and support Irma. See how I can help. Get Manny a lawyer—”
“You want to tell me what’s going on with Dena Roman?” Rocky asked. “What she’s working on?”
“Not right now.” He lifted up a bunch of papers and magazines. Where was his BlackBerry?
“Okay,” Rocky said, standing. “We can discuss business tomorrow. You want to leave the hiring up to me?”
“Yes.”
“Two new guys?”
“Sure, three, whatever you need.” He lifted up another stack of papers and found the phone underneath a magazine. Rocky gave a curt nod and left.
Zeke scanned the messages. There was one from Dena saying Manny hadn’t turned up for work. He shoved the phone in his jeans pocket and sprinted toward the casita. He had to tell her, but would it open too many partially sealed wounds? Her friend had been raped and murdered here.
He ran a hand through his hair.
Should he say anything at all?
****
“I’m glad you told me, Zeke,” Dena said, and held him close. “I’m going to the P.D. with you.”
He shook his head. “Maybe it would be better if—”
“I might be able to help.” She planted her feet firmly in front of him in the most stubborn stance she could muster. “I believe in Manny’s innocence.”
“You do?” he asked softly.
“Yes.”
“You don’t think…um…you know—” He waved a hand toward the hotel site.
Dena felt a wave of sympathy for him, for Irma, and for Manny. It had been one hell of a morning. “What, do you think that he raped Carli, and Susie, then murdered them?”
Zeke stared at her, his mouth gaped open.
She grabbed his arm and gave it a shake. “Absolutely not, he didn’t, now snap out of this.”
“I know,” he said, and shook his head hard. “I don’t believe he did either, but this is getting worse and worse for Three C’s. I’ve thought about what you said about Steve representing me—”
“Yes?”
“I’ll give him a call.”
“Good, that’s an excellent idea. I’ll set it up later.” Dena grabbed her purse and her cell. She’d have to tell him the truth about Carli before he got to talk with Steve.
“Come on,” she said. “I’ll drive.”
Her car was in his driveway, which meant they had to hurry back through the house. She heard Rocky’s voice in the kitchen.
“Rocky’s on the phone, hiring more farmhands,” he whispered, took her elbow, and urged her toward the front door. “We argued about you staying here. I told him it’s my business. I don’t want to get into another conversation just yet.”
At least Zeke was willing to fight for himself, for this place, for whatever it was he’d been running away from. Dena let him propel her down the long hallway.
“You told him I’m staying?” she asked, once they were a safe distance from the kitchen.
“Yeah.”
“I’m sure he wasn’t happy about that.” She walked out into the bright sunlight and slipped her sunglasses on. “He doesn’t like me much.”
“It’s not that, Dena. I think he’s afraid.”
Dena clicked the key and unlocked the doors. What did Roberto Rock have to be afraid of? Her spine tingled. Now wasn’t the time to focus on him, they had to get to Manny and Irma. She climbed in, clipped her seat belt, and watched Zeke do the same. Unable to resist, she turned toward him.
“What’s Rocky got to be afraid of?”
“That there’s a rapist on the loose, and you’re young and attractive.”
Dena started the car and drove down the long road. She could feel him watching her. “Well, thanks for the compliment,” she said, and laughed. “I’m not so young, or attractive—”
“Don’t joke. Your safety worries me.”
“I can take care of myself. I’m not like Carli, or Susie, who both loved the bar scene. I haven’t got time to socialize.”
“Not even with me?” Zeke asked, and turned toward her.
“Okay, maybe with you.” She patted his knee. “But the truth is I won’t leave the estate the entire time I’m here.”
“But you’re suspicious of Rocky, and he works here—”
“Look, I’ll be safe. Everything I need to set up for this art fair can be handled by phone and email. Besides, I’m not a petite redhead.”
“Good. Anything you need to do in the community, you ask me to tag along. Okay?”
“Yes, boss.” She smiled and turned into the Indio P.D. She hadn’t had to ask a single direction. She’d been in the desert since Friday, and the P.D. was the one place she knew how to get to with ease. She cruised past the rows of Riverside Sheriff’s cars and circled twice until she found an open