As You Look Page 4

  “It was awful,” he said now. “It was exactly that same feeling I had way back then. My legs got weak. I almost peed in my pants. And I wanted to cry so bad. It scares the shit out of me. It wasn’t just a memory, Yolie. It was so real. The only difference was some nausea that I don’t get. But he’s out there. He’s out there and he’s scared.”

  “And now you’re scaring me. But none of this helps. I gotta go. Let me go.” I started to turn away again, but he held me tighter.

  “There’s something else.” He loosened his grip when I grimaced, but he had my attention. “Colors again. Red and white. It’s only a partial image, but the white is like a circle on a red background. I don’t know what it means, but Joey is someplace with that image.”

  “Chingado, Jesse. I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I pushed him away and went back inside where my dad had taken my place on the sofa.

  I told Carmen I was going to talk to Luis and would be right back. Peak asked if one of us would stay with Carmen tonight and my dad said he would. Peak’s lips tightened again, like maybe that was the wrong answer. I was on my way out the door when I heard Peak tell Carmen that he’d call if they had any news. He hurried down the stairs and called to me before I made it to the street, Lan and Conroy on his heels.

  “This is official LAPD business, Ávila. Stay away from it.”

  “Sure, as soon as you make it the FBI’s business too. What the hell are you doing waiting on that with the Riverside kidnapper out there?” I gestured with my hands, drawing the attention of the two uniforms.

  “I know these folks, Peak,” I said in a lower voice. His cell phone rang. “That’s my godson who’s missing.” He ignored me and turned away to answer his phone, but I continued, “I’m going to talk to his father. If he says he doesn’t have him, he doesn’t have him, and you’re wasting your time in Big Bear.”

  I turned and ran to my car. I didn’t think he’d heard me because he’d put his finger to his ear and had said two “Yes, sirs” before I’d finished. As I rounded the corner to my car, I caught a glimpse of him angrily pocketing his phone. So much less satisfying than shutting an old flip phone or banging a receiver on its cradle.

  I was out of earshot and couldn’t hear what he said to Conroy and Lan, but I hoped he wasn’t going to create problems for me downtown.

  When I reached my car, my phone rang. I answered it, pulling away from the curb.

  “Honey, my contacts at the Sheriff’s don’t know much,” Sheila said over the car’s speaker, dispensing with any greeting. “And they’re likely to know less as time goes on.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “It looks like the FBI is taking over the Riverside kidnapper case. Seems the kidnappings each occurred closer and closer to the Arizona border, so they’re calling in resources from over there too.”

  “Well, hopefully that means the guy didn’t come this way, but it doesn’t make me feel much better. Any word on what kind of vehicle he’s using?”

  “Nothing on that. They haven’t been able to find any witnesses either. It’s just the kids disappearing on their way to, or from, school.”

  “Shit.” My stomach tightened. “Joey may have disappeared on his way to school.”

  “Holy Jesus. Has the FBI been brought in?”

  “No. That’s just it. The cops seem to think this is a custody dispute.” I explained what I’d learned from Carmen and described my exchange with Lieutenant Peak.

  “Well, I let my contacts know about Joey. I’ll call one of them back. Maybe she can ask the FBI to call the LAPD.”

  I wanted to hug her through the phone.

  But shit. Luis has to have him.

  Chapter Five

  Friday, 4:30 p.m.

  The rush hour had really hit now. Fortunately, I was going against traffic back toward downtown and made good time. I didn’t know what to make of the fear and dread that Jesse had described, but I hoped it had nothing to do with the Riverside kidnapper. And I couldn’t help but wonder about my dream. Jesse had mentioned nausea, and I’d felt dizziness. Were they connected? Had we felt the same thing? Shit. Whatever it was, it only served to make me anxious, a distraction I didn’t need. I reminded myself to remain calm and focused.

