Jason picked up the dead man’s car keys and peered through the front window shades. “I don’t want you and Mirabel getting drawn into this. These are Nissan keys. I’m going to look for the car.”
“Let me have those.” Alfredo held out a hand. “This guy might have someone else with him, and you don’t want to show yourself. I’ll be back soon.”
He let himself out the back door, headed down the alley to the busy boulevard and walked casually around to Mirabel’s street. Head down and hands in pockets, he strolled past her house, alert to anyone moving about.
A block later he found a Nissan sedan parked in front of a vacant house for sale. Glanced around before inserting the dead man’s key in the lock. The key fit. He sat in the driver’s seat and searched the interior.
Junk food wrappers littered the passenger floor. Boxes of .357 cartridges were stuffed under the passenger seat. He pulled the trunk lid lever and went around the back of the car. Inside were two shoebox-sized plastic bins with holes punched in the tops, and a nylon duffle bag.
Alfredo unzipped the bag, found t shirts, jeans and vials of white powder, along with headlamps, fishing nets with handles, large plastic tongs, and thick leather gloves.
As he reached inside the trunk and picked up a plastic box, the lid came off. A stout, foot-long lizard fixed him with beady black eyes and hissed. He dropped the box and jumped back. The creature, covered with pebbly ginger and black skin, scrambled under the car, its nails scratching the pavement.
Hoping no one saw his awkward dance, Alfredo tossed the box inside the trunk and closed it. He climbed back in the car and dug through the glove compartment. Then he hurried past Maribel’s house and around to the alley, letting himself in the back gate.
As he approached the patio, Jason opened the door for him. “You look like you saw a ghost.”
“Crazy stuff going on. There was a Gila monster in a box in the trunk. Damn thing almost bit me. It got away, but I think there’s another one in there. There was no one around the car, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a second person to worry about.”
***
Fern Bush grumbled on her way to answer a knock at the front door. Who else would it be but Rod Stone? She’d finally dropped off that check. What was the problem now?
As she peered through the peephole, guilt coursed through her. She bit her lip and opened the door.
“Mom, how are you?” Clark Bush stood on the porch, framed by the setting sun.
“Come in. I didn’t know if you were coming or not.” Fern held her arms out for a hug. “Are you in town early for the big gem show?”
“Actually, I came to see you.” He rubbed an eye. “It’s a long drive from Albuquerque.”
“I wish you’d called me. Do you want to stay here? The guest room is ready, if you do. I just have to move some boxes of books off the bed and fold up the ironing board.”
“Don’t fret about that.” Clark sank into a chair in the living room. “I just wanted to visit some.”
“Are you hungry or thirsty?” Fern headed for the kitchen.
“Water would be great.” Clark rose and followed, unsure how to broach why he was there.
He sat at the kitchen counter as she filled a glass and set it before him. “Now then, what spurred you to spend a whole day driving? It’s nice to see you, but we could have talked on the phone.”
He took a sip. “Please don’t get upset. I might as well get to the point. I’m worried that someone will take advantage of you. That investment guy you told me about. He won’t return my calls, after I told him I was your son. Not only that, there’s no background on him on the internet. That’s unusual. He doesn’t have a website, and he’s not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.”
Fern took a sharp breath. “Sweetheart, I appreciate you looking out for me, but it feels like you don’t think I can handle my own affairs. Rod Stone is an upstanding citizen. He’s been doing financial advising for years. He used to be a realtor, and he says he does volunteer work at Tohono Chul Botanical Gardens.”
“Mom, he sounds good on the surface. But con artists create facades to get people to believe them. And the fact he won’t return my calls alarms me. There are people out there who prey on senior citizens.” Clark clasped and unclasped his hands.
Her eyes flashed. “I know that. I’m not stupid and I can make a decision now and then. I’m a good judge of character. After all, I married your father.”
“Sorry, I’m not implying that you can’t make good decisions.” Clark decided further discussion on the matter could wait.
“I wanted to spend more time with you,” he added. “Once a year during the Tucson gem show doesn’t seem like enough. I’m always so harried then, and I wind up rushing off.”
“It’s good to see you. I just wish you’d let me know when you were coming. Would you like some dinner? You must be tired after that drive.” Fern got up and opened a cupboard door, peering inside.
Clark got a glimpse at her cupboard. Three cans of tomato soup and two tins of tuna. He knew his mom had money squirreled away; why didn’t she use some of it to buy groceries? “Let’s have something delivered. What would you like? I saw a Thai restaurant over on Sunrise,” he said. “My treat.”
“You don’t have to do that, but it sounds nice. I’ll get the phone book. I think I know the place.”
Later, over a dinner of red and green curry and pad thai noodles, mother and son made light talk about this and that.
Fern toyed with her fork. “I swear, this past summer was the hottest I’ve experienced. I thought I was going to melt down.”
“Air conditioning is a must here,” Clark said. “It gets hot in Albuquerque, but you can get by with a good swamp cooler. Tucson is a lot hotter and stickier in the summer.”
“The AC broke down in July and the heat was unbearable. It took two weeks to find someone to get it running again.” Fern thought about the high prices she’d been quoted to replace the old rooftop unit and fix the section of roof it sat on.
“Maybe you need a new one.”
“In time,” Fern managed. It would cost over $10,000 for installation and roof repair.
The conversation stalled, and Clark cleared his throat. “Have you given Rod Stone any money yet?”
“Pretty much.” Fern squared her shoulders and sat up straighter.
“Mind if I ask how much?” Clark asked.
“I really don’t want to talk about it.” Fern flattened her lips and pushed her plate away. “I’m happy to say it’s done.”