Page 59

FIFTY-EIGHT

I park on the gravel lot of the fabulous Ocean View Motel. The building is a squat, flat-roofed, boxcar type construction dating back to WWII, complete with peeling flamingo-pink paint, gingerbread trim, windows held together with duct tape, rusted A/C units, and the whole shebang covered in bird shit. It’s a mile at least from an ocean view or any water unless the plumbing leaks. Ronnie makes a face, and I say, “It’s perfect.”

Rebecca calls. “Ronnie, are you at the motel?”

“You rented a nice place,” Ronnie says sarcastically.

“You don’t need to go to the office. There won’t be anyone there today. Dad had them leave until tomorrow morning. The keys are on the bed in Room 4.”

Ronnie says, “That’s great. How’d he get the manager to leave?”

“He paid handsomely and gave the manager/owner a free night at the resort, meals included.”

Rebecca says, “Oh, and one thing I forgot to do before you left here was to have you take my car. Megan’s police car will scare them off. I’m sure you have a plan.”

I’d thought of that but I didn’t have a plan. “We’ll wing it, Rebecca. I’ll park my unit nearby.”

Rebecca says, “Also, Dad had the manager put a NO VACANCY sign in the office window.”

“Thanks, Rebecca. We’ll stay in touch,” I say.

The door to Room 4 is unlocked. There are two full size beds complete with six possible contagions. “So I guess Rebecca and Jack won’t be joining us?”

Ronnie chuckles. “This isn’t somewhere Dad would stay. He would burst into flames.”

Good one. But that remark has me again thinking about Victoria. Where could they be holding her? I doubt her kidnappers have the money to buy out a motel for their purposes, but there are plenty of abandoned buildings and structures around here. I’ve had some experience with being held captive. It’s not anything I want to think about.

Ronnie sits on the edge of one bed. “Is this really a good idea?”

It’s either here or the Beverly Hilton. “Trust me.” I open the curtain, signaling to the populace that this room is occupied.

Ronnie says, “Maybe this is unkind of me since I don’t really know him, but this looks like a place Uncle Vinnie would stay.”

My sentiments exactly. We’re not looking for rich people. The kidnappers will be more at ease coming here. It’s just the kind of place Vinnie would stay if he wasn’t living in the back of a junked van.

Ronnie checks out the bathroom and opens a window in there for a breeze if we keep the front door open. She stands by the open front door and says, “I don’t know about you but I could really go for a salad and a soft drink.”

I could go for a pound of ribs and a box of wine. I don’t see how she can eat salads. We can’t order out and I have to move my SUV anyway. “If you can keep watch, I’ll pick up something to eat.”

“You know what I like. Don’t hurry. We may be here all night,” she says.

She jinxed us saying that out loud, but I agree. This is a Hail Mary Pass. I’m about to leave when a very large man steps inside and pulls the door to.

We both draw our guns, and he holds his hands up and says, “Hattie told me about Victoria Marsh, that somebody took her.”

“Who the fuck are you?”

“I’m Vincent Lombardi,” he says. “I’m told you’ve been looking for me.”

We are speechless.

“Can I put my hands down now?” he says after a minute.

He’s larger than the information we’d gotten on him. I knew the photos of Vinnie weren’t recent but I wasn’t expecting this. Vinnie is over six feet tall with bulging muscles. The face looks like the Vinnie we were told about, but Jack had told us Vinnie was Victoria’s little brother. There’s nothing little about this guy.

Before I can ask a question, he puts a large hand out to Ronnie. “I guess you’re my niece. Ronnie, right?”

“You know me?”

“Of course. Vic showed me pictures of you growing up. And I’ve seen you in the news.” He looks at me and says, “You’re Detective Carpenter.”

Ronnie takes his hand and says, “We’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

“I try to stay under the radar. Where’s Rebecca?”