“We didn’t have time to discuss anything,” Holly said.
“And what did you want to ask her?”
“I don’t think that’s relevant to your investigation of the homicide,” Holly said.
“Well, I guess your internal affairs people are going to want to discuss this with you.”
“We don’t have an internal affairs division,” Holly said.
“Lucky you.”
“I’d like my weapon back as soon as you’re done with it,” Holly said, giving the detective her card.
“Sure. Now why don’t you come inside and walk me through what happened?”
“Glad to, Detective.”
The crime-scene tech handed the detective an open wallet. “Florida driver’s license,” he said.
“Ernesto Rodriguez,” the detective read from the license. “Name sound familiar to either of you?” he asked Holly and Marina. Both shook their heads.
Two hours had passed before the corpse was taken away and the investigation completed. Holly went into the kitchen with Marina. “Now, the notebook, please,” she said.
Marina went to the fridge, took an open bag of Tater Tots from the freezer, fished out the notebook, and handed it to Holly.
“Thank you,” Holly said, putting it into her damaged handbag. “What did the man say to you when he came inside?”
“He said he was a friend of Carlos, and he wanted his notebook. I told him I didn’t know about a notebook, and he became angry and started to tear the place apart. Fortunately, you arrived about that time.”
“Did he hit you?”
“No, he only pushed me against the wall, but he was about to hit me.”
“Did you know him, Marina?”
“I’ve seen him in Pedro’s shop,” she said, “but I don’t know his name.”
“Often?”
“Just once. He was talking to Pedro in the office when I dropped in to see Carlos.”
“Where is your mother?”
“She’s working at the church today.”
“We’d better get the living room cleaned up before she comes back. We don’t want her to be frightened.”
Marina nodded, and the two women went to work, restoring the room to its former appearance, except for the bloodstain on the carpet.
Marina got some spray carpet cleaner from the kitchen and was about to begin using it when Holly stopped her. “Do you have any disinfectant?”
“Yes, some Lysol.”
“Better spray the stain well before you clean it. You never know about blood these days.”
When the house was in order, Holly made to leave. “Something else, Marina,” she said.
“Yes?”
“You shouldn’t speak to Pedro again. If he calls you, tell him you don’t want to talk to him, and if he tries to see you, call the police.”
“Why?”
“I believe he sent the man here today for the notebook, and since he doesn’t have it, he’ll still want it. I think Pedro was involved with whatever Carlos was doing. I’ll speak to him and tell him to stay away from you.”
“Thank you,” Marina said.
“In the meantime, I think it’s best if you and your mother leave the house for a few days. Rodriguez had a friend with him, and we don’t want you to be here when he comes back. Is there somewhere you can go? A friend or relative that Pedro doesn’t know?”
Marina thought about it. “My mother has a sister in Sarasota; we can go there.”
“Does Pedro know about her?”
“No.”
“Good. You’d better pack a bag for your mother and yourself and go pick her up at the church.”
Holly waited until Marina was on her way, then got back in her car and drove away, heading for the locksmith’s shop.
37
Holly found a parking spot a few doors from the locksmith’s shop, then she took the notebook out of her bag. The dead body on the living room floor of Marina’s house kept intruding into her thoughts, but she would think about that later. Right now, she wanted to see the notebook before she spoke to Pedro.
She took it from her handbag and opened it, turning the pages slowly. It was in the crudest kind of code; Carlos hadn’t been all that smart. There were a series of three-digit numbers, followed by letters. Clearly, the numbers were dates, and the letters were initials. Apparently, Carlos had kept a record of the dates and people he dealt with from the time he got involved in his second job. Three of the dates corresponded to the shootings of the two Miami property dealers and the attempt on Ed Shine’s life. TR was surely Trini Rodriguez, and PP Pio Pellegrino; PA was Pedro Alvarez, and he had been involved from the beginning. This was still not enough for arrests, not just yet. She changed her mind about speaking to Pedro and started her car. She was about to back out of her parking place when a car pulled into a spot in front of the locksmith’s shop, and Trini Rodriguez got out and went inside. He looked angry. Holly switched off her engine.
Trini was in the shop no more than three minutes, and when he came out, he was in a hurry. Holly started her car again and followed him, keeping well back. She hoped he wouldn’t notice the aerial on her car. As she followed Trini, driving west, the surroundings became less prosperous. Once past I-95, they became downright seedy. There was less traffic now, and she dropped back farther. Finally, Trini pulled off the road and stopped in front of a bar called Tricky’s.
Holly drove straight past. A quarter of a mile down the road, she made a U-turn and stopped, still able to see the bar and Trini’s car. She got out her cellphone and called Harry Crisp.
“What is it, Holly? I’m pretty busy.”
“I’m pretty busy myself, Harry. I shot Trini Rodriguez’s brother, or maybe cousin, earlier this afternoon, and now I’m tailing Trini. He’s at a bar called Tricky’s.” She gave him the address.
“Did you say you shot somebody?”
“Shot him dead. I’ve already dealt with Lauderdale homicide. Carlos Alvarez left a notebook containing some incriminating information with his girlfriend, and Trini’s brother went to try and beat it out of her. I got there in time.”
“What do you mean ‘incriminating information’?”
“He used a childish code, but it’s apparently a record of his meetings with Trini, Pio Pellegrino, and Pedro Alvarez, plus the dates of the two murders and one attempt.”
“That’s plenty to bring them all in for questioning,” Harry said.
“Not yet, Harry. This has got to lead somewhere, and I want to know where, don’t you?”
“I can tell you where it’s going to lead, Holly. It’s going to lead to Central or South America, where the corporations are located that were bidding on the Palmetto Gardens property. Whoever is running this is out of the country, and we’re never going to lay hands on them, so we’d better settle for who we can grab and convict.”
“We don’t have enough yet to convict anybody but Carlos Alvarez, and he’s dead. What have you heard on the background check on Pio Pellegrino and his father? Any news on identifying their photographs?”
“Not yet; the lab is pretty busy.”
“What I’d like you to do, Harry, is to get a team out to Tricky’s and pick up the tail on Trini. I’m in a vehicle that is an obvious unmarked police car, and if I continue to follow him, he’s going to make me, eventually.”
“It’s going to take me at least an hour, maybe two, to round up enough people and vehicles.”
“He may be gone by then.”
“Will you stay on him until we can relieve you?”
“I’ll try, Harry, but it would help if you could get even one car out here, so we can swap positions from time to time.”
“I’ll do my best. You on your cellphone?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll get back to you.” He hung up.
Holly sat, staring down the road at Tricky’s, wondering whether Trini had business there or if he had just stopped in for a beer. It had to be business, she reckoned. Nobody would come out here for just a drink. She watched Trini’s red Ford Explorer until, suddenly, it moved. She hadn’t seen him come out of the bar. The car headed back in the direction they had come, and Holly followed, trying to keep a car or two between them.