"Okay, mister, but hurry, okay?"
Stone got out of the cab, let himself through the chain-link front gate, and approached the house.
Cordova watched him come, curious at first, until he recognized Stone. "Hey, Mr. Lawyer," he said, raising the quart in salute. "You back to see me again?"
Stone pulled up a rickety porch chair and sat down. "Yes, Felipe, and I've brought good news."
"I always like good news," Felipe replied happily.
"The police are no longer looking for you," Stone said.
"Hey, that is good news."
"But you and I have a little official business."
"Cordova's eyes narrowed. Official?"
"Nothing to worry about," Stone said, taking the subpoena from his pocket and handing it to the man. "I just need you to testify in court."
Cordova examined the document. "The day after tomorrow?"
"That's right. Ten A.M.; the address is there." He pointed.
"What's this about?"
"I just want you to answer the same questions I asked you in Mexico. And I want the same answers."
"How much do I get paid?"
"That's the bad news, Felipe; I can't pay a witness. That could get us both put in jail."
Cordova frowned. "I'm going to have expenses, man."
"You can send a bill for your expenses, your reasonable expenses, like cab fare and lunch, to this lawyer." He handed Cordova Marc Blumberg's card. "See that it doesn't come to more than a hundred bucks."
"Suppose I don't want to testify?"
"Then, the police will be looking for you, and if you leave the country, you won't be able to come back. The border patrol will have you in their computer, and you don't want that, do you?"
Cordova shook his head.
"Relax, Felipe; there's nothing to this. When you get to the courthouse, you sit on a bench outside the courtroom until you're called, and then you take the stand, swear the oath on the bible, and you answer questions."
"Just like on Perry Mason?"
"Just like that, except on Perry Mason, the witness is always the murderer. We know you're not the murderer; we just want you to tell about the woman you saw in the house, the one in the terry cloth bathrobe."
"Oh, yeah."
Stone stood up. "Be sure you remember that word, Felipe: terry-cloth. I'll see you there at ten A.M. the day after tomorrow, and remember, that document means you have to testily or be arrested. You understand?"
Cordova nodded.
Stone patted him on the back and went back to his cab. "Okay," he said, "back to Centurion Studios." He took out his cellphone and called Marc Blumberg. "He's been served."
"You think he'll show, or should I send somebody out there?"
"He'll show."