58
Sam and Sonora sat in the parking lot of a Taco Bell, engine idling.
Sam patted her shoulder. “You cold, Sonora? Want my jacket?”
She did, but shook her head no. Watched raindrops trickle down the car window. “It’s more comfortable to think people like Selma don’t have feelings. But they do.”
“I know. But, Sonora.” He touched her knee. “Lots of kids are abused. Only a rare few turn into killers. If you could be there when she does what she does, if you could see her face when she kills. You wouldn’t have sympathy for her at all.”
“I know.” She squeezed his hand. Sam winked and eased the car toward the drive-in window.
“Come on, girl. Eat something, you’ll feel better.”
“Get me some rice.” Sonora dug the cellular phone out of her purse.
“What you doing?”
“Checking messages.”
“Why don’t you take it easy for ten seconds while we get something to eat?”
Sonora sat with the phone in her hand. Punched in numbers and listened. Sam took a plastic bag of food from the window.
Sonora looked at Sam. “Shelby Hargreaves.”
He parked the car next to a handicapped spot. “Woman at the antique store?”
Sonora nodded. “Wants me to call. Give me your pen, let me write this number down.”
“Here.” Sam handed her a Coke.
She unwrapped a straw and stuffed it through the slot. Liquid bubbled up over the plastic lid and spilled on her pants. She took a drink, then propped the cup against the back of the seat.
“You’re going to spill that,” Sam said.
Sonora put the phone to her ear. “Ms. Hargreaves, this is Specialist Blair, Cincinnati PD.”
“Detective Blair. Good.”
Sonora watched Sam bite into a bean burrito. He ate them bland, no salsa.
“Look, it’s that doll I told you about—the German bisque boy that this woman looked at, but didn’t buy? It’s missing. It’s got to have been stolen.”
Sonora rubbed her forehead. “You’re sure?”
“It was here last night, but when I came in this afternoon, it was gone. I’ve looked all over for it, and nobody remembers selling it. And it’s not in the inventory receipts.”
Sonora felt nervous flutters in her chest, the panicky hot and cold feeling. “It was good of you to call, Ms. Hargreaves.”
“I just—”
“No, I appreciate it. You’ve been a big help.” Sonora hung up, saw Sam was looking at her. There were bean smears on the edge of his mouth. She handed him a napkin. “Selma went to the antique store and took the other doll. It’s now, Sam, she’s gearing up for another hit. She’s going after him.”
“She took the other doll?”
“Somebody did, and we both know who.”
“Okay, stay calm, girl, we got Daniels covered. Just need to get hold of Blue Ash and let them know.”
“I’m calling the school.” Sonora made the call, went through the rigmarole of identifying herself, asking for Keaton.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Daniels is in class. I can take a message.”
“This is an emergency. Call him to the phone, please.”
“Just a moment, then.”
Sonora rubbed a fist on her left knee. Took a sip of Coke. Sam ate another bite of burrito, chewing slowly.
The voice came back to the phone, sounding breathless. “I’m sorry, he doesn’t answer his intercom. The Chapter One reading teacher is in the room and says he’ll be right back. I’ll have him call you then.”
“I’ll wait.”
“But … I think he’s in the little boy’s room!”
“For God’s sake,” Sonora muttered.
“Pardon?”
“No, pardon me. I need you to give him a message just as soon as he comes out. No, wait, let me talk to your principal.”
“He’s at Central Office.”
“Okay. You’re aware of Mr. Daniels’s situation?”
“We all are.”
“Good. You can understand, then, that it is important for him to get this message. Tell him not to leave the school under any circumstances. Not until he hears from me, by phone or in person. My name is Blair. Detective Sonora Blair.”
“Detective Blair. Got it. I’ll deliver the message myself.”
“Do me a favor, will you? Go stand outside the men’s room, and see he gets it as soon as he comes out.”
The woman promised she would in a very small high-pitched voice. Sonora hung up and chewed her lip. “I got a bad feeling, Sam.”
“He’s okay, don’t panic here. We got him surveilled.”
“I want to go to the school.”
“Crick wants you out of the way, you know that.”
“Sam, Blue Ash? This is their territory and they’re doing the surveillance at the school, right? Our people don’t pick him up till he’s on the way home. I want to go over there. I want to see him, I want to warn him. I got—”
“A bad feeling, I know.” Sam wadded the burrito wrapper and tossed it into the backseat. “Okay, we’re going. Eat your rice on the way.”