CHAPTER ELEVEN

 

Angel groped for the cell phone. It was 4:15 in the morning. “Garcia,” he said without opening his eyes.

Mikey turned over in the other bed.

“Is this Detective Garcia?” The voice was feminine and shaky.

He sat up, his bare feet contacting the cool hardwood floor. “Yes it is.”

“It’s Clemmie. Sister Clement from the convent.”

“Yes Sister. I remember you.”

“I think there’s a problem. Something seems to have happened outside the apartment. The police are down there and they have a big German shepherd. They’re going all over the grounds with him.”

“Don’t go out, Sister. I’m coming right over.” Before he snapped the cell closed Angel was putting on his clothes and grabbing his keys.

“Wha’sup, big bro?” Mikey asked.

“I gotta go out. If I’m not back when Teri wakes up you take care of her.” He was half out the door but spun around. “By that, I mean keep her here. Entertain her. Don’t let her go out. Got that?”

“Sure big bro. You can count on me.” Mikey turned over and Angel closed the door quietly.

He tiptoed down the stairs and out the back door. The dawning of the new day was at least a couple of hours away. Angel eased the rental car out of the driveway and onto the silent streets. With little traffic he made it to the apartment in less than ten minutes.

He saw the flashing lights from a block away and detoured to his previous parking place on the side street behind the small complex. He entered the grounds and wound his way to the nuns’ apartment. The grass and plants were covered with dew, glistening in the glow of artificial lights. A damp earth smell mingled with the heavy scent of magnolias.

A uniformed officer stopped him. Angel showed his badge and asked who was in charge. He was directed to a tall African-American man in plain clothes.

“Are you Sergeant Tolliver?” he asked.

The large man turned with his back bowed and his chin jutting at an angle. “I’m Sergeant E. E. Tolliver. Who wants to know?” His rich baritone was softened by his Texas accent.

The uniformed officer beside him had a mostly black German shepherd on a leash. The dog’s ears were on alert and he eyed Angel suspiciously.

“I’m Detective Garcia and I’m way out of my jurisdiction.” He handed his badge to the Sergeant and dug a card out of his pocket.

A deep crease between the Sergeant’s brows attested to his perpetual frown. “New York City? You are a long way from home, but you don’t sound like no Yankee. Why are you here?” He returned the badge but kept the card.

“I’m from San Antonio originally, but I live in New York. I came down on a case. What’s going on here?”

“There’s been a homicide. Do you have anything to tell me about it?” The Sergeant glared at Angel with the same suspicion as the dog.

“Who was the victim?” Angel asked.

“Look for yourself. He’s got no ID on him.” The Sergeant stepped back to reveal a crime scene tech taking pictures and another gathering evidence from around the body.

Angel stepped closer and recognized the crumpled form. He squatted on his haunches. The corpse stared into the trees with a surprised expression on his face. His glasses were missing and the comb-over had flapped down to cover his right ear. The front of his shirt was stained with a large amount of blood and his pockets had been turned inside out.

“Well, do you know him or not?” Sergeant Tolliver drew his brows closer together and jutted his chin out even farther.

“I know his name. He’s a local PI named Marcel Farmer.”

“And just how do you happen to know his name?” The sergeant planted his fists on his hips and leaned over Angel.

Angel stood up and Tolliver stepped back abruptly.

“He was indirectly involved with my case.” Angel took a few steps away from the crime scene.

“Well I guess you just better start talking about your case then because I’m thinking you could be involved with this Marcel Farmer’s demise.”

Angel raised a skeptical brow. “I flew down to follow up on a lead. A man was killed in New York City and his girl friend went missing. The woman’s only relative is a nun and she teaches at St. Pius.” He decided to leave out Teri’s identity to prevent her being drawn into this case.

“How does that have any bearing on this man being killed?”

“I wish I knew. Farmer was hired by someone to search for the woman. He was keeping surveillance on the nuns in case the missing woman showed up.”

“And you know this because...”

