CHAPTER 11


   “What are we doing,” Amy protested once again. She pointed out across the parking lot, at the stations empty vehicle that was parked at the edge of Foo King parking area, and told Garcia, “there it is, right there!”
Garcia was mostly ignoring her. He was busy looking around the parking lot and, subsequently, waiting on his order to arrive. He kept his sun glasses on even if there was not much of a need for it today. The sky was kind of cloudy which was not unusual for the past few weeks. There were quite a few things that were, however. That’s why Garcia decided to talk to this girl. He didn’t bother explaining himself though, “you and Tony are getting on everybody’s nerves, you know that, right?”
Amy snorted, “that’s nobody’s business but ours.”
“I beg to differ girl,” Garcia replied. “You two done gone and made it everybody’s business. What’s worse, you done gone and made it Barbara’s business. What’s the number one rule of the Ranger Code these days?”
It was clear to Amy that he was not talking about the official manual, which, she was not even sure anyone had even read anyway. No, Amy was sure that he was talking about Garcia Alvarez’s Ranger Code. She cited rule number one, “don’t wake the dragon?”
“Exactly,” Garcia told her with a pleased sounding voice. Then he got a little bit frustrated, “and you two numb nuts went and had that little snit in the commissary yesterday morning.”
Amy was quite adamant when she protested, “I didn’t do that. That was Tony.” After Amy had a few moments to think about it she wondered and asked, “is this why Calvin sent me instead of Bob? He wanted you to have a talk with me?”
Garcia almost laughed, “girl, I ain’t got a clue why he sent you. In fact, I ain’t got a clue about a lot of things lately. That’s why we’re just sitting here right now.”
Amy rolled her eyes, “killing time so we don’t have to deal with all the crap at the station or just because you think the waitress is cute?”
“Both actually,” Garcia replied. Then he also said something smart, well, sort of smart, “and I want to see what’s going on before we make a move.”
“Make a move?” Amy did not sound convinced, “Garcia, we’re just here to pick up a car.”
“You so sure about that?” Garcia took another quick scan of the parking lot, “how many times we ever done this before?” Amy thought about it but Garcia beat her to the punch, “how about never. You don’t think that sounds a little funny?”
“God,” Amy sighed in disbelief, “and I thought Bob was the paranoid twin.”
“Hey,” Garcia protested, “the guy has an insurance company trying to steal his car. I think he earned a few paranoid points.” When Amy had nothing to say about that, Garcia lowered his glasses just a little and scanned the parking lot again. His eyes stopped at the window where the orders were picked up by the skating waitresses. His waitress was there and the tray that she was loading down looked right. So did her legs for that matter.
Amy somehow noticed and told him, “would you stop that already. You know, I am sitting right here.”
Garcia’s eyes swung to her and looked at her over the top of his shades, “and you are trouble with a capital T.”
“That is not what I mean Gar,” Amy protested. “There is such a thing as just being polite, you know?”
Garcia laughed and went right back to watching the waitress, “so, the truth comes out. You still like him, don’t you?” She tried but Garcia cut her off, “and don’t even play that ‘who’ crap with me. You know damn well who I mean.” Amy just pouted in response. Gar wanted to laugh again, “thought so. What I don’t see is what the problem is. You two were cruising along just fine for almost two years. Hell, even Bob’s wife kept rattling on about how she was going to decorate your wedding cake and shit.”
Amy’s eyes widened and her head snapped to attention, “she didn’t? I mean, she wasn‘t? You‘re kidding right?”
“Hell no,” Garcia told her bluntly, “course I think that woman eats more cakes than she decorates but, she definitely got them on the brain almost twenty four seven. Every time Bob brought you two up, she was practically glowing.” Garcia also mumbled, “and salivating.”
Amy slid down in the seat and began to squirm, “oh god, I am so embarrassed.”
Now Gar got animated, “you see girl, that’s what I’m not getting about all this shit. What was it? What did he do, I mean, besides being Tony? I mean you should have already been used to that.”
“God Gar!” Amy grunted, “can’t a girl just change her mind without everybody having a fit over it?”
“Sure she can,” Garcia told her, “except when she don‘t. I’m not so convinced you have. Which brings me right back to the point. What happened? Don’t tell me it was that Leslie chick ether, cause this all started before she came around.”
Amy went right back to pouting, “it’s complicated.” Before Garcia could contradict that statement, Amy went on the offensive, “Tony put you up to this, didn’t he?”
Garcia snorted a laugh, “hell no. You did.” Amy was too shocked to say anything so Garcia told her flat, “when you two started making the rest of our lives complicated.” She was about to deny it. What else could we should say? Garcia would not let her get that far. He quickly pointed out, “and I’m not just talking about your little row the other morning. How about leaving your badge and shit at your place? How about blowing off the new girl instead of showing her how to run coms? How about…”
Amy put her hand up, “Ok Gar, point made already!”
