Blood Orchid (Holly Barker 3)

Pedro’s face became expressionless. “How?”

“Someone shot him in the head and threw his body into the Indian River, in my jurisdiction.”

To Holly’s astonishment, Pedro began to cry. She said nothing, just waited for him to get control of himself.

Finally, he did. “Who did this?” Pedro asked, wiping his face with a handkerchief.

“I was hoping you might be able to help me find out. What was Carlos into?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Pedro replied.

“Did Carlos have knowledge of burglar-alarm systems?”

“It’s a good part of what we do here,” Pedro said. “Carlos was a lot better at it than I am. I tend to stay in the shop.”

Holly nodded. “I have reason to believe that Carlos broke into a house in my jurisdiction. Repeatedly.”

“Carlos was no burglar.”

“Then what was he, Pedro? You must have known him as well as anybody. What was he into?”

Pedro stared at her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, then stood up. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I’d appreciate it if you’d go, now. I have to open the shop.”

“Your cousin and partner is dead, and you’re going to reopen the shop?”

“I have to make a living,” he said. “How do I claim Carlos’s body?”

Holly gave him her card and wrote the ME’s number on the back. “Have your funeral parlor call this number. I’ll see that the body is released tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” he said, leading the way to the front door. He opened it for her and stood aside to let her leave.

Holly held up the photograph again. “I’m going to have to tell her about Carlos,” she said.

“I’ll take care of that,” Pedro replied.

“I’m going to have to talk to her,” Holly said firmly.

Pedro was just as firm. “I’ll give her your number,” he said. “She can call you in a few days, when we’re past this a little.”

“Something else, Pedro,” she said. “Where were you the night before last?”

“I closed the shop at six o’clock, then I picked up my wife and kids and we went to a wedding. There were more than a hundred people there.”

Holly nodded. “Pedro, there’s going to come a moment when you realize that if you want to find out who murdered Carlos, you’ll need to talk to me. When that happens, call me.”

He said nothing, just closed the door behind her.

Holly left, but she wasn’t through with Pedro Alvarez.

24

Holly got back onto the interstate and headed north. At seventy miles per hour she put the car on cruise control and called Harry Crisp.

“Hey there, Holly, how are you?”

“I’m real good, Harry, and I could use your help.”

“Shoot.”