THE BLUE STALKER (41 page)

             
“I think that will work out just fine. I’m happy Maria is painting. I think it fulfills her. She needs to get out and meet people.”  Ella said as she loaded her plate with  enchiladas.

             
“Will you tell Maria I will need the station wagon tomorrow?”  Ella asked Juanita.

             
“Where is Juan?” She added.

             
“Juan said he would be late tonight. He’s finishing up with a painting job.  He plans to work at the flower shop tomorrow delivering flowers.”  Juanita told Ella.

             
“Thank you for relaying the messages.  Ella told Juanita as she finished up with her dinner.

             
“You have a nice evening. I need to get some rest.  Good night, Juanita.”  Ella said as she pushed her chair into place, picked up her plate setting it in the sink and swishing it around washing awaythe enchilada sauce.

             
Ella retired to her room.  She gave Frank a call and asked if he would be able to make it tomorrow to help with the delivery.

             
“Of course, I’ll be there.”  Frank told her.  “I’m looking forward to seeing you.”

             
“Do you mind driving the station wagon?  It will hold more flowers than your Corvette.”  Ella said laughing as she pictured a dozen roses in the seat of the Corvette.  That’s about all you could get in it.

             
“I don’t mind at all. It’s going to be interesting seeing the faces of all the ladies receiving flowers.”

             
Alicia was opening the shop door when Ella arrived driving the station wagon.

             
“I thought we could get the wreaths up for Ron before he started routing his deliveries.” Ella told Alicia as they made their way through the door to the back of the shop.

             
Ella located the hammer and nails and handed Alicia the nails.  Alicia fingered the nails ready to put the nail in the wall. Ella put the hammer in Alicia’s hand.  “Here you go.”  Ella said.

             
Alicia began to bang on the wall occasionally hitting the nail. The wall started to swing inward. 

             
“Ella, this damn wall is about to fall. What’s going on?”

             
Ella gasped as she pushed on the wall it began to swing inward.

             
“What’s this a secret room?”  Alicia inquired.

             
“It must be.”  Ella said.

             
The ladies stepped into the room to see blankets and a couple of mattress lying on the floor. The room was a mess.  It looked like a foul play had taken place in the hidden room. In the far corner there’s a deep freeze, a table and chairs and an old mattress lying in the floor. There were clothes and blankets strewn all over the room. 

             
“What’s this all about?”  Alicia asked Ella.

             
“Look Ella, the deep freeze is plugged in.”  Alicia said as she pointed to the electrical plug.

             
“Let’s open it.”  Alicia said as she started to toss the items off the deep freeze.

             
“Wait Alicia, the crew will be here shortly and I don’t want anyone to know about this room.  Let’s get the wall closed and go about our business as if nothing happened.”  Ella headed for the wall opening with Alicia in pursuit.

             
“Whatever you say Ella. But aren’t you curious about what’s in the deep freeze?” She asked.

             
“It’s probably filled with a lot of freezer burned food.”  Ella assured her.

             
“One day you and I will get in there and clean up the place.”  Ella told her as she was pulling the wall to its original position.

             
“It will give us some good storage room.”  Ella said.

             
“Let’s put this old work table in front of the wall.  I wouldn’t want anyone finding the room. It’ll be our secret for now.” Ella told Alicia.

             
Ella knew Alicia wouldn’t rest until she looked in the freezer.  She would ask Alicia to stay late and they would open the freezer tonight.  This would take care of Alicia’s curiosity.

             
It was a long day. Valentine’s Day is always busy.  Juan, Susan and Ron headed home. Tomorrow would be another work day. Frank headed to the hotel to clean up and get some much needed rest.

             
“You girls need to get the place buttoned up and head home.” Frank told the ladies. He didn’t know what the ladies were cooking up.

Ella locked the shop door and lowered the front shop lights.  The ladies headed for the back room.

             
“Lady let’s get to that freezer. I’ve been thinking about it all day.”  Alicia made her way to the secret room pulling the work table from the wall.

             
“First things first….there’s something I need to tell you.”  Ella said as she sat Alicia down.

             
“Oh, I don’t know this sounds serious.”  Alicia said curiously looking at Ella.

             
“It is serious. Do you remember people talking about the secondhand people disappearing one night?”  Ella asked.

             
“Yes,” For the first time Alicia was speechless. Hanging on to every word Ella had to say. 

             
“It seems this store was a refuge for the Mexican men who escaped from the coyotes. I think the secondhand store owners let them stay in the store until they could safely leave.

             
“What do you mean coyotes”?  Alicia asked.

             
“Coyotes are men that bring the illegal Mexican men to the states and hold them in a ‘drop-house’ until the family pays them a ransom. Then they usually do away with them.” 

             
“You mean, they kill them?”  Alicia asked.

             
“Sometimes, yes they kill them.”  Ella assured Alicia she knew what she was talking about.

             
“Oh, my god Ella that’s scary.”  Alicia holding her hands across her chest shaking. 

             
“Are you ready to open the deep freeze?” Ella asked as she pushed the secret door open?”

