I grinned. “It’s an idiom…an American sayin’ like…I don’t know…like don’t piss on me and tell me it’s rainin’.”
He scoffed. “I no understand this English of yours.”
I burst out laughing. “It’s not my English. It’s everyone’s English.” When he didn’t say anything, I set my hand on his thigh, squeezing through his jeans before remembering his age and quickly letting go. “Listen. I adore the way you speak English. But there’s more to our language than just what you learn in books. We say a lot of things that mean somethin’ else.”
“So…the FBI lies? That’s what you say?”
I burst out laughing. “We try not to, but it don’t mean all FBI guys tell the truth. What I meant was, Americans say things that mean somethin’ else sometimes. It’s…ah…what you call an idiom.”
“Un minuto.”
I glanced over as Cachi pulled out his phone and typed for a few seconds. An electronic voice suddenly said. “Idiom…modismo…idiom.”
“Ah! Entiendo. This is not a lie. This is…modismo…idiot.”
I burst out laughing again. “Idiom…idiom!” I said, gasping. “Idiot means someone who has their head up their ass.”
“Idiom,” he repeated slowly. “Si. Entiendo. I understand. Don’t be an idiom or Rex, the nice FBI man, he punch you in your big, fat nose.”
I was still laughing as we drove into the Hollywood police precinct’s parking lot.
An hour later, after giving my statement, I was sitting in a hard-backed chair in the lobby scrolling through my phone when Cachi came over. I immediately pocketed my phone and stood. “Are you all done?”
He nodded. “I finish, yes. You too? Now you take me to my car?”
I shook my head. “First we gotta go pick up Lola and then I’ll drop you off at your car if you want?”
He shrugged looking suddenly uneasy. “Okay, Rex.”
I smiled at him, sorely tempted to throw my arm around his shoulders as we headed for the double glass doors that led to the parking lot. As soon as we walked out, I noticed how hot the day had gotten. It was only May, but summer had come early this year, starting way back in March when we’d had a week of temperatures in the mid-nineties.
The hospital was just around the block, and I hoped the car had time to cool off before I picked my girl up. As soon as we got to the car, I rolled the back windows down as Cachi climbed intothe passenger seat. I bent over to look at him as he fastened his seatbelt.
“Please roll your window down. It’s gonna be hot in the car for my girl otherwise.”
Cachi instantly nodded. “Okay, Rex.”
I smiled. “Thanks, sugar.” I jogged around to my side, excited to be picking up my little Lola. I slipped behind the wheel, and started the car with a roar, before turning on the air conditioner. It chugged to life and I reminded myself that it would need replacing soon. Keeping up with maintenance on the fifty-year-old car was a constant battle but one I was determined to win. I loved the old girl, even if she was ugly as hell and the guys constantly poked fun at me about her.
As I drove toward the animal hospital to pick up my baby, I turned to Cachi. “How’d it go?”
“Good. I tell them what they did and how you help me, Rex,” he said quietly. “I tell them you are hero.”
I swallowed hard before looking over. “I’m no hero, Cachi. I did what I’m trained to do, stoppin’ a few drunks from bein’ assholes, that’s all.”
“We both know they kill me if they catch me, Rex.”
“I don’t think they would’ve been that stupid, but I’m glad I walked out of the bar when I did.” In my peripheral vision I saw him nod.
“Si.”
I reached over to take his hand and then drew it back quickly, hoping he hadn’t seen. Touching him was a very bad idea since I knew it would eventually lead to other things. I had to constantly remind myself that he was much too young for me.
“Lola. What test she have?”
“Huh?” I was thrown for a minute by the abrupt change in topic. “Oh, she’s been feelin’ lousy for a while now, so I brought her into the doc’s office. He gave her some tests but the medicine they gave her to relax, made her sick.”
“What is lousy?” he asked.