Mendocino Jones in No Place for the Weak at Heart

There's a Mole

Back in his father's office, Bobby asked, "What are you thinking?"

"It's Sartain." Hank was back in his desk chair. "I don't know what he's up to, but every bit of it is on that sorry son of a bitch."

Hank pressed his finger on the twitch. "Truth is, I thought the same thing Mendocino did. I figured before Gust started losing it, he told Sartain to take care of Hector's running buddies. I couldn't let you know, for your own sake." Hank leaned back, rubbing the back of his neck. "Now that we know Gust was being poisoned, Mendocino seeing Sartain kill that woman, I know Gust isn't any part of this." He scowled at Bobby. "It's got to be April's pulling the strings. She benefitted from John David's death. She'll benefit more when Gust dies. And it makes sense she'd pay Sartain to get rid of Tillie, clear the way to walk down the aisle with you."

"If she paid Sartain to kill John David, why would she pay him to kill the Mexicans?" Bobby asked. "That doesn't make sense, Pops. I can't accept she'd pay someone to kill John David. I saw her grief."

Hank grumbled as he poured a third drink. "Hell, I don't know, son. I just know if it turns out she had John David killed and Gust poisoned," he held his drink up, "I'll send her straight to hell."

***

As he walked from the Watson Building to the hospital, Mendocino's cell phone rang. It was Amos. "Where are you?"

"Heading back from the Watsons. Good meeting."

"You need to get back."

Mendocino's scalp tingled. He sprinted across the plaza, through the hospital into Tillie's ICU room, stopping abruptly inside the door. Tillie and Margie were pale. Eyes terrified. His gaze settled on Amos. "What?"

"Rogers didn't die naturally. Someone shot him up with enough tranquilizer to kill an elephant. Got past our guard."

"A doctor or nurse." Mendocino went cold. He thought they had everything covered. "We need to get her out of here."

"Amos told me what happened." Tillie's voice was so small and hoarse, her eyes so big. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He glowered at Amos, who shrugged, spreading his arms wide. "Nobody told me it was a secret."

"I didn't want to worry you." Mendocino took her hand. "Have you remembered anything?"

She shook her head.

"Have they said when you can go home?" She seemed dazed. That was normal. "What's your doctor's name?"

"Asner, I think. Doctor Asner."

Mendocino turned to Amos. "Can we call him? I want her out of here."

Amos nodded and left the room.

Mendocino dialed his cell phone. "Can you come to Tillie's room? As soon as possible? Something's happened. I'll tell them to admit you to the ICU."

"Who was that?" Tillie asked.

"Bobby."

"Watson?" She shifted, sitting up straight in her bed. What had been fright in her eyes turned to shock. They couldn't get much bigger.

"Yeah." He smiled.

Her brows knitted together, her eyes asking the question.

"Let's say, we had a meeting of the minds." Mendocino grinned.

A few minutes later, the deputy on guard stuck his head in the door. "It's Hank and Bobby Watson."

"Send them in," Amos said.

Hank strode into the small room like the grand marshal of a parade. "Hey, there, Tillie." He smiled. "Margie, good to see you. Amos, wish circumstances were better."

"Nice to see you, Hank." Tillie's gaze locked onto Bobby, and she held out her hand.

Mendocino watched with hawkish eyes as Bobby took it, folding it into his own, his gaze adoring. "I'm so glad you're okay." Bobby seemed to search her eyes for a long moment and smiled wistfully. "You have yourself a good man, Tillie." He spoke barely above a whisper. "I'm happy for you." That agony that had been in his eyes at the Starlight. It had been replaced by simple regret.

She mouthed, "Thank you," and their gazes held a little longer. Then she said, "Bobby, what's all this about?"

Bobby gestured. "Mendocino's show."

Mendocino aimed his thumb at Amos. "His."

Amos cleared his throat. "Max Rogers was murdered. He was given enough fentanyl to kill us all. Someone got past the guard at his door."

The Watson men exchanged glances. Before either could speak Mendocino said, "I'm afraid they'll try the same with Tillie. Can you get her out of here? Tonight? You have an airplane. Fly her and Margie as far away from here as you can get them." He paused, dropping his gaze to the floor a second before holding it back up. "I'll pay you back. Do whatever you ask. Just fly her to safety."

"We'll fly her out of the country if she wants," Bobby said. "And you don't have to pay us back. But why not take her to Pops' house? With Gust? Guard her there."

"If I'm guarding her, I can't find who's trying to kill her. No, she's got to be where no one can find her while I finish this."

"While we finish this," Hank said.

A nurse rapped on the door, walking in. "Time for medicine—"

"Grab her!" Bobby pointed at the nurse.

Amos snatched her wrist.

"Enriqueta!" Hank pointed at the nurse with shiny black hair that fell to the middle of her back. "She's the one poisoning Gust!" He lumbered closer, eying the name badge. "Well, Enriqueta." He sneered. "Why does that badge of yours say Henrietta?"

She tried to pull free from Amos's grasp, holding a small tray of paper cups in her free hand.

"What is that?" Mendocino pointed.

Enriqueta glanced at the pill cups. "This is her medicine." Then she glared up at Hank. "My American name is Henrietta. You said Mr. Gust would be back today, but I haven't heard anything. I need to work."

Mendocino nodded at the tray. "What are you giving Tillie?"

"I don't know." She glanced at the pill cups. "It's what they give me to bring her." She was an attractive woman with a chiseled face and big brown eyes, her English laden with a heavy Spanish accent.

"Hold her." Amos shoved Enriqueta's wrist at Bobby, who latched onto it with an expression of distaste as if he were holding a dirty diaper.

Amos left the room, returning quickly with the charge nurse, gesturing to Enriqueta. "Is she a hospital employee? Did you give her that medicine to give to Tillie?"

The charge nurse, a heavyset, bald, middle-aged man appeared to scan Enriqueta from head to toe, turned to Amos, and said, "No, I don't know her." Then he scowled at Enriqueta. "Who are you? How did you get that uniform?"

She ignored the question, struggling against Bobby's iron claw.

Amos told the charge nurse, "Take those pills she has. Can you find out what they are? Get your lab to analyze them?"

"I'll check."

"Put each in a plastic bag." Amos directed. "I need to see you do it, sign it with the date and time. We'll go to the lab. Chain of custody. I'll watch them do the same there."

The charge nurse followed Amos's directions. As the two left the room, Amos looked at Bobby. "Don't let her get away from you. I'm not ready to cuff her just yet. Not until I get these pills analyzed."

With Amos out of sight, Mendocino whispered to Tillie. "I'll be back. I have to know who sent her." His gaze drifted to Margie. "Where's Tom?"

"He's at Tillie's, taking a nap after the long drive. He'll be back soon."

"Don't let anyone give her anything. Period."

Margie nodded.

He turned to Bobby. "Let's go."