I laughed. “I think I have a lead. You hungry?”
“I brought over some patties,” she said. “And your father made saltfish and okra—your fave—and I brought you some as well…”
“Where’s dad?”
“He went to pick up a few things for the house.” Mom explained. “We’re preparing for the next family dinner.”
“I’m sorry I’ve missed a couple.” I told her.
“Look, saving a life is much more important. We know you didn’t do it on purpose.”
“Why don’t I make a couple of phone calls, then you can join me for something to eat?” I asked.
“And Ellie?”
“Upstairs.”
“Okay. You work. I wake her to get something to eat.”
I wasn’t sure that was the best idea. Ellie hadn’t seen my mother in years. I had already left her alone with Malik and my brother wouldn’t tell me what they talked about or if they had a fight. All he said was, Ellie was different somehow. Still, I nodded, and mom patted my shoulder then left me alone.
Without waiting around, I made the first phone call to Grim and assigned him one of the Mariana Valentina on the list. He accepted the task. My next call wasn’t to law enforcement, but to a couple of friends in a biker gang. Actually, they weren’t really a gang—Christian Alvarez otherwise known as Xman used to be a criminal but his last prison sentence about ten years before flipped a switch in his brain. He ran a restaurant in Butte with his best friend Olivia. We called her Bunny.
They took on two of the Marianas which left me with one who had died about seven years before of a heart attack. I supposed of Grim, Xman and Bunny found nothing, Ellie and I would be taking a trip to the cemetery.
Cobra
Grim’slead was a dead end.
Xman and Bunny found out the woman’s real name wasn’t Mariana Valentina—apparently, she was a stripper and had taken on the name so her parents wouldn’t find out she’d blown through tuition and was now trying to make the money back. I looked over at Ellie who was frowning and knew she was as disappointed and angry as I was.
“Our last hope is this woman at the cemetery.” I pointed out.
“Right and since people have been taking pot shots at you, you’re not going alone.” Bunny lifted her beer to her lips. “Xman and I are going to run backup.”
“Don’t argue with her, you’re not going to win.” Xman warned.
“We will take all the help we can get.” Ellie told them.
With our plans set, my car was flanked by two Harley Davison motorcycle until we were at the cemetery. Xman and Bunny veered off and I knew what they were doing. Still, I parked, and Ellie and I began the search to find the grave. When we finally did, it was a shame. Otis hadn’t given her a tombstone. She was buried in a grave with a wooden cross over it and her name scrawled across the center piece of said cross.
I stood back and watched Ellie fall to her knees and began pulling grass from around the site. “I wish I’d brought some flowers or something.” She muttered. “How could he kill her and throw her away like this? Who does that?”
I said nothing. I wanted to explain to her that with men like Otis women meant nothing. They were commodities to be traded, demean, hurt as they saw fit. But I kept the words in and glanced around to see if we were alone or if we were being watched by anyone except Xman and Bunny.
“What happened to your child, Mariana?” Ellie whispered.
“We’ll look into that,” I told her. “Right now, we need to confirm if this is the Mariana we’re looking for. Come, let’s go talk to someone inside the funeral parlor.”
She extended a hand to me and I accepted and helped her to her feet. There was a change in her, something I hadn’t really focused on. Malik was right, but what was I supposed to do with all of that.
I messaged Xman and Bunny, letting them know we were on the move.
Inside the parlour was clean and quiet. It smelled like disinfectant and death. Ellie drew closer to my side and tangled her fingers with mine. I understood what she felt in that moment for I was feeling it too.
“Can I help you?” A man asked from behind us.
We turned and I nodded. “I had a few questions regarding the plot with no tombstone just a cross?”
