Cait and Jack darted out the kitchen door, shut it and dashed behind a large creosote bush by the side of house. A vehicle stopped out front. The voices of a man and woman carried through the dry desert air.
“Where did I put my damn cell phone?” the man said. That familiar voice chilled her. He’d come close to killing her several times in New Mexico. Back then, she knew him as Jerry Fleming and Eric Larson. True to form, he was using another alias: Rod Stone.
“You’ll find it eventually. Use mine for now.” The woman tried to placate him.
“I need that phone.” Stone was in a bad mood. Cait knew what he was capable of.
“Bet it’s in the house. I’ll call your number and you’ll hear it ring.”
Car doors slammed and feet scrunched over gravel. Stone and the woman entered the house. Cait got a peek at her, in her fifties, heavily made up, poured into a silvery top and tight jeans.
Cait huddled like a frightened cottontail. He was etched into her memory like an ugly scar.
She pushed close to Jack, holding her breath as they waited. Cait expected to hear a gunshot ring out. Or a woman’s scream.
“Stay behind me and keep low.” Jack rose and hurried down into a small wash that crossed Sandario Road.
“We should call the feds and New Mexico state police.” Cait gasped. On the run from murder and attempted murder charges, Fleming would kill with the slightest provocation. Christy Mossman had no idea what danger she was in.
“I hope that mail looked the way she left it, so they don’t realize someone was there,” Jack said. “I shoved the bank statement back in its envelope when we heard them drive up.”
“Wonder how they met,” Cait said.
“She’s probably one of his marks. An attractive older woman with money. Fleming latches onto those types like a tick. If he met her through his investment counselor scheme, he’s duping her like he did Clark’s mom. Speaking of which, it’s important Fern files a police report right away on her dealings with Rod Stone. Clark will need to help her, of course. We also have to find out which bank cashed the cashier’s check for Stone.”
They crept back to the jeep’s hiding place off Sandario Road.
As Jack took out his cell to call 911, they head a vehicle rumbling down the driveway from Christy Mossman’s house. They scooched down in their seats as the silver SUV shot onto Sandario without stopping.
“That was Rod Stone. By himself,” Cait yelled. “He’s making a run for it.”
***
“I’m going in to work in the morning like nothing happened,” Como said. “But I’ll be looking for information about the warehouse. The license plates of the trucks, any addresses they ship to, whatever I can find. I’ll be careful, though. No one will be the wiser.”
“That’s insane. You can’t go back.” His wife squatted on the floor near the wrecked big screen and hugged her knees. “They’ll kill you.”
“If I don’t go back, they’ll think I’m guilty of something, and they’ll come after us both. We’ll lose this place and be on the streets. I’ll just show up and act normal, like a good employee.”
“Why have anything to do with them? They shot up our house. How long before something else happens? It’s like juggling a ticking time bomb.” Zena gathered up her long hair in a bun and squeezed it.
“We don’t know for sure this was Los Brutos.” Como gestured at the damaged walls. “I want to help the police arrest Para. Only then will we be safe. I was hoping to join forces with Jason Gonzalez, but I can’t expect him to do all the dirty work. I have to do something,” Como said.
“Aieee.” Zena buried her head in her knees. After a minute, she straightened up, a gleam in her eye.
“I know who Tafoya’s wife is. I was in the Golden Crown panaderia where my niece Miranda works. This woman came in. Pushy, demanding. Miranda told me this woman picks up a special order of empanadas every week. Has a cup of coffee and hangs out. Miranda says she’s the wife of a wealthy businessman over on the west side. Joe Tafoya. Businessman my foot, he’s stinking cartel slime. Maybe I can find out more about the wife. Miranda knows a lot of people.” Zena pushed out a breath.
“Be careful. Don’t act too interested in the Tafoyas. You never know who’ll find out.” Como brushed away broken glass with his shoe. “This is not going to be easy.”