A Talk with Jose

Butch

-I crawled out of the blanket fort and attempted to stand. Every freaking muscle was sore and aching. I was hunched over like an old lady with a walker. I glanced back at the feet dangling out and had to smile. I knew at some point things wouldn’t be new between us but I doubted that it would ever be any less fun. When I finally managed to straighten up I could hear damn near every bone in my back crack. I had to grab on to something to keep from falling over and clamped my mouth shut to hold back the curse. I had to give it a minute of settle time before I could move again and I hobbled into the bathroom. Cranking the hot water of the shower all the way up before stepping in and letting that work the tension out of my muscles. I needed to go see Jose. I’d put this off long enough. The way that his fat thumbprint was left on the rainbow sticker was entirely to deliberate. He’d been my partner for long enough to know my habits and he knew that I would eventually drag my sorry ass to Janie’s grave. It was almost like a compulsion for me. Heck I think I even made him drop me off there once. I was wasted the memory was too foggy to know for sure. I stepped out of the shower and caught sight of the tattoo on my lower back in the mirror. I would have to ask V to add another mark to the bunch. I thought about that as I walked into my room and pulled out clothes. I was a vampire now and the yearly calendar that I kept on my back would grow to ridiculous levels. Maybe I would go until I finally found the bastards that did that to her… My hand clenched around the pants I was about to put on. Why any sick, deprived soul would do something like that I would never understand. It took awhile to snap out of it and I quickly moved to put on the rest of my clothes. I walked through the Pit and paused when I saw the fort again. I went over to V’s computers and scribbled a note on a pad of paper: Went to talk to my old partner. I’ll be back before you know it. ~B. I palmed the keys to the Escalade and left before I changed my mind and put it off yet again.-

-I turned on the police radio as I drove into town and it didn’t take me long to find the most likely crime scene. I parked a few blocks away and pulled the Sox cap out of the glove box. Pulling the hat low over my face before I even got out of the SUV. My senses kicked in to overdrive as soon as the night air hit my skin. The last damn thing I needed right now was a run in with the lesser. There was already a large crowd gathered around the crime scene and that actually worked in my favor. Hopefully not too many other cops would recognize me. This was between me and my old partner. Jose De La Cruz stood over the gruesome body with his customary cup of shitty coffee. I leaned against the brick of a building right at the edge of the police tape and took out my smokes. He would notice me soon enough. The guy had a good eye and even better instincts. I lit up and took the opportunity to observe the crowd. Some people lived for seeing these types of crime scenes. Sick really. If you asked me, they were only a step away from performing the act themselves. I heard Jose walk up but I didn’t turn my head to look at him.- You gotta real nice bunch of looky-lues here tonight. -I pointed to one guy who watched from the back of the group with a calm that was unnatural. In fact his heartbeat was even betraying him but that was something that Jose wouldn’t be able to tell.- You should grab that one before he gets away. He is entirely too cool.-Jose huffed out a laugh and leaned against the building next to me. ‘Really? Cause I had my eye on old sweaty palms over here.’ He indicated another direction with his head and I scanned the man that had been shuffling around nervously the whole time.- He thinks that he might know the victim but he hopes that it’s not true. Look, he’s even cried about it. -I pointed to the tear stains with my cigarette. Jose shook his head with a smile on his face. ‘You still got it, Butch.’ He motioned for a uniform and held his hand over his face as he described the man that I had pointed out. The officer nodded and cut around behind the crowd. Jose ducked under the police tape and walked a short distance away from the gathering. I dropped my smoke to the pavement and stamped it out before pushing off of the brick and joining him. ‘I looked all over for you, man. Where the hell did you disappear to?’- I’m not here to give you a run down, Jose. You know why I’m here and if you won’t tell me about it than I’m wasting my time. -I started walking away and he jumped in front of me and looked at me with a wrinkled brow. ‘You’re a lot bigger than I remember…’ He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. ‘Look. There is a place around the corner. What do you say we grab a cup and talk about it?’ I nodded and motioned for him to lead the way. I knew there were dangers in talking to him in the first place but I had to know whatever information he had about my sister. He turned the corner and led me into some seedy twenty-four hour diner, the kind that we used to frequent all the time, but I couldn’t help but dust the booth off before I sat down. I reached inside my suit coat and pulled out the sticker encased in a plastic bag and laid it on the table.- So tell me where you found it. -Jose ordered a coffee and something to eat. I waved off the waitress. I didn’t want to eat anything that came from this kitchen. Fritz had spoiled me I realized. When his coffee came, Jose planted his arms on the table. ‘That’s it huh? No, Hey Jose how are you doing? How’s the wife? Sorry I dropped off the face of the earth and landed on a pile of cash. What the hell?’ I rolled my eyes and leaned back in booth. I should have known it was going to be this way. I would probably be doing the same thing if I were in his place. I took off the baseball cap and laid it on the table trying to think of what I could tell him that would get him off my ass.- I’m obviously alive and well. There’s a lot of shit that I just can’t tell you and you will have to deal. I shouldn’t even have come here. -I looked out the window, considering just getting up and leaving him with questions unanswered. ‘We found it on a car that we pulled out of the water. I thought you would like to know.’ He seemed bitter about the way the whole conversation was going but he reached into his coat and pulled out a file that he had folded up in his pocket. He threw it on the table with clear irritation. ‘That’s all we have on it.’ I placed a finger on it and slid it across the table toward me. Resisting the urge to pour over it right away and tucking it into my own inner pocket.- Thank you… I sorry I can’t tell you more. If it’s any help I finally fell for someone and we are happy together. -The look on his face was almost worth dropping that bomb. ‘I suppose it’s too much to ask to meet the girl that finally tamed you.’ I stopped in the middle of getting up and turned my head back to Jose with a grin spread across my face.- You don’t want to meet my other half, Jose. Trust me. He is one scarey mutherfucker. -I reached back and swiped the cap off the table. Winking at my shocked ex-partner before sliding out of the booth. Calling back over my shoulder to him.- That gaping mouth is going to catch flies if you don’t close it soon. Take care of yourself Jose. -I walked back to the Escalade with a grin that wasn’t going anywhere and drove back to the mansion.-