Soultown by Mercedes Lambert

Author:Mercedes Lambert
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: noirnoir crimelos angeleskoreatownhardboiled detective fiction
Publisher: Stark House Press

MS. VIRGINIA G. RAMOS

PARALEGAL

“You’re not a paralegal! You have to go to school for that. It takes about a year—”

“The printer’s only gonna take about three hours, so could you let me have the money now? Tell you what, if I like working here, I’ll go to school and make it legit. I was good in school. I ever tell you that? Had a 3.8 at East LA City College. Biology major. Got a B in English or I would’ve had all A’s. I was a cheerleader too. Vice president of the coin collectors club....”

I told Lupe to call Dorothy and find out if she knew Ko Won or the names and locations of his businesses in Koreatown. Lupe and I would go that afternoon to talk with him. As I left to get some tacos I heard Lupe on the speaker phone.

“Dorothy? Ms. Ramos here. Ms. Logan’s investigative partner....”

Dorothy knew who Ko Won was. She seemed impressed by his name. “Very important man in the community,” I heard her say, but her voice was soft and distant as though she didn’t really approve of him.

We were given an address on Olympic in Koreatown, and we drove over in my car. Ko Won’s place was an electronics emporium in a large minimall about half a mile east of Cafe James Dean. The parking lot was crowded, and while we waited for a space Lupe gave her makeup a quick touchup—another swoop of crimson across her full lips, then black liner under her lower lashes.

She surveyed herself with pleasure in the mirror of a shiny black compact. “Hmm, I wish I had time to get into the whole beading the eyelashes thing. Like Garbo. By the way, Dorothy doesn’t know Kim’s already friends with this guy.”

I rolled up the window and locked the doors. “How do you know that?”

“What do you think, I’m psychic? I asked her if she and Kim knew him. She said they didn’t. Not personally, anyhow. I’ll tell you something.” She tossed her lipstick into her purse. “I don’t like this Ko Won guy already. He’s a pimp.” She got out of the car tugging her skintight skirt into place.

“We can’t go in there with attitude or we won’t find anything out,” I argued. “As far as we know he’s an outstanding citizen.” I wondered why Kim hadn’t told her godmother she knew Ko Won.

“Then why’d he fix my pinchi brother up with that whore Kim?”

“We don’t know if she is or not. She’s a wannabe rich girl. Went to USC. Besides, she seems to like Hector. Maybe she should marry him and get him off your back.”

“I know a working girl when I see one.” Lupe frowned.

“Leave it alone,” I warned. Had I made a mistake in telling her she could be my partner? Lupe always had to act as if she knew everything. I didn’t want her to blow this.

A couple blocked the door of the store readjusting and securing a color tv in a box on a dolly.

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