“Because I was doing the same thing.” Angel grinned at him, but didn’t get any change in the sergeant’s demeanor. “I confronted him a couple of nights ago. I wanted to make sure he wasn’t one of the killers.”

“And how did you happen to turn up here so conveniently tonight? Did you have some reason to think Mr. Marcel Farmer would meet his maker right here in the early morning hours?”

“I received a call from one of the nuns. She was worried about the commotion so I promised her I would check it out.”

“You don’t mean to tell me that a nun could see these goings on from a block away?” Tolliver’s voice had taken on a strident tone and his upper lip was curled back in a snarl.

“The nun’s apartment is right up there.” Angel turned and pointed to the second story landing in front of the apartment. He thought he saw movement at the window as though someone had been peering out from behind the curtains.

“They let them nuns live there?” The sergeant sounded incredulous. “I thought they keep them all locked up behind walls.”

“It’s a new day, Sergeant,” Angel said.

The sergeant, missing his meaning looked up at the sky. It was somewhat lighter and long fingers of pink were just beginning to reach across the horizon.

“Ain’t that the damned truth?” He dug a slightly wrinkled card from his pocket and handed it to Angel. “I’m gonna check out your story and you better not be holdin’ nothin’ back.”

Angel made his way back to his car and called Sister Clement on his cell. He told her what had happened and that the local police might check to see if she had seen anything. He asked her to be careful and suggested that the nuns make the trek to and from the convent as a group and not to go anywhere alone.

“Ooh, Detective Garcia. Do you think we’re in any danger?”

“I couldn’t say, Sister but I think it’s good to be cautious.”

“Do you think we should stay at the convent for a few days? There’s plenty of room for the three of us.”

“That would be a great idea, Sister Clem.” Angel grinned as he spoke. “I’d hate to have something happen to any of you.”

He drove back to his parent’s house making a detour to a bakery with a drive-through window. He picked up fresh doughnuts and kolaches still warm from the oven. When he entered through the back door, his mother was pouring a second cup of coffee for his father.

His parents turned to look at him with the same expression they had given him when he was a teenager coming in late.

“What?” he asked with a grin.

“You’re up early,” Arturo commented.

“I thought I’d pick up fresh kolaches.” He set the boxes on the kitchen table.

“How thoughtful, Mijo,” Isabel said. “And what else did you think you would do?”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Don’t even play the innocent with us.” Arturo folded the section of the newspaper he’d been reading.

“What’s going on?” Isabel motioned Angel to a chair and seated herself between her husband and oldest son.

“I’m working, Mom,” he said.

“Like I said before, what else?” Isabel gave him a look that all mothers know how to deliver and police interrogators would do well to learn.

“I told you, I came down here on a case and I had to follow up on something. I can’t tell you more than that.”

“And Teri? How is she involved in your case?” Isabel spoke with quiet authority.

“I can’t discuss it with you.” He tried giving them his stone wall face.

“But you can tell us whether you’ve brought a felon into our home.” Arturo’s words earned him a little slap on his arm from Isabel.

“No, no. We don’t think she’s a criminal,” Isabel said. “It’s just that you work in homicide now and we worry about you. We don’t think you would fall in love with a bad person.”

Angel grinned and snagged a doughnut. “And who said I’m in love with her?”

Isabel made a scornful noise in the back of her throat. “Your face,” she said. “It’s written all over.”

“Don’t you like her?” Angel gave his mother a searching gaze.

“Of course I do! She’s perfect for you and she’s Catholic. Her sister is a nun.”

“And you, Pop? What do you think?”

“I think it’s about time you found someone. You need to settle down and get married.”

“Yes, and make babies,” Isabel said. “Your children will be beautiful. I want lots and lots of beautiful grandbabies.”

Angel rose from the table. “Well, that’s settled then.” He headed up the stairs to grab a shower before the others woke up. “I just have to tell her,” he said under his breath.

#

Teri experienced a moment of confusion when she awoke. She was in a child’s room with well-used baseball equipment stacked in the corner. She stretched and smiled, remembering where she was.

