Black Karma (14 page)

“Then help me find a way to get her free without making trouble. You know this neighborhood and the people who live here. You're respected. Help me broker a deal.”

He looked away with a scowl before turning back to face her. “Maybe I'm as big a fool as you are.” He chuckled mirthlessly. “All right, I'll do what I can. Come on up to the office while I make some calls.”

He led her up the metal stairs to his loft office and took a seat behind his desk. Using an old-fashioned rotary phone, he started to make calls. Most of the conversations were short as he asked to speak with a man by the name of Hector. When he finally connected, he asked for a meeting while remaining vague about what he wanted, just saying it was business. Hector seemed reluctant but finally agreed. They'd meet in an hour at a café on Eighteenth Street.

He put the phone back on its cradle and stared at her. “Hector is the lieutenant of the local Norteños. They have some kind of a military structure with generals, captains, lieutenants, and soldiers. All their generals are
Nuestra Familia,
locked up in prison just like most of their captains. Almost all of their decision makers are behind bars. That alone should tell you the kind of men you're dealing with.”

“Will Hector have the authority to speak for his gang?”

“I think for what you're asking, he probably can. The girl's not a gang member, so there isn't any reason to protect her unless they're just in the mood to be assholes. It's up to you to make sure they get into the right frame of mind. That shouldn't be a problem. You seem pretty good at talking people into acting stupid.”

She smiled at him. “I won't forget you helped me.”

“Don't be thanking me yet. There's a good chance Hector and his boys will laugh in your face. Or worse, they won't think you're funny at all.”

“Leave it to me. I'm good at motivating people to do the right thing.”

Shaking his head, he was clearly unconvinced by her optimism. He stood. “I'll go with you to meet him. If things get ugly, let me handle it. Don't get in his face. These boys don't like sassy women.”

Standing to face him, she replied with a smile, “I'll try to stifle my natural tendencies.”

He seemed to look inward. “I'll never forget that woman down in Texas. Lord, but she was a handful of trouble.” He smiled and shook his head. “I guess I'm just a sucker for sassy women.”

An hour later, they sat in a booth at a diner that looked like a throwback to an earlier era. Chipped tabletops of red Formica and seats upholstered in black tuck-and-roll Naugahyde made up the decor. The smell of cumin and fried pork infused the warm air, while conversations ricocheted in rapid-fire Spanish.

Boobs ordered a Tecate
con limo
. Bai ordered the same and sipped the brew while they waited. They'd almost finished their cervezas when four large Latino males strolled into the café. Three of them took stools at the counter up front where they could watch the door. The fourth man sauntered back to stand next to their booth. He wore a red and white 49ers jersey with “14” displayed front and back. The tails of his shirt hung over black jeans cuffed over black work boots. Black-rimmed, dark shades covered his eyes. He wore his long black hair slicked back.

“Ese!
You lookin' good, Boobs,” the big man said as he stood in the aisle with his legs splayed and his thumbs hooked in the front pockets of his jeans.

Skittish, the patrons of the café slipped one by one out the door. Bai watched them go with interest. Not one of them made eye contact. They kept their heads down like racing turtles.

“Have a seat, Hector,” Boobs said, gesturing at the empty bench across from them. “We have some business to discuss.”

The man smiled but didn't sit. He gestured at Bai. “Who's your camarada?”

“My name's Bai Jiang,” she said. “Please, have a seat.”

Dropping the smile, he hesitated before sliding into the booth. Bai looked around for the waitress, but she'd disappeared. She suspected the woman wouldn't reappear until their conversation ended and Hector departed.

She smiled at Hector. “You don't seem to be very popular.”

“Life at the top is lonely,
China
.”

“Those of us on the bottom can only imagine.”

He ignored the comment and looked at Boobs. “What's this all about?”

Boobs tipped his head at Bai. “This is her rodeo.”

She tilted her head in acknowledgment. “I wanted to know why the Norteños are interested in Inspector Kelly of the SFPD and why they're having him followed.”

