Unknown Victim by Kay Hadashi (classic books for 11 year olds .TXT) 📕

Gina got inside the store, she exhaled, letting some of the tension escape. The place was just like any other corner convenience store, with a checkout counter near the door, aisles down the middle, and coolers all around the walls. Only half the lights were on, and the air was a little too stuffy for Gina’s tastes. There was a smell like the kitchen trash needing to be taken out.

The man at the counter had an oscillating fan aimed right at him. He said something to her.

She raised her chin and gave him a lip sneer. It was the same tough look she gave to someone right before she slapped cuffs on them in the past. Facial posturing in Little Italy. “Sorry. Didn’t understand.”

“Help you find something?”

She grabbed a hand basket. “I can find it.”

As she went up and down every row, she noticed the shoplifter mirrors. From what she saw, every corner and aisle in the place could be seen from the front counter. The man never did leave his position at the cash register, but she did notice him watch her in the mirrors. Tossing a few things into her basket that she didn’t really need, she saved the beer cooler for last. That was on the back wall, the furthest from the door, and had the most mirrors aimed at it.

All the usual brands were there, along with Japanese and Korean brands. If nothing else, whoever Pinoy Boy was had a full selection of beer. What he didn’t have was Tuyo brand beer. Grabbing a cheap bottle of chablis, she went back to the front counter with her purchases. No scanning was done, just numbers chosen randomly out of the heavy air, and a final cost was determined with a single touch to the cash register.

She handed over her credit card.

“Cash only.”

Gina dug out a twenty that she’d got from an ATM earlier in the day. Maybe because of the stuffy interior, or maybe because she didn’t like being in the store alone, Gina had broken into a sweat.

“You stay around here?” he asked after snatching the twenty from her hand.

“Not too far.”

“Never seen you before. What family you with?”

“Santoros.” Gina silently scolded herself for handing over her real name.

“Don’t know them.”

“We’re around.” She wiped her sweaty hand on her hip right where her sidearm had been while in the police force. “What about my change?”

He was sweating as much as she was, with a bead rolling down the crease between his nose and cheek. He didn’t wipe it away. “Some kind of big hurry?”

“Just reminding you.”

He turned slightly to the cash register and hit a button. That popped the drawer open. She watched his hand as he put the twenty in. There weren’t the usual slots and compartments for coins and bills. Instead, there were a couple of bundles of cash rubber-banded together. The only other thing in the drawer was a revolver. Seeing that, she looked back at his eyes. He was still looking at her.

“You find everything you need?” he asked.

“Mostly.”

His hand went to the bundle next to the gun and included her twenty there.

The door opened, the bell above it chirping. The two guidos that had been outside came in. Again, they made wise-guy remarks about her in a Filipino language. The man at the register slammed the drawer shut. He watched them intently as they went down two separate aisles.

“You need something else?” he asked Gina, while watching the men in the mirrors.

“I was looking for Tuyo beer.”

He looked at her. “Don’t got it. Why a nice girl like you want that stuff?”

“You know where I can find it? Another store near here?”

“Be smart and drink something else. Big sale on Bud right now.”

“Doesn’t answer my question.”

He went back to watching the mirrors. “Pretty sure it’s not sold in stores. Just in bars.”

“Which ones?” she asked.

“The kind you don’t go to.”

Gina felt a bead of sweat run down her neck. “Got a name of one?”

“Nope.”

“I’m not leaving without a name.”

“Suit yourself. I’m open all night. You can stand there till the sun shines in Alaska for all I care.”

“I could do that.” Gina lowered her voice. “Or I could ask for the change from my twenty right about the time those two punks come back here. I doubt you want them to see those two rolls you got in the till.”

He seemed to do a subtle posture with his head and shoulders. “You a cop?”

“Do I look like a cop?”

As a bead of sweat went down his face, one broke free from Gina’s hairline and went past an ear.

“What’re you lookin’ for again?”

“Tuyo beer.”

“Ask your two boyfriends. They’re the kind to drink that.”

Gina noticed the two guys walk up to her. One had a pony-pack of Schlitz, the other a bag of beef jerky. Gina gave them a guido grin of her own. “Looking for Tuyo. Either one of you knuckleheads know where I can find it?”

“Why’s a fine lookin’ lady like you want Tuyo?”

“You got an answer for me, or are we wasting each other’s time?” she asked.

“If you want answers, maybe the three of us can waste some time back at my place?” the one with the gold chain said.

“Maybe another time. What about the Tuyo?”

The two punks looked at each other. “Only Tuyo I ever seen is at Bunzo’s Bar.”

“Where’s that?”

“Everybody knows Bunzo’s.”

“I guess I forgot. Where is it?” she asked.

“Three blocks down,” the man behind the register said. “Best you don’t go by yourself.”

The punk with the chain grinned at her. “Not gonna find someone there better than me.”

“Probably not. I’m more interested in the Tuyo.”

Gina knew she’d pushed her luck with the punks, and also knew better than to ask for the change from her twenty. Almost forgetting to take her bag with her, she made haste for the Datsun.

“Yeah, that was fun.” Gina wiped the sweat from her face and neck as she went through the starting procedure for the pickup. “I should do that again