Where There's Smoke (16 page)

The older woman’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. They questioned the gift. Cherise could see her calculating in her mind the why of the offer. After a moment, she passed over the check. Cherise breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed the man leave out the front door. She placed the phone to her ear, not surprised by the anger ripping through Ross’s voice. Quickly, she pulled a large bill from her wallet and placed it on top of the two bills, before she rose and stepped to the side.

“Cherise!”

“I’m here, stop yelling.” Her voice was a calm contrast to the tension roiling inside her.

“This is serious, and dangerous. I need you here, far away from him,” Ross snapped. Cherise rolled her eyes. You'd think she was impulsive, like Denise, the way he acted.

She moved towards the window, and glanced out. “He’s talking to some more men. Do you think he’s making another deal? Stealing more business?” Her heart raced. Mentally she chanted to stay steady, calm. She could provide this piece of the puzzle.

“I don’t give a fuck about him, I want you here!” He paused. “Are you listening to me? She’s not listening,” he complained, sounding incredulous to someone.

Idly, she wondered whom he’d made the last comment to. The various men in the parking lot held her attention. “Of course I’m listening to you, Baby,” she cooed, while waving good-bye to her lunchmates before returning her attention to the parking lot. The younger, smaller man who had made the deal made a couple of gestures to a large man. “But honey, I don’t think he’s trying to make a deal anymore. I think they're arguing. The small man backed up and tried to open his truck, but the big man placed his hand on the door. Maybe he owed them money or something. As soon as I get my change, I’ll get on the road.” She turned to look at the table. Everyone had left and taken the change. “I’m leaving now,” she told him.

“No!”

“No? You told me to come home.” She continued to pull her belongings together.

“Wait a minute or two, I don’t want him to see the car you get into.”

“Oh…okay.”

“Is he still in the parking lot?” She smiled, he was trying to be calm, but she recognized the fear in his voice. How could she get mad at him for yelling at her before?

“Hold up, let me check.” She peered out the window, and moved to another one. “His truck’s still in the lot, but I don’t see him. Wait, a guy in some sweats just got in his truck, and is driving it away. He must’ve left with the other man.”

“Can you describe any of them?”

“No, the younger one maybe a little bit. The older man’s back faced me. All I remember is he was skinny.”

“What about the men outside?” Ross’s voice sounded weird, concerned, no— more like confused. If he'd stopped fussing at her earlier, she could've gotten better details. “The younger guy, the one who set up the deal for the contract, he was about Carlos's height, dark brown hair, white guy, smaller build. Not that he was skinny, he just wasn't as big as anybody that works for you.” She paused. “I can't remember his eyes, but if I saw a picture I'd recognize his face. And I'd recognize his voice.” Placing her briefcase strap on her shoulder, she walked toward the exit. “All I remember about the men outside in the parking lot were they reminded me of Carlos, but bigger. I think they were Hispanic.”

“Thanks. Now come home. Please come home, I need you.”

She frowned at the strange sound of relief in his voice. “I’m on my way. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good. I’m missing you.”

“Okay. I’ll see you soon.”

Ross slumped into Red’s leather office chair and dropped his head into his hands. He tried to stop the tremors that shook his body, leaving in their aftermath a relief so strong, his lungs finally received the deep breath of air he attempted to take earlier.

“What happened, Ross?” Smoke asked concern evident in his tone.

“You still riding out?” Red asked, nodding at the keys Ross had taken out in preparation to fly to Big Lake and bring Cherise home.

“No,” his voice wobbled. He cleared his throat, pushing down the last remnants of fear. “She’s...she’s on her way home.”

“So, she saw some guy pretending to be one of us, think he recognized her?”

“No,” he answered Red.

“Why were you screaming for her to walk away from the window, man? She see something?” Smoke asked.

Ross, still too hyped to talk, nodded.

“Oh shit…What’d she see?“ Red asked, his excitement tangible.