The man stared at her behind his dark shades. “Don't know what you're talkin' bout,
China
.”

“Rafe is having a young woman—a girl, really—follow him. I know because I've had Kelly under surveillance. He's been investigating the SOMA shootout from earlier this week where two of your soldiers were killed.”

Mention of the drug exchange managed to get Hector's attention. He leaned over the table and removed his sunglasses, his brown eyes bright with interest. “You speakin' true,
China
?”

“I have no reason to lie.”

He looked aside at one of the men sitting at the counter. “Call Rafe and tell him to bring his little
ruka
over here. I wanna talk to them.”

The underling made a call. Hector got up from the booth to walk behind the counter and find a cold beer. He rejoined them in the booth, where they sat and drank.

“You know anything else?” he asked while they waited for Rafe's arrival.

“I know a lot of things,” she replied. “You help me, and I'll help you.”

He didn't look convinced that helping her was a good idea and frowned at her proposal. Rafe walked through the front door with the girl trailing him like a whipped puppy. They walked over to stand next to the booth.

Hector looked up at him. “This
mujer
,” he nodded at Bai, addressing her with more respect, “says you're havin' your
ruka
follow a cop. Why?”

Rafe seemed taken off guard. His face looked as if he were suddenly constipated. After a long silence, he replied, “Bitch be lyin'.”

Hector looked up at him and laughed. “
Vato loco!
It took you that long to come up with ‘she's lyin'?” He shook his head. “You gotta learn to lie better, bro. That was terrible, man. You feel me?”

The men at the bar smiled. The girl kept her head down. Bai worked hard at keeping a straight face while Rafe stared at her with unconcealed hatred.

The smile disappeared from Hector's face. “Jet home, Rafe. I'll be by in a few. We'll talk.”

Rafe looked around for some means of refusing the order but couldn't find anyone to back him up. Obviously angered, he grabbed the girl by the arm and turned to leave.

“
Chica
stays,” Hector ordered.

Rafe turned. “She's mine.”

“
La ruka Norteños
,” Hector said tersely. “She stays.”

Rafe stared at Hector defiantly before turning to storm out of the café. When he'd left, Hector addressed the girl. “Tell me everything you know about this cop and why you're watching him.”

“Rafe didn't say why. He just said to follow the fat
popo
to see where he goes. He said to see if he met anybody.”

“Did he?” Hector asked.

“Her,” the girl said, pointing at Bai.

Hector turned to Bai with a look of interest. “What's this cop want from you?”

“What will you give me if I tell you?”

He didn't look pleased with her answer. “Maybe I'll let you walk out of here.
Yo controzzo con sotoas
.”

His claim of owning the neighborhood didn't faze her. “You couldn't stop me if I wanted to leave.”

Her hand flicked, and her knife embedded itself in the upholstered bench a fraction of an inch from his ear. He ducked, after the fact, while his boys started to rise from their stools. When he looked aside at the knife and realized what had happened, he put up a hand to forestall his men.

“It's all right.” He straightened upright to fix Bai with a scowl. “
China
was just making a point.” He nodded solemnly. “I probably should have asked first, but who are you,
China
?”

“My grandfather was
Shan Chu of Sun Yee On
triad, the head of the dragon. I'm what the FBI refers to as a ‘criminal affiliate.' I've always thought the label was a little harsh.”

He sat back into the cushions of the booth to study her. He seemed conflicted. “You disappoint me,
China
. I thought we were going to click up.”

“We can still be friends, Hector. I think you'll find I can be a very good friend. I'll give you what you want if you give me the girl.”

“Why do you want the
chica
?”

“I collect strays.”

He smiled and pondered her proposal. “Don't we all?” he finally said. “The problem I got with givin' you the
chica
is it will look like I sold one of my own people.”

“You're selling a girl, Hector. This is just business.”

He thought some more as he rubbed his chin with his hand. Finally, he nodded slowly; the deal was struck.

