Free Fallen Hunter (Jesse McDermitt Series) by Wayne Stinnett

lot of time. I debated calling Deuce, but decided against it. If he had a mission coming up, he’d be busy. Sooner or later, if he really needed my help on it, he’d show up here. Ten minutes later, I saw Lawrence’s big, black sedan turn into the parking lot. I climbed down and walked down the dock. He spotted me and pulled the car up to the end, by the gate, and got out.
    “Dat yuh boat dere, Cap’n?” he asked.
    “Yeah, the Rampage at the end,” I replied.
    “Ver nice,” he said.
    “Thanks. You had dinner yet, Lawrence?
    “No sar, was guh get a bite, aftuh I drop yuh off.”
    “Join me at the Blue Heaven. My treat. But, drop the sir. Call me Jesse.”
    “Well, thank yuh, Jesse. I will.”
    We climbed into his taxi and he took the short route to Blue Heaven, on North Roosevelt. I noticed he didn’t turn the meter on.
    “Thanks for the message about Santiago. Got any idea why he’s in town?” I asked.
    “Nah, he heah bout ever udder week,” Lawrence said.
    Minutes later, we pulled to the curb about half a block from Blue Heaven. Finding a parking spot anywhere in Key West is problematic. You take whatever’s available. Lawrence and I walked to the archway into the yard and then across the yard to the bar. Tina was on duty and smiled when she saw us. It was still early, but there were already quite a few people at the tables around the yard. Inside, I could hear live acoustical music. Sounded like a solo act, a guy singing about being lucky to live by blue water. It sure sounded good to me.
    “Hi Jesse,” Tina said setting a cold Red Stripe and a Coke in front of us as we sat down at the bar.
    “Hey Tina,” I said. “Thanks. How’s the best bartender and Deputy in Key West doing on this beautiful evening?”
    “Fine, thank you,” she said. Then leaning in closer, she said, “I want to apologize for last night. I had no idea you recently lost your wife. Frankie told me after you left.”
    “Don’t worry about it,” I said. “I would like to talk to you, later. When you get off work.”
    “That’ll be in a couple of hours. You hungry?”
    “I tink we both be hungry,” Lawrence said.
    We each gave her our orders and she slid the slips through the windows. There was a corner table that was just opening up and I nodded toward it, to Lawrence.
    We walked over and waited while the busboy wiped it down, then took a seat, me against one wall and Lawrence against another. I told him the whole story about why I was here in Key West, the trouble that Trent was having and my plans to try to get him out of it.
    “Yuh tink yuh can do all dat?” he asked.
    “With a little help from friends,” I replied.
    Our food came, brought by one of the waitresses, who was friendly, but professional. Tina was busy with several tourists that had just come into the yard. The singer inside was now singing about a small island. I listened for a minute, as did Lawrence. I liked the easy sound and thought I might go inside later and hear more.
    “Good music, good beer, ahn good friends,” Lawrence said. “I and I got to get bock to di streets, mon.”
    “Be careful, Lawrence. Call me, if you hear anything that might help me and Trent out.”
    “Ya sar, I will,” he said as he stood up and headed toward the gate.
    I drank my beer and watched the people in the yard. The guys at the bar were starting to get a little loud and obnoxious. I got up from the table, leaving a ten under the empty bottle and walked to the corner of the bar. Tina had another cold one sitting there, before I even got on my stool.
    “You and Lawrence seem to be getting along pretty well,” she said.
    “He’s a nice man,” I said. “Reminds me of an old Jamaican man I know in Marathon.”
    “He is,” she said. Then she headed back to the tourist bunch, who seemed to be drinking pretty fast. In fact, at the pace they were tossing down shots it didn’t look like they were going to make it through the night.
    I looked around the yard at