  When I arrived at the ultramodern building with the underwhelming name of “The Police Administration Building,” I was struck with how much cleaner it smelled than the old Parker Center. And I wasn’t given the brush-off I’d expected. The guy at the desk in the holding area didn’t recognize me.

  I asked for Luis Ochoa and was told that he was with his lawyer. I wouldn’t be able to see him until after that. Okay, I got the brush-off after all. All I could do was wait.

  While I did, I thought about Jesse again. He had this idea that Mom’s death had opened him up to psychic abilities. Everyone deals with grief in their own way. And I didn’t discourage his exploration into an area that even he admitted might lead nowhere. Sydney encouraged it more. I figured it had to do with what she called “near-death moments of grace” in her medical and military experience. I found Jesse’s take more entertaining than profound, especially when he tried to help with “leads” on some of my cases, more like suggestions so general as to mean nothing. But he was starting to worry me. He wasn’t going to bring Mom back. No amount of juju would do that. He just had to let go and deal with her death.

  I checked the time on my phone. Again. A few minutes—more like an eternity—later, Andy Stewart, Luis’s business partner and best friend since college, walked out of the holding area. I’d always liked Andy. Slender and fit in a tailored, charcoal-gray suit, he looked like he was walking out of a GQ ad. He was average looking without a beard, but the nicely trimmed one he sported now highlighted the twinkle in his hazel eyes. His dark brown hair was in the early stages of salt-and-pepper that makes men look “distinguished” and women “old.” Yes, I liked Andy just fine. We were best man and maid of honor at Carmen and Luis’s wedding. And we were Joey’s godparents. He saw me and came right over.

  “Oh good, they called you.” Andy greeted me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

  “We don’t have much time. The longer a kid’s missing, the lower the likelihood of finding him. The LAPD hasn’t even called in the FBI yet. I need to talk to Luis to see what he knows, but they won’t let me in.”

  “He’ll be right out. We had Manny call and raise holy hell.” He smiled. I knew I was biased, but to me Manny Martinez was just another slick ribbon-cutter who couldn’t be counted on to deliver for the community unless there was something in it for him. Still, I was glad he was being helpful in this case.

  “Luis was pretty worked up in there,” Andy said, giving me a knowing look. “You can imagine. I had to calm him down, but Manny’s call helped.”

  “I’ll bet. Glad you were with him.”

  “You know how it is. Brother’s keeper and all.” Andy turned up a corner of his mouth as if it were no big deal to help his friend. And Luis was indeed like a brother to Andy, who’d grown up an only child in a dysfunctional family. I knew Andy was drawn to Luis’s family life and was more disappointed than I was when our friends separated—the only time I’d ever seen him nearly come to blows with his friend, disgusted that Luis hadn’t tried harder to mend things with Carmen. Otherwise, he was a steady influence on Luis’s mercurial moods. And this was definitely a big deal.

  When Luis walked out of the holding area, he looked sick to me. He wore a wide-eyed scowl of desperation that turned to determination when he saw me and rushed over.

  “We need your help, Yolanda.” He never called me Yolie either. “The bastards kept me in there wasting time. They thought I had Joey until Manny called and read them the riot act. We need your help. This is what we have to do. I want to hire you to work with the cops to find my son. They don’t believe I don’t have him. We need to—”

  “Dude.” I stopped him before he rattled on too long. “You’re not paying me to find my godson. Sit your ass down and tell me what you know so that somebody can find him.” We were about to sit on the metal bench I’d indicated, then I thought better of it and motioned him and Andy outside. Out of earshot of any officers, I peppered Luis with questions.

  “Damn, you sound like the cops.” And then he glanced at Andy and looked down, embarrassed. He knew how much I’d hated leaving the department.

  “No offense taken,” I said. I’d gotten what I needed but wasn’t happy about it. Luis had acknowledged the argument with Carmen two days ago, but he’d sworn he’d kept to their custody agreement. He’d dropped off Joey in front of the church as he always did because Joey thought he was too old to be driven onto the school grounds. It was less than sixty feet to the school gate. Luis had waved goodbye and his son had waved back, and that was the last he saw of him.

