BULLETS (18 page)

When she reached the end of her version, Javier leaned back and, to his credit, thought hard about what he’d just heard. He turned his attention to the priest.

“Anything to add, Father?”

“No, that seems to be everything.”

“It’s true that Pedro was involved with a woman?”

Father Jose nodded.

“Who is she?”

“I cannot say, I’m sorry. It was revealed to me in confession. I cannot reveal it.”

“Did you know Pedro was seeing her that night?”

“I did not, I was under the impression he was going straight home,” Father Jose hesitated. He wanted to say more, Slick could tell. He knew something important. Javier sensed it, too, and pushed.

“But if you know something that clears him, or you know of a crime, you—”

“I can’t break my vow, I am so sorry.”

“So you know who she is but you can’t identify her for us, nor can you confirm Pedro was with her that night?”

Father Jose nodded. Javier rolled his eyes and sighed. He glanced at Slick. “Anything to add to that?”

“Nope.”

“You have a digital video of Pedro’s arrest and your assault, yes or no?”

“Yes.”

“Can I see it?”

“I can send it to you, if need be.”

“Oh yeah, mark that down as a definite need-be.” Javier poured himself more coffee. “Okay, we got problems. Item one, unless you can prove definitively that Pedro did not murder Roger Carlson, you’re absolutely right in that there’s not much you can do. I’ll have to watch the video, we can talk to the AG about civil rights violation, but Carlson was murdered with Pedro’s fucking shovel, I don’t have to tell you how that looks. Lots of judges and juries don’t really have an issue with law enforcement braining a murderer. And in the eyes of most folks, that’s who Pedro is.

“There’s a girl who may or may not give Pedro an alibi for that night, but you don’t know who she is and the priest can’t tell us. Another friend of Pedro’s, this … Sergio … he knew Pedro was with her that night, but he’s gone and, according to a local gangster, Angel Martinez, was taken away by two cops and murdered. No proof that he didn’t just run on his own or that Angel didn’t do him himself. It could all be bullshit. I know who Angel is, by the way. I’d err on the side of bullshit where he’s concerned.”

“Except that—”

“I know, I know, except that someone tried to run your car off the road. But that could have just as easily been someone working for Angel. Then you go to Father Jose’s place and while you’re there somebody busts in and wrecks the place. And, though you didn’t get a good look at anything but their shoes, you’re sure that they were cops.”

“We’re sure,” Slick said. “Cop boots.”

Javier glanced at Camilla, who nodded.

“Okay, well. Here’s what we know, here’s what we don’t know and here’s what we can prove,” Javier said. “We know somebody killed Roger Carlson with Pedro’s shovel. We know someone’s trying to hassle you, tried to run you off the road. What we don’t know is who or why. And what we can prove? Nothing. Zero. Zippity do-dah. And I don’t see it getting any better, even if you DO find this girl. Because, well, it seems pretty damn clear to me that Pedro did kill Roger Carlson.”

Camilla started to speak but Javier held up his hand. “Hold on, babe, this is the agent talking, it’s the suit here, it’s not me. Personally, the fact that someone tried to hurt YOU makes me freakin’ homicidal, but that is my professional assessment, as I see it. You think it’s deputies behind all of this, but you didn’t really see who it was and, other than Ted being his usual asshole self, you can’t really prove for certain sure he’s sicced his dogs on you BECAUSE of Roger Carlson. I don’t see a conspiracy here, at least not the one that you’re talking about. There’s another possibility, though.”

“What do you mean?” Camilla asked.

“Him.” Javier pointed at Slick.

“What do you mean ‘him’, how does—”

“He’s got a video of Ted assaulting him and beating another man to death. That’s a large civil suit just waiting to happen, and you gotta know that Ted knows that. Ted’s stupid, but he ain’t dumb. He’s aiming for higher office. What’s the common denominator in these threats and intimidations? Him.” Javier turned to Slick. “You. They’ve only happened to YOU. Let me guess, even before last night there have already been a few attempts to scare you off, right? Probably a couple of unnecessary traffic stops, some local trash hassling you, all that jazz.”

Slick didn’t say anything, just raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, that’s what I figured. I did grow up here after all, I know how it works with these crazy white folks. They’ve hinted to you that it’s a question of personal health for you to scat. But that didn’t work, because you’re a tough guy, clearly, and so next they send someone to bump you a bit, turn up the heat. That was last night. Has nothing to do with Carlson or Camilla. It’s YOU they’re after, my man.”

