The Ways of Evil Men (19 page)

“What happens there?”

“It straddles the river, and there’s a bridge that crosses it. The mayor, Hugo Toledo, owns the land these days, but he lets the hard a— I mean the FUNAI lady use the bridge. Once we’re across, all we’d have to do is walk downstream until we get to this little creek the Indians call the Sapoqui. Then we follow that upstream—”

“It’s okay, Fred. I don’t need any further explanations. You guarantee me dead fish?”

“Oh, yes, Senhorita. Lots and lots of dead fish.”

“Then we’ve got a deal.”

“You’ll talk to your friend? Get the paperwork?”

“I will.”

“Make sure my name is on it, okay. It’s Vaz.”

“I know that. Can we go today?”

“Certainly, Senhorita. If you like.”

“I like. You know where she lives? The hard ass?”

“Believe me, Senhorita, I didn’t mean—”

“Just kidding you, Fred. Just kidding. Answer the question.”

“Yes, Senhorita, I know.”

“Good. I’m staying at her place. Meet me there in an hour.”

Fred nodded and left with a smile on his face. When he was gone, Maura took out her cell phone and called the newspaper’s regional office in Belem. She asked to speak to Nataniel Eder, the bureau chief, and after the usual pleasantries said, “Nat, I need a favor.”

“I didn’t think you were calling just to be friendly. What is it?”

“If I sent you some samples of river water could you get them analyzed?”

“Sure. For what?”

“Mercury.”

“Oho. Like that, is it?”

“Yeah,” she said. “I’m not sure yet, but I think—”

“Say no more,” he said. “You get ’em to me, and I’ll take care of it.”

After she hung up, she went to the front desk, where she found Amanda writing in a ledger.

“How can I get something to Belem in a hurry?” Maura asked.

“That depends on how much of a hurry, how big it is, and how much you’re willing to pay.”

“Very much of a hurry. No bigger than a shoebox, and whatever I have to.”

“There’s a kid out at the airport—”

“The one whose old man runs the charter service? The one who reputedly gets more ass than a toilet seat?”

“The very one, and no reputedly about it. He
does
get more ass than a toilet seat. He also delivers stuff. Give the package to me, I’ll say it’s for Osvaldo, negotiate the best price, and put it on your bill. It’s best if I call him ahead of time. When?”

“This afternoon—late.”

“If you don’t get it to me by dark, it won’t go before tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, I know. Thanks.”

Her next stop was the pharmacy. She bought six sterilized bottles, the kind they kept on hand for the collection of urine samples. Following that, she visited the supermarket, where she purchased self-adhesive labels. Then she went back to Jade’s place to change—and to wait for Fred Vaz.

M
AURA FOUND HER FRIEND
under the awning on her back porch, finishing breakfast.

“I need your permission,” she said, “to enter the reservation. Not to go to the village. Somewhere else.”

“Where?”

“It’s a secret.”

“Then no permission.”

“Hard ass.”

“What?”

“Just something I heard someone say. Come on, Jade. Don’t be a pain. Write me a pass.”

“There’s no way I’m going to let you go into the reservation on your own. You have no idea how easy it is to get lost.”

“I’m not going on my own. I’m going with Fred Vaz.”

“The fishing guide?”

“Yes.”

“Forget it. White people aren’t allowed to fish that reservation. And since when are you interested in fishing anyway?”

“I’m not.”

“So what
are
you interested in?”

Maura sank into a chair. “If you swear to keep it to yourself, I’ll tell you.”

Jade drained her cup of
café com leite
. “Why the secrecy?”

By way of reply, Maura put one of the bottles on the table.

“What’s that for?”

“Promise and I’ll tell you.”

“Okay, I promise.”

“Gold?” she said when Maura had finished explaining. “But that’s—”

“As good a reason as any for someone to wipe out the Awana. Yes, it is.”

“Okay, I’ll write you the pass, but we’re going to have to tell the Chief Inspector about this.”

“And we will, but only after I’m a hundred percent sure I’m right. And only when I’m ready.”

“No. I really think—”

“It’s a secret. Remember? You promised.”

Jade sighed, and might have said more, but just then a sour-faced Alexandra Santos came out of the kitchen carrying a coffee pot.

“More coffee, Senhora?”

Jade shook her head. Maura expected the offer to be extended to her, but it wasn’t. The housekeeper went back inside.

