The Kidnap Victim Read online

  “You still down there in Cricket Bay?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What did you find out about Sally?”

  “It turns out that house she was going in belongs to the guy she was with.”

  “So maybe she isn’t Sally Jones.”

  “It was her. I’m just not sure what her game is, but I know she’s up to something. I’m going to figure out what it is.”

  “Why? That just sounds like a plan for driving yourself crazy.”

  “Maybe I could get my money back.”

  “Get your money back? Are you serious?”

  “I need time to find a decent job. That money could buy me the time.”

  “But how do you know she’s going to have the money?”

  “She’s conning somebody. She’s going to get paid.”

  “Fred, listen to yourself. Do you really want to do this?”

  “My family’s counting on me. She put me in this hole. She deserves to pay.”

  “You’re taking a big risk.”

  “It’s no risk. She’s a grifter. She can’t tell anyone.”

  “We’re just talking about the money, not some bullshit revenge?”

  “Just the money.”

  The line was quiet for a moment. “You sure?”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Okay, maybe I can help you out.”

  “Really? You’d do that for me?”

  “We’re talking about the money. Nothing else.”

  “Just the money.”

  “How’re you going to do it?”

  “I’ll follow her around until I find out what she’s up to. Then I’ll call you to come help. As soon as she gets paid, we’ll rob her.”

  “We’ll need more guys than just us.”

  “Are you sure? We’ve got to keep this quiet.”

  “And we will. But if you want to take her score, we need at least two more guys.”

  “What’s that going to cost? I want my sixty thousand back.”

  “Okay. You want your sixty. I got no problem with that. I need thirty for helping you.”

  “Thirty thousand? That much?”

  “Hey, organizing the people and buying the guns is a lot of work. If it blows up, I’ll be the one facing the ATF charges.”

  “We’ve got to have guns?”

  “You want to be sure? We don’t want to be the only people there without any guns.”

  “So it’s ninety thousand.”

  “And I ought to be able to get two guys to help at five grand apiece. So that’s a total of one hundred grand.”

  “Christ, Rudy, forty grand to do the job. That’s a lot of money.”

  “You want the job done right?”

  “I just want to get my money back.”

  “This is how it happens.”

  “You sure you can get two guys at five grand apiece?”

  “You sure we can get one hundred thousand?”

  “That’s pencil dust to Denison. Sally’s got to be conning him for a lot more than that.”

  “Okay, then. Let me get to work on the guys and the guns.”

  “I’ll let you know as soon as I find out anything. And Rudy, thanks for helping me out. It means a lot.”

  “No problem, bro.”

  Stein started his car. A few minutes ago getting his money back had just been wishful thinking. Now a plan was falling into place. How had that happened? He pulled out of the Cup-N-Sup parking lot. It was the right thing to do. As long as the plan was just about ripping off Sally, and no one else was involved, no one would know. He’d get away clean, he’d find a job, the mortgage would be caught up, and Carrie could quit work. They’d be a happy family again, just like he’d never gone to prison. He’d stay on the straight and narrow. Ten years from now, his conviction would just be a blip in the road. It was a good thing that he’d kept up with Rudy. He was a real pal.

  Nicole and Denison lay naked in the dark on the silk sheets of his king-size bed. The window curtains were open. They could see the stars twinkling in the night sky, and even though the windows were closed, they could hear the surf crashing against the shore. Nicole shifted onto her side and lay her head on his chest. He stroked her hair.

  “I’m so glad that Bell’s bedroom is at the other end of the hall,” she whispered.

  He nodded. “It’s just too soon to try to explain.”

  “I understand.”

  “They weren’t there in Nohamay City. If they were, they’d know.”

  “When you’re locked in a crucible with a person, you either come to love them or come to hate them.”

  “And that’s what your life is always about? Discovering who can be trusted and who can’t?”

  “Sometimes. Often you already know who you can trust, and it’s all about figuring out how much not to trust everyone else.”

  “How much not to trust?”

  She got up on one elbow so she could look at his face. “Jimmy, everyone has limits. Certain limits are fixed. Certain limits are flexible. It just depends on the individual. For example, I bet you couldn’t think of a situation where you would steal. I’m not talking about taking bread to avoid starvation or to feed a hungry child, I’m talking about theft for gain.”