Ross waved away his question, closed his eyes and looked out the window. He jangled his keys as a myriad of possibilities ran through his mind. He fought within himself. Part of him demanded he go and get her, the only way to be positive of her safety. Another part argued she’d suspect more than he could share if he showed up. He wouldn’t lie to her again.

“Somebody picked up the guy at the restaurant. Cherise gave a vague description while telling me what happened in the parking lot. She didn’t see him leave, but someone else drove his truck away.”

If the situation hadn’t been so serious, Ross would have laughed at the expressions on Red and Smoke’s face. Smoke’s mouth dropped open. Red’s teeth snapped together in a loud click, and then slackened.

Chapter 16

Smoke rolled over a sleeping Vianca and answered his phone. A glance at the neon numbers told himit was three am. Inwardly, he groaned. Not another emergency. They’d had enough this past week to fill their annual quota and then some. The rape attack on his brother still left him shaken.

Swallowing, he spoke. “Yeah?”

“
Smoke?” He tensed, immediately recognizing the accent.

“Julio?”

“
Sì, Amigo
. I heard you had returned. All is well?”

Carefully, Smoke disentangled Vianca from around his limbs and walked naked into the living room. Speaking slowly, he waited a moment for his eyes to adjust. “Where are you? Is everything okay? No one heard anything from you. Why’d you disappear?”

The silence on the other end lasted longer than a minute. Smoke grew uncomfortable. Just as he prepared to call out again, his friend spoke.

“I saw him push you to the car.” His voice barely above a whisper. “I thought it was a dream. When he hit you, I realize no dream.” Smoke rubbed his forehead, wondering what Julio had done. Dread filled him. Julio had been on the fence for a long time, but this may have toppled him over.

“I thought to follow,” he continued in a low voice. “But I write down license of car and called it in.”

Smoke’s eyes stretched, his heart plummeted. “Oh no, man.” He dropped to the sofa. “I’m sorry. I know you hate that shit.”

“
Sì
, yes, I do. But I could not let them take you and do nothing.” Smoke wanted to ask why he didn’t contact Ross or Red, but was afraid he knew the answer. Gringos. Vianca wasn't the only one who had an intense distrust for Caucasians or, as Julio called them, pinche gringos. He tolerated Red and Ross, but had never gotten real close.

“I trace the car to a funny place near Canada.” A dry laugh came through the line. “Crazy people up there.” He paused.

Smoke wondered at the body count and how much damage control he'd need to do.

“You hear me?”

Smoke had been contemplating everything they needed to safeguard the company from a Public Relations disaster. Julio’s people were efficient but liked to leave blatant messages. “I hear you.”

“Crazy bastards tried to get my family to use them to build a house. They don’t understand the insult. They don’t understand principle. They have no honor.” He sneered the last. Goosebumps flew across Smoke’s arms at the venom spewed by his normally placid friend. This was not good.

“Who? Who wanted to build the house?” Holding his forehead in the palm of his hand, Smoke rubbed hard to remove the pounding headache.

“The perpetrators of the fraud,
mi Amigo
.” he sounded as if Smoke should know who he spoke of. “Thosewho take that which they have not earned.” A silky chuckle accompanied his remark. “No one should steal a man’s name. It is all we have.”

Smoke’s heart raced at the revelation. “You found the people stealing from us? Using our name?” He sounded desperate, but they needed good news like summer crops needed rain.

“Yes, that is what I have been telling you. Keep up,” he snapped. His accent so strong Smoke strained to understand.

Smoke chuckled. Julio had a slow fuse, but once lit, it took a while to die. “Where are they?” Smoke grabbed a pen and paper to write the information down. He’d get his boys and they’d make an early morning run. This bullshit needed to stop.

“You are being rude, my friend.” He heard the bite of chastisement in Julio’s voice and froze.
Had he missed something?

“
I’m sorry. Just trying to wrap my head around everything you’ve said. I can’t believe it.” He slapped his thigh and shook his head. “All this time we’ve been looking and couldn’t find a clue. And you’ve already found them in less than a week. Damn, awesome.”

“My resources are very, very different than yours.”

“I know that’s right. Where can I find them?”

