“Did they ask if I knew any of them?”
I had to think about it. “No, they no ask but then—Rex—he came in and stop Agent Wallace from asking more questions.”
“Wait, did you say Rex? Who’s that? An agent?”
I nodded, yawning again.
“Cachi?”
“Oh, sorry, si, Rex, is agent. He the man I tell you about, no pick me up.”
“Where did you meet him?” Marcello asked a little sharply..
“At club.”
“Let me get this straight. This agent, Rex, met you at Dance Hall Boys?”
I had no idea how that could be important to Marcello, but the question made me smile. “Yeah, but is okay. He nice man, not like Agent Wallace.”
“But Wallace didn’t ask how I found out about the job or anything?”
I frowned. “No, he no ask about you, Marcello.” I thought for a second. “How you find out about the job?”
“Cachi, sorry, I gotta go. I’ll see you later, buddy.”
“Okay, see you later, Marcello.” He hung up and I looked at my phone, wondering what that was about. What a weird conversation. I made a mental note to ask him again, the next time I spoke to him.
I rolled over and went back to sleep, knowing Mamá would’ve already left for work at Tio’s store. I woke again around noon, did a load of laundry, and ate some leftover chile rellenos. I had to be at work at three, so once I’d folded the clothes Rex had given me and put them in my bottom drawer, I grabbed my keys, and went outside to head to work, only then realizing my car wasn’t in the drive. It was still parked on the street in Bel Air. I groaned.
Who knew what the bus schedule was or even if there was one that would take me into the rich neighborhood I just wanted to forget. I debated calling Rex and then dismissed that. Maybe Marcello could give me a ride instead. I called him and he picked up on the first ring.
“Cachi?”
“Hola, Marcello. I no have my car, but I have work at the bar. You are working now?”
“You need a ride?”
“Si. You are working?”
“No, I can swing by and pick you up.”
I breathed out a sigh of relief. “Si. Please. I supposed to work at three.”
There was a slight pause before he replied, “Okay, I’m on my way, but even if I leave now, you’re going to be late.”
“I know, but I have to pick up Thunderbird.”
“Yeah, okay. I’m on my way.”
“Gracias, Marcello.”
“Be there in ten.” He hung up so I sat down on the curb in front of the house to wait. It took him nearly twenty minutes to arrive and while I waited, I called my boss, letting him know I was going to be about an hour late. He sounded angry but I explained that it couldn’t be helped and hung up, ending the call quickly. I didn’t want to argue with him. Facing him once I got there would be bad enough. As soon as I got into the car, Marcello smiled.
“Listen, I’m sorry I woke you up this morning. I was just anxious to talk to you after everything that happened last night.”
I shook my head. “Thank you for the ride, Marcello, but I no want to talk about yesterday. If I think about, it make me sick.” I mimicked vomiting.
He chuckled. “Okay.”