  “So where are my limits flexible?”

  “Your wife was the love of your life. You never cheated on her, right?”

  He nodded.

  “She died very quickly from a horrible cancer. It devastated you. You’d want the world to know that. And yet…” She leaned down and kissed him. “Two months later we’ve hiding the fact that we’re sleeping together from your kids.”

  “It doesn’t seem like a contradiction to me. Stacey would understand. Besides, we aren’t hiding. Bell sort of asked, and I sort of told her. We’re just being respectful of their feelings.”

  “Just being respectful of their feelings?”

  “We give them a little more time, then everything comes out in the open.”

  “It’s going to be more difficult than you think.”

  “I know my kids.”

  “Bell gave me the talk.”

  “What?”

  “When you were golfing. Told me she and her brother had their eyes on me. Didn’t trust me. Were afraid I was taking advantage of you, even if they couldn’t figure out how.”

  “I’ll talk to her.”

  “Please don’t. She’ll just think the problem is even worse than she thought.”

  “Oh, Nicki.” He pulled her close. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. I want you to stay as long as you want to stay. I hope John never needs your help.”

  At the Goldminer’s Club, Rudy Grissom, Kevin Johnson, and Chris Billings, all dressed in black pants and black T-shirts, moved about the dimly lit room, keeping an eye on the customers. Up on the stage a blonde wearing only a black cowgirl hat gyrated to an upbeat country song about horses, ranching, and true love. Women in lingerie with toy pistols strapped to their hips moved about the room serving drinks and soliciting private dances. Three men sat at the seats along the stage, ogling the dancer—a bearded man, a tall man wearing glasses, and a bald man with a fringe of blond hair. They were all drunk. The bearded one leaned across the stage and grabbed the dancer by the ankle. Billings and Johnson came at him from both sides and grabbed him by the collar of his sports coat and his arms. The dancer backed up a step and kept dancing. They dragged the bearded drunk to the door and tossed him out into the parking lot as his friends protested and hurried behind.

  “You can’t touch the dancers,” Johnson said.

  “We want our cover money back,” the tall guy said.

  “We spent a lot of money,” the bald guy said.

  Johnson pushed him away.

  “You can’t throw me out,” the bearded drunk said. He stumbled toward the door.

  Billings hopped into the air, cocked back his arm, and swung down with all his force. The drunk hit the pavement with a sickening thud, his nose mashed and blood splattered acros
s his face. His friends stopped in their tracks.

  “Christ, what did you do that for?” the tall guy said. “He wasn’t swinging on you.”

  Billings pointed out into the parking lot. “Get out of here.”

  The bald guy squatted down beside their friend. “Toby, Toby, you all right?” He looked up at Billings. “You knocked him out.” He turned to the tall guy. “Hey, Mark, give me a hand.”

  They picked up Toby by the shoulders and dragged him to their car.

  Johnson shook his head. “You could’ve killed that guy.”

  “Too bad. He shouldn’t have been a prick.”

  Grissom came up behind them. “All settled?”

  “Chris fucked that boy up,” Johnson said.

  “What did I tell you about using too much force?” Grissom asked.

  “He wasn’t inside, so nobody saw,” Billings said.

  “You’ve got to take it easy with the customers. We don’t need any lawsuits.”

  Billings shrugged.

  “I’m not kidding. You’ve got to settle down.”

  “Asshole got what he had coming. He shouldn’t have touched the dancer.”

  Grissom went back inside. Billings turned to Johnson. “You see the way that dude’s head popped off the pavement?”

  “You’re a fucking monster.”

  “Got that right.”

  “Need to chain you up.”

  “Assholes better be afraid of me.”

  3

  The Safe-Deposit Box

  Chad sat in a stolen Ford Fiesta on the street across from Robertson’s law office. He’d been sitting here every day since he arrived in town, studying the movements of the lawyer, the secretary, and Molly. She was an excellent liar, but she couldn’t lie to him. He could see right through her. Something had happened in the month since they had split up to outrun the detectives—something more than just her learning a new con. Her loyalties were shifting. Why else would she refuse to rip off the lawyer and get out of town when he told her the detective had been at his motel?

