Chapter 36

That night, Erica paced the condo floor in the shadows, the only light from the trio of candles she lit earlier, votive candles in slim glass holders with the Virgen Guadalupe etched on each.

Gianni had called and left several messages, but she simply placed her phone on silent mode. She couldn't reason, she couldn't conjecture, she couldn't theorize. The need to eat a gallon of tres leches ice cream kept a rumba going in her stomach, and then attacked what little brain cells she had left. Finally, in frustration, Erica grabbed her phone and dialed a number. She needed expert advice, and needed it fast. When Sacha answered her summons, she briefly explained her situation and dictated her needs.

"Gotcha, girlfriend," he confirmed. "I'll be there in forty-five!"

When her partner did arrive about an hour and a half later, he brought with him a hefty paper sack. Extracting the contents, Sacha set out their feast on Erica's dining table.