Stranger in Paradise

54.

Crow came into Jesse’s office and sat down.

“Things happening in town,” he said.

“All of them since you arrived,” Jesse said.

“Think of me as a catalyst for change,” Crow said.

“Or the Grim Reaper,” Jesse said.

Crow smiled.

“You’re not living in your house,” Jesse said.

“Apache warriors can live off the land,” Crow said.

“What do you do for food?” Jesse said.

“Room service,” Crow said.

“Hardscrabble,” Jesse said.

Crow nodded.

“Some people in here from Miami,” Crow said.

“Fewer than there were,” Jesse said.

“They’re from Francisco,” Crow said. “They supposed to kill me and take the girl home. But I think they handed me off to the Horn Street Boys, so they can concentrate on the girl.”

“That’s right,” Jesse said.

“You know something,” Crow said.

“We arrested Bobby Chacon,” Jesse said, “and he talked to us.”

“So that leaves Romero,” Crow said.

“You know him?”

“Yes,” Crow said.

“Think he’ll try for the girl himself?” Jesse said.

“He’s good enough,” Crow said.

“But?”

“But he knows I’m around,” Crow said. “And he has to assume once you got Chacon that he’d blab sooner or later.”

“So you think he won’t,” Jesse said.

“He’s got the balls for it,” Crow said. “But I think he’s a smart guy. Like you and me. He knows what he’s doing. And right now, he’s trying to do a job, and I think he’ll wait until the odds are better.”

“We checked the Miami flights,” Jesse said. “He was on one two hours after Marshport busted Bobby Chacon.”

Crow nodded.

“You think he’ll be back?” Jesse said.

Crow nodded.

“And I think Louis Francisco will come back with him and I think he’ll bring a lot of troops,” Crow said.

“Francisco gets what he wants,” Jesse said.

“He does,” Crow said. “And right now he wants his daughter.”

“How about you?”

“After the daughter.”

“We’ll keep an eye on the inbound flights from Miami,” Jesse said.

“He won’t come commercial. He’s got his own plane.”

“What kind?”

“Big one,” Crow said.

“Like a commercial jet?”

“Yeah.”

“We’ll check where he might land,” Jesse said.

“Francisco has a lot of resources,” Crow said. “He’s the real deal. If you had a team of bad guys, Francisco would hit fourth.”

Jesse nodded.

“He’s got all the money he needs. He’s got no fear, and no feelings,” Crow said. “I think the daughter thing is mostly about ego.”

“You don’t think he loves her?” Jesse said.

“I don’t think he can,” Crow said.

“Well,” Jesse said after a moment of silence, “you’re right about the Horn Street Boys. Chacon says they picked up your contract.”

Crow grinned.

“How much?” he said.

“Chacon says ten grand.”

“Ten?” Crow said.

Jesse nodded.

“That what they got for bagging the kid’s mother?” Crow said.

“I believe so.”

“Lot of money to those kids,” Crow said.

“And they’re mad at you for shooting Puerco,” Jesse said.

“It was nothing personal,” Crow said.

Jesse nodded slowly.

“It never is,” he said. “Is it?”

Crow shrugged.

“Just thought I’d give you a heads-up,” he said.

“Public-spirited citizens,” Jesse said, “are our best defense against crime.”

“Exactly right,” Crow said.