"He says it's a waste of time and money, she doesn't care about him, all she wants is the money, all she does is sit there while he reads and writes, then she gives him extra homework that no way he's going to do." Mendoza's eyes shot to the sky.

I said, "Anything else about her bother him?"

"Not really." He gripped his cup with both hands, dented the cardboard.

"What is it, Mr. Mendoza?"

"Look," he said, "Martin can think things that are wrong. Like one time, he knew one of Gisella's friends was interested in him. But she wasn't. Gisella told him, they had a fight."

"Martin thought something about Ms. Freeman that you don't think was true."

"He said she touched him too much. Nothing sexy, his arm, his hand. I say what's the big deal, she's friendly. He says, what the hell, Papi, does touching have to do with English? I say you're making a big deal, she's there to help you."

I said, "Ms. Freeman tutored English and history. What about Martin's science and math grades?"

"In science--biology--he's better, got the B's. He hates writing, said Ms. Freeman figured that out and that's why she gave him extra writing. I say she's trying to fix what you need to be fixed."

"Then he walked out."

"You got it," said Mendoza. "He's a good boy, please don't think he did anything. The whole thing with her--Ms. Freeman--it's no big deal, he went three times, maybe four. Martin's a good boy, he has a lot of pressure, maybe I did the wrong thing by putting him in Prep, my wife says I did."

Split second of reflection. "But no, I don't think so, you need a challenge, without a challenge, you dress up in a bow tie and serve rich people who look at you like you're a piece of furniture. Now I have to go, please don't say a little more, Emilio. I have to go."

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER
22

Mendoza's white Hyundai rolled down to PCH.

Milo said, "He started off protective but ended up giving up info. Way I see it, one of two things happened: Elise came on to Martin and it creeped him out. She got pissed at being rejected, he got pissed that she was pissed, it escalated and Martin bore a grudge. Or he succumbed to her charms but she made him feel inadequate. Or played around with him and rejected him later."

"There's a third possibility: He had nothing to do with killing her."

"He rabbited, Alex. That's his pattern, when the tension piles up, he leaves."

"Like you said, a teen with a short fuse still doesn't sync with the planning that went into the murder and nothing Martin's father told us depicts Martin as a good planner. Just the opposite, he's impulsive."