  “I should’ve taken him all the way in.” He brought his hands to his face and ran them through his jet-black hair, adding to his uncharacteristically rumpled look. Luis had always been a sharp dresser, but his expensive, beige linen suit hung from him in a wrinkled heap. “I know Carmen will hate me even more now, but you gotta believe me. There’s no way I would’ve dropped him off like that if I thought he’d come to any harm.”

  “I know. But we have a problem here.” I glanced at Andy for support. “You didn’t see anyone, and it looks like Joey never made it to school.”

  “I should’ve stayed and watched him go in,” he repeated. He brought a hand to his mouth, his worried eyes shifting from me to Andy and back. “Don’t you think I’ve been kicking myself over and over for that? But I was rushing to get to the office. My mind was on those fuckin’ last-minute chang
es to the specifications for the Boyle Heights project,” he said more to Andy than to me. Then, turning to me, “They’re due on Monday.”

  “I thought you were going to the beach house in Rosarito.”

  “Rosarito?” He squinted in confusion.

  “That’s what your intern told Carmen.”

  “What?” Then, with realization coming over his face, he added, “No, that’s next weekend.” I couldn’t help but think that the fight with Carmen over Joey was just to gain points with the kid. I knew Luis loved his son, but he was probably relieved to have the time to work on his big deadline.

  “Go back to Carmen’s, Luis. Maybe the cops will know more by now.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “To the school. I’ll check in with you at Carmen’s if I learn anything.”

  “No, Andy and I’ll go with you.”

  “Look. I know what I’m doing. Go to Carmen. You’ll only be in the way with me. And even though you two stubborn burros would disagree, you need each other right now.”

  “She’s right, bro,” Andy said. “Let’s get you to Carmen’s. We’ll see about getting the cops to release your car later.”

  I could’ve kissed Andy. Instead, I thanked him and told them I’d call. They didn’t ask about the Riverside kidnapper, and I didn’t want to bring it up and add to Luis’s distress.

  On my way back to Silver Lake and the Saint Martin Elementary School, I couldn’t help but think about my dream again. Nothing in it signaled anything about a kidnapping, but I did wonder about the white cloth and the dizzy feeling. Then I kicked myself for dwelling on it. Get your head together, Yolanda. Focus on finding Joey. You can’t afford to get sidetracked by a stupid dream. You can’t let Joey get hurt while you run down useless bunny trails. Not this time.

  Chapter Six

  Friday, 6:00 p.m.

  I tried calling Sydney again from my car, but she still didn’t pick up. I was about to leave a message when a boy about Joey’s age darted onto the street from behind a satellite news van. I hung up and slowed down, my heart racing. It was a good thing it was still light out. I wouldn’t have seen him otherwise.

  Two more satellite news vans were parked across the street from Saint Martin Elementary School. Several police cruisers lined the school side of the street. At least the cops had arrived before the media. Channel 9 was interviewing Lieutenant Peak, with the church steps as a backdrop. Neighborhood parents and kids watched from a distance.

  I had planned to get a look around and maybe talk to a few people, but Lieutenant Peak’s presence blew that idea. He wasn’t going to let me talk to anyone and “interfere” with his investigation. I’d have done the same if I were him, but I needed to know what had happened. I drove around the block, parked one street over, and walked back through the alley next to the church where Luis said he’d dropped off Joey.

  By the time I reached the church, a group of officers and detectives, including Detective Lan, had moved to the alley entrance. Damn, I wasn’t going to get much done here. Not that there was much to do. The only thing in the alley, other than typical debris, was a remarkably clean dumpster. No graffiti and no markings other than the Waste Management logo, but it didn’t look new either. Someone in the neighborhood had good influence over the taggers to keep them from this prime canvas, which also meant someone was watching the neighborhood. If I’d had time, I would’ve waited until the cops left before I snooped around, but I couldn’t afford to wait.

