Part 38 (1/2)

I drove down to Pilsen the day after my show at the Golden Glow. Cristina, in her own way, had been tough and cold. Or at least bitter and hostile. She didn't want to thank me for clearing up the search for Nadia's killer or even for focusing a public spotlight on Tintrey for their treatment of Alexandra. drove down to Pilsen the day after my show at the Golden Glow. Cristina, in her own way, had been tough and cold. Or at least bitter and hostile. She didn't want to thank me for clearing up the search for Nadia's killer or even for focusing a public spotlight on Tintrey for their treatment of Alexandra.

Instead, Cristina blamed me for her husband's behavior-the police were circling around Lazar Guaman as a ”person of interest” in Rainier Cowles's shooting. I suggested to her that the Guamans hire a criminal defense lawyer, to be on the safe side, and she threw up her hands. ”Why not say he is guilty and run an ad in the paper? Having a lawyer makes him look like he has something to hide.”

”Having a lawyer means he won't get tricked into saying something that can be used against him in a trial. I know a first-cla.s.s criminal defense lawyer. She just joined my own lawyer's practice, and I'll be glad-”

”No more favors, por favor por favor ! Haven't you done enough harm to us already? Did you think we were a house full of puppets, that you could just pull our strings and make us dance? My two daughters lie dead. And now what will become of us without the money we were getting from Alexandra's company?” ! Haven't you done enough harm to us already? Did you think we were a house full of puppets, that you could just pull our strings and make us dance? My two daughters lie dead. And now what will become of us without the money we were getting from Alexandra's company?”

”Ma!” Clara was red with embarra.s.sment. ”How can you say that? Prince Rainier killed Nadia! His bosses murdered Allie! We were like-like slaves, bowing down to them. We're better off without their money. Nadia was right-it was blood money!”

”Of course you'd take this detective's side over your own mother's,” Cristina said. ”You ran off to her. You left your own family to run off to this woman. And now your papi could be in jail for murder. What good have you done, the two of you?”

The world was a weight on her head-I could understand that, with the wrecked remains of her family around her. ”But Clara deserves all our best efforts to have the bright future Alexandra wanted for her,” I said. ”And it will be easier for her to go to school now that this heavy load of secrets has been taken from her shoulders.”

”She's right, Ma, and when I finish college, I'll get a good job and look after you and Ernie, and even Papi, if they don't send him to prison. And maybe they won't. By the time everyone hears what Prince Rainier and his pals did to Allie and Nadia, they'll give Papi a medal, you'll see. Stop trying to make Vic and me feel guilty for stepping forward.”

I grinned at Clara and hugged her, but her mother's words haunted me as I tried to clean up the residue of the case. I hung out some with Sal, and the two vets came around to check on me once or twice.

The three of us went to visit Chad in the rehab hospital where he'd been transferred. It was a relief when he instantly recognized his friends: I'd been afraid that he'd be like Ernie, with lasting brain damage. The three men greeted each other awkwardly. It's so much easier for women to hug and show emotion.

”I hear you guys saved my a.s.s,” Chad said.

”This lady here is the one you need to thank,” Marty said.

After a few more awkward exchanges, I left them to catch up and took a cab home. I felt like an invalid myself these days, like someone who needed a lot of tender care, so I was treating myself to things like cab rides. I cut back on my hours and lounged around with the dogs. I missed Jake and his music more than I had expected. The dogs were physically taxing but emotionally rewarding, what I needed these days.

I was a bit gimpy on my cut foot, but as the days grew longer and the temperatures rose to the freezing level for the first time in five weeks, my solace was in the parks along the lakefront. The dogs and I went south to the wilderness preserve near the University of Chicago, where Mitch chased a coyote for half a mile. Peppy followed as fast as she could, while I limped along in her wake.

Petra helped me get my correspondence back in order. At the end of the week, though, she came to me, very solemn, and announced her resignation.

”I don't want to leave you in the lurch or anything, but, Vic, I don't think I'm cut out for detective work. People getting shot or cut to bits, I hate it. I was so scared last Sunday. And then I saw how tough and cool you were, and, don't take this the wrong way, I don't want to be like you when I'm your age. Like, living alone, and being so hard that violence doesn't seem to bother you.”

”How could I possibly take that the wrong way?” I said in my hard fas.h.i.+on. ”You going back to Kansas City?”

”No. The company where Tim works, they're looking for a publicity person, and it seems like a good job for me. And, well, Tim and me, we really hit it off. So that'll be fun.”

I wrote out a check for the hours she'd worked. ”Just don't blow hot and cold on me, Petra. You came to me for help, and I helped you. Now you're leaving me high and dry. Maybe you don't want to become tougher. But you do need to become more thoughtful, more responsible.”

She nodded solemnly but didn't even bother to answer me. I went home that night close to tears. Not because Petra was quitting-she was too impulsive to be an a.s.set to my business-but I couldn't help feeling demoralized by her take on my personality.

When I reached my building, I thought I really might break down. Clara Guaman was sitting on the single front step with her brother Ernie. On this cold February night, after hearing my cousin's take on my character, I didn't think I could cope with any more Guaman crises, but I held the lobby door open for Clara and Ernie and forced myself to smile.

”How are things?” My voice must have been harsher than I'd intended because Clara cast me a nervous glance.

”This isn't a good time, is it?” she said.

”No, no, it's fine. I'm just tired . . . Your dad okay? Have they arrested him?”

”He's a wreck, he wants to confess. Ma wants him to run away-to Cuba, even. And everybody's fighting-it's like it was when Nadia and Ma were fighting all the time. I thought it would all be better now, but it's not. And tonight, Papi said if he had to hear Ernie's laugh one more time he wouldn't be responsible for what he did next. I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't take Ernie to any of my girlfriends, so I brought him here.”

The dogs heard us and began barking and whining. Mr. Contreras opened his door, and Mitch and Peppy bounced into the hallway.

”Peppy!” Clara's face lit up. ”I hoped she'd be here.”

”Well, Clara, look at you. That black eye all gone, you're pretty as a picture. Ain't she?” Mr. Contreras beamed at her, and she blushed.

I worried what would happen when Ernie encountered the dogs-if he tried to hug or squeeze Mitch, it could end in disaster. However, the animals seemed to understand his disability. While Clara knelt and crooned over Peppy, Mitch jumped, paws on Ernie's shoulders, and licked his face.

”She likes me, she likes me! Did you see, Clara? She kissed me. The Allie dog kissed me.”