Chapter 55

Monday, August 15, 0900 Hours

 

Without a truck and without even Pierson's car--which she now refused to allow MacFarland to use--he found himself stuck at home unable to pursue any leads on the case. He had to admit that he didn't really have any leads. Baker had not yet gotten back to him with any news about what vehicle Torres might have been using. It did occur to MacFarland that Lord Bozworth might have some intelligence on that issue, but he had no way of getting to Lord Bozworth. Rufus did suggest that they could take the Light Rail downtown, and then rent some of the bicycles that were scattered across the cityscape, but MacFarland was not too anxious to do that.

"It's already 85 degrees," he said as an excuse. "They're forecasting it will be well over a hundred."

"So?" said Rufus. And to be sure, MacFarland could remember many days on which Rufus had worn most of his clothing, regardless of how hot it was, simply because the alternative was to risk losing it. MacFarland had never really worried about that when he lived on the streets. He was often so hung over he didn't know what clothes he had or what the temperature was.

"I don't want to go out. That's the long and short of it."

"So we're jus' staying here?" asked Rufus.

"Yeah, Rufus, that's what not going out means."

"You're not going to solve any cases that way," grumbled Rufus, ambling slowly down to the cellar. It was cooler in the basement of the house. Pierson let him set up a cot and a small living space down there. She had offered to open up another of the bedrooms upstairs, but Rufus felt awkward taking one of those fine rooms. He preferred the cave-like atmosphere of the basement.

"They don't want my help," complained MacFarland to an empty room. "Despite the fact that I've made just about every breakthrough on this case already, no, they have to prove how good they are, how much they can do it without my help. Well, I'd like to see that! You're just a pup, you snide little bastard!"

MacFarland's rant was abruptly interrupted by the buzzing of his phone. He picked it up and stared at the caller identification. Calida Delgado. Now what was she calling him for?

"Hi Calida, what's up?"

"Mac, you're in danger! Big danger!"

MacFarland instinctively looked around, checking for anything out of the ordinary. "What are you talking about, Calida? What kind of danger?"

"I have to come up there. I am coming tomorrow, you understand?"

"What are you coming up here for? There's no reason for you to come up here."

"You don't want to see me? You don't want me?"

"Calida, it's not that! Of course I want to see you. I think. What I don't understand is why you are coming up? What danger am I in?"

"It is Alejandro, Mac, Alejandro! He is coming up to Denver!"

“Why is Gil coming to Denver?”

“This I will tell you when I see you. Do not go out of your house, Mac. Stay hidden!”

MacFarland laughed. He was hardly the kind of guy who would stay hidden away in his house. “What time will you be here tomorrow, Calida? I'll pick you up."

It was only after he hung up that he recalled he didn't have a car.