“A ray of morning sunshine, that one,” Maura said. “Where’s Raoni?”

“In my bedroom, watching the same cartoon over and over. I taught him how to use the DVD player.”

“When are you leaving?”

Jade looked at her watch. “In twenty minutes.”

“Who’s going?”

“All of us, Osvaldo, Gilda, the cops.”

“The whole gang?”

“It was the Chief Inspector’s idea. He thinks Raoni needs the support.”

“And he’s willing to take time out of his precious investigation to give it to him? Well, there’s a surprise.”

“It surprised me, too. Apparently, he has a weakness for kids.” She stood up. “Let me get a pass and a pen.” A minute later, she came back to the table with a form.

“Make sure Vaz’s name is on it,” Maura said.

“I will. It has to be.” Jade wrote out the pass and handed it over. “How did it go last night?”

“I haven’t slept with him, if that’s what that sly smile of yours is implying.”

“And you’ve already known him for what? Almost twenty-four hours? That’s what I call remarkable restraint.”

Maura didn’t rise to the bait. “The cops are monopolizing all the male suspects,” she said. “I thought I might try to learn something from their wives. Who should I talk to first?”

“Patricia Toledo.”

“Why her?”

“She’ll get her nose out of joint if you approach anyone else.”

“Because?”

“She sees herself as the community’s leading female citizen. Her husband’s father was one of the founders of the town. This place could as well be called Toledo as Azevedo, and Patricia thinks it should be. She got Hugo to propose a name change to the city council, but it got voted down. There are people she still doesn’t speak to because of that.”

“Animosity loosens tongues. I’ll need a list of those people.”

Jade looked at her watch again. “I’ll make one when I get back. Meanwhile, why don’t you start with Patricia and her two best friends?”

“All right. Who are they?”

“Rita Cunha and Maria Bonetti.”

“What about Frade’s wife?”

“She’s not part of the intimate circle.”

“Why not?”

“They don’t respect her.”

“Because?”

“She lets José push her around.”

“Physically?”

“Physically. He beats her. None of the other three would stand for that kind of treatment, but Sonia is … different. She was an orphan. José married her when she was eighteen, brought her up
his
way, as he likes to put it. She’s very meek, and she’s completely under his thumb.”

“Why doesn’t she go to the cops about it?”

“Borges? He wouldn’t do a thing. He wants to get on with everybody. And, by everybody, I mean the men.”

“How about we tell Silva and his people?”

“What could they do? He’d behave until they’ve gone and then start up again, harder and worse than before. No, I think the only person who can do something about Sonia is Sonia. She’s got to run away, or stand up to him, one or the other.”

“You ever tell her that?”

“I did. Once. But maybe she took part of the conversation to José, because now she’s afraid of being seen talking to me whenever he’s around.”

“Then, as far as the big
fazendeiros
are concerned, that only leaves Lisboa. No wife, right?”

“Right. He’s gay.”

“How about the doctor’s wife?”

“She died last year. Some say she might have lived if he hadn’t treated her himself. Kassab, the lawyer, just got a divorce, and his wife left town about three months ago. The police chief and his wife have seven kids under the age of ten. He’s Fernando; she’s Fernanda. How do you like that? Fernando and Fernanda Borges.”

“Charming.”

“Uh-huh. And it’s the only charming thing about her. She’s a homebody, dull as ditchwater, and folks hardly ever see her. I guess the kids keep her busy.” Jade stood up. “I have to get going.”

Maura rose as well. “Have you got a telephone number for Patricia?”

“In my address book, top right-hand drawer of my desk.”

“Thanks, Jade, you’re—”

From somewhere inside the house, a small voice cried out in alarm.

“Raoni!” Jade said.

They burst into the living room to find Father Castori holding fast to the child’s arm. The housekeeper, her arms wide, was blocking his escape toward the back porch.

“What is this?” Jade said. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Alexandra spun around. The priest released his grip. Raoni ran to Jade and wrapped his arms around her legs.

“I’m taking the boy, Senhorita Calmon,” Castori said.

“Like hell you are,” Jade said, putting her hands on Raoni’s shoulders. The terrified little boy locked his hands around her waist and buried his head in her stomach.

“A dirty Indian has no place in this house,” Alexandra said.

