The Pawnbroker (16 page)

“I can't speak for the detective, but I'm sure he'll come here initially.”

“That'll work better for me. When do you think he'll be here?”

“When we leave, I'll give him a call. He'll probably come over immediately, or maybe call first if he's involved with something else. No later than this afternoon, I'd expect,” Nancy said.

“Do you have any more questions?” Ruth said, then stood and walked over to a closet. “Let me show you my driver's license, in case you need it to prove who I am.”

She brought out a big leather handbag. Nancy's hand went down automatically to the butt of her gun, but Ruth didn't appear to notice as she brought out a big wallet, then removed a New Mexico driver's license. She handed it to Nancy, who gave it a cursory glance, then handed it back.

“I picked up a faint accent. Where are you from originally, Ruth?” Nancy asked.

“Philadelphia. Actually, I grew up in the burbs. I moved away when Rene was born. My parents were very judgmental—I wasn't married. But enough of my history. My son and I will have to rethink our future now and not dwell on the past.”

“Well, I'm sure Detective DuPree will want a lot more details, we're actually running point on this, Ruth. Thanks so much for your help,” Nancy said, shaking her hand briefly. Charlie did the same, and they left.

*   *   *

Charlie spoke as soon as they were outside the building. “Not all of what she said was a lie.”

“Glad you saw that. I was afraid for a moment you'd been completely sucked in by her looks.”

“Yeah, and she's got more than looks. It's some kind of natural charisma.”

“It must be hard for a woman like that to avoid attention,” Nancy said. “Especially when she's obviously on the run. The driver's license is a fake, but would probably pass a low-light inspection. I wonder who she really is.”

“But now you've got her fingerprints on your ID card, which you stuck into your pocket instead of back in your wallet so you wouldn't smear anything.”

“You noticed,” Nancy said, smiling just a little as they approached her vehicle. “Where's … never mind,” she added, seeing Gordon walking down the sidewalk toward them.

“You think she's going to run?” Charlie asked. “She's one cool customer, but there's no doubt she's afraid of someone. Eddie Henderson, maybe? She's from Pennsylvania, and so is he—supposedly.”

“Could be, but I thought she was telling the truth about not knowing the middleman. Either way, with Baza gone, there's no reason to stick around and get hauled in for possessing fake documents, concealing your identity from the police, and God knows what else,” Nancy said.

“How'd it go?” Gordon said, walking up to them.

“Let's talk about it in the car,” Nancy said, unlocking the doors with a double press of her key fob.

“Where we going to park to stake out the place?” Gordon asked. “She's probably going to make a run for it.”

“You read minds too?” Nancy asked.

“Something like that. She has two suitcases in that car, a five day supply of water and freeze-dried camping food, like what the military calls MREs—meals ready to eat. She also has TP, paper towels, two sleeping bags, maps, a burn phone, and a loaded thirty-eight revolver under the seat. All she has to do is walk out the apartment and drive away. Did I mention a full tank of gas?”

“I didn't hear any of that,” Nancy said, rolling her eyes.

“Hey, I was bored.”

“You don't suppose there's another vehicle in the area that's her real escape car?” Charlie asked as they cruised up the block. “It's what I'd do.”

Nancy shook her head. “She's not that well trained. Smart, but we're smarter. I'm circling the block, then we'll park to the east and watch via the rearview and side mirrors.”

Three minutes later they were in position, staring out the mirrors.

“Bad angle for me,” Gordon said after a minute.

“You're short, what can I say?” Charlie said.

“Leave it up to us, Gordon, you've already done more than your part. Too much, as a matter of fact,” Nancy said. “Just relax.”

“Tell me what you two found out. Charlie, is she as good-looking as her photo?”

“God. You men are all…,” Nancy said.

“Wonderful. She was going to say wonderful,” Gordon joked.

“Hold on, here she comes.”

 

Chapter Twelve

Charlie watched as Ruth walked down the stairs, casually opened her mailbox, then took a long look up and down the street, not even looking inside. “Don't anyone move a muscle,” he said.

