“Do you have a cell phone?” She knew the answer as soon as she asked.
“Nah, I don’t keep up on those plans well, and often I’m in a dead zone anyway,” Gray replied. “But if you want to get hold of me, here’s the number for my friend Pete in Window Rock.” He scribbled a number on a piece of grimy notepad. “I’m only gonna be in the area through Thursday, then I got a job up in Durango.”
Matilda picked up the check and indicated she would pay it. “Thank you, I will check with my employers and be in touch pretty soon.” Satisfied, the lanky man saluted her and made his way out of the restaurant.
She leaned back in her seat and expelled a long breath. His scent hung unpleasantly in the air before being dissipated by stronger breezes from the front door. Grasping the beautiful bracelet, Matilda stroked its sensuous lines and thought how relieved she was this sale was over. She didn’t feel competent at such work; her looks and upbringing told against her in this working class environment. And at the back of her mind something else was stirring. Roy Climmer and Avery Gray.
She looked up when a shadow fell across her booth. The waitress was back, her face pleading. Matilda knew she should speak to her and urged her to sit down.
“I hope you don’t mind, I have no right to interfere, but when I saw you with him, well, I’ve been upset.” She shifted uncomfortably and then put her clasped hands on the table.
“My name’s Juanita Hawkes. I’ve known Avery Grayson since I was a little girl. He was friends with some cousins of mine, and when they hung out with Avery they got themselves in trouble.”
Matilda noted the alteration in the guy’s last name and a wave of conviction made her nod at Juanita and offer her own name softly.
“I guess you’d say his game isn’t as bad as it could be. Small time hustling, he had a phase when he’d go pot hunting, and he did well, too, until some of his partners started to sing to avoid big jail sentences. Avery went off to California for a while and when he came back two years ago, he was supposed to be straight.” Juanita bounced in her seat. “But I think he’s hanging on the edge again. It might be meth, this time.”
Matilda nodded. “I am not comfortable with this assignment, and I am having trouble reconciling why several people are so eager to do me favors.”
“I hope you don’t mind what I’m going to say, but you look and sound like money and class. I don’t think you even mean to, but that’s just what you are.” She looked away for a moment before saying softly, “I think you are someone who could anger people without meaning to.”
Internally, Matilda shivered. She’d never liked to own up to the truth, but she was one leopard who found it hard to change her spots. Even here in this sunny restaurant with its mix of relaxed locals and animated tourists, she felt like she stood out. She didn’t mean to. But the truth was that this environment was not natural to her. For a fleeting moment she felt sorry for herself and then self-preservation took over.
“Can I see it?” Juanita was pointing at the small pouch Matilda had still not tucked into her purse.
To her surprise, Matilda offered her the small package. Juanita examined it carefully, lifting the band only slightly from the pouch as she made her inspection. When she’d finished she said slowly, “I guess you realize this is genuine and very rare. I have another theory about it and I wonder if you’d let me run into the kitchen with this for a moment?”
Matilda found herself suddenly shaken, a bad feeling wending its way up her windpipe. She coughed and hastily took a drink of water. “Okay…” Juanita had already jumped up and was dashing off to the back. Matilda followed her progress with steely eyes, head tilted forward to catch any sound. Nothing for a moment and then she heard raised voices. They cut off suddenly.
(Continued next week)
