Mucho Mojo Read Online Free PDF

bottle tree.”
    “They were,” Leonard said.
    “Your uncle was on his porch when it happened and a shot almost hit him he said, so he got his shotgun and went over there and shot some men on the porch. He had rat shot in the gun. Way it worked out, the police showed up and he got hauled in and the men went to the hospital to get the shot picked out. Your uncle was let go, and far as I know, it wasn’t even in the papers.”
    “Happened in nigger town is why,” Leonard said. “Bunch of niggers popping one another isn’t news to the peckerwoods. They expect it.”
    “I suppose,” Florida Grange said. “Anyway, that’s something I can tell you about him, but that’s about all.”
    I could tell Leonard was secretly pleased. It fit his memory of his Uncle Chester. Strong and upright, didn’t take shit from anyone.
    Grange had him fill out some papers and gave him some to take with him. By the time they were finished, the dentist drill had begun to whine.
    “I’m sorry,” Florida Grange said. “Let’s go out in the hall.”
    We went. Leonard said, “I guess I don’t really have anything else to ask, Miss Grange. Sorry I pulled you out here.”
    “I’m tired of the drill anyway,” she said. “And if you’re going by Leonard, call me Florida.”
    “OK, Florida. Thanks.”
    “You have any other questions, give me a call,” she said.
    “Is it OK I ask a question?” I said.
    “Yes,” she said.
    “Are you married?”
    “No.”
    “Anyone significant in your life right now?”
    “Not really.”
    “Any possibility of me taking you to dinner?”
    “I don’t think so, Mr. Collins.”
    “I clean up pretty good.”
    “I’m sure you do, but I think not. Thanks for asking.”
     
    *  *  *
     
    On the way down in the elevator, Leonard said, “Hap Collins, Lady Killer.”

6.
    In the car, while Leonard drove, I looked through the contents of the envelope.
    “Anything there mean anything?” Leonard asked.
    “Got a bunch of pizza coupons. Some for Burger King. And you get real hungry, we can buy one dinner, get one free at Lupe’s Mexican Restaurant.”
    “That’s it? Coupons?”
    “Yep.”
    “Christ, he must have been losing it.”
    “I don’t know. Coupons save lots of money. I use them. I figured up once I’d saved enough on what I’d normally have spent on stuff to buy a used television set.”
    “Color?”
    “Black and white. But I bought some Diet Pepsi and pork skins instead.”
    “Coupons seem a strange thing for Uncle Chester to give to a lawyer to hold for me. He could have left that stuff on the kitchen table.”
    “Maybe he wasn’t thinking correctly. Coupons could have taken on valuable import. And the key was with them.”
    “Goes to a bank safety-deposit box, I figure.”
    “You said that, Sherlock.”
    “We’ll check it out right now.”
    “Leonard?”
    “Yeah.”
    “These coupons, I just noticed, they’re a couple years expired.”
     
    *  *  *
     
    Inside the LaBorde Main-and-North First National Bank, I took a chair and Leonard spoke to a clerk. The clerk sent him to a gray-haired lady at a desk. Leonard leaned on his cane and showed her the key and some of the papers Florida Grange had given him. The lady nodded, gave him back the key, got up, and walked him to a barred doorway. A guard inside the bars was signaled. He opened the door and Leonard went inside and the guard locked it behind him. A few moments later, Leonard was let out carrying a large manila envelope and a larger parcel wrapped in brown paper and twine.
    “You’ll love this,” he said, and held up the envelope. “Inside’s a paperback copy of
Dracula
and a fistful of newspaper clippings, and guess what? Another key. There’s not a clue what it goes to. Uncle Chester’s brain must have got so he didn’t know his nuts from a couple acorns.”
    “What about that?” I said, indicating the larger parcel.
    “I opened it already.”
    “I can tell that by the way the twine is