S O I KNEW NOTHING about world affairs. We all knew that Cubans living in South Florida had a strong lobby. And we all knew that when Castro finally abdicated the throne it could be a boon to all of us who were within a stone’s throw of the island. James and I had even discussed a restaurant in Havana. We were stoned or drunk at the time, but I remember talking about it. But now I’d been briefed by a genuine Caribbean, a Bahamian, someone who understood the politics of the region and I realized I didn’t know what I thought I knew. It had never affected my life before. Now, I wondered if it could affect my death.
The Lexus veered to the right and took an exit into downtown Miami. Angel smoothly followed, winding past palms and brush, and turning under the highway. There was no reason for the two men in the Lexus to be concerned. Three other vehicles pulled off at the same time.
“Do you know the area?” James obviously didn’t.
Angel’s face was grim. “Industrial. About twelve blocks up is the Miami River. Shipping, warehousing.”
We could see the car leading us in the next block. Now there was just the Jeep and the Lexus. We drove by boarded-up buildings and a commercial dry cleaning establishment. At this hour of the night there wasn’t much happening. Angel turned right and the Lexus went straight.
“Whoa!” James shouted from the backseat. “Angel, man, he’s going the other way.”
“I’m going to go up one block, then cut back in. Just in case he noticed us following him.”
I looked at the black guy with admiration. “You have done this before, haven’t you?”
He gave me a little smile. One block up he cut left to the main road, then right. Now the white car was two blocks up, but well in sight.
James clapped his hands. “Bravo, Mario Andretti. Your driving skills are to be admired.”
The buildings were now all concrete block or vinyl and metal siding. I could make out cranes and heavy construction equipment for almost an entire block, and I could smell the water. An iodine, rotting seaweed, and decaying fish odor mixed with an oily smell, the kind you associate with diesel engines.
We drove three more blocks and I could see the end of the street. The Lexus’s headlights bounced off a metal guardrail with diagonal red-striped tape and Angel pulled over and killed the lights.
“Too close. We’ll see if he goes right or left, then we’ll pick him up.”
He turned right.
The taillights had just cleared the corner when Angel pulled out from the curb. He flipped on the lights and raced to the dead end. As he eased out, we all three peered down the side street that ran along the water to the right. There was absolutely no sign of the Lexus.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
A NGEL INCHED DOWN THE STREET as we stared into the gloom, watching for driveways, entrances, or side streets. There was no Lexus in sight. Glancing to the left I saw the river, lights from the highway that ran above casting shimmering yellow and white snakes on the inky black surface. We could make out crumbling concrete curbs and a one-story stucco building with piles of weathered wooden lobster traps stacked next to it. On a warped piece of plywood someone had painted Miami River Lobster and Stone Crab. Dark clouds covered the moon and stars, and the entire atmosphere was claustrophobic.
“Maybe he noticed us and pulled off up ahead.” James was concerned.
“And maybe going down this street, we’re driving into an ambush.” Now there was something I never thought I’d say.
“Gentlemen, be patient. I feel certain the two men had no idea they were being followed. And I feel confident that if they’re here, we’ll find them.”
We were quiet, creeping through the deserted neighborhood, watching for some sign of activity. The moon broke through for a moment and I could see an old rusted fishing trawler rolling with the current. The Peggy Anne. Ghostly, gutted buildings on sagging frames threatened to collapse into the river at any moment, and dark shadows played along the bank.
Five minutes at ten miles an hour and we were beyond the warehouse district. It was obvious we’d lost them.
“Man, it would have been a great break.”
“James, think about it. The last time we staked out a building we were warned. Now we know these guys play rough.”
“I know, amigo, but remember, Angel brought the complete package.”
“Jesus, let’s not get into shooting people again. All we want to do is find Vic, report the story, and go home.”
Angel pulled into a drive, turned around, and we headed back the opposite way. “This Vic? He was a childhood friend?”
“Sort of. We didn’t know him that well. He was the kind of kid everybody looked up to. President of student council, big shot football player, good student, and looks to kill. His dad is Rick Fuentes.”
James chimed in. “You left out the part about his girlfriend. And the fact that he apparently is responsible for you being alive today.”
I ignored part of the sentence. “Vic dated Emily when we were in school. For a very short time, I might add.”
“And,” James continued, “we’re hoping he wasn’t killed in that fire.”
We drove slowly down the street, still not believing that we’d lost them. Their car was going to pull out onto the street at any second.
It didn’t happen. Angel kept it slow. The occasional halogen lamp spilled light into a deserted parking lot outside a small factory or warehouse, and then we were back to the street we had driven in on.
“We can go back to Carol City and admit defeat. We can go back and hope that the Cubans will leave us alone, and maybe they will.” Angel took a deep breath. “Or we can try one more time.”
“What are we going to see that we haven’t seen?”
“Probably nothing. But we can try.”
“Nah. We lost them, Angel.” James figured we’d given it a shot.
Angel spun the Jeep around and headed back down the street one more time. No Lexus.
“Give it up, man.” I was tired, and it wasn’t going to be a good idea to take tomorrow off from work. I’d already blown off several appointments and an entire day. The only good thing about my job was that losing it wasn’t the end of the world. And I was afraid it would come to that.
Angel picked up the speed and we headed back the other way. Forty minutes later or less we’d be back at the apartment. I wondered if Em could sleep. She had to be thinking about the baby, and when things bothered her, they really bothered her.
“Angel,” James called from the backseat. “Stop. Back up. About three properties.”
Angel put it in reverse and eased it back.
“Slow down. Right here.”
Absolutely no Lexus.
“Look down between the two buildings.”
The two low-roofed buildings were blue corrugated metal, and a dim floodlight mounted on a pole highlighted a small parking area. Between the two buildings I could barely make out a forklift. “James, there’s no Lexus.”
“Angel, do me a favor. Stop right here and kill the lights.”
Angel pulled into a gravel parking lot and shut the engine off.
“Let’s walk up there. Just humor me.”
We walked slowly, no traffic or people in sight, just dim shadows.
“What the hell did you see?” I couldn’t see anything.
“Up ahead.”
Angel looked back over his shoulder. The Jeep almost disappeared in the dark.
“I thought I saw movement. Honest to God. Like someone going between buildings. I figured if there are
