Messing with you? the old woman repeated, contempt tinging her voice. I think its the other way, you messin with the law. She launched forth into another spate of Spanish, this one by the look and sound of it, a stern lecture on Bennys troublesome ways.
Benny crossed his arms and gazed down at the ground as the old woman went on and on, and with every sentence, Lisa could see his jaw tighten. Finally, flinging his arms up, he shot back a short sentence in the same language and turned away, striding off down the sidewalk away from the house.
His grandmother looked after him for a moment, then swung around to face Lisa. She started to speak in Spanish again, and Lisa held up her hands to stop the rapid flow of words.
Señora, no, please, no comprendo. Yo no hablo español.
Señora Fuentes stopped, a puzzled frown settling on her face. Oh. Im sorry. I thoughtyou are not Latina?
Yes, I am, Lisa protested quickly, feeling the familiar embarrassment and faint sense of being different. At least on my fathers side. Its justIm afraid I dont speak Spanish. The old woman continued to look at her, as though trying to understand how this could be. Lisa hurried on, My name is Lisa Mendoza, Señora Fuentes. I am your grandson Bennys attorney. I got him released from jail.
You did? Señora Fuentes looked her up and down. But you are a girl.
Lisa struggled to suppress her irritation, reminding herself that this woman was old and unused to seeing women, especially Hispanic women, in positions of strength. Patiently, she said, Yes, I am a woman. I am also an attorney.
Señora shook her head, disappointment stamping her face. I never thought the sheriff would give in to a bit of a girl.
Lisa straightened, her eyes flashing. Señora Fuentes, I am not a bit of a girl. I am a grown woman and a lawyer, and Sheriff Sutton did not give in to me. He had no reason to hold your grandson. He knew he could not continue to keep him in jail once an attorney was representing him. I would think you would be glad to know that Bennys cousin went to the trouble and expense of getting him an attorney instead of letting him rot in jail!
Cousin? Señora Fuentess brows drew together darkly. He doesnt have any cousins old enough toyou dont mean Julio!
No. His name was Enrique Garza.
I dont know this man, Señora Fuentes said pugnaciously. Who is this Garza? There is no cousin named Garza.
I beg your pardon? Lisa looked at her blankly.
Benny has no cousin named Enrique Garza. Señora Fuentes looked at her suspiciously.
Lisa simply gazed back at her, nonplussed. But Ihe came into my office and said he was Bennys cousin. He explained Bennys situation to me and said he wanted to help him.
He is one of them, Bennys grandmother said flatly, her lips drawing into a thin line.
Who?
The bad men. The ones he goes to see. Cholos. Vatos. Her lips twisted bitterly, and tears sprang into her black eyes. I will lose him. Like I lost Pablo.
Señora Fuentes Lisa reached out to touch the womans arm, sympathy springing up in her at the womans evident sorrow. Can I help you?
But the other woman twisted away. No. She cast Lisa a dark glance. Go away from here. You have done enough.
She turned and walked back into the house. Lisa watched her go, feeling vaguely guilty. Finally, with a sigh, she turned and went back to her car. She got in and turned the car around, driving back the way she had come. There was no reason for her to feel guilty, she told herself. She had gotten her client out of jail; she had protected his rights. The sheriff had had no business taking him in in the first place.
But logic had a hard time standing up against the look of suffering in the old womans eyes. Lisa kept thinking about it, wishing that she could have made Bennys grandmother understand that she had helped Benny.
A few blocks down the street, she saw Benny walking along, hands jammed in his pockets, head down. She pulled her car to a stop beside him and pushed the button to roll down the window. Benny? Do you need a ride?
He looked over at her and started to shake his head, but in the next instant, he stopped, then said, Hey, yeah. He walked over to the car and leaned down, looking into the window. You could drop me off at the café, if you dont mind.
No, its okay. Where is it?
It didnt take long to reach the café. It was on the same main street of Angel Eye that they had driven along when theyd left the courthouse, but farther out, almost on the edge of town. It was a small, plain building set back from the road, with a modest sign at the front of the parking lot proclaiming it to be Moonstone Café.
Moonstone Café? Thats an odd name. Lisa said as she turned into the parking lot. She had thought that an eating place in this little town would be named something like Earls Diner or Marthas.
Yeah. Lady owns it is from Dallas, Benny said, as if that fact would explain all peculiarity. Its good. You should try it.
Maybe I will.
Wellthanks. Benny got out of the car and gave her an awkward wave, then walked into the restaurant.
Lisa watched him go. It occurred to her that she was hungry. And it was the end of the day; everyone would have left the office by the time she got there. Perhaps she should give this oddly named restaurant a try. The mere fact that its owner was from Dallas gave it some appeal to her.
She parked her car and followed her client through the front door of the restaurant. A slim woman with thick curling dark hair turned from the cash register and smiled at her.
One for dinner? she asked. Lisa nodded, and the woman led her toward a booth in front of one of the windows.
Lisa glanced around the restaurant as she followed the woman. It was a neat, clean place, nothing fancy, just wooden tables and comfortable chairs and booths, but it was obviously popular. Even as early as it was, several of the tables were occupied. There was a smell of fresh-baked bread in the air, mingling enticingly with garlic and spices.
She noticed that her client was standing near the kitchen door, talking with a pretty, slender Hispanic girl. Bennys face was more animated than it had been the entire time she had been around him, and the way he stood before the girl, bending down toward her in a tender, even protective way, spoke volumes about what he felt for her. And, given the glow on the young girls face as she looked back at him, it appeared that she returned the feeling.
The woman who had seated her followed her gaze, and she smiled. Ah, young love. She handed a menu to Lisa. Dont worry. Teresa will be over here in a minute. Shes a good waitress. You new around here?
I live in Hammond, Lisa replied. But Im new there. Im from Dallas.
Yeah? The other woman smiled. Me, too. Im Elizabeth Morgan. I own the Moonstone.
Lisa Mendoza. Nice to meet you. So you moved here from Dallas?
Elizabeth Morgan laughed at the tone of amazement that crept into Lisas voice as she asked the question. I wanted to get far away from Dallas.
Well, you certainly achieved that.
Yeah. Its pretty different. But I like a little town. Itscozy, I guess. I was starting over, and it wasnt as expensive to start a restaurant in a small town.