“You cannot.”

“Huh?”

“They are dead.” He paused. “You did not expect them to live after they steal the name of my employer?” He sounded shocked Smoke would think such a thing. In retrospect, Smoke should’ve known. Somewhere along the line, he’d allowed himself to forget Julio’s roots. For generations his family had been one of the most powerful drug cartels in South America. Smoke had met his stepfather in the military; the man had saved his life. When Smoke was incarcerated his old C.O. came and asked for a favor. He wanted Smoke to keep an eye out for Julio. His wife didn’t want to lose her son to organized crime. Smoke had agreed but hadn’t realized the strings attached to Julio. He was one of the few direct blood descendants from the slain cartel leader. Both friends and enemies of Julio’s great-grandfather wanted him. And now because of his kidnapping, Julio had activated one of his connections.

“No,” he sighed into the darkness. “I wasn’t thinking.” He paused, knowing Julio could be ruthless, but he wasn’t mean or evil. “You okay?”
How are you handling the stain of blood on your hands
?

“I am well. I am not sure when I will return to work. I must leave soon to handle some business. But I have left you something.” Joy infused his tone as if he left an early Christmas present. “Write down the address, you and your partners will be pleased.” Smoke smiled at the pleasure in his friend’s voice as he gave him the address in Flint.

“How long will you be gone?” Smoke asked, not expecting a direct answer. He’d been around Julio long enough to know he held things tight. Damn, he’d miss his friend’s oddball humor.

“I’m not sure, but will return to finish my work.”

Smoke frowned. “What are you working on?” They’d had their annual month’s leave and the new projects were starting in a few days. No project’s came to mind that Julio hadn’t finished.

“Ms. Connie’s custom cabinets.”

Smoke laughed. The older woman had been entranced with Julio’s cabinet building skills and asked repeatedly for him to create something special for her kitchen and laundry room. Smoke hadn’t known Julio had given in.

“Now you done started something. You know Denise will want some new cabinets after she sees Ms. Connie's.” He glanced toward his darkened kitchen and wondered if he could be placed on the list. Julio had a master’s touch with wood.

His friend laughed. “We shall see. I understand you have a new roommate.” The comment was so unexpected; it took Smoke a moment to process the words. They never talked about really personal stuff.

“Roommate?” Smoke scoffed. “I wish. She is a handful.”

Julio laughed. “She keeps you on your toes? That is good. You need a challenge.” He paused as if he would say more and then changed his mind, “You were not hurt too badly?”

“They kicked my ass.” Smoke chuckled. Julio laughed. “They had to tie me up to do it, though. Fucking cowards.”

“Of course.” Smoke chuckled at the dry comment.

“Asshole.”

“Of course.” Julio laughed. “This woman, she is special to you?”

Smoke thought about Vianca, how she was breaking out of her shell. He’d watched her comfort Denise, his brother. She no longer ignored Red or Ross and had conversations with them. He knew she still had her biases, but she’d thawed plenty. Besides she was simply hot in bed. “I wish.”

Julio laughed. He hadn’t meant the comment to sound so wistful. “I mean...I don’t know yet. We haven’t known one another long,” he stammered, backtracking.

“She is good woman, I have checked her out. Relax and enjoy, she may be what you need.”

“You checked her out?”

“
Sì
, of course. You are my friend. These people with no honor, they come in many forms. I check her and her partner out. They are good people.”

“Yeah?” Smoke asked curious at how long Julio's people had been watching him.

“
Sì.
”

“Did you know where they took me?” Smoke asked. He wasn't sure how he felt about Julio investigating Vianca, but it was done and not worth discussing.

“No,” he sighed. “I did not.” He paused, “Is there something I should know?” Smoke understood the question.

“Two prostitutes were murdered right before they drug my unconscious ass into the room and left me on the bed with them.” It was the first time he'd allowed for the reality of a different outcome to enter his mind. “They meant to burn me.”

“
Sì
. I see this. Where did this happen?” Smoke didn't bother not answering, there was little Julio couldn't find out if he wanted information.