Havana Bay

illustrated romance up a ladder to the roof. Her knees looked scuffed and her curly mass of hair was misshapen, lumped to one side.

As Ofelia came up the ladder Teresa squinted down.» You have the swimsuit?'

'I'll show you.'

'Don't I know you from the marina? The Malecon?'

Ofelia waited until she reached the roof before she lifted her glasses.» The Casa de Amor.'

The scales fell from Teresa's eyes. She looked Ofelia up and down and tabulated the slim shoes, white rubbery pants, white top, wide Armani dark glasses. She herself was in the same bedraggled outfit she had been wearing when Ofelia arrested her.» Puta, look at you. I don't think you dress like that on a detective's salary, no, no, no. I'm not blind. I know competition when I see it. That's why you're always after me.'

Ofelia's first impulse was to say, 'Stupida, there are a thousand girls just like you in Havana.' She looked down to roofs that spread to the sea, clotheslines bright as paper cutouts. Sparrows scattered by a peregrine. The pursuit swirled around the capital dome and to the trees of the Prado. Winter was hawk season in Havana. Instead she said, 'Sorry.'

'Fuck your 'sorry.' There's no QVC swimsuit, is there?'

'No.'

'This is funny. I lost my German. I lost my money. You put me on a list of whores. I can't go back to Ciego de Avila because my family is depending on me to stay here and send them money, otherwise I would be in a fucking school, like you say. And now that you have fucked with my life you're ajinetera, too? That's funny.'

'You're not on the list.'

'I'm not on the list?'

'Not on the list. I only said that to scare you.'

'Because we're competition.'

'You're a smart girl.'

'Fuck off.' Teresa's nose ran, making a wet smear of her upper lip.

'Teresa-'

'Leave me alone. Go the fuck away.'

Ofelia couldn't go away. Luna had gone insane at the sight of Arkady at the Centra Russo-Cubano, but the sergeant had only stuffed her in the car trunk when cutting her throat would have been as easy. Why?

'Sit down.'

'Fuck away.'

'Sit down.' Ofelia pressed Teresa down onto the chair and moved behind her.» Stay there.'

Teresa's eyes rolled back to follow.» What are you doing?'

'Be still.' Ofelia reached into her bag for her new brush and comb and pulled back the black excelsior of Teresa's hair.» Just sit.'

Waves, curls and spit curls close to the scalp and tight as springs would have daunted Ofelia if Muriel's hair weren't almost as thick. One pull wouldn't do, she had to firmly feather the hair out, work it loose, put some shape back into it.

'You have to take care of yourself, chica.'

To begin with, Teresa submitted with silent grimness, but after a minute her neck started to roll with the strokes. Hair like this warmed up with brushing, especially on a hot day, polished up like silver with a little attention. As Ofelia lifted the hair from the nape of the neck she could feel Teresa soften to the touch. Fourteen years old? Alone for two days? Frightened for her life? Even a stray cat needed to be petted.

'I wish I had hair like this. I wouldn't need a pillow.'

'Everyone says that,' Teresa murmured.

'That's looking better.'

As Teresa relaxed, though, her shoulders began to shake. She turned to Ofelia and revealed her whole face wet with tears.

'Now my face is a mess.'

'I'll cheer you up.' Ofelia put the brush into her bag.» Let me show you what else I have.'

'The stupid swimsuit?'

'Better than a swimsuit.'

'A condom?'

'No, better than that.' Ofelia brought out the Mak-arov 9-mm pistol and let Teresa hold it.

'Heavy.'

'Yes.' Ofelia took the Makarov back.» I think all women should be issued guns. No men, just women.'

'I bet Hedy wished she had something like this. You know my friend Hedy?'

'I'm the one who found her.'

'Cono,' Teresa said more in awe.

When Ofelia put the gun away, she stayed kneeling and lowered her voice as if they didn't have the whole skyline of Havana to themselves.» I know you're afraid the same thing is going to happen to you, but I can stop them. You have an idea who did it or you wouldn't be hiding, no? The question is, who are you hiding from?'

'You really are police?'

'Yes. And I don't want to find you like I found Hedy.' Ofelia let the girl contemplate that for a moment.» What happened to her protection?'

'I don't know.'

'The man who protects you and Hedy, what's his name?'

'I can't say.'

'You can't because he's in Minint and you think this will get back to him. If I get to him first, then you'd be able to leave this roof.'

Teresa folded her arms and shivered in spite of the heat.» I didn't really think some turista was going to come here and marry me. Why would he want to take home some ignorant black girl? Everyone would make fun of him. 'Hey, Herman, you didn't have to marry your whore.' I'm not stupid.'

'I know.'

'Hedy was really nice.'

'You know, I think I can still help you. You don't have to say his name. I'll say his name.'

'I don't know.'

'Luna. Sergeant Facundo Luna.'

'I didn't say that.'

'You didn't, I did.'

Teresa looked away, as far as the angels that balanced on the theater. A breeze lifted her hair the same as it seemed to do to the angels'.

'He gets so mad.'

'He has a temper, I know. But maybe I can tell you something that can help. Did you sleep with him?' When Teresa hesitated Ofelia said, 'Look me in the eyes.'

'Okay, once. But Hedy was his girl.'

'When you slept with him-'

'No details.'

'One detail. Did he keep his drawers on?'

Teresa giggled, the first light moment since Ofelia had found her.» Yes.'

'Did he say why?'

'He said he just did.'

'All the way through?'

'The whole time.'

'Never took them off?'

'Not around me.'