Cisco Cruz had come into Thumps’s life in the guise of a bodyguard for one Randall “Boomper” Austin, billionaire and emperor of Austin Resource Capital, a conglomerate of companies and corporations that manufactured money.
According to Cruz, he was just a working stiff who had spent seven years as an MP in the military and ten years in San Francisco homicide.
Which might have been true, whole or part. Or not.
Thumps had always suspected that Cruz worked for one or more of the alphabet agencies. Langley, Virginia. Washington, D.C. Fort Meade, Maryland. But he couldn’t prove it, and Cruz hadn’t been particularly forthcoming. What Thumps did know was that the man was an enigma who kept popping up from time to time to complicate Thumps’s life and leave dead bodies in his wake.
“I was very sorry to hear about your wife, sheriff.”
“Cisco Cruz.” Duke nodded his head, tapped his fingers on the table. “Is there a dead body in the vicinity that we should know about?”
Cruz smiled. “Yo-Yo cooking?”
“Nora Gage.” Thumps watched Cruz’s face.
“Lovely lady. I hear you met her last night. Under somewhat unfortunate circumstances.”
“What might you know about those unfortunate circumstances?”
“The bit about the cactus drag? A mite theatrical.” Cruz shook his head. “I was going to stop by. Say hello.”
“And here you are,” said Duke.
Cruz set the menu to one side. “Here I am.”
The doors to the kitchen swung open. Big Fish came out with a large tray. Halfway to the table, he stopped dead in his tracks.
“Holy shit.”
“You drop that tray,” said Duke, “and I’ll arrest you for involuntary something or other.”
“The ninja assassin.”
“You know,” said Cruz, “that’s really getting old.”
“Talk to Archie,” said Thumps.
Duke leaned forward on his elbows. “Oh, I’m sure Mr. Kousoulas is going to be delighted to discover that you’re back in town.”
“He knows already,” said Cruz. “Nora and I stopped by the bookstore. We had a nice chat.”
Big Fish set the tray on the table. “You in town to kill someone?”
Cruz fished an onion ring out of the basket. “Just helping a friend get settled.”
“You want a burger or something?”
“I’ll just graze,” said Cruz. “Talk with my pals here.”
Big Fish picked up the tray, began backing up to the safety of the kitchen. “Okay. You want something, just yell. No need to shoot the place up.”
Cruz turned to Thumps. “You want to split that burger?” “If I ask you why you’re in town,” said Thumps, “will you tell me?”
“Sure.”
“So, I’m asking.”
“So am I,” said Duke.
“Like I said. Helping a friend.”
“Nora Gage.”
“That’s right.”
“And you know her from . . .”
“Here and there,” said Cruz. “Here and there.”
“I love the smell of bullshit in the morning,” said Duke.
“Movie was overrated,” said Cruz. “I much preferred Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket.”
“And back to Nora Gage,” said Thumps.
“Nora used to work for U.S. Customs,” said Cruz. “We’d run into each other from time to time. She retired. Wanted to get off the East Coast. I suggested Chinook. Open spaces. Big sky. Friendly people. Cheap real estate.”
“And here you are.”
“Here I am.”
“I take it you plan to stay,” said Duke.
“For a while. Thought I’d take in the PGA qualifier out at Shadow Ranch.”
“You play golf ?”
“Doesn’t everyone?” said Cruz.
“I don’t,” said Duke.
“Okay,” said Cruz, “so not everyone.”
“Jim Brown,” said Thumps. “Stan Greeley. Stop me when you hear a name you like.”
Cruz cut Thumps’s burger in half, took the larger piece. “You know, I’ve never had a better burger. Been thinking about these since the last time I was in town.”
“Then why don’t you order one?”
“This will do me,” said Cruz. “Trying to watch what I eat.”
“Jim Brown? Stan Greeley?”
“Who are they?”
“You saying you don’t know?”
“No idea,” said Cruz. “Is there any ketchup?”
THE REST of the meal was spent in small talk. Big Fish stuck his head out of the kitchen a couple of times but didn’t come any closer than the swinging door.
“Morris Dumbo has a girlfriend?” Cruz stuck a straw in Thumps’s milkshake.
“Makeup artist from Puerto Rico,” said Thumps. “We haven’t met her yet.”
“Always thought the man was a racist.”
“He is,” said Duke, “but evidently love conquers all.”
Cruz helped himself to a fry. “Hear you and Claire are thinking about moving in together.”
Thumps thought about it for a moment. “Ora Mae.”
“Ora Mae,” said Cruz. “Woman knows her real estate.”
“And everything else that happens in Chinook,” said Duke.
“She found Nora the rental,” said Cruz. “Really good deal.”
“And you’re staying with Gage?”
“Naw,” said Cruz. “I like my own space.”
“And your own space would be . . . where?”
“Here and there,” said Cruz. “Here and there.”
The cellphone in Thumps’s jacket began vibrating. It was always a bit of a startle to feel the buzz against the side of his chest, as though a bee had snuck in under his shirt. Or that he was on the verge of a heart attack.
“DreadfulWater.”
“Hey, boss.”
“Cooley.”
“Yeah, it’s me. Is this an awkward time?”
“What is it?”
“When are you going to be back at the office?”
“Something wrong?”
“Probably should see it for yourself,” said Cooley.
“Serious?”
“Naw,” said Cooley. “Not going anywhere.”
Thumps put the phone back in his pocket. He didn’t much like mysteries. Cooley wouldn’t have called him just to check in.
Duke pointed his chin at Cruz. “He ate your burger.”
Cruz wiped his fingers with a napkin. “Thought you were finished. Didn’t want good food to go to waste.”
“So, you eat my lunch and now what? You ride off into the sunset?”
“Just wanted to check in.” Cruz stood, brushed off his pants. “Say hello.”
“And maybe tell us why you’re in town?”
Cruz floated to the door. “Cabrón. You got to learn to relax. Smell the roses.”
DUKE TOOK THE last onion ring. “You smell many roses?”
“No.”
“Me neither. Macy liked roses, but they’re too hard to grow in this part of the world.”
Thumps was debating ordering a replacement burger when Big Fish slipped out of the kitchen.
“He gone?”
“He is.”
“He seems nice enough,” said Big Fish, “but the guy gives me the creeps.”
“Can I get a burger to go?”
“The ninja assassin ate his,” said Duke.
Thumps took his phone out, brought up the photo of Stan Greeley, a.k.a. Jim Brown. “This guy come in here in the last bit?”
Big Fish looked at the image. “Nope. This the dead guy you found out at Ironstone River Estates?”
“He’s not dead.”
“Lucky duck,” said Big Fish. “Only an idiot would be wandering around out there after dark.”
THE BURGER SAT on the seat between them. Every so often, Duke would cast a glance in its direction.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“You’re not going to eat the whole thing,” said Duke.
“I’m going to try.”
“Who was that on the phone?”
“Cooley.” Thumps moved the burger closer. “Got something at the office for us.”
“Why don’t you drop me off at my house,” said Duke. “I feel some compassionate leave coming on.”
“Don’t you want to know what Cooley has?”
“Sure,” said Duke. “And if it’s important and complicated, don’t call me.”