“But they showed up at Father Jose’s church—” Camilla began.

“Nobody showed up until HE did. Maybe they were following him.”

“Nobody followed me,” Slick said.

“Come on, sport, you think you’re that good?”

“Yeah, I do, actually.”

Javier just smiled. “Nobody’s that good. Nobody.”

“If it was Jon they were after, why wreck Father Jose’s church quarters, then?” Camilla asked.

“Why not? They’re local asshole cops, they don’t really know what they’re doing. They’re just protecting their boss and trashing some Latino’s home means nothing to rednecks like them. Even a church. Look, let’s not pretend these homegrown white boys don’t shit on brown people every chance they get. And that’s ME talking, not the agent, not the suit.”

“And Angel—”

“Angel Martinez has been under indictment multiple times. Nothing’s ever stuck, at least not yet, but make no mistake, he’s no good guy here. He’s lying for his own benefit, mainly to cause trouble for Ted, who’s a pain in his ass. Think about it.”

Slick watched Father Jose and Camilla consider it all.

“Listen,” Javier said, “I’ve never liked Ted, he’s a redneck racist and I’m sure watching the video of him nightsticking Pedro isn’t going to do anything but make me want to kick his ass up and down the street. But I don’t see him being complicit in the murder of Roger Carlson, I just don’t.

“I see him trying to cover up his own foul-up for hitting Pedro too hard and beating the hell out of this man here for no reason other than the color of his skin. And that’s a crime, no doubt. I’ll talk with the state AG, after I see the video. He should go down for that. I can make that happen, if the video does what you say it does. He’s got a bad history with minorities and this could be the thing that finally bites him on the ass.”

Camilla nodded, finally, this theory being the most comforting to her view of the world. Slick glanced at the priest, who struggled with it but didn’t know how to begin. Slick just shook his head.

“What?” Javier asked.

“If it was all just about me, they could’ve nabbed me at any time and hauled me back to jail. In the restaurant, on the street, hell—”

“They don’t want to do that, you’ve got friends like Joe Stormcloud and a pricey lawyer who they’re afraid of, they just want you to go away and not sue them, so they’re bumping you when they can get away with it. I’m not saying it’s smart but it is logical from their point of view. And that’s what you SHOULD do, go away, get the lawsuit going or whatever you’re gonna do and let me handle things here.”

“I can see your point, but for one thing.”

“Which is what?”

“I believe Angel’s story. I know what he is, but I believe he was telling the truth. Criminals sometimes do tell the truth, believe it or not. No one is a saint, but no one is Satan, either. I believe Sergio was murdered. I believe Pedro is innocent. And they now know, somehow, likely through Sergio, that Father Jose might be able to prove that. I think they went to his place for HIM, last night, not for me. I may be a pain in their ass, but I don’t know anything. He does. He knows who the girl is. And he’s in danger.”

“Why would he be? He can’t say anything without breaking his vow.”

“They don’t care about that, you don’t plan for what a person WOULD do, but what they COULD do. He could possibly clear Pedro, and they don’t want that, for whatever reason. There’s something hinky about the Carlson murder.”

“Hinky. I haven’t heard that phrase since the nineties.” Javier shook his head and looked to Father Jose. “Hinky. Well, what do you think, padre? You afraid for your life?”

“I cannot say for certain if my life is in danger or not, but I, too, believe Pedro is innocent. I know that he was. I cannot say why, even on pain of death I couldn’t tell you, but I swear upon my soul that he did not commit murder. If I could think of a way to help prove his innocence without breaking my vow, I would do it in an instant. He did not kill Roger Carlson.”

Javier sighed heavily. “Everyone thinks that about someone they know. I’ve seen it time and time again, a family member or close friend swears on stacks of bibles that a person they know and cared for isn’t capable of murder, and they believe they’re absolutely right in spite of the DNA evidence, in spite of the testimony and logic, right up until the suspect himself admits that he did it. I’ve seen this. You’re too close, both of you.”

“I’m not, actually. I didn’t know Pedro, I don’t know Ted, I don’t know this town,” Slick said. “I just know an innocent man when I see one.”

Javier gave him one of his overlong intense stares, thoughtful. Camilla piped up.

“Since you know who the girl is, Father Jose, perhaps you can speak with her,” Camilla said. “See if you can get her to come forward on her own.”

