Dead Ringer
Danny, I’ve got a feeling Margo’s in trouble.”
    “ Me too. You know what it’s about?”
    “ Nobody told you? You’re supposed to be the security here.”
    “ I guess the real cops don’t have much use for guys like me.”
    “ Well, I sure do, so listen up. Margo was standing in line at the check out behind Frankie Fujimori, at a convenience store in Long Beach, when some guy walks in, pulls out a shotgun and blows Frankie away. Guy pointed the gun at her, apparently changed his mind, then took off. Nobody saw the shooter’s face except Margo.”
    “ I saw that on the news. Nobody told me Mrs. Kenyon was there.”
    “ You’re surprised? You know how she felt about Fujimori. She would’ve walked barefoot through hot coals if it would’ve helped put him back where he belonged.”
    “ She’s a tough one alright.” Danny had that wistful look in his eyes. Gay thought she smelled marijuana. Ah well, God didn’t put her on this earth to judge others. She had enough trouble keeping care of Sonya and her own self.
    “ Yeah, she’s tough, but that shotgun in her face really shook her up. A cop had to drive her home, guess it was after you got off or you would’ve known. I had to drive her to the police parking lot in Long Beach the next day to get her car.”
    “ She left that brand new Porsche in a parking lot all night long? In Long Beach?”
    “ Police parking, but yeah. That’s how shook up she was.”
    “ I should know this stuff.” Danny narrowed his eyes. The faraway look was gone now. He was one hundred percent concentration.
    “ The cops want to keep it quiet. I think Margo does too. So don’t tell her I said anything. But it’s stupid of them not to tell you. I mean, what if the killer found out? What if he tried to get by you? You know, to get to her.”
    “ Nobody gets in here without a tenant clears him. But just the same, I’m gonna be twice as careful now that I know.” He slapped his holstered pistol, a gunfighter ready for battle. “And don’t you worry, I won’t let on you told me.”
    “ Good.” Gay smiled at him as he waived her past. Stupid cops, not telling Danny, how dumb.
    She used her clicker to open the gate for tenant parking, found her spot and parked. At her condo, she saw the door next door was open. She clenched her fists, tensed. She didn’t like the thought of police in Margo’s home. She wasn’t a criminal.
    “ Yo.” Gay recognized Bruce Kenyon’s voice. He must’ve come in right behind her and parked in the guest parking. She turned and waited. “So, what’s the deal?” he said. “The guy at the gate says there’s cops here to see Margo.”
    “ I don’t know anything about it.” Gay sighed, she didn’t like Margo’s ex. She didn’t know anybody who did.
    Bruce walked into Margo’s apartment without knocking. Gay followed. They were in the living room, making themselves at home. The Hispanic one sitting in one of the rattan chairs had his hair pulled back into a ponytail. The other one, the albino, was sprawled out on the sofa. Gay could spot a cop in a crowd any day, but these two would’ve fooled her.
    “ Mr. Kenyon.” The one in the chair got up, hand extended to Bruce, but it was the albino on the couch who didn’t get up that caught Gay’s attention. He seemed too relaxed, too at ease, as if he had every right to be where he was, as if he were sitting in his own home, in his own living room. She wondered if anything ever fazed him.
    “ How’d you get in?” Bruce took the offered hand, shook it. Gay saw the look on Bruce’s face. Contempt.
    “ Alvarez, Jesse Alvarez. Homicide, Long Beach. That’s my partner, Abel Norton on the divan.”
    “ I asked how you got in,” Bruce said again, voice tough, like he was brow beating a witness on the stand. Lawyers, Gay didn’t like them, never had.
    “ Door wasn’t locked.” Norton made no move to get up. The albino had shoulder length white hair, whiter skin and pale grey eyes. A

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