was ugly, therefore already disadvantaged in life, which made the
additional curse of death too unfair to be borne. This time, Reese
suspected that Julio had formed a special attachment to Ernestina
because her name was similar to that of his long-dead little brother.
It didn’t take much to elicit a fierce commitment from Julio Verdad.
Almost any little thing would do. The problem was that Julio had such a
deep reservoir of compassion and empathy that he was always in danger of
drowning in it.
Sitting rigidly behind the steering wheel, lightly but repeatedly
thumping one fist against his thigh, Julio said, “Obviously, the
snatching of Eric Leben’s corpse and the murders of these two women are
connected. But how? Did the people who stole his body kill Ernestina
and Becky?
And why? And why nail her to the wall in Mrs. Leben’s bedroom?
That’s so grotesque!”
Reese said, “Let it go.”
“And where’s Mrs. Leben? What’s she know about this? Something.
When I questioned her, I sensed she was holding something back.”
“Let it go.”
“And why would this be a national security matter requiring Anson Sharp
and his damn Defense Security AgencyT’ “Let it go,” Reese said, sounding
like a broken record, aware that it was useless to attempt to divert
Julio, but making the effort anyway. It was their usual litany, he
would have felt incomplete if he had not upheld his end of it.
Less angry now than thoughtful, Julio said, “It must have something to
do with work Leben’s company is doing for the government. A defense
contract of some kind.”
“You’re going to keep poking around, aren’t you?”
“I told you, Reese, I feel a special connection with that poor Hernandez
girl.”
“Don’t worry, they’ll find her killer.”
“Sharp? We’re supposed to rely on him? He’s ajackass. You see the way
he dresses?” Julio, of course, was always impeccably dressed.
“The sleeves on his suit jacket were about an inch too short, and it
needed to be let out along the back seam. And he doesn’t polish his
shoes often enough, they looked like he’d just been hiking in them.
How can he find Ernestina’s killer if he can t even keep his shoes
properly polished?”
“I have a feeling of my own about this one, Julio. I think they’ll have
our scalps if we don’t just let it go.”
“I can’t walk away,” Julio said adamantly. “I’m still in.
I’m in for the duration. You can opt out if you want.”
“I’ll stay.”
“I’m putting no pressure on you.
“I’m in,” Reese said.
“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
“I said I was in, and I’m in.
Five years ago, in an act of unparalleled bravery, Julio Verdad had
saved the life of Esther Susanne Hagerstrom, Reese’s daughter and only
child, who had then been just four years old and achingly small and very
helpless. In the world according to Reese Hagerstrom, the seasons
changed and the sun rose and the sun set and the sea rose and the sea
fell all for one reason, to please Esther Susanne. She was the center,
the middle, the ends, and the circumference of his life, and he had
almost lost her, but Julio had saved her, had killed one man and nearly
killed two others in order to rescue her, so now Reese would have walked
away from a million-dollar inheritance sooner than he would have walked
away from his pa’tner.
I can handle everything on my own,” Julio said.
“Really.”
“Didn’t you hear me say I was in?”
“We’re liable to screw ourselves into disciplinary suspensions.”
“I’m in.”
“Could be kissing good-bye to any more promotions.”
“I’m in.”
“You’re in, then?”
“I’m in.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure.”
Julio put the car in gear, pulled away from the curb, and headed out of
Placentia. “All right, we’re both a little whacked out, need some rest.
I’ll drop you off at your place, let you get a few hours in the sack,
and pick you up at ten in the morning.”
“And where will you be going while I’m sleeping?”
“Might try to get a few winks myself,” Julio said.
Reese and his sister, Agnes, lived with Esther Susanne on East Adams