“I don’t know,” Father Jose said after a moment. “Speak to her? I can try. It may be … difficult. Very difficult.”

“Why is that?”

“I cannot say,” the priest said. “Without disclosing information that I am bound to keep private. But I will do what I can. It may take some time, but I will try to speak with her.”

“So you’re convinced it’s not just about you, sport?” Javier asked Slick.

“I’d bet good money on it. And I don’t bet good money on anything unless I’m certain.”

“Okay then, first things first,” Javier said after a moment. “Just for the sake of argument, let’s operate under the assumption that you are right and Father Jose IS in grave danger. I’m not yet convinced, but I wasn’t there last night, you were. If it is true then we have to get him out of town until we get things settled. You have somewhere you can stay, Father?”

“Yes, a friend upstate, but my parish—”

“Will still be here when you get back. It’ll just be for a few days until I can get a bead on things here. I’ll drive you to wherever it is, we’ll stop by the church, pick up some of your things, and then I’ll take you out of town. No one will know where you are but me. Not even these two. Don’t call, text or email anyone except me, okay?”

The priest nodded. Javier touched Camilla’s arm.

“Look, babe, I’m pretty certain I’m right that our big man here was the target, not you, but just to be on the safe side, maybe you should also get out of town for a couple weeks, too. Call an audible, take some time off from work and go on a short vacation.”

“Thanks, but no, I think you’re right, too, so I’m staying. I’ll be fine.”

“You’re sure? What about just a couple days in the country? I have a friend with a cabin in Sedona, I’ll hook you up. You can go up in the mountains and relax. Just for a couple days, until I get a handle on things here.”

“Thank you, Javier, but it’s not necessary. I have work to do here. And I’ll be careful, I promise.”

“I’ll call Navajo Joe, have him station a couple troopers at your house and at your office, just as a safeguard. He owes me a favor and I got some fed border money that needs to go somewhere, so overtime for troopers seems reasonable to me.”

“You don’t need to do that for me—”

“It’s not for you, it’s for ME, more than anything. I gotta know you’re safe. Do me a favor, if you’re that determined stay here, don’t go anywhere else but work and home, okay? And I’d prefer it if you stayed home the whole time.”

“I won’t be a prisoner in my own home or my town.”

“Just … be careful. Okay? You call me or Joe Stormcloud if you think anything looks or feels even remotely off, understand? Call me ASAP.” Javier turned to Slick. “And you, big man, go back home and by home I mean New York City, because that’s where you’re from, right?”

“It’s not where I’m from but it is where I live most of the time, yeah. But I’m starting to dig the climate here, thinking of spending more time in this area.”

Javier stared at Slick, not liking that at all. He finally stood, pulled out his wallet.

“I got this, don’t worry about it.” Slick grabbed the check.

“Appreciate that, but I got it. Uncle Sam is paying for breakfast.” Javier snatched the check back again.

“Uncle Sam can get the next one, I got this.”

“Yeah, uh, no, Uncle Sam has this one and the next one and the one after that. I appreciate the offer, but I can’t have civilians buying me things, not even breakfast, it looks bad, you know? I go by the book, sport, so this one is on me. End of story.”

Slick caught Camilla smiling at him in the corner of his eye and understood that this could go on all day. Javier was one of those guys who had to win at everything, which made them two peas in a pod.

Everyone climbed out of the diner booth and stretched. Father Jose excused himself to use the restroom and Camilla also followed suit for the ladies room, which left Javier and Slick alone. Slick waited for what he knew was coming and it didn’t take long.

“Okay, we only got a couple minutes while they’re in the head, so let’s cut the bullshit,” Javier said.

“Fine, let’s do that.”

“You’re leaving town NOW, if not like fucking five minutes ago, I want you to get your ass out. Understand? You’re a fucking magnet for trouble.”

“Yeah, that’s totally why Ted and his friends beat the shit out of me, I’m magnetic. They couldn’t help themselves, clearly it was all my fault.”

“No, it’s not, they did that because they’re bigoted fucking morons, but you’re now making things worse by being a fucking pill about it. You got a legit complaint, no argument from me on that, so sue his fucking ass and take him to the cleaners, but stop fucking around in town here and getting innocent folks like the padre involved. I will take care of this situation, that is my job, that is what I do. You have my promise on that. But the last thing I need is you running around like a fucking cowboy pouring gasoline on a fire that me and mine have been trying to keep under control for years, understand?”