Chapter Forty Three

Charlie

They went out leaving me to my own devices seemingly unaware that I wanted to be helping actively and I didn't appreciate being treated like I was only useful as a sounding board, after all I was a cop and a pretty good one if I say so myself. Darius had left his lap top when he went out and it was still logged in so I sat at the table and read through the information on the family that were murdered, the ones he thought might have been the catalyst for the kidnapping of the girl Sophie from the campus and Bella too. Taking out my cell phone I rang my station and asked Debs to run a search on Alonzo Mendoza giving her all the background I could.

"Is this tied up with Bella's disappearance Chief?"

"I don't know but it could be. I'm looking for a lead, I need to trace him but he seems to be living off the grid since the murders. Any family or colleagues I can chase up would be a help."

"I'll get back to you as soon as I can Chief and we're all hoping you find Bella safe."

I waited hoping against hope I might get something that would help me to trace this guy and maybe find Bella although I was aware it could be a red herring. Still anything was better than sitting around here twiddling my thumbs while the others did all the looking. About an hour later Debs was back and I crossed my fingers.

"This is strictly off the record Chief, I had to call in some favors, some...well lets just say some favors from less than entirely honest sources."

"Right now you could be in league with the devil if he can help. What did you get Deb's?"

"Well, the Alonzo Mendoza you're looking for only has two living relatives. His mother in a nursing home in San Diego and a brother who runs a legitimate garage but is rumored to be involved with stolen vehicles. His garage is in Los Angeles but he also has several interests in San Diego including a gambling house in the suburbs that seems to have been missed every time there's a crackdown on gambling and two bars that are mysteriously overlooked when there is a crackdown on illegal alcohol being served."

"You're telling me what? That he pays the police off?"

"Not quite, my "friend" thinks that he has a foot in organized crime and they do the paying off in return for favors. A car supplied for a robbery, a little money laundering through his businesses, a safe house when things get a little too hot for certain people."

"And you think that's why the police never followed up on his brother? You watch my back I'll watch yours?"

"I don't know but its a possibility. Anyway, rumor has it that his property includes several houses in La Jolla, but so far I don't have any addresses for you, Sorry Chief."

I thought quickly,

"OK give me the addresses you do have, the gambling house and the two bars."

"You do understand that the information I gave you might be dangerous if there is a connection with dirty cops or organized crime?"

"I do, and thanks Debs I owe you."

"Just get back here safe with your daughter, that's all the thanks I need."

I scribbled the addresses down and got up looking out of the window but not seeing any of Jasper's family or friends. If I told them I would be left here while they followed up the leads and I wasn't having any of that so I grabbed a set of car keys, Emmett's that he'd left on the table and slipped out thanking my lucky stars when I found he had parked round the corner behind a large delivery van so it couldn't be seen from the motel rooms. There was a Sat Nav built in and I tapped in the address for the first bar. I thought I might have more luck there than the gambling house.

Joey's Bar was in a surprisingly good neighborhood and I felt quite safe parking up and walking a couple of blocks to it. There were a few customers in but it was early yet so I bought a beer and sat at the bar pleased to see I blended in with the other patrons and made conversation with the bar tender who just happened to be a rather stunning blonde wearing a skirt that was barely legal! I waited until my second beer to bring Alonzo Mendoza into the conversation explaining I was a friend from way back trying to find him.

"Alonzo? Now there's a name from the past. Lost his family a few years back and they tried to pin it on him which was crazy, he wouldn't hurt a fly, he's scared of his own shadow."

She laughed,

"Can't help you Charlie. He moved away after that, no idea where."

I thanked her, finished my beer and drove on to the second bar wondering if I'd be legal to drive by the time I came out. The bar tender could have been a clone of the first except her hair was black where the other was blonde and the skirt was replaced by shorts that I was sure would be illegal if she walked the streets wearing them.

I got much the same story from her and after downing my beer I went back outside deciding to drive back having come up blank but then a figure whistled to me from across the street. I looked around but I couldn't see any danger, the road was well lit and there were plenty of people around so I crossed to meet him.

"You're a friend of Alonzo's?"

"Was a long time ago. My wife died recently and I decided to look up some old pals."

"You might want to stop mentioning his name in Joey's bars, it makes him nervous and that could be dangerous for you my friend."

"Do you know where he's at?"

The guy nodded, his head his eyes flickering to the bar and back nervously and I got out my wallet, took two twenty dollar bills and let him see them. He wiped his mouth then nodded and mumbled an address in La Jolla,

"Its one of Joey's properties but I don't know if Alonzo is still there."

As I left he was making his way crab like to the bar looking around nervously, so it was dangerous to ask about Alonzo Mendoza, interesting. My cell phone which I'd left in the car had been busy, there were eight messages from Esme, Rose, and Darius asking where I was and to get back to the motel but I switched it off, I didn't want Darius tracing me using it and drove off in the direction of the address I'd been given. The houses became poorer as I drove, this was not the type of neighborhood you'd feel safe walking after dark, not without a Kalashnikov anyway. There were drug dealers on every street corner and hookers walking the streets quite brazenly. Stopping down the street from the house I wanted I got out locked the car and continued on foot luckily not meeting any of the young women peddling their asses.

The address I wanted was semi derelict and looked uninhabited except for the new lock on the front door trying to look unconvincingly old. Pushing the gate open I walked up the cracked path to the door and hammered on the fly screen but there was no answer so I decided to take a chance and check the back, wishing I was wearing my gun in my belt. The back was shut up as tightly as the front and the curtains were pulled so I checked the yard. In one corner was a stack of lumber but protruding from the corner was some thick plastic and being curious I moved just enough wood to see the plastic wrapped what looked like it might be a body, one hand having slipped free of the tarp under the plastic. I could smell death, it was a smell you never forgot and as a police officer I'd smelled it far too often. I put the lumber back and turned to leave. I would ring the others and tell them what I'd discovered and then I felt a sharp pain in my back and heard a grunt from behind me, I'd been stabbed.