“Later! That’s when the freaks come out. I only do commuters.”

“I wouldn’t have called you unless I had to.”

There was a brief silence. “What’s this about?”

The pay phone was just outside the door to Division 20. A young chicana, twenty or twenty-one, with a black eye, came out of the courtroom crying. She’d probably been there to see a boyfriend who had battered her while he was drunk. A pimp wearing yellow shoes and a black linen suit lit a clove cigarette and looked impatiently at his fake Rolex. I drew closer to the phone. “I met some people I think Cathy Vega was involved with. I have to find out what they know about her.”

“¡Hijo! You insist on playing detective. Don’t you think you’re being excessively macho about this?”

I gave her the address, which I read from the flier. “Lupe, when we get there, pretend like you don’t know me. And wear some regular clothes.”

She slammed down the phone. The dial tone was a sad sound.

Things were at a standstill in Division 39. I wanted to sit down. My ribs hurt. I took out my old Elizabeth Arden compact (the choice of Southern girls everywhere) and powdered my face again. The judge was back in chambers yakking about golf with a couple of his cronies. The bailiff leaned back in her chair painting her nails a toxic vermillion. There were two missouts who were coming in on the noon bus, but some other scavenger had already arranged to pick up their cases. Who was I trying to kid? Trying to work was a dodge I was using. I knew that. I had to get off my butt and find Monica Fullbright. Not only was I worried about her, I was shook up about Lupe, about her g-string panties, about her kiss, about even the way she had of looking at me.

It was time to drive back to Culver City to look for Monica Fullbright. Heading past the plaza at Olvera Street, I saw the adobe church and many Latinos lining up to go in. I glanced at my watch; a little after two. Surely not time for mass. Then I remembered I’d heard they had a free immigration counseling service. That made me think of Carmen Luzano. Everything made me think of Carmen Luzano. Was there a real Carmen Luzano, or was she solely the invention of Monica Fullbright?