She closed the mailbox, turned, empty-handed, and walked back up the stairs into the building.

“She'll be coming out the back, with her kid, within a minute or two,” Gordon predicted.

“Get ready to move. Don't scare her too much, just don't let her get to the car. I don't want a high-speed pursuit in a residential neighborhood,” Nancy said.

“No prob. Her car won't start. I think a fuse or two may be missing.” Gordon patted his shirt pocket.

Nancy sighed.

“Hey, I haven't always been a half-owner of a pawnshop.”

“Aren't you glad he's on our side?” Charlie said.

“You're having way too much fun with this,” Nancy responded, starting the engine. “I'm moving a little closer so we can see the parking area a little better.”

She had just eased into a shaded spot beside the curb when Ruth appeared at the side of the house wearing a jacket, with a big purse over her shoulder and Rene by her side. He was wearing a backpack and carrying his Nintendo.

Less than ten seconds later, Nancy had pulled up behind the Town Car, blocking her exit. Both Gordon and Charlie climbed out, hands empty and visible.

“Ruth, we're not here to create any problems and cause a disturbance. I'll keep you and your son safe, but I can't let you and Rene out of my sight until we get the truth—all the truth.”

The woman panicked, turning around wide-eyed, looking for a way to run. Her son was watching her face, frightened half to death.

“It's okay, Ruth,” Nancy said. “You and Rene can ride with me, and my companions will bring your car, or leave it here, whatever you want.”

Ruth lowered her purse, setting it on the ground. “One of you can drive my car. Here's the key,” she added, handing it to Nancy, who'd come up beside her.

“You'd better take my tote,” she added to Nancy.

Charlie had approached from a different angle, trying to smile and look nonthreatening the entire distance. He knew Ruth was talking about the pistol. “I promise to keep it safe for you, ma'am.”

“Gordon, you drive the Town Car,” Nancy said with a smirk, tossing him the keys. “Mr. Henry—Charlie—will ride with us.”

Charlie led the way, carrying the bag by the long straps like there was a bomb inside, not wanting to create the impression that he was comfortable doing this. He was followed by Ruth and Rene, then Nancy, close behind.

“I might be a minute or two, but go on ahead without me. Where we going, by the way?” Gordon yelled back.

“To your workplace,” Nancy said. “For now.”

*   *   *

They parked in the alley at the back of Three Balls. Charlie unlocked the back door and entered the shop first. “Jake, it's Charlie and friends,” he announced as he led the others into their office, off the small hallway that split left into the pawn storage room, and right into the customer area.

“Have a seat,” Nancy said, following Ruth and Rene into the room.

Rene looked over at his mother, who pointed toward Gordon's desk. “Sit there, Rene, there's space for your game. Just keep the sound off, okay?”

Gordon's desk was uncluttered, unlike Charlie's, which contained several stacks of folders containing transaction paperwork, still unsorted. Ruth chose that desk, turning around in the swivel chair toward Nancy, who remained standing beside a wooden chair that held two big cardboard boxes.

“Let me get those,” Charlie offered, taking the boxes and stacking them against the wall. “We're still fighting a paperwork battle here.”

“Would you check out front?” Nancy asked, slipping him her ID card by the edges. “Detective DuPree should be here in a few minutes.” She'd made the call during the drive.

Charlie stepped out into the main room, noting that there were three customers in the shop—two women looking at sale items, and the other, a man in his sixties, showing Jake a watch. Jake looked over at Charlie, nodded, then focused back on the customer.

Charlie picked up a paper bag from behind the counter, dropped the ID inside, then folded the top of the bag over. Then he walked to the front entrance and stepped outside onto the sidewalk. Gordon was approaching from the south in the Town Car.

A few minutes later, Charlie escorted Detective DuPree, who'd arrived right after Gordon, into the office. Another officer who'd arrived with DuPree was now on his way to the APD station with the ID card for fingerprinting. Gordon stayed out front with Jake, standing guard and helping with customers.

