess that makes it hard on your dating life,” Wolfe said.

  “Yeah, right,” Alvarez said. “Like there is anyone in this town I’m interested in dating. So, if you ever need someone to cover for you, I’m usually easiest to get. Barney has a girlfriend. I don’t know what Chase’s status is at the moment, but he is usually dating someone or other.”

  “So, what do you do on your time off?” Wolfe said. “Sit at home knitting?”

  “Ha,” Alvarez said. “First, we only get one day off a week. But, when I feel the need to scratch the itch, I go to El Paso or someplace with friends, and we hit the clubs.”

  “You don’t like the El Rincon?”

  Alvarez giggled. Wolfe found he liked the sound of it. “No, I have never been to El Rincon except on duty. Not my style.”

  “Chase and I stopped by to see if Freddie was working,” Wolfe said. “It seemed like a happening place.”

  Alvarez laughed. “You know, maybe one of us could switch days off with Chase or Barney sometime, and we could have dinner together in El Paso or somewhere.”

  “Are you asking me out on a date, Deputy Alvarez?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Don’t we have a no fraternization policy here?”

  “Not that I know of,” Alvarez said with a giggle. “If we did, I guess you would know about it, Sheriff Wolfe.”

  “I’ll have to ask Judy about it,” Wolfe said.

  “Yep, Judy is really the person in charge around here,” Alvarez said. “But, we’re tight, so I don’t think there would be a problem if you wanted to have dinner sometime.”

  “I’ll keep it in mind,” Wolfe said. “Now, I say we go home and get some sleep so we can make it into work tomorrow morning.”

  “You’re right,” Alvarez said. She got up from the desk, and they went out.

  1.4

  The desk phone rang. Owen picked up the receiver and pushed the blinking button.

  “Owen,” Judy said, “Carlos Sosa is here to see you.”

  “Okay, send him back.”

  A few moments later, Carlos Sosa walked into the sheriff’s office.

  “Hello Carlos,” Owens said. “I’m waiting for Olivia to get back so she can give me a ride after I drop off the Tahoe.”

  “Whenever you’re ready,” Sosa said. “But, I’m here about the other matter we discussed.”

  “The prostitution thing?”

  “Yes, I have a name for you plus three other things.”

  “Guy named Freddie who tends bar at El Rincon?”

  “You know about it already?”

  “Very little,” Owen said. “A ranch hand from the CM gave me the name. I went out there last night, but he wasn’t at work. All I know is he is the man to see if you’re looking to hire a prostitute in the county.”

  Sosa nodded.

  “What were the other things?” Owen said.

  “First, while I couldn’t find Freddie myself, we spoke through a cousin. Freddie will meet you and you alone tomorrow morning at ten o’clock. There is an old abandoned farmhouse off FM 2810 six miles south of Highway 90. Second, after talking to the cousin, I don’t think you shou
ld go. It smells like a setup.”

  “What’s the third thing?”

  “Since I know you will ignore my advice and go meet Freddie anyway, I’d like to suggest an OMT.”

  “OMT?”

  Sosa nodded and smiled. “Old Mexican trick.”

  Owen laughed.

  “If you insist on meeting Freddie against my advice, be at the farmhouse say by seven in the morning. That way if someone gets a surprise, it will be Freddie, not you.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Owen said. “Hard to beat the element of surprise.”

  ◆◆◆

  At a few minutes after seven the next morning, Owen drove the Tahoe into the yard of the decaying farmhouse off FM 2810. The roof had caved in on one side, and any paint that had once been on the exterior had long since disappeared. Owen walked up the dilapidated steps to the porch and found someone had secured the front door with a rusted chain and padlock probably many years before. It seemed kind of ridiculous since someone had broken the glass out of all the windows at the front of the house.

  Owen jumped off the porch and went around to the back. There he found kids or someone had kicked in the back door. Owen drew his pistol and went inside with caution. He found no one inside the house. Pulling a broken-down wooden chair away from the old decrepit kitchen table into a dark corner of the kitchen, Owen sat down to wait.

  A while later he heard a car pulling up and stopping out front. His watch told him it was half-past eight o’clock. A few moments later he heard footsteps on the backdoor steps, and a short, slender, young Latino with his black hair cut in a fade walked through the back door. Owen stood up and took a step forward out of the shadows with the Colt in his right hand pointed at the young man.

  “Morning Freddie,” Owen said.

  The man jumped, startled by Owen’s unexpected appearance. He looked at Owen’s gun and lifted his hands.

  “You’re early,” Freddie said.

  “Old Mexican trick,” Owen said. “Speaking of which, you’re an hour and a half early to your own meeting. Care to tell me why? But, first, take the pistol out of your waistband with two fingers and lay it on the table.”