“
I’ll
decide who has a place in my house,” Jade said. “How
dare
you help him kidnap this child?”

“It’s not kidnapping,” Alexandra said. “It’s the Lord’s work.”

“Are you defying me?”

“Between the Lord and the Devil, I choose the side of the Lord.”

Jade could feel Raoni trembling. It was only the fear of traumatizing him further that helped her to control herself. “So I’m the Devil?” she said. “Is that what you’re saying?”

Alexandra crossed her arms above her breasts and didn’t deign to reply.

“I’ve had enough of you,” Jade said. “Go pack your things.”

The housekeeper dropped her arms and opened her mouth in surprise. “You’d choose a filthy Indian brat over me?”

“I just have. You’re fired. Get out.”

Alexandra snapped her mouth shut and stalked off toward her bedroom.

“As for you,” Jade said to the priest, “the boy’s welfare is a FUNAI matter. Leave my home. Now.”

The priest raised his chin and tried to look down his long nose at her. He couldn’t quite pull it off. She was taller than he was.

“Not without the boy,” he said. “There are higher laws at play here than those of the federal government.”

“Higher laws? What are you talking about?”

“The laws of God.”

“Yes, I thought that was what you’re about to say. And in this case, I don’t buy it. I’m not violating any of God’s laws by taking care of this child.”

“You’re being blind and obstinate. I’m fluent in his language, Senhorita Calmon. You are not. I intend to convert that little pagan to the One True Faith, and I’ll require daily and constant contact to teach him the errors of his ways. He’s going to live with me.”

Father Castori advanced on Raoni. Which is when Maura, who’d been watching the exchange in stunned silence, ran out of patience. She whipped out an aerosol can and sprayed him in the face. Jade, grasping Raoni by the hand, took off at a run for the Grand.

“
Maced
HIM
?” A
RNALDO SAID
and burst into a hearty laugh. “Your buddy Maura used chemical mace on the priest?”

Jade nodded. She was still nervous and not seeing any humor in it.

“You should talk to Delegado Borges about this,” Silva said.

“Delegado Borges won’t do a damned thing, Chief Inspector.”

“How do you know? Did you ask him?”

“No, but I know him, and he prides himself on being a good Catholic. He’s more likely to arrest Maura for assault than he is to take action against Father Castori.”

“You’re the FUNAI agent. This child is your responsibility. The law is on your side.”

She started nodding before he’d finished speaking. “But I know Borges, and he’s going to come down on the priest’s side, not mine.”

“Would you like me to speak to him on your behalf?”

“No, Chief Inspector. What I want is for you to dispatch a man to cover my house and keep Raoni out of Castori’s clutches until I can send him to the orphanage in Belem.”

“So that’s your decision? You’re going to send the boy to Belem?”

“It’s the last thing I want to do, but allowing the priest to have him would be worse.”

“And you wouldn’t be willing to raise him yourself?”

“I would, you know. But if I tried, my own people at the
FUNAI would take him away from me. It’s strictly against the rules.”

Silva studied the boy for another moment, rubbed his chin, and stood up. “Hector.”

“Senhor?”

“Where’s Gilda?”

Hector looked at the little boy, said, “Getting you-know-who nailed into a coffin. She wants to make damned sure it can’t be opened by little fingers.”

“Make sure it gets loaded as soon as she finishes. Babyface?”

For once, Gonçalves didn’t even flinch at his nickname. “Senhor?”

“Tell Osvaldo we’re about to leave. Then call Lefkowitz and inform him we’ll be out of range of our telephones until sometime in the afternoon. Tell him to contact us at the end of the day.”

The two men nodded and left.

“The rest of you wait here,” Silva said. He took out his cell phone and left the restaurant.

Arnaldo looked down at the boy, then up at Jade. “Does he understand anything we say?”

“Nothing. Where did the Chief Inspector go? What’s he up to?”

Arnaldo hesitated, scratched the back of his head, seemed to make up his mind. “Let me tell you something about Mario Silva,” he said. “He had a son, an only child. The kid died of leukemia when he was the same age as that young man you’re holding by the hand. It was a long time ago now, but it changed his life forever. He thinks kids are God’s most precious gift. Nothing bothers him more than the abuse of children, either physical or mental. If he’d been there with you, he would have maced that fucking priest himself—and probably beat the crap out of him, too.”