Poor Cathy Vega. It sounded like more outcall stuff. Had she believed it? I might never know when Cathy had made the decision to steal the money, but because I had come to like her, I hoped it was from the first moment, that she had been smarter than I and had never believed any of Monica Fulbright’s pandering.

“Why’d you finally call me today?” I demanded.

Monica Fullbright placed her hand tentatively and beseechingly on my shoulder, apparently deciding this was a better tack than trying to strongarm me.

I hate to be touched.

“Yesterday I got home and somebody’d ripped my place up,” she said. “How did anyone find out about me? Who could Cathy have told? It must have been the dealers from Mexico. It was all weird and Manson family stuff written on the walls....” Her voice trailed off and she seemed suddenly ashamed of her attempt to manipulate me, because she dropped her hand from my shoulder.

“What did it say?” I pretended not to know anything about the ransacked apartment.

She shrugged. “It was in a foreign language.”

“If you had control over Cathy, why would she tell them about you?” I challenged.

“Maybe the dealers, they tortured her.”

I’d let Monica Fullbright keep thinking that. Maybe it would keep her in line. I knew there weren’t any dealers. Cathy had gone to Mexico, but she hadn’t scored. She had most probably handed the money over to someone there who would buy guns for Guatemala. Then Cathy got scared at the border and it had to do with the Cuban. Later, back in LA, he had lured her to her death, I speculated. Armando Diaz must also have been the one who rampaged through Monica’s apartment, but was it for vengeance or to throw suspicion on Casa Guatemala for Cathy’s death? Did Monica know about Armando Diaz’s involvement with Cathy?

“Cathy ever tell you about any of her friends? Meet any of them?” I asked. Rudy had told me Monica knew Armando Diaz, but did she know of Cathy’s involvement with him?

She shook her head. “It was just a deal, understand?”

“Noticed anyone following you?”

“No! I looked. I kept my eyes open because I was jumpy as a cat when Cathy didn’t show up when she was supposed to. Then, after you showed me those photos, I haven’t been able to sleep. You think someone’s following me?”

To keep her worried, I nodded but didn’t say anything.

“Do you need more money?” she asked excitedly. “I’ll get more! I’ll pay you more.”

“You don’t have enough money for what you’ve put me through. You’re on your own.” I started the motor.

“Wait, wait!” she exclaimed, clutching at my arm again.