Cat Chaser

“No, I was pla

“God love you,” Mary said. “Stay that way.”

Moran was watching the late news when Nolen stumbled at the door and almost came through the screen. Moran said, “Wait and I’ll open it, it’s easier.”

Nolen made himself comfortable and Moran handed him a beer. Nolen said, “Well, if you insist.” He drank the can down about a third and said, “That broad in the pool ain’t from Fort Wayne or Findlay, Ohio, I know that much. She’s got a pair of lungs on her she could float across the ocean on ’em.”

“That’s Loret,” Moran said. “I didn’t know she was a swimmer.”

“She isn’t, she’s a floater. Fernando Lamas was nervous, kept telling her to get out, but she wouldn’t. I think she told him to get fucked in Spanish.”

“That’s Rafi Amado.”

“Yeah, he says you shot him one time. He showed me.”

“What’d it look like to you?”

“It looked like he had one tit.”

“The scar.”

“It looked like somebody cut him.”

“Yeah, and I hit him lower. You hit somebody at about thirty meters you remember it. You can play it back and look at it.”

“What’s he want?”

“He comes all this way-I don’t think just so I can meet cute little Loret. He tell you about her?”

“I wasn’t paying much attention; I was watching her float. She’s the sister of the girl you went down there looking for and life’s been dumping on her and he thinks you’re a swell guy. Something like that. What else?”

“I’m waiting for the rest of it.”

“So you don’t trust this boy.”

“Not too far.”

“There’s somebody doesn’t trust you either,” Nolen said, giving Moran a sly look. “The old Cat Chaser.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“Gimme another beer I’ll tell you.”

“You got one.”

“Time you pop another it’ll be gone.”

Moran walked around the counter into the kitchen and got the beer rather than take Nolen by the throat and choke him. It seemed easier; the man was half in the bag and had something he wanted to tell. Moran came over with the can of Bud to where Nolen was sprawled on the sofa, neck bent against the cushion, his legs sticking straight out. He was wearing a pair of old curl-toed cowboy boots. Nolen handed Moran his empty and took the full one.

“Who is it doesn’t trust me?”

“Well, Jiggs Scully wants to know-as Jiggs says, ‘Tell me. Your buddy Moran, he working over in Coral Gables at the Holiday I

“That’s very good,” Moran said. “What’s he following me for?”

“He isn’t following you, he’s following de Boya’s wife. He sees her go in the Holiday I

Moran stared at Nolen for a moment, Nolen waiting with the sly look, then went to the kitchen and poured himself a scotch with one ice cube. He stood at the counter now looking across the width of the room at Nolen.

“Scully says he’d rather talk to you than de Boya. He doesn’t like de Boya.”

“How much does he want?”

“He’s not shaking you down, he wants to talk.”

“About what?”

“He’s an interesting guy. I think you ought to listen what he has to say.”

“Yeah, about what?”

“I’m not at liberty. At this point it’s strictly between you and him.”

“How long’s he been following Mrs. de Boya?”

Nolen gri

Moran sipped his drink.

Nolen was comfortable, having a good time.

“You’re not saying, uh? Well, I don’t blame you. Afraid you’ll get your laundry scattered all over. But I think you should talk to him, Jiggs. It might be, you find out it’s in your best interest.”

Nolen wouldn’t say any more than that.

Pulling into the Holiday I

And for a while it wouldn’t have mattered if de Boya himself were parked outside; they were together and there wasn’t anything else, only faint street sounds they might have heard but were removed and had nothing to do with them. They lingered, making it last, until the present began to seep back and sounds outside became images of two-tone Cadillacs and limousines; with awareness came apprehension, waiting for something to happen.

She said, “What’s the matter?” When he didn’t answer she said, “We don’t have to do this.”

“Yeah, we do,” Moran said. “We’re way past that. We could say we’re not go

She said, “He hasn’t mentioned you since the day we got back. I’ve been rehearsing my lines, I’m almost ready to corner him.” Her tone softened. “I’m not dragging my feet, I’m just scared.”

He said, “I know.”

She said, “You’re off somewhere.”

“No, I’m here. I’m resting.”

“Tell me what’s going on.”

She wanted to know about Loret. He told her the story again in detail and the parts that bothered him: the twelve years difference between Luci and Loret, no mention of brothers and sisters in between; that wasn’t a Dominican family. The revolutionary party Luci joined; he didn’t believe it existed; the political situation there had been quiet for years. And the way Rafi put words in her mouth, prompted so she wouldn’t forget anything.

Mary said, “And are they having fun at the Coconuts?”

He had put them up in oceanfront Number One and Number Two. He told Mary that Jerry said he was crazy, giving them a free ride and now he’d have to get Lula in to clean. Jerry called them “boat people,” like the Cubans from Mariel; pretty soon they’d be taking over.

Mary said, “Bighearted George. Well, as long as you know what you’re doing.”

“But I don’t,” Moran said. “I’m not sure what’s going on. But he makes a pitch I can always say no, right?”

“I don’t know, George. Can you? You know they want something, but you’re still moved.”

The afternoon went too fast; it always did. Mary slipped into her warmups. They said goodbye, holding onto each other for several minutes and almost went back to bed. Moran waited then by the door as Mary got in her car and drove off. Still no sign of a two-tone Cadillac.

Moran got in his car and drove out toward the front of the Holiday I

Moran followed, seeing faint bursts of colorless smoke coming out of the Porsche’s tailpipe as it accelerated. There was no doubt in his mind it was Nolen. He hung back, keeping the oil burner in sight, then caught the light at Miracle Mile and had to sit there as both cars continued on, disappearing in the southbound traffic.

He took his time now, worked his way over to Granada and followed the road through Coral Gables to the country club to see if she might have turned in there; but there was no sign of either car. He passed the street where he had lived for seven years, drove through caverns of tropical trees to streets that branched off into fingers of coastal land, the houses built on a network of free-form canals and hidden by walls of stone and vegetation, stands of sea grape, hibiscus, jungles of orchids and acacia trees. He came to Arvida Parkway and rolled slowly through the gloom of foliage, catching flashes of Biscayne Bay in the late afternoon sunlight.