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Authors: P. A. Brown
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and with our growing problem in that area, he was a boon to our small police force.
So the fact he was an abrasive asshole wasn't normally held against him. I'm sure there were a few of my fellow officers who would no doubt say the same thing about me.
74
A Forest of Corpses
by P. A. Brown
Once I left Miguel with instructions on what I wanted, along with the admonition that I would be double checking his work when I got back, I took my box of donuts and a Venti black Columbian and headed over to Paige's desk. He glanced up at my approach then went back to a binder opened on his desk. Once there I could see that he was working on the latest gang briefs. No doubt updating them for our use.
"Got a minute?" I slid the donuts and coffee over the desk at him.
Paige's dark face showed his Aztec roots, and his flat brown eyes never seemed to miss anything. He barely glanced at either me, or my offerings. He chewed on a toothpick. I remember seeing him with a cigarette in his mouth all the time before the laws cut out that vice.
"Heard you broke the Simpson case."
"Got a lead I think is solid. Got some loose ends to tie up.
Who's the Eastside head OG?"
His narrow lips pursed and his eyes vanished in a mass of wrinkles around his canvas rough face. I pegged the guy as at least fifty-five. Sometimes I wonder whether I envied him, or his presence horrified me. Would this be me in twenty-some years? And if it was, would that be a good thing or a living nightmare? I knew he was twice divorced, with kids he never saw.
"Been a guard change lately. Chalo got sent up to Q and his homies are in a flux."
Translation: an internal gang war to rearrange a new pecking order. "How far has it gone? Any top contenders yet?"
75
A Forest of Corpses
by P. A. Brown
"Couple come to mind." Paige dipped into the box and helped himself to a cinnamon dusted. I took out a honey glazed and chewed. Though Jason had sent me off with a stomach full of fresh vegetable omelet, I still indulged in more sweets than I'm sure were good for me. Jason had been making noises lately about starting his own backyard vegetable and herb garden, and I was torn between amusement at his domesticity and fear that this was one more irrevocable step in the road to a permanence I was still leery of embracing.
I knew Jason didn't share my doubts. He was more than ready to go to whatever level I deemed acceptable. He would have married me in a heartbeat, but that was a big 'whoa'
moment for me. I'm not sure I could ever take that final step again. Would that eventually drive us apart?
Back to the moment. "Name the top two."
"Castano deSilva, calls himself Random, and another cholo , Fideo Esteban Gutierrez, aka—"
"Bala," I filled in. Now it was coming together.
"You're familiar, then," Paige said.
I nodded. "We made our re-acquaintance a couple of hours ago when I busted one of his soldiers at his mother's place. A Ramiro Jorge. He spilled Fideo's name. The mother filled me in on the rest. Needless to say she was not pleased with her son's affiliations. I almost nailed the bastard on that drive-by last month."
"I heard about that. Pisser."
"Tell me."
76
A Forest of Corpses
by P. A. Brown
"I'm hearing rumors there's a major cannabis influx from a new source coming to town. Fideo might be involved."
"I've got one of his top soldiers in lockup. I'm going to bring younger brother in, too. Their mami is one pissed lady.
She might be worth talking to. Get simpatico with her."
Now I had his attention. He sat up, dusting cinnamon powder off his fingers. "What charge did you manage on him?
Is it going to stick? What do you think his mother can tell us?"
"I think she might surprise us all. Especially if she thinks it will help save the youngest." I went on to tell him about seeing Ramiro and his crew down at the East Beach rest stop soon after Simpson's death, how I had pegged it as an assassination. That got a nod from him and the sage, "Yeah, the mofos have
So the fact he was an abrasive asshole wasn't normally held against him. I'm sure there were a few of my fellow officers who would no doubt say the same thing about me.
74
A Forest of Corpses
by P. A. Brown
Once I left Miguel with instructions on what I wanted, along with the admonition that I would be double checking his work when I got back, I took my box of donuts and a Venti black Columbian and headed over to Paige's desk. He glanced up at my approach then went back to a binder opened on his desk. Once there I could see that he was working on the latest gang briefs. No doubt updating them for our use.
"Got a minute?" I slid the donuts and coffee over the desk at him.
Paige's dark face showed his Aztec roots, and his flat brown eyes never seemed to miss anything. He barely glanced at either me, or my offerings. He chewed on a toothpick. I remember seeing him with a cigarette in his mouth all the time before the laws cut out that vice.
"Heard you broke the Simpson case."
"Got a lead I think is solid. Got some loose ends to tie up.
Who's the Eastside head OG?"
His narrow lips pursed and his eyes vanished in a mass of wrinkles around his canvas rough face. I pegged the guy as at least fifty-five. Sometimes I wonder whether I envied him, or his presence horrified me. Would this be me in twenty-some years? And if it was, would that be a good thing or a living nightmare? I knew he was twice divorced, with kids he never saw.
"Been a guard change lately. Chalo got sent up to Q and his homies are in a flux."
Translation: an internal gang war to rearrange a new pecking order. "How far has it gone? Any top contenders yet?"
75
A Forest of Corpses
by P. A. Brown
"Couple come to mind." Paige dipped into the box and helped himself to a cinnamon dusted. I took out a honey glazed and chewed. Though Jason had sent me off with a stomach full of fresh vegetable omelet, I still indulged in more sweets than I'm sure were good for me. Jason had been making noises lately about starting his own backyard vegetable and herb garden, and I was torn between amusement at his domesticity and fear that this was one more irrevocable step in the road to a permanence I was still leery of embracing.
I knew Jason didn't share my doubts. He was more than ready to go to whatever level I deemed acceptable. He would have married me in a heartbeat, but that was a big 'whoa'
moment for me. I'm not sure I could ever take that final step again. Would that eventually drive us apart?
Back to the moment. "Name the top two."
"Castano deSilva, calls himself Random, and another cholo , Fideo Esteban Gutierrez, aka—"
"Bala," I filled in. Now it was coming together.
"You're familiar, then," Paige said.
I nodded. "We made our re-acquaintance a couple of hours ago when I busted one of his soldiers at his mother's place. A Ramiro Jorge. He spilled Fideo's name. The mother filled me in on the rest. Needless to say she was not pleased with her son's affiliations. I almost nailed the bastard on that drive-by last month."
"I heard about that. Pisser."
"Tell me."
76
A Forest of Corpses
by P. A. Brown
"I'm hearing rumors there's a major cannabis influx from a new source coming to town. Fideo might be involved."
"I've got one of his top soldiers in lockup. I'm going to bring younger brother in, too. Their mami is one pissed lady.
She might be worth talking to. Get simpatico with her."
Now I had his attention. He sat up, dusting cinnamon powder off his fingers. "What charge did you manage on him?
Is it going to stick? What do you think his mother can tell us?"
"I think she might surprise us all. Especially if she thinks it will help save the youngest." I went on to tell him about seeing Ramiro and his crew down at the East Beach rest stop soon after Simpson's death, how I had pegged it as an assassination. That got a nod from him and the sage, "Yeah, the mofos have
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