The Paraíso Motel was located near the outskirts of Culiacán. It was two stories tall, painted a faded lime green, and looked as if its neon sign announcing the motel’s name hadn’t been updated in thirty years.
A police car was already parked out front when Ramon and Carlos arrived. The two officers inside didn’t notice them as they walked up to the car from behind.
Carlos slammed his hand down on the car’s roof, causing both officers inside to jump.
He said, “What the hell are you doing?”
The officers quickly collected themselves, and the driver said, “Very sorry, sir. We were told to wait outside.”
“So there’s nobody around back?”
Both officers said nothing, only traded nervous glances.
Carlos gritted his teeth.
“Somebody should be covering the back.”
The two officers didn’t move, too unsure what to do next.
Carlos said, “Goddamn it, get out of the car!”
The officers scrambled out of the car. One of them hurried around to cover the back of the motel while the other lingered by the car.
Carlos told the officer, “Cover the front and don’t fuck it up.”
The officer nodded quickly.
Ramon surveyed the street. It was quiet for this time of morning, only a few cars coming and going. A skinny woman stood near the corner, leaning against a building. She was watching them, but she didn’t look like somebody they should be worried about. In fact, even from this distance, it was clear she was a prostitute.
Carlos tapped him on the arm.
“Let’s go.”
They climbed the front steps and entered a dank lobby. Two box fans ran on either end of the lobby, pushing the warm air together into a vortex of humidity. The lobby was deserted save for a kid no older than nineteen sitting on a stool behind the counter. The kid stared down at his cell phone, his thumbs rapidly punching the screen. He only paused and looked up when Carlos smacked the bell on the counter.
“Help you?”
Carlos took the lead, flashing his badge at the clerk.
“A call was made to this motel at 3:47 this morning. We need to know who took the call and where the call was sent.”
The kid stared at them, his eyes shifting from Carlos to Ramon and back to Carlos.
“Huh?”
Carlos repeated himself, talking slowly this time, but the kid still didn’t seem to get it.
He said, “Maybe you should talk to the manager.”
Ramon said, “Where is the manager?”
“He’s not here right now.”
“When will he be back?”
The kid shrugged.
“Don’t know. He doesn’t come in much.”
Carlos reached forward, grabbed the back of the kid’s neck, and slammed his face down on the counter. Blood squirted from his nose.
“Say that again?”
The kid whimpered, “What do you want from me, man? I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“Somebody called this piece of shit motel at 3:47 this morning. We need to know who took the call.”
“I don’t know! I wasn’t here! I wasn’t here!”
“Who, then? Who was here?”
The kid said nothing.
Carlos grabbed the kid’s neck again.
The kid cried out.
“It wasn’t me!”
“We know that, asshole. You keep saying that. Who was here?”
“If I tell you, will you let me go?”
“That depends on how good your answer is.”
“I don’t want to go to jail.”
“Why would you go to jail?”
“I don’t know! Why won’t you let me go?”
Carlos took his hand away from the kid’s neck. The kid didn’t move for a couple seconds, as if he thought it was some kind of trick.
Ramon said, “This is important. We need to know about the call that came in this morning at 3:47.”
The kid touched his nose gingerly.
“Man, I think you broke my nose.”
Ramon said, “Tell us about the call.”
“I wasn’t working. I got here two hours ago.”
Carlos said, “Who did you relieve?”
“That’s the thing. I’m not really sure.”
“What does that mean?”
“When I got here nobody was at the counter.”
“Who was scheduled to be here?”
The kid looked again from Carlos to Ramon and back to Carlos.
“He’s not gonna get in trouble, is he? He’s a good guy.”
Carlos leaned forward. His body language made it clear he had no problem slamming the kid’s face against the counter again.
“Who’s a good guy?”