“What? What are you talking about?”
“Dude, she came up in here, like oh, I want you, baby, trying to get with this. You know how them girls are. They let you do anything for them so long as you break out with them.” He clicked his tongue. “I told her to kick rocks, and she started screaming, saying how she thought I wanted her. It was pathetic.”
“Tony, don’t give me that crap. What happened?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Listen, you only have five customers, and not one of them calls you like I do. I pay for that nasty house of yours, and all the drugs you could want. Now tell me where she is.”
“Dude, I don’t know,” he said. “She didn’t give me her address.”
“What happened?”
“Just what I told you. I ain’t gonna lie to you.”
“No, you won’t, because I will come down there. Now this is your last chance. Tell me the truth.”
“I tried to send her to another client, but she didn’t want to go with nobody else. She freaked out on me and kicked me off my chair. Then she quit.”
“Did you hit on her?”
“I don’t do none of that.”
“I want to make something very clear to you, you pathetic excuse for a human being. You stay away from her, you understand?”
“Hey,” he squealed. “I don’t want no trouble.”
“Good.” I hung up and called Mercedes again. No answer. “Dammit.”
I punched the wheel and started the car. I flew through midday traffic without a care, toward th
e freeway and back home. I had to change.
I took out my phone when I got close to the house and punched in a number.
“Nicos,” a deep voice answered. “Try our new nachos, get a free churro.”
“They making you say that crap, Larry?”
“Yeah, you know. What’s going on? I know you don’t need a taco.”
“Actually, I was wondering if you’d like to have a drink with me tonight at my place. What time are you off?”
“Now, if you want,” he said. “Is there anything you need before I get there?”
“No.”
I hung up and raced through the hills back home. When I got there, I ran up to my room to throw on a suit and take a shower. I had the kitchen staff ready a table out on the veranda and a bottle of wine with a cigar.
Everything was set up when Larry pulled up.
The sun was setting, staining the trees at the far edge of the property a midnight black, set against the orange skyline. I sat facing the back door, waiting. He was big, wearing a black pinstriped suit and a diamond earring. He wasn’t the kind of guy I normally dealt with. There was a raw edge to him. His eyebrows had lines shaved on the sides, and he had a line of facial hair trailing down his jawline.
“It’s been a while, Jake,” he said.
“It’s been busy,” I said. “Please, have a seat.”
He sat down across from me, and I poured him a glass of wine.