             
“Wait Ella, what if…okay. I’m just getting crazy.”  Alicia said motioning Ella to go ahead of her.

             
The ladies removed the junk from the top of the freezer. It was so dusty they began to cough and fan their hands.  The deep freeze was a large chest type. Ella started to open the chest door.  She pried on it and it wouldn’t budge.

             
“This damn thing is locked.” She told Alicia as she yanked on the lid.

             
“What about the old keys hanging in the work room.  Maybe one will fit the lock. I’ll get them.” Alicia said as she made her way out of the dusty room. Alicia returned with the key chain. She fingered though the keys looking for a small round key. She had a deep freeze back in Los Angeles and knew what to look for.

             
“Here’s a key that might work.”  Alicia said making her way back in the dusty room.

Ella took the key in hand inserting it into the lock turned the key…both ladies stood there for a moment looking at the closed chest.

             
“Hell, Ella open the damn chest.”  Alicia screamed.

Ella slowly pulled the door up. The lighting wasn’t very good.

             
“It looks like a frozen over with old food.” Ella told Alicia.

             
“Good Ella.” Alicia said. “I was afraid we were going to find a dead body.”  Alicia said as she shrugged her shoulders.

             
“Alicia, get the flashlight from under the counter.  Let’s get a better look.”  Ella twisted her neck looking from different angles.

             
Alicia returned with a flashlight. She shined the light on the frozen over deep freeze.

             
“Look!” She said pointing. There’s the bottom of a foot.”  Ella said as her heart jumped to her throat.

“You’ve got to be kidding.”  Alicia said managing to look into the chest. They about knocked each other over trying to get through the small opening in the wall.

The ladies sat down for a while to slow their rapidly beating hearts.

             
“What are we going to do?” Alicia asked.

Ella swallowed hard.  “Let me think.  Can you go back in there and take another look with me.”

Alicia took Ella’s hand and they walked into the tomb.  They opened the chest for a second look trying to keep their composure. Alicia examined the chest more thoroughly.

             
“Ella, there’s two bodies in there.”  Alicia said as she shined the bright flashlight into the would be casket. 

             
“It looks like the man is clothed but the small lady is naked. They must have raped her before they killed her.  She’s on top and they are both laying face down.”

             
“I need to think.” Ella said as she set down putting her face in her hands. 

             
“We sure as hell have to call Sheriff Brady.”  Alicia said as she went for the phone. Ella grabbed the phone placing it back in the cradle she said, “We can’t call him.  We need to call the FBI. Ella told Alicia.

             
“The disappearance of the secondhand store owners was reported to Sheriff Brady and he didn’t make a missing persons report.”  She confided in Alicia.  “I didn’t want anyone getting into this but it looks like you’re in the middle of a homicide.” 

             
“Just tell me what to do and you can count on me.”  Alicia told her with concern in her voice.

             
“I’ll call my friend, Frank and he will know who to call.”  Ella said as she dialed the hotel’s main number.

The desk clerk answered the call and rang Frank’s room.  After several rings the clerk returned to the line. 

             
“No one is answering the phone, Ma’am do you want to leave a message?” She asked.

             
“No, that’s not necessary.”  Ella said putting the phone in its cradle.

             
I can’t imagine where Frank could be.  Oh well, I guess he has a life.  Ella said to herself.

             
“Ella made the call to the FBI’s district office. They gave her the local number and she proceeded to dial the number just as there was a rap at the front door.

             
“Who could that be?”  Alicia said.

             
“It must be Frank.”  Ella said as she speed around Alicia.  Alicia would make a good shield.  One to stand behind in case of a shooting. She hoped Alicia couldn’t hear what she was thinking. 

             
Frank was standing at the shop door.

             
“What are you doing here?”  Ella asked as she opened the door.

             
“I called your place and Maria said you were working late.  So I hoped in my car and drove over.  Don’t you ladies think you’ve already put in a long day?”  He asked.

Alicia starred at Ella wondering if she was going to tell Frank about the deep freeze.

             
“Come with me, Frank.”  She said as she motioned for Frank to follow her.

             
Ella pushed the secret door open.

Frank didn’t seem too shocked to see the door swing open.  Ella walked Frank over to the chest, opened it and shined the flashlight on the bodies.

             
“Oh, my god, ladies what have you found?”  Frank said stepping back.

             
Alicia burst out. “Bodies, dead bodies, what the hell does it look like?” She yelled in her husky voice.

             
“I’ll call the FBI office for the bodies to be picked up.” Frank volunteered.

             
Frank made a call from the phone on the front counter.  He gave the person on the other end of the phone directions to the shop. Within an hour a large unmarked truck pulled to the back of the store. The driver backed the truck up to the rear door. Two men wearing coverall’s with FBI on their back hopped from the truck. Immediately loaded the freezer chest on a dolly and rolled it to the truck. Pulled the roll up door down and locked it.

             
Frank, Alicia and Ella locked up the shop for the evening.  Alicia headed home for some rest and Frank and Ella made their way to Frank’s hotel room.