four-top by the front window. Anna had loved the food at Sergio’s even before she started working with Sam. Now, when Anna came here, she felt like family. It was nice, since her own family—Jody—lived in Flint.
Tony went into the kitchen and came back carrying a plate heaped with eggplant patties, fried calamari, and butterfly shrimp. He set the plate on their table and sat down with them.
“Eat, eat,” he said. “My mother’s motto.”
“These are my favorite.” Anna speared a patty. “How are your mom and dad?”
“Good. They’ll be sorry they missed you. You look gorgeous, by the way.”
“Being engaged suits her,” McGee drawled.
Tony glanced at McGee, then down at Anna’s hand. She held up her ring.
“Very nice.” Tony sighed. “Is this the guy you were ‘just getting over’ a few weeks ago?”
“Yep.”
Tony had asked her out while she and Jack were broken up. Anna turned him down because she was still in love with Jack. Now she was especially glad she hadn’t dated Tony. She could still come here and be friends with everyone, without complications.
“Congratulations.” Tony’s eyes twinkled again with their usual mischief. “I’m sure he’ll make an excellent first husband.”
“I’m only planning on doing this once.”
“Of course. Still, get a good prenup.”
“Get out of here,” she said, laughing. “Stop trying to jinx me.”
“I would never do that.” Tony stood with a smile. “I’m very happy for you.”
“Thanks.”
When he left, McGee looked at her with narrowed eyes.
“He’s just a big joker,” Anna said.
“He didn’t seem to be joking.”
“Oh, he’s harmless. Try the shrimp.”
McGee was soon mollified—or at least silenced—by the delicious food.
Hector Ramos arrived ten minutes later. Anna felt sorry for him as soon as he walked in the door. He was a good-looking man: a little taller than her, in his early thirties, muscular, with short brown hair and a goatee. He was quiet, but had an easy smile. At least, he usually did. Today, the skin around his eyes had the bluish rings of someone who hadn’t slept in a while. His face was pale and drawn, with stubble on his cheeks. When he sat down, Anna nudged the plate of appetizers toward him, but he shook his head.
“Thanks so much for coming,” Anna said. “I know you didn’t have to.”
“I did.”
She nodded gratefully. Hector had the most to risk by talking about the shooting. But perhaps he was also the most interested in making a case against the gang whose member he’d shot.
“How are you doing?” she asked.
“Hanging in.”
Most cops went their entire career without ever drawing their guns. Officers who actually shot someone often had a hard time getting over it. Many required years of counseling.
Hector waved over a waiter and ordered three cans of DC Brau. “You all drinking with me?” Anna and McGee shook their heads. Hector tried to smile, but it came off as a grimace. “Oh well, I’m not on duty now. Won’t be for a while.”
Before Anna even had to ask, Hector started telling her what happened the night before, at the brothel. Anna followed up with questions, getting all the flavor and details that weren’t in the police reports. McGee took notes. He would testify to Hector’s story at the upcoming preliminary hearing, where hearsay was admissible.
“So what did the guys look like?” Anna asked. “The ones who got away.”
“I just saw them for a moment, and I was mostly focused on the machetes. One was a medium Hispanic male. The other was strange—his face was covered in dark markings. Probably tattoos, but a lot of them. And there were two bumps, like horns, growing under his forehead.”
“A guy like that can’t hide for long,” Anna said.
“So you’d think. The Latino Liaison unit has been hearing chatter about a devil-man leading MS-13. So far, it’s just street talk.”
“Do you think you could help a sketch artist? Or ID either of
Tony went into the kitchen and came back carrying a plate heaped with eggplant patties, fried calamari, and butterfly shrimp. He set the plate on their table and sat down with them.
“Eat, eat,” he said. “My mother’s motto.”
“These are my favorite.” Anna speared a patty. “How are your mom and dad?”
“Good. They’ll be sorry they missed you. You look gorgeous, by the way.”
“Being engaged suits her,” McGee drawled.
Tony glanced at McGee, then down at Anna’s hand. She held up her ring.
“Very nice.” Tony sighed. “Is this the guy you were ‘just getting over’ a few weeks ago?”
“Yep.”
Tony had asked her out while she and Jack were broken up. Anna turned him down because she was still in love with Jack. Now she was especially glad she hadn’t dated Tony. She could still come here and be friends with everyone, without complications.
“Congratulations.” Tony’s eyes twinkled again with their usual mischief. “I’m sure he’ll make an excellent first husband.”
“I’m only planning on doing this once.”
“Of course. Still, get a good prenup.”
“Get out of here,” she said, laughing. “Stop trying to jinx me.”
“I would never do that.” Tony stood with a smile. “I’m very happy for you.”
“Thanks.”
When he left, McGee looked at her with narrowed eyes.
“He’s just a big joker,” Anna said.
“He didn’t seem to be joking.”
“Oh, he’s harmless. Try the shrimp.”
McGee was soon mollified—or at least silenced—by the delicious food.
Hector Ramos arrived ten minutes later. Anna felt sorry for him as soon as he walked in the door. He was a good-looking man: a little taller than her, in his early thirties, muscular, with short brown hair and a goatee. He was quiet, but had an easy smile. At least, he usually did. Today, the skin around his eyes had the bluish rings of someone who hadn’t slept in a while. His face was pale and drawn, with stubble on his cheeks. When he sat down, Anna nudged the plate of appetizers toward him, but he shook his head.
“Thanks so much for coming,” Anna said. “I know you didn’t have to.”
“I did.”
She nodded gratefully. Hector had the most to risk by talking about the shooting. But perhaps he was also the most interested in making a case against the gang whose member he’d shot.
“How are you doing?” she asked.
“Hanging in.”
Most cops went their entire career without ever drawing their guns. Officers who actually shot someone often had a hard time getting over it. Many required years of counseling.
Hector waved over a waiter and ordered three cans of DC Brau. “You all drinking with me?” Anna and McGee shook their heads. Hector tried to smile, but it came off as a grimace. “Oh well, I’m not on duty now. Won’t be for a while.”
Before Anna even had to ask, Hector started telling her what happened the night before, at the brothel. Anna followed up with questions, getting all the flavor and details that weren’t in the police reports. McGee took notes. He would testify to Hector’s story at the upcoming preliminary hearing, where hearsay was admissible.
“So what did the guys look like?” Anna asked. “The ones who got away.”
“I just saw them for a moment, and I was mostly focused on the machetes. One was a medium Hispanic male. The other was strange—his face was covered in dark markings. Probably tattoos, but a lot of them. And there were two bumps, like horns, growing under his forehead.”
“A guy like that can’t hide for long,” Anna said.
“So you’d think. The Latino Liaison unit has been hearing chatter about a devil-man leading MS-13. So far, it’s just street talk.”
“Do you think you could help a sketch artist? Or ID either of
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