Silver Bullets (12 page)

Trudis interrupted him: Lefty, you're late, I'm going to read you your horoscope while you get yourself together: “Capricorn: Anything related to learning is in your favor, your planets are aligned to give you good fortune, and your financial situation will improve as long as you think of yourself as rich; in romance, although you ought to keep your heart open, you should remain cautious, an old flame will turn up and who knows if you have the strength to face him or her. If you are a gambler, bet on number eight and choose red, it will pay off.” How about that? Only as soon as you get the dough don't forget about your Trudis; listen, I've got your 7 Up with lemon all ready, I'm saying, because you look like the Indians dragged you off, shall I bring it in? Please, he could not read, could barely see the letters in
News from the Empire
for thinking about her.

He ate eggs à la Mexicana before turning on his cell phone, which always marked the beginning of his workday. He called Zelda Toledo: Get an arrest order and bring Mariana Kelly in. Did she get away from you? Worse, I nearly got killed. Where do I get one? Write it, sign it, and carry it out, at eleven I'm seeing Laura Frías at the Miró, so do it an hour later, any news? Well,
everyone here is laughing at you. No kidding, what did I do now? Someone sent you a bouquet of red roses and the whole headquarters smells of it. It's yours, a gift, put it on your desk. You had that one well hidden, didn't you, boss? Don't speculate, Agent Toledo, did you visit Laura Frías? Last night, that bit of gossip almost made me forget. She told him that Laura had served her guava juice and whole-wheat crackers, that she had not added much except for two details that could be important. Did you know that Bruno's father wants to be president? Don Carlos Alvarado said something about it, that he could take the place of the party's current candidate. Well, he's deep into it, and something like a month ago he asked Bruno to rein himself in, he didn't want to get attacked for having a homosexual son. Listen to that, and he tells me he hasn't spoken to him in four years. Something else, boss, lately Bruno took to dressing up as a woman, Laura kept the clothes at her house, she showed me, lovely things. What would he do? Apparently he would go to parties and maybe out on a date with somebody, she couldn't tell me more. I should talk to his mother, see if she'll see me today.

Ortega on the line: What's up, faggot, I already heard, you should do a better job of acting the part, pretty soon people will think everyone on the force is letting rain in the back door. So what, if God knows, let the whole world know. Well, your defenders have started coming out of the woodwork here, this explains why for the longest time you haven't been seen with anybody. The fact is, it was a difficult decision and that's why I don't plan to kick off a romance until summer, and since you're on my list I promise you can be my first date. No way, that would bring seven years' bad luck, listen, did you take a look at the stuff you asked me for about Canizales's sedan? No question they moved it the night of the crime, the dead bugs on the front grille are a giveaway, then there's the dirty windshield and the
tollbooth receipts. The guy went to Mazatlán before he died, we found the other pair of shoes in the hotel. But we also found a few guasachiata butterflies and they live in the north around Guamúchil, which means maybe he also went there. He was probably saying his good-byes. Are we holding anybody? No one, I'd like the techies to go over room seventeen of Hotel La Siesta, it's in Olas Altas. Did they stay there? Yup, how vulgar can you get. Vulgar, why? That's where Jack Kerouac stayed. Who's he? A famous highway patrolman from Massachusetts. Hotel rooms are home territory for Jack the Ripper. Still, we're going to put the screws on the dancer. What's your theory, Lefty? Canizales finished his shift at Social Security at six and left for Mazatlán, according to the tollbooth receipt he went through at 6:43, he got to the hotel after nine, waited for Aldana, they fucked until eleven or twelve and he came back, he went through the tollbooth at 1:42 in the morning; before he made it home he picked up somebody who didn't know what to do with a silver bullet. Did you find out anything from Tucson? A useless list of notables. Okay, I'm going to send Canizales's prints over to the boys in Mazatlán by e-mail and I'll ask them to dust that room, I'll keep you posted. Perfect, he said, then admitted, though I've still got a feeling Aldana wasn't the one. Why? I wish I knew, maybe he came to see him, they fought, and he did kill him, was he lying when he said he had never fired a gun? What about the silver bullets? Was he cold-blooded enough? Even so, if you're asking whether I'm going to throw him in the slammer, yes I am, for being a crybaby. Lefty, what's up with Memo's book? I've got it in the car, in an hour and a half I'll give it to you. I'm a witness. Did you find out anything about the perfume? We took a look, but we couldn't pin it down, it probably faded. A few days ago I sent a sample to L.H., we'll see what he comes up with. That guy's crazy. But he has the nose of a Belgian shepherd. If he can't find
it he'll make something up, is it true he resigned from the police to open a teahouse? Negative.

