“I thought you said he didn’t have it.”
“He didn’t think he did, that’s what I meant,” she said. “I didn’t tell him what it was or anything. It was just in a whole bunch of papers I left with him for safekeeping.”
Selena came with the beers and a basket of white bread.
When she was gone I asked Elana, “Why didn’t you keep the money with you?”
“Not money,” she corrected, “a bond. After Leon got sent to jail I was having trouble making my rent, and I didn’t wanna take a chance and lose it if the landlord changed the locks and took my stuff.”
“But couldn’t Grove go through your papers, find the bond, and cash it in?” I asked reasonably.
“No,” she said as if talking to a fool. “It was made out to Mr. Tannenbaum. Only he could cash it. That way everybody was covered. I couldn’t get the money and neither could Leon if he got out before Sol. He didn’t though. Leon told me that Sol got out on good behavior last week.”
“So you think Reverend Grove went to this Sol guy an’ got him to sign over the bond?” I asked her.
“No,” she replied, looking down into her beer.
“Why not?”
“ ’Cause William don’t know he got the bond.”
I knew she was lying. Why would she tell me the truth?
“Why didn’t you go to find Grove yourself?” I asked. “And take the bond to Sol for him to sign it?”
“I didn’t even know that he was out of jail,” she said. “And even if I did, he would’a been a fool to sign it without Leon’s say-so.”
“There’s something else I don’t understand. You said that Leon was in for armed robbery and attempted murder. How’s he gonna get out anytime before twenty years?”
“Leon had a bad lawyer. He was sure that if he got a new trial he could beat the charges.”
“So now you sayin’ he didn’t do the robbery?”
“He did it all right, it’s just that they didn’t have no evidence.”
“Uh-huh. And the bond was gonna pay for the new lawyer?” I was trying to make some kind of sense out of her story, but it wasn’t easy.
“Yeah. Leon told me that he told his lawyer that he could pay him a thousand dollars when he got out. He was gonna use the bond for that.”
“And now he needs the money to pay his lawyer?” I asked.
Elana nodded. “Otherwise the lawyer’ll drop the case an’ he’s back in jail.”
“I’m sorry, honey, but your story still don’t add up,” I said. “Here you tell me that you’re close enough to Reverend Grove for him to store your things, but you don’t even know his church’s address.”
“I knew where Messenger was” — there was acid on her tongue now — “I knew that William had cleared out too. But I needed to get away from Leon. The church store was padlocked, so I told him that your place was the church office. That way I could leave him outside and get away through the back.”
“Why wouldn’t he just come in with you?”
“Because he’s out on bail waitin’ for his new trial and he don’t wanna get that revoked.”
“Out on bail?” I said. “How much was that?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t go to the hearin’. All I know is that the judge turned over his conviction and set bail. I told him that the people in the church would call the police if he caused trouble. He said he’d wait ten minutes, but I guess he didn’t trust me.”
“No kiddin’? So all that shit you said about lookin’ for Grove, that was just actin’?” As I said the words I realized that I was no more a match for Elana Love than I had been for her boyfriend.
“Maybe I already knew the church was gone, but I really was scared. You saw Leon. You can’t blame me for tryin’ to get away.”
“Here you are, hun.” Selena appeared with our soup and antipasto on a wide, cork-lined tray. She set the plates out in front of us and stared admiringly at Elana. “You’re a beauty.”
“Thank you,” the siren said.
