Down Among the Dead Men

70

When they were done making the exchange, Vargas tucked the Tomcat into his waistband, then covered it with his shirt and said, “Tito tells me you’re pretty well connected down here.”

“I know a few people.”

“I’m doing a favor for a friend. Looking for someone who disappeared here a little less than a year ago.”

“A year?” Ortiz said. “Might as well be a century.”

“Yeah. I’m sure this is a long shot, but maybe you know something about her.”

He took the photo of Beth’s sister from his back pocket and handed it to Ortiz. He’d bought some Scotch tape at the supermarket in LA and taped the two pieces together.

“She was a cruise ship passenger. The sister says she disappeared after going into a leather-goods shop downtown.”

Ortiz studied the photo. “Nice piece of ass, but she doesn’t look familiar. You’ve seen one turista, you’ve seen them all.”

“How many of them disappear without a trace?”

“Do I look like a statistician? This place is just like any other. Shit happens.”

Oh well, Vargas thought. It was worth a try.

Ortiz started to hand back the photo, but Vargas didn’t take it.

“Do me a favor and keep that for now. Pass it around, see what you can find out. I’ll make it worth your while.”

Ortiz shook his head. “I ain’t your errand boy, pocho. ”

“As a favor to Tito.”

Ortiz snorted. “You speaking for Tito now? That’s a pretty bold move, amigo. He may be your cousin and all, but I’m not sure he’d appreciate you using his name like that. I know Yolanda wouldn’t. Man racks up a debt, he should at least know about it, don’t you think?”

“You’re right,” Vargas said, then nodded to the photograph. “I’m just trying to find out what happened to her.”

“You sure she wants you to? Maybe she’d rather not be found.”

“That’s a possibility, but I doubt it. She and her sister were pretty tight.”

Ortiz looked at the photo again. “Like I said, a year is ancient history. But maybe Little Fina knows something about her.”

“Little Fina?”

“She runs the local skin trade. And if this one got involved in anything kinky-voluntary or not-she’d have to go through Fina.”

“So where do I find her?”

Ortiz laughed. “You don’t. But I can make some calls, see if I can set up an introduction. You got a way for me to reach you?”

Vargas gave him his cell phone number. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

“Don’t thank me too soon,” Ortiz said. “Little Fina makes Yolanda look like a blushing schoolgirl. And that ain’t easy to do.”