Juan Luna walked to our table and I pushed out a chair for him. He said, “Where haf you guys bean?”
So we told him. He didn’t interrupt us, but I saw the story troubled him.
When we finished, Juan remained silent a moment, then said, “I have sorrows that I could not help you.”
“No way you could know.” Hondo said.
“Thees TJ, the giant black womans with esteel colored hairs… or I theenk she’s a woman, I see her before.”
I sat higher. “At your day labor camp?”
“No, where the weemens lived.”
“Doing what?”
“Talking to the Kiowa. I see them talking three, four times before, when I visit the weemens at the houses.”
Hondo said, “And the last time?”
“Here, near the pier. The day you leave to find Bodhi. I go to the office, but you and Hondo had left. ”
I said, “Where are you staying?”
“On the beach, or the street.”
Hondo said, “Come with us to the office. I’ll give you a key so you can come and go as you want. There’s a couch you can sleep on, too. Have you eaten?”
Juan shook his head.
I motioned to the friendly server, “We’ll get you something. Come on.”
Ten minutes later, the server delivered our sandwiches and Juan fell in with us. I whispered to Hondo, “Don’t you talk to me about rescuing abandoned puppies, you ol’ softie.”
Hondo grinned, “I guess you rubbed off on me.”
We entered our office and Hondo pulled the sandwiches and juice drinks from the bag, distributing them around the table. He gave the last, and fattest Panini to Juan. I said, “It’s all yours. Dig in.”
While he sipped his drink, I heard my phone ring, saw the name of the caller, and answered, “Ronny Baca, private investigator and future Oscar winner.”
Chapter 7
The phone remained silent for a few seconds, then David Shells, the Director on our new film made an effort to laugh and failed, “Ronny, we’re pushing up the shoot, and we need you and Hondo here to go over the scenes we’ll shoot tomorrow.”
?
??At your office?”
“Yes.
“We’re on our way.”
Juan said, ‘I go for a while to the day labor camp, to see my friends.”
“Be careful.”
Juan nodded and waved but didn’t stop eating as we left the office and drove to meet Shells.
We parked and walked to the door as Hondo said, “Shells called, rather than an Assistant Director?”