Chapter 17

Hector listened carefully as Bai outlined the events leading up to their meeting. He appeared especially interested when she told him about Daniel Chen.

“Do you know Daniel Chen?” she asked.

Hector shook his head. “No. I don't know anything about any
Chino
stealing our
feria
and
chiva
.”

“Did you know two of your men were found dead in Daniel Chen's office?”

“I know two of my boys got wasted in Berkeley. You think this Chen guy did 'em?”

“I'm not sure. If you don't know Daniel Chen, what were your men doing in Berkeley?”

Hector rubbed his chin and looked at the three men sitting up front at the counter. His eyes narrowed as he answered. “I don't know,
China
.”

His expression suggested he was troubled by how little he knew. Boobs watched and listened attentively but didn't join in their conversation.

“So, you talked to this Chen.” Hector said. “What did he say?”

“According to Chen, he had nothing to do with the rip-off.”

“You believe him?

She shrugged. “I'm not sure who or what to believe.”

Hector seemed to consider her answer. “Then why are the cops looking for him?”

“I don't know. That's what I'm trying to find out.”

Hector turned aside to the girl, who remained standing next to the table. She seemed to be doing everything in her power to make herself invisible. “You know anything,
chica
?”

Refusing to make eye contact, the girl kept her gaze directed at the floor as she responded with a quick negative flick of her head.

Hector turned to stare at Bai and asked pointedly about his money and heroin, “Since we're
vatos
now, you gonna let me know you find my feria or my
chiva
, right?”

“What are
vatos
for?” she replied with a smile.

Scowling, he looked over at his boys and nodded. They stood as he extricated himself from the booth. As he walked past the girl, she tried to follow him. He turned on her. “
Quedar!
”

She shook her head. He raised a hand as if to strike her, silencing her argument as she ducked away. With a sour look of exasperation, he dropped his hand slowly before turning to walk out of the café.

The girl stared after him as the door closed, then turned to Bai. “What have you done?”

Bai ignored her outburst. “What's your name?”

The girl appeared momentarily at a loss. When she answered, she sounded defeated. “Alicia Lopez.” She gave her name the Spanish pronunciation, “Aleeceea.”

Bai found the sound graceful and pleasing to the ear. “Do you have any family, Alicia?”

“Not anymore. They were my family.”

“The Norteños were never your family. They just showed you they don't give a shit about you. I do give a shit about you,” Bai assured her.

“Why? What do you want?”

“I'm not sure myself,” she confessed. “For now, I want to go home. Would you like to go with me?”

“
Chingate!
” the girl said vehemently.

While Bai contemplated an appropriate response to being told to fuck off, Boobs stood. “It would probably be better to have this discussion elsewhere.”

Nodding in agreement and getting out of the booth, Bai stopped to retrieve her knife and lay a hundred-dollar bill on the counter to cover the Naugahyde repair. As they stepped out the door, Bai noticed Rafe standing across the street staring at them. He pantomimed holding a gun, his index finger pointing at Bai. He dropped his thumb before turning to walk around the corner.

“What's that all about?” Boobs asked.

“Rafe likes to shoot me with his finger,” Bai explained. “It seems to be the only weapon in his arsenal. His dick and his brain are too small to be dangerous.”

Alicia laughed, a sign Bai viewed as promising. Laughter was better than cursing or tears. Before she could comment on the observation, her phone rang.

Elizabeth spoke excitedly. “Lee's been shot! He's been taken to San Francisco General.”

Bai's heart plummeted. “How did it happen?”

“I don't know,” Elizabeth said. “The hospital found our contact information in his wallet and called to say he was being taken into surgery. I can't leave. The girls aren't back from school yet. Go to him, Bai.”

“I'm on my way.” She turned to Boobs. “I have to leave. Lee's been shot. Alicia, you're with me,” she commanded. “Stay close.”

“Is he all right?” Boobs asked.

“I'll let you know when I know,” she replied hurriedly, stepping to the curb to hail a passing taxi.