  I caught Lan’s eye and I beckoned her over with a head tilt. I didn’t want to appear on the sidewalk only to be shooed away by Lieutenant Peak. Lan approached, and I pointed to the dumpster.

  “Someone’s keeping the taggers in check. Any idea who?” I wasn’t sure if she’d be willing to provide any information. Lan said nothing for a couple beats. My shoulders dropped in disappointment. Then she surprised me.

  “Mrs. Lopez. Green house, two doors down across the street, according to the principal.” Then she whispered, “Don’t let Peak catch you here.”

  “Thanks. I know.” I hoped I sounded grateful. “I know you guys are doing your best, but you can use help, can’t you?”

  “Not much to find here. You may want to focus on the father while we run through perv scenarios.” I knew she meant well, but I cringed at the easy reference to pedophiles. She pulled out her card and handed it to me. “Here, call if you come up with anything.”

  “Thanks. Really.” I pulled out one of my own cards and gave it to her. “You too.” But I knew she wouldn’t call unless they’d found Joey.

  Detective Conroy called over, “Lan, Peak’s asking for us. Back to the principal’s office.” He looked surprised when he saw me but didn’t say anything else, and only lifted his chin in greeting. I took that as a good sign and figured I could come out and talk to people while Lieutenant Peak was occupied.

  Giving them time to leave, I stepped closer to the dumpster. A wave of vertigo hit me—not unlike the dizziness in my dream. I shuddered involuntarily, then shook it off, scolding myself for losing focus. Think, Yolanda. Don’t feel. You can’t trust random feelings, but you can trust what you see and what you hear.

  I looked toward the departing officers to get my bearings and refocus on questioning potential witnesses. After a deep breath, I walked across the street to Mrs. Lopez’s house. It was one of those bungalows that had survived the stucco period of the seventies and still had sage-green wood siding. The tidy yard had well-tended rose bushes, succulents, and a chicken-wired section with herbs, all among mismatched paving stones and bricks. What really stood out was a small, handmade cement grotto under a loquat tree. It held a cast statue of the Virgen de Guadalupe, the kind sold roadside at the Tijuana border crossing. The yard had “Mexican grandmother” written all over it.

  I was about to open the gate when I heard a mother scold a kid on the porch next door. “You’re coming in now and that’s it! I don’t want the same thing happening to you that happened to Joey.” I looked over and saw that it was Gabriel, one of Joey’s friends, with what appeared to be his mother and a teenage sister who went into the house. I couldn’t remember his last name, but I waved and walked over.

  “Hi, Gabriel. Remember me? I’m Joey’s nina.” The shy six-year-old nodded and looked down at a puppy in his arms, but his mother responded as I’d hoped.

  “Hi, I’m Alicia Mendoza.” She gave me a sympathetic look as I approached. I introduced myself and asked if I could speak with her and Gabriel. She invited me in and offered a soda, which I declined. I took the high-backed chair she indicated, and she and Gabriel sat on a couch opposite me. I reached over and handed her one of my cards.

  “I’m helping look for Joey.” It was true, but I didn’t want to say I was working directly with the police. That would only piss off Lieutenant Peak. “Have the police been by yet?”

  “No,” Alicia said, “but we just got home from getting Gabriel’s sister at band practice. We heard about Joey just before we left. Any idea what happened?”

  “Not much. Joey’s dad dropped him off in front of the church across the street, but the school told his mom he was absent today.”

  “Oh, my god.” Alicia raised a hand to her mouth. With her other hand she pulled Gabriel closer in a one-armed hug. The kid winced and the black puppy squirmed in his arms.

  “Apparently, it happened very quickly around seven thirty this morning. Did either of you see or hear anything? Squealing tires? Anything?” They both shook their head, but then Gabriel glanced up at his mother, as if thinking.