He was crossing the Morelos Bridge when Shorty Abitia called: My man Lefty, how's the fuse? It's burning, Shorty my man, what's up? Here's a bit of info on the thing you asked me about, what's today's password? Z-47. Okay, there's a Colombian named Estanislao Contreras who brought silver bullets into the country, it seems they were made in Indonesia, he spent a few days at the San Marcos, but then he vanished, he didn't pay the bill or pick up his luggage. Lefty turned left at the botanical gardens, that's great, Shorty, got it, I'll be looking for you so we can knock each other around. You know I'll be ready for you, Lefty, and if you ever need urine, don't forget I have the best samples in the region. You bet.

Pink pants and blouse a lighter pink. Laura Frías arrived ten minutes late. Mendieta, sipping an espresso, showed the scars of the previous night. You don't look well, Commander, you're probably trying to do yourself in and it's working, she smiled. There is nothing I desire as intensely as the end of this life. What, did andropause catch up with you and now you're on testosterone? More or less. Have you found the culprit? Not yet, we want to make him suffer, would you like some breakfast? Just orange juice. So you've decided to pressure me. Figueroa got us together yesterday, but I don't think people care that much, the fact is people go on with their lives and not all of them were friends of Bruno's, he was so liberated they were suspicious of him and maybe some of them felt envious. Tell Figueroa it's going well, we have seven detainees and we'll have a confessed murderer before you know it. Is that true? No, but it will put them at ease. They brought the juice, and Rudy sent them oatmeal cookies. Let's see, let's try to pick up where we left off, for you the culprit
is Paola Rodríguez. I've been thinking about Samantha Valdés's lover. Why not her father? If he wanted to kill him he would have done it without any fuss and probably he would have trumpeted it all over the place. Your friend was killed with a silver bullet. No kidding, Bruno always said if they were going to kill him, it should be with a silver bullet. Aha, which means the murderer knew him well and knew about that wish, but why would he want to please him? Out of love, have you thought about Frank Aldana? We went to see him in Mazatlán and he ran away, but we'll catch him soon, one of the best hounds is on his trail. I can hardly believe it, such a sweet kid, do you think it was him? I have only my feelings to go on, for the moment I've ruled out Paola, since she killed herself with a Beretta and Canizales was done in with a Smith & Wesson; the Beretta belonged to Paola's father, I've got the permit, how did Canizales meet Samantha? She was his client and she started wearing really short skirts, Bruno didn't need much encouragement, he fell right in. What about Mariana Kelly? The only thing I know is what I told you, that she threatened him, I don't know if she uses silver bullets, but she is certainly a woman with connections, she's worked for the government and private companies, she's a publicist.

Cavalry charge. Mission accomplished. Good, interrogate her while I'm on my way over. She says she has nothing to declare and she wants a lawyer. Give her a Diet Coke and tell her to make do with that.

Why don't you suspect anyone from the USB? I don't think anyone there has the guts, we're pacifists and we hate weapons. But they haven't lost their aggressiveness, you know Hitler ate salad for breakfast and liquidated Jews like crazy. It could be. Besides, who's to say he didn't touch somebody's sore spot. It's possible, though I never heard about anything, all his escapades were on the outside. How's your work going? Well, I've got four
patients today, as a matter of fact the first is in twenty minutes, two blocks away; last night Zelda turned up at my house, why didn't you come? I had to be somewhere else, and speaking of that, Zelda was impressed with Bruno's wardrobe, why didn't you mention that before? Out of shame, I suppose, or maybe prejudice, I thought it would be wrong if you held that against him, maybe you would take the case more seriously if you thought he was macho. Did he tell you about the conversation with his father about him running for office? Yes, some people are promoting him as a substitute for his party's candidate and he didn't want that ruined by Bruno's carousing and exhibitionism. Why don't you suspect the father? How could you think such a thing, that's going too far. Do you think political power is no big deal? But going that far? His mother said no buts about it, the father had him killed. Really? Her face darkened, but she did not say a word. What's wrong? Bruno never wanted to tell me about it, he only made jokes about how politics had dislocated his father's feelings. Silence. I've got to go, are you going to want a massage or not? Of course I want one, except I'm like a hunk of bread dough: I'm half dead. You're really tense. It's the hangover, do you have any relationship with Bruno's parents? None at all, he hardly ever visited them. Why did he play the drag queen? He said it was the in thing, he had friends who did it, and it was fun. How do you know so much about your friend? I wish that were the case.

