Land of Careful Shadows by Suzanne Chazin Page A

him.
    â€œI already know how your suspicious cop mind works,” said Adele.
    She turned to the mother and asked in Spanish for ID. The woman rummaged through her purse and produced a Lake Holly library card and a bottle of prescription eye medicine, both in the name of Vilma Ortiz. She handed them to Adele who turned them over to Vega. That was about as good an ID as Vega was likely to get from an undocumented woman in the state of New York. He handed them back to Vilma with a quick gracias. Then he pulled out a pad and pen from a jacket pocket.
    â€œCan I have your current address and phone number, señora?” He asked in Spanish.
    Vilma shot a hesitant look at Adele who nodded. In a soft, childlike voice, Vilma gave Vega her cell phone number and an address in Granville. Vega was able to verify the cell number on the spot by dialing it and having Vilma answer. The address was more problematic. He tapped his pen on his notebook. Adele seemed to read his mind.
    â€œYou’re not here to hunt down José Ortiz for a missed court date, Detective,” she said in English. “You’re here to ask for his cooperation as a witness in a potential homicide. You start playing heavy-handed, you’ll likely just scare the Ortizes off.”
    â€œAre you the appointed spokesperson for the family now?” he shot back. “I should arrest you for obstruction of justice.”
    â€œOn what grounds? I knew as little as you did yesterday. I’m just better at talking to people than you are.”
    â€œAnd when were you going to tell me about these talks? When the Ortizes sent a postcard from Miami?”
    â€œAs soon as I knew why they ran. You know it too, apparently.”
    â€œReyes.”
    Adele nodded. “Vilma tells me José knows the police want to speak to him about Reyes but he’s afraid because of the harassment charge. He feels he’s in enough trouble with the police already.”
    â€œSo he skips out on his court date? On his rent? He doesn’t think that’s going to get him into more trouble?”
    Adele sighed. “You’re asking a man who’s had to run from authority figures his whole life to suddenly trust them. It doesn’t work that way. I already told Vilma that her husband’s best defense is to follow the law. But even I’m not always persuasive.”
    Vega thought about Vilma’s beating six weeks ago and wondered whether a man like Ortiz could be persuaded of anything by a woman. He handed Vilma his business card and issued his own plea in Spanish. “Please, señora—tell the señor to call me. The police might be able to work something out with the missed court date. But he needs to come forward. Ernesto Reyes-Cardona has a family too. A sister right here in Lake Holly who believes he was chased to his death. Your husband is the only one who might know what happened.”
    â€œBut my husband says he didn’t see anything.”
    â€œThere may be some small thing he has forgotten that might be important. The police will never know unless they interview him.”
    The young mother tucked Vega’s business card in her bag and rose, clutching her daughter tightly in her arms. She bowed her head. “Thank you very much, señor, señora. You have been very kind to speak to me today. I will talk to my husband. I will tell him to speak to you.” Vilma sounded willing and compliant but Vega knew from experience that poor Latinos always showed deference to authority. It did not necessarily mean they would follow through. Vilma looked at Adele. “May I leave?”
    â€œThe detective has no legal right to detain you.” Adele shot Vega a look that dared him to contradict her. She could feel his fury even before she’d finished seeing Vilma and Bettina to the door. He had his legs stretched out in front of him until they reached halfway under her desk. He’d taken over the