Chief O’Malley,” the dark-haired woman said in a strong Colombian accent. “I have heard so much about you. How you have sworn to lock up every wrongdoer in Los Angeles, from the naughty street children to the big fat gang bosses.”
Chief O’Malley didn’t reply, but waited for Orestes Vasquez to say what he had come here to say.
“In a way,” said Orestes Vasquez, “Lida is the reason that I have imposed on your hospitality this evening.”
“Go on.”
“Let me put it like this, Chief O’Malley. I am a businessman, and many of my friends are businessmen. Until Chief De Souza took over, we were able to run our affairs with very little interference from the Los Angeles Police Department. It was a question of mutual respect, if you understand me.”
“I understand you. You and your friends bribed a number of senior officers in the LAPD to turn a blind eye to your activities.”
“There is a great deal of difference between bribery , Chief O’Malley, and showing one’s appreciation to amenable friends.”
“Oh, yes? I’m sorry to tell you that when it comes to narcotics, illegal gunrunning, extortion, and prostitution, I don’t do amenable.”
Orestes Vasquez grinned again and nodded. “I know your reputation, Chief O’Malley. You are much less tolerant than your predecessor. Which is why my friends and I have been obliged to seek another way to coexist with the forces of law and order.”
“I don’t do coexistence either, Mr. Vasquez. Not with drug traffickers.”
“Oh, no? When you see the alternative, I believe that you will change your mind.”
Lida Siado had a small bag tied to her left wrist, in silver silk to match her dress. She loosened the silk cord that fastened it and took out two clamshells.
“I think it’s time you left,” said Chief O’Malley.
“No, no,” said Orestes Vasquez. “Please give us one second more. You must experience this.”
Lida Siado took the clamshells and inserted them into her eye sockets so that she looked as if she were blind.
“Listen,” said Chief O’Malley, “I don’t have the patience for party games. I’m very busy tonight. I’ll have you escorted out.”
But Lida Siado raised the little drum around her neck and started to tap it with her middle finger. In time to the tapping, she started to sing—her voice high and breathy, as if she had been running. “Night Wind, come blow for me! Night Wind, bring your darkness here! Night Wind, come sing for me! Night Wind, blind this company!”
Chief O’Malley waved at Sergeant Jim Halperin, who was in charge of security. The sergeant began to make his way through the guests, beckoning to two of his fellow officers as he came.
He was only halfway across the patio, however, when all the shutters in the house suddenly slammed, one after the other. There was a whistling, fluffing noise, and a strong wind sprang up, blowing a blizzard of dust and leaves and debris among the assembled guests.
“ Night Wind! ” Lida Sioda repeated, her voice much shriller. “ Night Wind! Come blow for me! ”
Chief O’Malley had to raise his hand to shield his face from the hurtling dust.
“Stop this!” he shouted. “Whatever you’re doing, stop it!”
But the wind grew stronger and stronger, and its whistling developed into a lugubrious howl. Champagne glasses tipped over and shattered. Tablecloths flapped in the air and fled off in the darkness like flying ghosts. Women screamed and held on to their hats and the hems of their dresses. More than one man’s hairpiece was ripped off by the wind and spun away.
“Night Wind, come sing for me!” Lida Sioda repeated, over and over. Her voice began to drop lower and lower, until it was almost as deep as a man’s. “Night Wind, blind this company!”
“That’s enough!” Chief O’Malley shouted at her. He made a staggering move toward her, but Orestes Vasquez stepped smoothly between them. His greased-back hair was unmoved by the wind. In fact
Chief O’Malley didn’t reply, but waited for Orestes Vasquez to say what he had come here to say.
“In a way,” said Orestes Vasquez, “Lida is the reason that I have imposed on your hospitality this evening.”
“Go on.”
“Let me put it like this, Chief O’Malley. I am a businessman, and many of my friends are businessmen. Until Chief De Souza took over, we were able to run our affairs with very little interference from the Los Angeles Police Department. It was a question of mutual respect, if you understand me.”
“I understand you. You and your friends bribed a number of senior officers in the LAPD to turn a blind eye to your activities.”
“There is a great deal of difference between bribery , Chief O’Malley, and showing one’s appreciation to amenable friends.”
“Oh, yes? I’m sorry to tell you that when it comes to narcotics, illegal gunrunning, extortion, and prostitution, I don’t do amenable.”
Orestes Vasquez grinned again and nodded. “I know your reputation, Chief O’Malley. You are much less tolerant than your predecessor. Which is why my friends and I have been obliged to seek another way to coexist with the forces of law and order.”
“I don’t do coexistence either, Mr. Vasquez. Not with drug traffickers.”
“Oh, no? When you see the alternative, I believe that you will change your mind.”
Lida Siado had a small bag tied to her left wrist, in silver silk to match her dress. She loosened the silk cord that fastened it and took out two clamshells.
“I think it’s time you left,” said Chief O’Malley.
“No, no,” said Orestes Vasquez. “Please give us one second more. You must experience this.”
Lida Siado took the clamshells and inserted them into her eye sockets so that she looked as if she were blind.
“Listen,” said Chief O’Malley, “I don’t have the patience for party games. I’m very busy tonight. I’ll have you escorted out.”
But Lida Siado raised the little drum around her neck and started to tap it with her middle finger. In time to the tapping, she started to sing—her voice high and breathy, as if she had been running. “Night Wind, come blow for me! Night Wind, bring your darkness here! Night Wind, come sing for me! Night Wind, blind this company!”
Chief O’Malley waved at Sergeant Jim Halperin, who was in charge of security. The sergeant began to make his way through the guests, beckoning to two of his fellow officers as he came.
He was only halfway across the patio, however, when all the shutters in the house suddenly slammed, one after the other. There was a whistling, fluffing noise, and a strong wind sprang up, blowing a blizzard of dust and leaves and debris among the assembled guests.
“ Night Wind! ” Lida Sioda repeated, her voice much shriller. “ Night Wind! Come blow for me! ”
Chief O’Malley had to raise his hand to shield his face from the hurtling dust.
“Stop this!” he shouted. “Whatever you’re doing, stop it!”
But the wind grew stronger and stronger, and its whistling developed into a lugubrious howl. Champagne glasses tipped over and shattered. Tablecloths flapped in the air and fled off in the darkness like flying ghosts. Women screamed and held on to their hats and the hems of their dresses. More than one man’s hairpiece was ripped off by the wind and spun away.
“Night Wind, come sing for me!” Lida Sioda repeated, over and over. Her voice began to drop lower and lower, until it was almost as deep as a man’s. “Night Wind, blind this company!”
“That’s enough!” Chief O’Malley shouted at her. He made a staggering move toward her, but Orestes Vasquez stepped smoothly between them. His greased-back hair was unmoved by the wind. In fact
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