The Body of Martin Aguilera

Chapter Two

Lewis was lost. Laura sat beside him in the car, frightened and concerned about him, and he felt responsible. He was saddened by Martin’s apparent death, and curious, but not angry. Just lost. He went over it again in his head, trying to figure out why anyone would hurt the old man and again came up empty. He had understood the deputy’s warning about discussing the situation, just something it was his duty to say, however obvious, like asking bystanders to not wander into the field of fire at a shoot-out.

They’d come down to town for groceries and Lewis thought he had best follow through. The mundane might sooth Laura’s nerves and his own. He let her push the buggy while he strolled ahead, tossing items back into the basket. The two seemed through, at least for the time, with asking each other if they were okay.

The market was the magnet. Some people needed to visit the feed store and some needed the lumber yard, but everyone needed the grocery store and it was always crowded, a place to see people as well as buy food. Lewis wasn’t much on talking to people beyond greetings and how-do-you-do’s and it struck no one odd that the grumpy old fart from up in the hills said nothing at all. At the produce section, Lewis sent Laura to choose their fruit while he waited at the buggy.

“You’re in the way, Lewis.”

He turned to find the small face of an old Asian woman. “Old people have to stand somewhere, young lady.”

“Young lady? I’ll have you know I’m old enough to be your friend.”

“How are you, Maggie?”

“Fine. What about you?”

He nodded. “Got my girlfriend with me.” He indicated Laura with a tilt of his head. She was coming back with peaches and grapes. “Laura, I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. Maggie, Laura.”

“I’m pleased to meet you, Laura.”

Laura smiled, then looked to her grandfather. “Can I get a kiwi?”

“Have you ever had a kiwi?”

“No, but may I try one?”

“You ever had a kiwi, Maggie?”

“I don’t eat fruit with hair.”

“Sure, go pick one out.” He watched the girl walk away.

“Lewis, are you all right?” Maggie asked. “You seem distant.”

Lewis looked at her and smiled.

“You can’t hide from an old witch like me.”

“I suppose you’re right, but I wouldn’t go around shouting about being a witch around here.”

“True.”

“I’d better help my granddaughter. Drive up tomorrow if you get a notion.”

“Might do that.”

Lewis walked to Laura, feeling better for having talked to Maggie, however briefly. She was his closest friend and though they weren’t lovers, he had thought several times of asking her to move in with him, to get her out of the town. That would have amused the townspeople, the only black man in the county living with the only Japanese woman.

“How do you know a good one?” Laura asked.

“I have no idea. Why don’t you take two, see if we can’t stack the odds.”

She picked two and they went to the check-out.

The lines were long and there was nothing to do but stand there and browse through magazines. Lewis looked at the pages of Ladies’ Home Journal, but he was thinking of Martin.

“Hey there, prof, que pasa?” the cashier said.

“Carlos.”

“Hot day. What it’s like up high?”

“Not quite so hot.”

“Granddaughter?”

“Yes. Laura, this is Carlos.”

“Encantada de conocerle.”

Laura smiled.

Carlos reached under the counter and came up with a piece of candy. “All the special little people get candy.”

“Thank you.”

Lewis looked at the red-and-white mint. Martin’s horse loved mints. That’s what was missing up there. The horse. Where was Martin’s horse? Maybe someone killed him for the horse. It seemed far-fetched, but it was something. Lewis wanted to get outside to the pay phone and call Mondragon. He drummed his fingers on the conveyor. Finally, Carlos was done and the bags loaded into the buggy.

Mondragon thanked Lewis for the call and told him he’d drive back out and have a look around. He said it seemed unlikely that anyone would want that old horse badly enough to kill and that it was strange that Martin had been killed, if indeed he had been, in the house.

Lewis hung up and turned to Laura. “Let’s get the hell out of Dodge.”

Her eyes went a bit wide with a smile.

“It’s okay to say things like that once in a while. Give it a try.”

“Let’s get the hell out of Dodge,” she said, giggling.

“Good. Let’s go.”

As they were walking across the parking lot, Laura reached up and clutched at Lewis’ sleeve.

“I hate it when we get a cart with screwy front wheels,” he said. Then he noticed how tightly she was holding on. “What’s the matter, honey?”

The girl looked around.

Lewis looked, too. “What are you looking for?”

“I’m scared,” she said and began to cry a little.

“It’s okay,” he said. “It’s okay to be scared.”

Lewis and Laura unloaded the groceries from the car. Laura pulled things from the bags and Lewis put them away.

“So, you didn’t tell me how you like your new house,” Lewis said. He put the cheese in the refrigerator.

“It’s all right.”

“Got anything else for the refrigerator?”

She handed him the milk.

“Just all right?”

“It’s bigger. Daddy said we’ll never move again. He said that it makes Mommy crazy.”

“I can well imagine it does. She doesn’t like change. She especially didn’t like it when your grandmother and I got divorced.”

Laura seemed surprised to hear the word.

“We’re best buddies, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then we can talk about anything?”

She smiled.

“Okay.”

“You want me to tell you what Mommy said about you?”

“No.”