Chapter Eight

Looking Things Over

Harry dropped them off several blocks from the Ramos grocery store, simply named Comestibles y MАs -- Groceries and More. He gave them directions to find it, told them to be careful, and to call before sunset. He emphasized he wasn't particularly comfortable driving in the area after dark. Xena gave him a sarcastic "yeah, sure, whatever, Joxer" as he drove away.

The spot where they were had a mixture of different races - whites, blacks, Chinese, and Latinos. But the closer to the store they got, the more the balance tilted in favor of Hispanics. When they found the store and went in, only Spanish was being spoken, with a smattering of English thrown in here and there. Immediately, they were getting suspicious looks from almost everyone, but after Xena's piercing return stare, they looked away.

"How are we supposed to ask questions if we can't speak the language?" Gabrielle whispered to Xena.

"I have a feeling these people know enough English to understand us. In the meantime, we'll just look around."

Gabrielle walked up to the cash register. Behind it was a middle aged woman, who had been carefully eyeing them as soon as they came in, certain they were going to steal something.

"Are you Maria?" she asked, smiling at her.

"Si," she replied, now even more suspicious.

"My name is Gabrielle, and your husband came to our office earlier. He spoke to Annie Day about some trouble you were having with some young men. My friend and I were sent here to look things over and see what we can do to try to help you."

Maria broke into a big smile. "Ah, si! Welcome." She turned to a doorway that was covered by a faded red curtain and yelled at it. "Hector! Venga aqui, por favor!" She turned back to Gabrielle, still smiling. When Hector came from behind the curtain, he thought he recognized Gabrielle but he wasn't sure.

"Annie sent us," Gabrielle said as she pointed at herself and over to Xena, who was examining the layout of the store.

"Gracias, senorita. You came very quickly."

"Yes, Annie wanted us get on the case as soon as possible. She's like that. We'd like to look around if you don't mind."

"Oh, no. Whatever you think is best."

Gabrielle smiled at him and patted his hand, then turned to find Xena, who had walked farther back into the store, looking at everything and watching everyone.

"Xena, I just realized those two cameras we were supposed to avoid are pointed at the door and the cash register. We're on both of them."

Xena shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Anybody look suspicious to you?"

"Only us. I can't tell about anybody else. I haven't been around these people long enough to know who to trust and who not to. What about you?"

"No, not yet. Too bad we don't have any money. A beer would be nice."

Gabrielle reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out three fives and five ones.

"Mattie slipped this into my pocket before we left, in case we got hungry or thirsty. I suppose we ought to buy something so we won't look like we're just here to steal whatever we can."

"Now you're talkin'!"

Xena reached into a glass-fronted refrigerated case for a six pack of beer. Gabrielle put her hand on Xena's, stopping her.

"Let's just get one, for now, and some chips or something."

Xena started to argue, but then thought better of it, maybe a clear head was better. She closed the glass door, opened another one and brought out two bottles of beer with Spanish names. She handed one to Gabrielle, then grabbed two bags of spicy pork rinds and gave one of them to her.

Passing the cash register, she said, "Pay the man," then walked outside to get a better look at the surrounding area.

As Gabrielle paid, she said, "We're going to look around the neighborhood some, just to see. We'll be back later."

Hector just nodded as he handed her change.

Outside, Xena was looking in one direction, then the other, as if trying to decide which way to go. By the time Gabrielle came out of the store, Xena had finished the beer, took Gabrielle's, and handed her the empty bottle.

"Which way?" Gabrielle asked.

"I suppose it doesn't matter," Xena replied, then started walking in the direction opposite from where they had come from. Gabrielle couldn't help but feel uncomfortable, much like the first time Xena took her to Rome. But after walking a half dozen blocks, Xena got tired of seeing nothing of any interest and headed back.

"Shouldn't we go into some of these other stores and ask if those boys have been causing them any problems?"

"Sure, I'll wait here and you go inside."

Picking a small cafe across the street, Gabrielle went inside, and was back outside in less than five minutes.

"Well?" Xena asked.

"I don't know. I asked the waiter, and the cashier, but either they didn't understand me, or didn't want to say anything."

"That's pretty much what I figured. Let's go on back to Hector's store and we'll see what happens after dark."

Before Gabrielle could protest about staying so late, Xena had already started that way, leaving Gabrielle to try to catch up.