They said good-bye.

Mendieta. Noriega here, listen, that fucking dancer is a pro, he didn't leave a single clue worth following. Would you like me to send someone down to find him? Since you people are worthless. Zelda Toledo would be welcome, we could use her instincts. It may be the dead man was in Mazatlán the night of
the crime, he might have taken one of Aldana's shoes and left one of his own as a token of his love, his car is covered in bugs and the windshield is greasy. I haven't been much help, but I do have my good points and I expect to see that woman soon, I've dreamed about her three times already. I don't want you blaming me for your unhappiness, I'll send her down next week. Too bad for you if you're lying. How did it go on the high seas? Routine, we saw the water, we interrogated a few fishermen who knew nothing, and we came back.

He parked at the Forum, turned off his cell phone, and went in to watch
Brokeback Mountain
. A favorite for the Oscar.

He looked over at the glass popcorn stand and gave it a wide berth, not feeling up to it. He started to go in, then came back: I can't possibly run away from that too, before Parra mentioned it I ate it with no problem, so what happened? I'm going to get a big tub, who cares if it tastes like nettles? He was sweating. While he waited in line he kept his hands in his pants pockets and his eyes on the posters.

He bought caramel popcorn, candied almonds, Coca-Cola, and he sat down in the middle of the theater. He relaxed: This is the life, not that pack of lunatics killing each other for ridiculous reasons like pocketing a few pesos or a few moments of love. Could Laura Frías have murdered her friend? I'll ask Zelda to look into it. Everything was going well, the music, the photography, until the moment the cowboys kissed. End of that. Popcorn on the floor. Urge to scream. Run. Die. Eight o'clock at night. It's eight, Father, I have to go, I have to have supper with my mother. Bardominos hugged you, you felt his warm trembling body, you smelled his lust. My child, he sputtered, you are the sweetest, that's why I like to get close to you, you're also the best looking, the best behaved, and the smartest. And you were paralyzed. And now you're dreaming of his disgusting smile, his hands pulling down
your pants, touching your ass. He stood up abruptly, dumping his drink. People whistled and shouted. Bardominos had not bought him popcorn, he remembered now, or Coke or anything, but he had caressed his crotch.

He went out. He got into the Jetta but did not turn the ignition. He saw he was falling once more into a bottomless pit; memories he thought he had under control were licking at him like flames. Parra had convinced him he could live with it, and he did for a few days without losing his cool, but now the abuse was choking him. Goga had given him back his dignity as a man, yet he reacted like this? What kind of guy was he? He had to give her her due: Goga, I never told you, thank you for making me feel like the greatest in the world, all those orgasms of yours gave me back my confidence as a lover even if you then ran off without saying good-bye, turning me to shit.

Later on, he was driving down the Valadés Parkway near Mariana Kelly's house and he felt tempted to find Goga: Goga you are the best thing that ever happened to me. On the verge of stopping, he accelerated. Better to let things lie.

Goga Fox: Her absence had him by the balls, why did she agree to play along? Did Samantha Valdés bring her here as a way to make fun of him or did she come on her own? Life is so many things and no one knows half of them. A minute later he was again overcome by the urge to find her, to stand in front of her and kiss her until their clothes slid off by themselves, but bitter memories stopped him. He felt the anguish of abandonment and he wanted to cry, why not? Fucking life. Like Gracián used to say, what can you expect if it starts with the screams of the mother giving birth and the wails of the lump being born? Best to steer clear of everything that has any relation to Goga, Blondie, as my friends used to call her.