Who in Hell Is Wanda Fuca? by G. M. Ford Read Free Book Online

meddling, right? But, I can't say nothing. She's damn near twenty
years old, if she wants to move out that's her business. Like I said, she gives
all her money to the group. I figure I'll hear from her when she needs money,
you know? Two months go by. Nothing."
    He slashed the air with the bony edge of his hand. "So I send Frankie
out to see what's up. We don't have a hell of a lot going on anymore. I figured
he'd enjoy the exercise. Nothing." He slashed the air again. "Even
Frankie can't seem to find her." I started to speak. Only the dead could
hide from Frankie Ortega. He stopped me.
    "About a week later Frankie gets a sniff from one of his sources that
Caroline's hanging around with this Save the Earth group down by the square. He
tools around a bit to see what's going on, but on the second day she makes him.
She calls here in the middle of the night and tells me to keep out of her
business. Tells me it's people like me who've ruined the planet and hangs
up." He was out of gas. He motioned to the far side of the room. Frankie
emerged from the mist and sidled over. "Tell him, Frankie," he
croaked. Frankie patted his shoulder and turned to me.
    "I don't know what she's into, Leo, but it's not good. She lives like
she's on the run." Frankie would know.
    "You sure she's not?" I asked.
    "Positive," Tim wheezed. "I checked. Nobody official wants
her for nothing." Tim rested between outbursts, breathing deeply and
pulling the covers close about him.
    Frankie jumped in. "This group she's with, now that's another matter.
They're suspects in a whole lot of shit. You remember that Japanese fishing
trawler that got rammed a couple of months ago?" He didn't wait for a
response. "The heat is looking at them for that. Also all that damage a
couple months back over at the research labs at the university."
    Two months ago someone had ransacked the research labs at the U, freed all
the animals, and set the place on fire. The fire had spread to an adjoining
campus building, causing damage in the millions. Every legitimate animal rights
and environmental organization had decided the action as that of the terminally
misguided. A couple had even posted rewards for the capture of the
perpetrators. If Caroline Nobel was part for the capture of the perpetrators.
If Caroline Nobel was part of this mess, things were ugly. Taking a case for
Tim Flood was one thing, failing at it another.
    Turning to Frankie Ortega, I asked, "What makes you say she acts like
she's on the run?" Maybe if I could put their collective mind at ease, I
could get out of this. No go. Tim had been waiting for this part.
    "These screwballs have a whole building way down on First. I had
Frankie take me down there. It's like Prohibition all over again. They got
these assholes in green berets handing out on the sidewalk handing out
leaflets. Nobody, but nobody, gets into the building. They live in there, for
Chrissake. They eat there. When they want to leave, they back these vans up to
the side door, everybody files out into the vans. They got other vans makin'
sure they ain't being followed. They're just a bunch of kids. They think
they're the fuckin' CIA or something. I never seen anything like it. They
shouldn't be playin' at shit like that. They're a bunch of amateurs. They
haven't got a clue. They're gonna get hurt." I'd never seen Tim Flood
quite this riled.
    "I still don't see why you need me."
    "Frankie I need around, Leo. Nicky and Ricky, well - they have their
talents but it's not for finding out stuff, if you know what I mean.
    "I want to know about this Save the Earth group. I want to know what
they're into. I want to make sure she's not getting in too far, where even I
can't get her out of it."
    "I don't know, Tim. I - "
    "Expenses, your daily rate, and a ten-grand bonus."
    Tim knew the way to my heart. No "for old times' sake." No playing
on his relationship with my father. Just filthy lucre.
    "What's your daily rate, Leo?"
    "Four hundred and expenses" I shot