with frustration as her fingers crawl along the manila folders, occasionally pausing to open one.
“I’m actually surprised these are still here.” She lifts out another folder then drops it back. “The county gets rid of the old records on a yearly basis.”
“Gets rid of?” Rich takes a step forward. “What does that mean? Shreds?”
“They’re considered historical record, so they’re not shredded. They might as well be.” She straightens with an exhale. “They store everything in a warehouse off Tenth Street. It’s old, deteriorating. Rat-infested.”
Rich grimaces at me, but I’m excited.
I give him a nod, and he rubs his hand through his shaggy blond hair. He’s dressed in jeans and a polo shirt today, which means he hasn’t been in the office. I’m in jeans and a dark tee, and I’m not going anywhere until we get some answers.
“Would it be possible for us to go there and look around?” His tone is far more relaxed than mine would be.
The woman stands with a grunt, pushing the heavy file drawer closed. “You’ve got to have a license to poke around in there, or permission from court.”
We follow her back to the front of the building.
I can’t stand it anymore. “Aren’t those covered by Freedom of Information?”
“Some are. Some files are not. In the warehouse, they’re all together, and nobody’s there to make sure you’re not poking around in other people’s business.”
Rich exhales a laugh, leaning on his elbow on the front counter. “Aw, come on, Mary. You’ve known me long enough to trust me with other people’s business.”
She cocks her hip to the side and squints an eye first at me, then at him. “I wouldn’t go that far, but here’s what I’ll do.”
Pulling the pencil out of the knot at the back of her head, she reaches under the counter and takes out a small pad of forms. I watch her write tomorrow’s date, sign it and rip it off.
“This will get you inside for one day.” She holds it up towards Rich. “If you get caught with your nose where it’s not supposed to be, I’m going to deny ever giving it to you.”
“You just cost me three months of favors.” We’re out in the car, and Rich hands the pass over to me.
“It looks like a hall pass.”
“You’d better decide what you’re looking for, because you’ve got one day.”
Up to this point, I wasn’t sure what I was looking for. “If the timelines add up, the swindle would’ve occurred sixty-five years ago.”
I’m thinking about the secret baby, the murder allegation… I’m sure it all happened around the same time.
“But you’re going to need proof the land ever belonged to Manuel Treviño, which means—”
“I’m going to have to go further back than that.” How far is the question.
“Needle in a haystack.”
“Maybe not.” If I calculate how old my grandfather would’ve been when he was able to start buying land, I can guess his then-best friend would’ve been doing the same.
“I’m sorry, I can’t join you tomorrow. I’m meeting with the guys about the El Paso work all day.”
I admit, I’m disappointed. I could use some help if this warehouse is as massive as it sounds, but I’m not giving up. “No way, man. You’ve helped me a lot. I appreciate it.”
He parallel parks outside the entrance to the Foster Building, and I give him a firm shake before getting out. “Thanks for this weekend.”
“No problem.” He winks. “I hope you made the most of it.”
I lean back before closing the door. “She said yes.”
“Yeah, she did!” He slaps my palm before shaking my hand. “Congrats. Now we’re getting somewhere. Now I understand why this is all so urgent.”
“It’s her family.” I rub a hand over my jaw. “She says she doesn’t care, but she will. If this is what it takes to make peace, I’m going to find it, and I’m going to fix it.”
“Captain America.”
“Ah.” I push him away. I don’t have time for his sarcasm.
“I’m serious. What’s that saying about fortune helping the pure in heart?”
“I think you made that up.”
He laughs. “Well, it sounds good. I believe in you.”
“Thanks.”
“Let me know if I can help.”
We say goodnight, and I’m across the sidewalk, pushing through the front doors as he pulls away. Waiting in the empty, glass-walled lobby for the elevator to descend, I fish my phone out of my pocket and shoot a quick text to Angel.
How’s the couch? Not too late if you want to come over…
My chest tightens. I can’t think of anything I’d