“Sun and Moon.” I said. “You left the Purple Heart at our door.”
“Yes, and the other items, but you were too stupid to catch on.” He sneered, “When I finally obtained the government records of the Shok Valley incident and saw your names, I decided to track you down. I wanted a reckoning with those who deserted my brother.”
Hondo said, “We didn’t desert him.”
Jericho pointed a finger at Hondo, “You…are only slightly less guilty than Baca.”
I said, “If this is about me, then let the others go.”
The Kiowa said, “Don’t flatter yourself.”
Moon said, “This is about both you and the money. Tell them Troy.”
Troy didn’t want to, you could tell. Bodhi looked at him, “The money? My parents died because you wanted money?” her look seemed to wither him.
Troy said, “I had huge gambling debts, and the people I owed wanted their money or they would cause trouble.” He nodded at the Kiowa, “I knew him from our time smuggling weed and meth to LA from Bakersfield, so I asked him for help.”
Jericho continued the story, “Troy and Sylvia had begun dating, and I saw an opportunity for all of us. Complex, yes, and the moves had to be made at the correct time, but we have now succeeded. Unfortunately it required some people to be taken out of the picture–”
“You mean murdered.”
Jericho continued as if I hadn’t spoken, “But it would also mean I could leave this country with enough money to live in luxury. After I had my revenge, of course.”
The Kiowa handed a piece of paper and a pen to Troy, “Get her to do it.”
Troy’s hand shook, but he took the paper and pen. He hesitated before holding it out to Bodhi. “You need to write a note saying the loss of your parents is too great, and you leave everything to me.”
“Let us go and I will. Every penny,” she said. Bodhi had some backbone.
The Kiowa slapped her. Bodhi’s knees buckled and she almost fell, but caught herself and regained her feet. Her eyes burned fever bright as she looked at him, and a reddening hand-sized imprint on her cheek showed in the moonlight.
Jericho said, “Write the note and we will consider it.”
“How can I trust you?”
“It is the only chance you have. Your note can save all of you.”
“But you said you wanted revenge on Ronny and Hondo.”
“We will beat them severely, but not kill them.”
Bodhi didn’t look at us as she started writing the note. The Kiowa smirked and looked at me.
I said to Moon, “Why all the messages in blood?”
“To throw off the police. This city still remembers Charles Manson. Because of our messages, they searched for a cult, and not for us.”
“The one message in the cave was there before you murdered anyone. The message in the cave that said, Manson is prophet. I’m guessing you copycatted off of that for your sick little plan.”
Moon didn’t seem angry as he said, “I wrote that when I first moved here. He is an inspirational man, and one I admire. We’ve corresponded for years.”
Hondo said, “How about I work it so you two can share a cell.”
One of the black men touched the barrel of his Uzi to the back of Hondo’s head and gave it a sharp push. He said, “I’ll do you right now, you disrespect Moon like that again.”
Jericho held up his hand to tell the man to stop. “I would like to spend time with Charles if he is ever released from his unjust sentence. I believe he has a great deal to teach someone who listens.”
Movement showed in the darkness behind him, and we watched the three young women, Moon’s Maidens, join us. They were high on something, and my guess was meth. They rubbed their noses, scratched their arms and their movements seemed jerky. They smiled at us, and the smiles were the kind you see in nightmares. The women moved to Moon and kissed him, then remained close enough to keep touching him. They all carried knives in their hands and the blades shone like ice.