Angel’s bed.

She stared at the vintage Metallica poster affixed to the ceiling. A stack of dog-eared baseball cards sat on the bedside table under a lamp with more baseball cards stuck in the shade. She was sensing a theme.

A small desk by the tall casement window held a school photo of Angel in a navy blazer with a crisp white shirt and burgundy tie. The thick dark hair and large brown eyes were the same. Angel’s sons would look like this.

Teri shook herself and threw back the covers. In the real world, her life was a mess. She was in danger and she had endangered people she cared about. Teri put her bare feet on the cool oak floor. She tied the belt to her terrycloth robe and peeked out into the hallway. The smell of coffee and bacon wafted up the stairway. She made a quick dash to brush her teeth and wash her face but hadn’t finished before someone was banging on the bathroom door. She stuck her toothbrush in the pocket of her robe and ventured out into the hall.

Angel’s brother Mikey leaned against the door frame. “Oh! I didn’t know it was you.”

“Sorry if I took too long,” she said.

“No. Take your time.” Mikey flushed and dropped his razor. He held it up to show her. “I can’t leave it in the bathroom or one of the girls will use it on their legs.”

Teri laughed and padded back to Angel’s room. When she dressed and went down stairs she found Angel at the table reading the newspaper. His great-grandmother had finished eating and was sipping hot tea from a dainty porcelain cup.

Isabel flashed a smile and pointed to the food on the sideboard. “Help yourself.”

“First, let me return these.” Teri held out her hand and placed the sapphire earrings in Isabel’s palm. “Thank you so much for allowing me to wear them. Knowing that they belonged to your mother made the experience even more special.” Teri folded the black lace shawl over Isabel’s arm and gave her a hug.

Isabel gazed briefly at the gems in her hand and glanced at Angel, raising her brows in an unspoken question.

“Come sit down, Teri.” Angel poured coffee into a cup at the place next to him.

Wordlessly, Isabel closed her fingers around the earrings and slid them into the pocket of her apron.

Teri slipped into the chair and smiled at Angel. “Good morning.” She gazed into his eyes, acknowledging the pleasure she found there.

“Right back at you. Did you sleep well?”

“I was asleep before my head touched the pillow...Your pillow.”

“I kept thinking about you there. I felt so far away from you.”

“Me too.” She dropped her gaze. “You were an adorable little boy. I didn’t realize you were a Metallica fan.”

He rolled his eyes and grinned. “And I ate, slept and breathed baseball.”

“I could tell.”

Elena and Rosario came down the stairs followed by Mikey.

“Where’s Esme?” Angel asked.

“Dead to the world. She’s not used to staying up so late,” Rosario said. “Last night she fell asleep in the car and Pop had to carry her inside like she was five years old.”

Teri pushed away from the table and helped herself to scrambled eggs and bacon. As she returned to her seat Isabel placed a stack of fresh flour tortillas on the table. Angel took one and loaded it with bacon and eggs and spooned a healthy dose of salsa down the center before rolling it up. Teri followed his lead, giving him a questioning look as she pointed to the salsa.

“It’s a little spicy,” he said.

“It’s pica,” Rosario said.

Teri spooned some of the salsa on her eggs before biting into the filled tortilla. It had enough heat to make her eyes water.

“Too hot?” Rosario asked.

Teri nodded, chewing as rapidly as she could.

Isabel brought her a glass of milk and Angel took her plate and filled a new one.

“Why don’t you start over?” he said.

She couldn’t taste the next few bites but they served to quell the fire raging in her mouth as well as fill her stomach. The fact that she was unable to speak went unnoticed because everyone else was talking.

The Garcia family seemed to be able to communicate without anyone completing a sentence and each member was capable of conducting more than one conversation simultaneously.

By the time Teri bit into a doughnut her taste buds were beginning to regain their function.

Isabel waved her off when she attempted to help clear the table.

“Remind me,” she said to Angel as they walked away from the dining room, “never to put anything in my mouth that could remotely be described as ‘pica’.”

#