*   *   *

For a half hour DuPree questioned Ruth, gathering little more information than Nancy and Charlie had already learned. When Eddie Henderson's name came up, all they got was a shake of her head. Ruth claimed to have never heard of the man. Then Nancy showed her Eddie's driver's license photo.

Ruth took a long look, then, finally shook her head. The guy looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't be sure who he was, his name, or where she may have seen him. It might have been at the pawnshop, but she'd seen so many people working there that the faces had all run together in her memory. Then DuPree received a phone call.

The moment it rang, Charlie glanced over at Nancy, who was now watching the detective. Both were waiting on news about the fingerprints.

“Excuse me for a moment,” DuPree said, walking out of the office and into the short hall, phone to his ear. He was gone for nearly five minutes, then returned, still reading something from the display.

The detective handed the phone to Nancy. “For what it's worth, Sergeant, you've landed a big one.”

Charlie saw Ruth's expression change from hope to defeat in an instant, then she looked up at DuPree. “Please, not in front of my son.”

Nancy looked up from the display. “Charlie, can you show Rene the rest of the pawnshop?”

“I'll be glad to,” Charlie said, not really wanting to leave right now, but seeing no alternative. After all, he wasn't a cop, and this was cop business.

“Rene. We've got a bunch of Xboxes, Wii consoles, and plenty of games in the storeroom. Would you like to hook one up and try it out?”

“Yeah—uh, yes sir. Okay, Mom?”

Ruth looked at Charlie closely.

“And don't worry, Mom, we'll find something that's G-Rated,” Charlie said.

“Do you have Super Mario?” Rene asked, now on his feet.

“I think so. Let's check it out,” Charlie said. He'd played video games of all kinds overseas while off duty out of sheer boredom, like most of the troopers in his unit. Time passed quickly and they always competed. It was a lot cheaper and healthier than partying or extreme drinking, and most of the games didn't create bad dreams or hangovers.

After five minutes Rene was familiar with the controller, and a natural. When his mother came to the door and called him, they didn't hear until she repeated his name.

As they walked back to the office, Rene noticed something was wrong. “Mom, are you crying?”

“Yes. We're going to have to move somewhere new, and I'm afraid we're not going to be able to go outside so much anymore for our walks.”

“That's okay. I can play inside. When are we going?”

“Right away. You're going to be staying at me and my friend's house, Rene,” Nancy said.

“For how long?”

“We have to catch a bad guy first because he's hurt several people. Then we'll know it's safe.”

“Is it the same man who shot Mr. Baza and that woman?”

“Rene!” Ruth said.

“Mom. I heard it on TV. Is the man going to hurt us too?”

“No. We just want to make sure we're safe, so Sergeant Medina has invited us to stay at her house. You'll get to sleep on her couch.”

“Sweet.”

“And one of my friends will be there to protect you when I'm gone, right Charlie?” Nancy said, nodding.

“Um, of course. My friend Gordon or I will be there night and day,” Charlie said, wishing he knew the rest of the story.

“If you're not the police, why do you carry guns?” Rene said, looking at their pistols.

Ruth looked Charlie straight in the eyes, and it took a second to focus.

“We were both soldiers, and now we have special permits to carry these weapons—to protect ourselves and other innocent people. Right now, we're just helping out.” He noticed Detective DuPree staring at the ceiling, and decided it was time to shut up.

Detective DuPree stood. “Looks like we're done here, so … Ruth and your son will ride with me in Sergeant Medina's car over to her house, and Mr. Henry and Mr. Sweeney can bring your belongings from the Lincoln in one of their vehicles,” he said, handing Charlie the key. “We don't want it anywhere near where you're staying, so I'm placing it in the impound yard tonight.”

“Let's get going. My shift begins in two hours,” Nancy said. “Here's your phone back, Detective,” she added, handing it to DuPree.

“Uh, thanks. Forgot you still had it.”

*   *   *

“Looks like someone's already gone through the Adamses' luggage,” Gordon said, removing a piece of luggage from the trunk. “The suitcases have been switched around.”

“One of DuPree's men, probably. He couldn't risk leaving her with a weapon,” Charlie said, grabbing two smaller bags.