You know Lou. If I tell him, he'll jump in Marx's face.

Uh-huh.

I have to keep him as far from Marx as I can, but I can't drop this thing now and walk away.

I glanced at Pike, but Pike was impenetrable.

You understand what I'm talking about?

I understand.

If Marx is so worried about something he's willing to threaten Lou, if I can find that something then I take away his power to threaten.

Pike nodded.

Do you think I should tell Lou anyway?

No.

Let him decide for himself?

Telling him takes the responsibility off you and puts it on him. But you already know that.

Yes, I know. I've been thinking about it.

You're going to move forward anyway. We always drive forward.

That's right.

Pike watched me for a while through the quiet dark glasses, then squeezed my trapezius muscle.

Lou wouldn't want you to stop. He would think less of you if you did.

I nodded. Sometimes it helps to hear it.

Pike said, What do you want me to do?

You're doing it.

We cooked, and drank more beer, and ate in silence as we watched an ESPN sports recap. Sometime after Pike left, the coyotes began to sing.

I was getting ready for bed when I remembered Pat Kyle. Angel's agent would be questioned the next day. He would almost certainly tell the police Pat had been looking for Tomaso, after which the police would call her. Crimmens would likely be the caller. I didn't like calling so late and didn't want to tell her this would be waiting for her tomorrow, and I didn't like knowing my call would upset her and cost her a miserable night. I didn't want to call, but I did. She needed to hear it from me so she would be prepared. Pat Kyle was my friend. You have to take care of your friends.

Chapter 25

JOE'S SUGGESTION that someone had been watching Angel Tomaso's guesthouse left me with a wakeful paranoia the rest of the night. An opossum foraging on the deck became a home invasion crew. The soft clicking of the cat door was a lip gloss tube being readied to write. I loved u. I locked the doors and windows before shutting off the lights, but woke to check them twice, as if I had only imagined locking them in an earlier dream. The second time up I carried the Dan Wesson, but told myself I was being silly. I covered my head with a pillow. The ostrich approach.

Abbot Montoya phoned at twenty minutes after eight the next morning to tell me the meeting with Councilman Maldenado had been arranged. Maldenado would see me at ten and offer every assistance. Frank Garcia assured it. By eight forty-five, I was showered, dressed, and eating scrambled eggs with cilantro when the doorbell rang. It rang three fast times before I reached the door and found Alan Levy. Levy had never been to my home or my office. Outside of the six or eight times we met when I worked for him, I had never seen him anyplace other than his office or court.