chapter 103
NOT WANTING TO search for an open store in the middle of the night to buy a cell-phone car charger, Levi drove straight to Columbus from Philadelphia. He had to talk to Moon Pie face-to-face. He had to find him before the Mexicans did.
As Levi approached the mobile-home park, he could see two police cars parked close to Moon Pie’s trailer. All the lights in the trailer were on, and he could see Moon Pie’s Bronco right where it had been earlier. Levi didn’t think Moon Pie was in custody, based on his earlier phone call. He suspected that he was on foot. I gotta get a damn phone charger and call him. Levi kept driving past the trailer park and straight to the Columbus Walmart Supercenter.
When Levi’s cell phone powered up, he searched his sent calls and found the Mexicans’ number. He hit send.
Julio, recognizing the number, answered, “¡Hola!”
“Julio?”
“Sí, quién es este?” Julio asked, anxious to talk.
“It’s Levi. I called you a few days ago…to tell you about our problem.”
“Sí, sí. We need to talk. We have bad situation.”
“I understand, and I have what you want. Do you have Moon Pie?”
“No we don’t, but we want to talk to him. Where are you? I’ll come to you right now.”
“What? So you’re here? Close? No. No. No. We do this on my terms, my choice of turf. Where are you staying?”
Julio did not want to tell him. As he was thinking what to do, Levi asked again, “Where are you staying? I just need to know what city so I can set up the meet. Believe me, I don’t want any trouble from y’all.”
“We are in West Point.”
Levi instantly knew a spot; just east of them was a landmark windmill. It sat on the edge of a huge field, with excellent visibility. He said, “I’ll call you in the mornin’ to tell you where to meet me at. It’ll only take about fifteen minutes from the middle of West Point.”
“You will have my money?” Julio said.
“Sí, señor,” Levi said in his Southern-accented Spanish, and hit end.