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“Crazy as ever,” Peralta said. To me: “We were all in the same unit.”
“That crazy Indian saved my ass more than once,” Russo said.
“Mine, too.” Peralta savored the bourbon. The small talk continued for an interminable time. He even got around to introducing me.
“I appreciate you flying over here,” Peralta said.
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sp; Russo stared at the floor. “I’m sorry, Mike. I should have contacted you sooner. But if this had gotten into the financial press…” He shook his head. “After Felix was killed, I didn’t know what to do.”
He had my attention.
“Felix was the head of my security detail,” Russo said. “He was a Navy SEAL who lost a leg in Afghanistan. Won a Silver Star saving his comrades after an IED attack. He was a good man.”
“Why did he have multiple driver’s licenses?” I asked.
Russo explained that sometimes he needed to check into hotel suites under assumed names. Apparently like many billionaires, he was a target of threats and would be a tempting catch for kidnappers. I tried to pay attention while wondering how the situation in Sunnyslope was progressing.
“Scarlett.” Peralta let the name drop ever so lightly.
Russo made a face. “Foolish old rich man, huh? I know what you’re thinking.”
“I’m not thinking anything, Jim. She was a pretty girl.”
“I have a wife and children,” Russo said. “But my wife and I drew apart sexually a long time ago. Grace…” He hesitated. “Grace helped me.”
“Grace?” I said.
He smiled sadly. “I knew her name. Felix provided a complete dossier on her background for me.”
“We’re not here to judge,” Peralta said. “Hell, I envy you, you horny wop. It might have helped to know you were the one hiring us instead of Felix.”
“He did it,” Russo said. “I only gave him your name. He didn’t trust the police, and he was mindful of my privacy. I thought if anyone could help, you could.”
“Was he seeing Grace, too?” That was my fart in church.
“Oh, no,” Russo said, “Felix was gay. But he was the one to give Grace a ride to my place in Rancho Santa Fe and back. They got to know one another. Felix did love her, but like a brother. You see, when he was deployed his real sister was abducted and killed. He never forgave himself. He became very protective of Grace, especially after he learned she was being pimped out. He got her out of that situation and back together with her old boyfriend. I hated to have to give her up but she deserved a real life.”
We waited. Peralta and Russo received refills.
“In the months that followed, Felix would keep an eye on her. He’d check up from time to time. Of course, her husband didn’t know. Grace was very good at keeping secrets and compartmentalizing. About two weeks before her death, she called Felix. She was afraid somebody was stalking her. She didn’t know who, or she didn’t say. She didn’t want to worry Tim, so I’d be surprised if she even told him. Anyway, Felix took a leave of absence, got an apartment in Ocean Beach so he could be close…”
“A guardian angel,” I said.
“Exactly.” Russo looked me over for the first time. A mixed verdict. “I didn’t think it was necessary. Grace was smart and away from that life. But Felix was adamant, and he was a very good employee. He had also served the country. I felt I owed this to him. He gave her a panic button to push if she got in trouble. He was usually about a block away.”
Peralta asked what happened on April twenty-second.
“For the first time, Grace pushed the panic button. It had a tracker and Felix was able to get to her…”
“What do you mean?” I was too impatient.
“He ran the car she was in off the road, onto a side street. But it was three against one. They beat him up pretty bad, which would be no easy feat, and they left him there. I didn’t realize how bad when he called. He held it together, told me some guys had taken Grace and gotten away from him.”
“Why didn’t he call the police?”
“I told him to do it. I also gave him your number. I told him Peralta could get results.”
