Faye Kellerman - Street Dreams

Pepe didn’t seem to notice. He was already unwrapping his hamburger. Before he made his escape, I grabbed his arm and glowered at him. “You say anything about this visit, I tell Angus. And don’t even think about leaving town. I got eyes in the back of my head. Comprende? ”

He regarded my face, then looked at my hand around his arm. Slowly, I let it go.

“ Pistola? ” Renaldes said. “ Este es un mundo muy peligroso. ”

That much I could understand. I said, “If it’s clean, you’ll get it back.” I slapped his cheek. “Stay out of trouble.”

We walked back to Dad’s Porsche. It felt wonderful to sit in a normal seat. I didn’t realize how raw and tender my back muscles had become by my contortions in the backseat. I gave my legs a long stretch.

I said, “Think Angus is reliable?”

“No,” Dad answered. “But we know where to find him if he isn’t. Where’s your car?”

“At home.”

Decker got back on the freeway. Within minutes, my eyelids closed. By the time we arrived at my apartment, I had napped over forty minutes. I woke up, tired and groggy.

“I’ll walk you to the door,” Decker told me.

“You don’t have to-”

But he was already out of the car. He opened my door, and I leaned on him as we climbed the stairs to my unit. Behind the wall, I could hear my phone ringing. I managed to unlock my door and grab the receiver before the caller hung up. Dad followed me inside.

“Where’ve you been?” the voice asked me.

Shit! It was Lieutenant Stone. I had forgotten to call in at noon. It was almost three.

“Sleeping.” It was the truth. “I’m so sorry, Lieutenant.”

“Stone?” my dad mouthed.

I nodded.

“Shit,” he mouthed back. “Sorry.”

I waved him off. “What’s up, sir? Any new gunshot-wound victims show up in any hospital since I left the station house?”

“Not yet.”

“Well, that’s good.”

“Decker, I just got the strangest call. Someone from Industry PD told me about a shot-up Nova about to be junked. They had heard from an anonymous tip that it was used in a cop pop.”

“Oh my God!” I didn’t have to pretend to be surprised. I was surprised. Angus had worked even quicker than promised. I made a mental note to fire off the money in today’s mail. “Is it true?”

“Brill’s going to Industry to check it out.” A long pause. “How do you think word got around that fast?”

I smiled. “Obviously, someone bragged.”

“And where were you all this time?”

“Sleeping.”

“Alone?”

“Yes, I was sleeping alone, but I wasn’t alone in the house. My father’s been with me the entire time. He took the day off because he knew I was rattled. He’s here now. Want to talk to him?” I called him to the phone in a loud voice, speaking with enough volume so that Stone could hear over the line. I told Dad that Industry PD had a fix on the car. He clapped his hands, gave me a thumbs-up sign.

He took the phone but held it open so I could hear Stone’s responses. Dad said, “You’ve got a location for the vehicle?”

“A possible location,” Stone answered. “You’ve been with her the entire time?”

“Yes, I have been with her the entire time.”

A long pause. “Doing what?”

“Mostly reading while she slept.” He glanced at one of my magazines-a subscription to Earth and Heaven that I acquired with odd-lot miles from Delta. He read from the cover article. “Did you know that the universe is expanding at roughly twice the rate than previously thought, according to the latest redshift data?”

“Very interesting, Pete,” Stone said. “Don’t you think the Nova just popping up like this is a big coincidence?”

Decker’s smile was slow and wide. “The world runs on coincidences, Mack. So does our business. Would you like to talk to Officer Decker again?”

“No need. Just tell her that if this tip pans out, I’ll need her for vehicle identification. Then we’ll have to clear her gun with a shooting team. Once we get the okay from them, she can report back for active duty. That’ll probably come through day after tomorrow, but when I say to call in at noon, I mean call in at noon.”

“Why are you castigating me? I’m not my daughter’s keeper.”

“I’m not castigating you, Pete; I’m asking you to pass along the message with feeling.”

“Got it.” Decker winked at me. “Thanks for everything, Mack. I’ll remember this.”

“Yeah.” A weary voice. “Fine. Bye.”

Dad hung up the line, then depressed the flash button. “Someone’s beeping in.” He handed me the phone.

“You tell me this morning you call by nine. That was six hours ago. I call you a dozen times. Where have you been?”

“I’m just fine, Koby. Thanks for asking.”

A pause. He said, “How are you?”

“Tired and nauseated. I’ve been out, but if anyone asks you, I’ve been home sleeping.”

Another pause. “Cynthia, what is going on? ”

“Nothing.” I softened my voice. “Really. I’m all right. How are you? ”

“I’m all right, now I know that you’re all right. I don’t know where you are. I was crazy with worry.”

So now you know what it’s like to wait and wonder. Of course, I didn’t say that. The poor man had been shot at, his car totaled and impounded. He was tired and grumpy and worried and without a set of wheels. It was not the time to make points. “I’m sorry I didn’t call. Honestly, I was preoccupied and forgot.”

“You forgot? ”

“Koby, my father’s here. He’s about to leave. Could you hold for a minute so I can say good-bye to him?”

Another exasperated sigh, but he said he’d hold. I put the receiver down and got up. I smiled at my father. “What can I say, Decker? Thanks a heap.”

“Anytime.”

Tears suddenly fell from my eyes and streamed down my cheeks. I hugged my father with profound gratitude that went way beyond this incident. “I love you.”

He hugged me back with equal enthusiasm. “I love you, too, Princess.”

I finally broke away. Or maybe he broke away. He said, “I’ll let myself out.”

“No, I’ll walk you to the door.” I whispered, “He can wait.”

Dad’s smile was immediate and conspiratorial. As soon as I closed the door and locked it, I plopped down on the couch, phone in hand. “I’m back. Where are you now?”

“At work.”

“You found a car?”

“Marnie picked me up.”

“ Marnie? ”

“Yes, Marnie. When can we see each other?”

“I guess soon, or Marnie will move in on my territory.”

“ Stop it, Cynthia! I’m in no mood. She’s engaged to a very nice doctor and it is you who have the key to my house.”

I didn’t answer right away, waiting for him to apologize for snapping at me. He didn’t. So I said, “I’m sorry. The humor is defensive. I’m still shaken. I’m sure you are as well.”

A loud sigh. “I’m sorry, too. I just want to hear your voice, that’s all.”

“Well, here I am.”

“ Baruch Hashem! ” There was a long silence over the phone. “I ache for you. Please. When can we see each other?”

“You tell me.”

“Can you come pick me up after work?”

“Of course, Koby. What time?”

“Eleven.”

“I’ll be there unless I have to do vehicle identification.” I apprised him of the situation.

“That’s incredible!” His voice turned bright. “That is so lucky.”

“Yes, it is very lucky,” I told him.

I smiled to myself.

Sometimes you make your own luck.