Dance of the Bones

HENRY KNEW THAT THE COPS had to be looking for Dr. Pardee’s car by now, so he couldn’t just drive around in the bright red Fusion forever, but he couldn’t afford to show up at Jane Dobson’s house empty--handed, either. He had left the original jar of peanut butter, the one with the diamonds in it, locked in his garage. He needed a replacement in the very worst way. That meant going to a grocery store where there would be -people, surveillance cameras, and most likely at least one off--duty cop. Right that minute, though, he was actually more afraid of Jane Dobson’s reaction than he was of facing down a shopping center security guard.

He knew the woman kept large amounts of cash in her home because that’s how she’d paid him and Max and Carlos José—-in cash. He’d hand over the goods, and she’d reach into that huge purse of hers, drag out a stack of bills, and count out whatever was due. That meant she probably also had some kind of weapon. It would be either on her person or else nearby, and she would know how to use it.

So tonight, when Henry handed over the peanut butter jar and she reached for the purse, that was the moment when he’d have to get the drop on her. If he didn’t nail her then, he wouldn’t get a second chance. And if things went as Henry hoped, he’d have a pile of cash and a new escape vehicle as well. The cops would be looking for a missing Fusion, not Jane Dobson’s Acura.

He stopped in the far corner of the parking lot of a down--at--the--heels mall that held a dead gas station, a Fry’s, a struggling Target, a barbershop, and a check--cashing store. Pulling in behind a shuttered taco truck, he glanced over at Lani. She was still out cold. That was good. Carlos and Paul had come around a lot sooner than this, but then again, they were almost twice her size, and size probably made all the difference.

His phone rang. “Hey, Francisco,” he said. “What’s the word?”

“We’ve got a guy named Manuel who built a new tunnel down in Douglas. That’ll get you as far as Agua Prieta. Using that costs an extra five over what I already quoted.”

It was a lot of money—-money Henry didn’t actually have right that minute. “It’s okay,” he managed.

“You want help going farther south than that, you’ll need to deal with Manuel at the time. He’s good, but he’s not cheap.”

“Where do I meet him?”

“Can you make it to Benson by midnight?”

“Sure.”

“Exit the freeway at the first Benson exit. There’s a dead bowling alley just to the left after you come off the exit. Wait there. Someone will come by, pick you up, and ditch your vehicle. ?Comprendes?”

“Got it,” Henry said.

He looked at his watch, estimated the distance to the store, and looked at Lani again. He couldn’t risk having her wake up too soon and cause some kind of attention--getting fuss here in the parking lot. He only had three syringes left and four glass vials. Would that be enough to take care of both Lani Pardee and Jane Dobson? He certainly hoped so, but if he had to get more physical than that, he would. After all, he had taken out both Carlos and Paul, hadn’t he? Maybe the next ones would be easier.

Still, just to be on the safe side, he reached into the gym bag on the floorboard of the passenger side of the vehicle and located one of the remaining vials, then plunged the needle of a loaded syringe into Lani’s upper arm. The way she jumped when the needle penetrated the skin made him think that maybe she wasn’t as far under as he had thought she was, but he hoped that would hold her for a while. If he left her here sleeping, he might have time to pick up the peanut butter and maybe even some new duds. If someone was sending out an APB on him, it might be a good idea to have a -couple of changes of clothes.





CHAPTER 26




WHEN WINTER CAME, THE INDIANS returned to their village in the desert. But the next summer, when they brought their horses and cattle back into the foothills, they returned to the deep water hole near Baboquivari. And even before they reached the charco, they could hear the sound of Shining Falls, singing and laughing.