“Amy,” Garcia replied, “I don’t want you to just get a point. I want you to pull your head out of your,” the waitress set her tray down on the vehicles open window and Gar went right to a smile as he changed his sentence, “as I was saying. That looks really delicious.” He handed his card over to the girl and asked, “now you know my name. What’s yours?”
The waitress in pink took his card and giggled, “Betsy! Nice to meet you,” she looked down at his plastic and went on, “Garcia. Sure your wife doesn’t want anything?”
Amy sneered, “not even close.”
Garcia quickly replied, “that’s my coworker.”
That seemed to perk Betsy right up before she ran off with the payment. That left Garcia giggling like he was the school girl. Amy, on the other hand, was less than impressed. She rolled her eyes and slapped her forehead, “please tell me my gender is not that stupid.” She then grunted at Garcia, “that’s your line? Now you know my name….”
Garcia seemed proud of himself, “it worked didn’t it?”
Amy was done with this. She went to open the door and told Gar, “I’m just going to drive back to the station, ok?” She stopped when she realized something so she held out her hands, “keys?”
“Just wait a minute girl,” Garcia was certain he had the entire situation in hand. Amy had very little choice in the matter so she sat there with her arms crossed, and pouting.  Betsy the waitress came rolling back on her skates and Garcia spent a few minutes making her laugh and flirting. It was enough to make Amy want to puke. Finally he did do something relevant, “you didn’t see who drove up in that car over there, did you? You know, the one like we’re in?”
At first, Betsy was completely confused. Then it was like somebody turned on a light bulb and she enthusiastically said, “oh my god. Your cars do look alike. Did you buy it at the same lot or something?”
Garcia noticed the strange look on Amy’s face. The girls eyes had gotten big and her jaw was wide open. She made eye contact and had the most serious, ‘you have got to be kidding me’ kind of faces. Garcia just shrugged and happily got back to the flirting. He slapped the logo on the side of his vehicle and said, “not exactly, you know what this is?”
Betsy looked down at the colonial seal on the door and then pointed to the other vehicle, “it’s the same as that one?”
“Hell yeah,” he told her. “I sell these.” That made Betsy excited.
It made Amy annoyed, “give me the fucking keys Gar.”
Garcia did as requested and they both slipped out of the car. Betsy’s arms went right for Garcia’s. She looked like she was trying to steady herself on the roller skates. Garcia looked down at her feet and then he asked her, “you must be new.”
“Oh,” Betsy told him, “very. Thanks for helping me stay up.”
“No problem,” Garcia told her. He then started pulling her along, across the lot. Every now and then they would hit a crack or bump and Betsy would almost fall over. Gar always came to the rescue. Then they reached the other vehicle and Amy was having a time with the door. Garcia was having a very good time so he was quite up beat when he asked, “what’s up girl?”
Amy was very frustrated, “the key won’t fit!”
“What?” Garcia left Betsy and walked over to relieve Amy of the keys. Unfortunately his bravado was not enough to get the door opened ether. He grumbled for a moment, “damn Cal, he gave us the wrong keys.”
Amy shook her head in resignation, grabbed Garcia’s hand and held I up so he could see the tag on the key chain that he was holding, “I’m not that stupid Gar. Look at the bumper number. This is the right set.”
Garcia really did not get it. What he did get was the twisted up coat hanger that was laying right on the hood of the car, next to the radio antenna. He slapped the keys back in Amy’s hand and grabbed for the coat hanger. He proudly proclaimed, “I’ll get this.”
No sooner had Garcia forced the wire in the window, he heard a very commanding voice call out, “step away from the car and keep your hands plainly in view!”
Amy tugged at Garcia’s sleeve and pointed to the three police cars that had just driven up. She then meekly held up her hands and took a step away from the car. Garcia was a little more reluctant even though all six cops were standing with their hands on their weapons. They had not taken them out of the holster yet but they were sure ready to do it. He tried to remain calm and told them in a friendly voice, “whoa, relax guys. We’re Colonial Officers, we just having key problems here.”
The cop with the stripes was not that impressed, “really? Well this vehicle was reported stolen a little while ago. If you’re Officers then lets see some ID.”
“Got my badge right here. I’m going to get it slowly,” Garcia held his jacket out so they could see both his gun and his inner pocket. He reached with two fingers for the pocket. Then he became a bit embarrassed when he found the pocket empty, “I must have dropped it.” Quickly and nervously Garcia told Amy, “quick girl, whip out your badge.”
Amy still had her hands up and she was quite annoyed as she told him in a flat voice, “it’s in my purse Gar. You know, the one in the other car?”
Car! That was it! Garcia told the cops, “yeah we drove over here in another vehicle just like this. Government logo and everything.”
The cop looked around and then asked, “what other car?”
Now Garcia looked around and suddenly became very alarmed, “where the hell did our car go!”
Amy, still with her hands in the air, leaned forward and said, “more important. Where’s the waitress?”
Garcia screamed, “that bitch jacked our ride!”