“Then hop in and let’s go for a ride up the coast.”
Frowning, she hesitated, backing from the car.
“Come on, my tarot reading this morning said I’m ’sposed to get everything I desire today. You wouldn’t want to defy fate, would you?”
“Hmmm… tarot cards. I’m not even convinced you believe in that sort of thing. Sounds like a line to me.”
“Are you kidding? I majored in magic.” He slid down into the seat, a smile on his face. “Come on, it’s just a drive.”
Qui came around the car to the driver’s side, leaned in close to him, and in a sultry Lauren Bacall imitation said, “Sure…you got me, but only if I can drive.”
Pretending annoyance, he awkwardly inched over the gearshift and into the passenger seat. “Ahhh…all right, if it makes you happy.”
She slipped in behind the wheel, shooed his hand from the gearshift and said, “It’s nice to meet a man capable of giving me what I want-even if it is just to humor me.”
“Hey, I want the wheel back sometime. This is temporary.”
She pulled away in a rain of pebbles. They sped down the coast without speaking, enjoying the wind, the freedom, and the car.
“I like it, JZ, being given what I want, treated well. I don’t always get that. But I have to tell you, I’m skeptical.”
He sat up straight at this. “Skeptical?”
“Come on, stumbling on me out at my favorite getaway? Did Liliana put you up to this? You can tell me the truth.”
“Do you always suspect ulterior motives and conspiracies?”
“Hey, I know how Liliana thinks.”
“She thinks we’re good together, but she didn’t have anything to do with this coincidence.”
“As for being paranoid, I’m a cop. Whataya expect?”
“But you can’t be a cop twenty-four seven, nobody can.”
“I’m not! You saw me at the Palacio.”
“Yes, we had a great time at the Varelas too.”
“Yes, we did, didn’t we.” Secretly, she enjoyed their banter but feared it might lead to a repeat of the night before when she’d had to reject his advances. “Liliana’s never liked my boyfriend, and she’s always trying to set me up with someone she approves of.”
“Ahhh, so you think Liliana approves of me?”
“She likes you a lot. That was apparent last-”
Qui’s phone rang. She hesitated, slowing the car, unsure whether she wanted to answer or not.
JZ moaned. “Oh shit. Is that mine?”
“No…wish it were. It’s mine,” she countered, taking the call.
JZ only half heard the voice coming in, but it sounded vaguely familiar.
Qui erupted, “Oh, my God, no!” Her face had turned white, and JZ noticed her single-handed death grip on the steering wheel. “Where? When?”
JZ became agitated alongside her, curious. What was she hearing?
“I’m on my way.” She dropped the phone into her purse. “That was Lieutenant Pena.” Tears welled up in Qui’s eyes.
“What’s happened?”
“It’s Montoya, my boyfriend…he’s dead. Another death.”
“Another death?”
“Three on Friday…and now my…my boyfriend.”
“Wait a minute. Three on Friday? Would that be my missing Americans?”
“Yes…maybe…I don’t know…likely…God, Montoya dead? How can it be? I just saw him yesterday.” She ran the car onto the shoulder.
“Stop the car,” he insisted. “Let me drive.”
She pulled over, relenting. They changed places and again sped away.
“Get me back to my car,” she muttered.
“No, you’re in no shape to drive, and besides, I can get you there safely. Let me do this for you.”
She swallowed hard, realizing JZ was right. This was one time she needed to relinquish control.
20
Every cop’s nightmare is walking into a crime scene where a loved one lays waiting, dead, but this proved beyond anything anyone on the force could have ever imagined. Due to the horror of the scene, Jorge Pena, first detective on site, stood like a gatekeeper, preventing Qui and JZ from entering the death room. “What’s this American doing here?” he demanded of Qui.
“He’s with me. I asked him here.”
“This is official police business, Mr. Zayas. You’ll have to wait outside. In fact, take Detective Aguilera with you. My calling her was a mistake.”
“But I’m here now, so get out of my way, Pena.”
Pena muttered, “Damn it…I shoulda waited ’til this was cleaned up.” Turning to Qui, he continued, “You don’t want to see this. Believe me.” He remained a veritable wall to her progress. “Zayas, take her out. Now!”
“Outta my way, dammit.”
Smelling blood in the air, and sensing this was one colleague trying to protect another, JZ placed a hand on her shoulder and suggested, “Perhaps Pena’s right.”
She shrugged away from JZ’s touch and began shoving Pena.
Grabbing her more roughly than intended, Pena said, “Qui, for once, trust me! You don’t wanna remember Estaban this way.”
“Let me go!” She struggled to free herself from Pena, but he held firm.
Looking over her shoulder at Zayas, Pena repeated, “Get her out of here!” Then Pena froze, a sharp pain in his gut made him look down. It was that damned blue gun of hers.
Seething with anger, she hissed, “For the last time, move!”
He immediately stepped aside, no longer barring her entrance.
Unable to see the weapon, JZ was unaware of the unfolding drama between the two. When Pena stepped aside, JZ saw the horrifying scene at the same moment Qui did. Appalled, he could only imagine Qui’s shock.
Qui, having taken a step into the bedroom, sank to the floor. Her mind recoiled from the gruesome sight.
Dead prostitute.
Bloody foam around mouth.
Scarlet dog choker.
Straps connected to chains over the canopy.
Montoya hanging lifeless.
All against the black satin bed sheets she’d given him on his birthday.
The blood-red choker made it look like his throat’d been cut, but the twisted, awkward angle of the neck said otherwise. A broken neck. She saw the evidence of it. He was on his knees, hands tied to heels by a network of chains and pulleys-items she’d never seen in Estaban’s possession. So out of character for the man she knew. His body arched in a pained C where his knees bent, toes touching a broken down bed. It appeared that the bed had caved in, snapping his neck and instantly killing him. Her only solace came in that he’d died without suffering. Still, the entire scenario rang false, impossible in fact.
Montoya was murdered.
Pena lifted her gun off the floor, automatically checking the weapon. “The damn safety was on. I fell for her
