Sinking onto one of the benches under a giant palm tree, I close my eyes. Several times today, I thought about sending Leo a message. He needs to know Daniel Pinzon is no longer in custody. But is that really news one delivers by text?
I should leave early. Tell him in person.
“Foolish, Domina. You do not even know if he is home.”
I never asked what he does with his days. Does he have a job? Or is he simply…retiredfrom everything?
The soda tickles the back of my throat, and a gentle breeze wafts over me. I love this place. This small oasis in the middle of chaos.
A voice comes from the far corner of the courtyard. Almost too faint to hear. Until the conversation takes an angry turn.
“He is an idiot!” Tomas says. He stalks out from behind one of the bushes. “If he cannot do the job, we will find someone else.”
I leave my can of Coke on the bench and duck around the palm tree, hoping I can make it back inside without him seeing me. Whatever Tomas is mad about, he thinks he is alone, and I should give him privacy.
“I don’t have that information.” A loud bang startles me, and I peer around the tree trunk. One of the small trash bins lies on its side, and Tomas reaches down to brush off his shoe, pain twisting his expression. “I tried to—” After a brief pause, his shoulders slump. “I’m sorry. I will find another way.”
He jabs the phone screen and shoves the device back into his pocket. I hold my breath as he turns on his heel and heads back into the building.
I wish we knew each other well enough for me to ask him if he’s all right, but Tomas has only worked for the campaign for three months, and he keeps to himself. He likes coffee, though. Tomorrow, I will stop at the local roasters for a large bag of Gesha beans. We could all use something special this close to the election.
* * *
Leo
I drop the bag from the hardware store on the small kitchen table. The best deadbolt they had, a swing latch to replace Domina’s broken chain, and the components I need to build her a motion alarm. It won’t be as state-of-the-art as mine, but itwillbe loud enough I’ll hear it should anyone try to break in.
“Stupid,” I mutter as I pull a can of soda water from the fridge. “What makes you think she’ll even answer the door? She made it pretty damn clear last night she wanted nothing to do with you.”
I haven’t been able to get her out of my head all day. The way she looked when she left. The hurt in her eyes. Dammit. Why do I even care? I’m better off alone. Always have been, always will be.
I doubt Domina will be home for another hour or two, so I set up my tablet and check out the surveillance cameras I set up outside Marisol Ruiz’s apartment this morning. They’re hidden well enough I don’t expect them to be stolen until at least tomorrow—not even in one of the worst neighborhoods in Panama City.
The wireless transmitters weren’t cheap, and I hope to hell I can get them back. But if they help me find my client’s ex, I’ll earn enough to pay my rent for a good six months.
Maybe I should go to Taboga Island when this case is done. Or Bocas del Toro. Hell, even Casco Viejo. Anywhere Domina isn’t. Clear my head. Find a woman who doesn’t care what I look like to take the edge off.
As soon as the thought enters my head, I know I’ll never go through with it. Any of it. Casual sex was never for me. Even when I was young and relatively good looking. Though you spend enough time on assignment, and you scratch the itch at least a time or two.
My vision blurs, and I rub my good eye. The surveillance footage plays at double speed, but I find only half a dozen drug deals, two muggings, and some light vandalism.
I save a few clips and feed them to a low-level officer with the National Police. I didn’t lie to Ferrier. I didn’t bribe anyone to fast-track my P.I. and gun licenses. But Idosend an extra fifty bucks to the guy every couple of weeks to look the other way when I need to do somethinglessthan legal. Like install a wiretap on Marisol’s phone line.
I should really call Trevor and see if he can hook me up with his firm’s facial recognition software. Second Sight is the premiere security and protection firm in the United States, and their hacker extraordinaire can do things with a computer that shouldn’t be possible.
My stomach growls, and I push to my feet with a groan. I’ve been sitting for too long. There’s a tamale place on the corner, and I need to do something besides stare at a screen and these four white walls.
A whiff of Domina’s sweet scent hits me as I limp past the couch. Damnit. Was it really only last night we were so close, we almost kissed?
Cursing under my breath, I grab my keys and head for an order of tamales to fill the hole inside me.
* * *
With a boxof fried yucca tucked under my arm, I call out, “Hold the elevator.”
A delicate hand stops the doors from closing, and suddenly, I’m face to face with Domina.
“Leo,” she says softly.