  He watched the lawyer come out of the office and get into his blue BMW. He glanced at his watch. Five p.m. Never varied. Molly would be next, followed by the secretary. The door would be locked by 5:30. Opened at 9:00 a.m. Lunch from noon to 1:00. Secretary always left exactly at noon. Molly at 12:20. She was probably screwing Robertson in his office. And he knew she was screwing John. He’d seen them together, seen the way she hung on his every word. Well, he wasn’t going to let the old grifter keep her. She was his. She was going to leave with him. He lit a cigarette. He just had to give her a little push.

  John was sitting by himself in a booth at Irish Eyes, a bar in a strip mall near his apartment. Happy hour was in full swing. The place was jammed with drinkers angling for an open stool or table. The bartenders, wearing white shirts with the sleeves rolled up and green suspenders, were working like machines on an assembly line. John scanned the crowd while he sipped his beer. No one in the bar for him to be concerned about. He took out his phone and speed-dialed Nicole. “Is this a good time?”

  “Just a sec. I’m walking out onto the deck.” There was a pause. “What’s up?”

  “Just wanted to chat.”

  “How’s that job going? Do you need me?”

  “Don’t worry yourself. This little scheme is beneath your abilities. The new girl is working out just fine.”

  “Just fine? I see. You fucking her?”

  “Of course I’m fucking her. I’m doing everything I got to do to keep the pieces moving around the board. I’m her boyfriend, her dad, and her brother—whatever I need to be at any given moment.” Silence. “You jealous?”

  “I’m not jealous.”

  “You’re jealous. Why? You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

  “Because she’s there with you, doing our thing. Cuddling in our bed. Am I supposed to like that?”

  “But you’re there with Denison.”

  “I’m not fucking him in our bed.”

  John smiled. “You know how crazy that sounds, don’t you?”

  “You’re not charming your way out of this.”

  He sipped his beer. “Denison’s daughter giving you a bad time?”

  “She’s been a little bitchy, but I think it’s mainly her way of being loyal to her mother.”

  “Well, the new kid isn’t going to replace you, so relax. Remember when we were first working together? You were a natural. Her skill level is not even in your ballpark. Focus on winning over the daughter—what’s her name?”

  “Bell.”

  “Win her over. As soon as she’s your best buddy, the son doesn’t stand a chance. Then your days of heavy lifting will be over. Who knows? Denison might even marry you.”

  “What makes you think I want to marry him?”

  “Baby, you know you want out of the game.”

  “I don’t want out.”

  “But how many times have you told me that you think you’re getting too old to seduce the marks? Come on, there’s only two outcomes here. One, you ride off into the sunset with Denison, a guy you care a great deal about—hell, you might even love him someday—or two, we make some gigantic score so that we never have to work again. Which is more likely? That’s all I’m saying. Take the retirement package and make the best of it. Don’t worry about our relationship. I’ll always have your back.”

  The line was quiet for a moment.

  “We’re not done talking about this, but I’m going to change the subject,” Nicole said. “Remember that idiot who was stealing credit card numbers at the Save-U-Mart? It was, like, five years ago. I ran into him the day before yesterday.”

  “That’s a strange coincidence. You know how I feel about those. Have you got a gun?”

  “A gun? Please. That guy couldn’t walk and chew gum. I talked him down.”

  “Good for you. Now go out and get a gun. Something that fits in your purse and feels comfortable in your hand. Maybe Denison has one he hasn’t told you about.”

  “I don’t want any of our connections around James.”

  “Go to a gun store. A legit gun is better than no gun at all.”

  “You’re so sweet when you worry about me. I wish I was sitting in your lap right now with my arms around your neck.”

  “Did Denison and his daughter find out?”

  “They were with me.”

  “How did they take it?”

  “I told them the truth, more or less. James knows who we are, so he just shrugged it off. And I think Bell is finally beginning to understand why me and her dad are so close.”

  “So you worked it to your advantage.”

  “James asked me to go to California with him.”

  “Excellent. When you going?”

  “At the end of the month. He needs to be out there to help with his homeless women program.”

  “I thought he was already dealing with that one-on-one.”

  “I’m not homeless. I could always wash up on your doorstep.”

  “I might not open the door. But seriously, get a gun.”

  “Love you too.”

  Later that evening, after supper, Bell stood out on the beach talking to her brother on the phone. Even though the sun was falling in the west, windsurfers still sailed back and forth in the near distance, and gulls still circled above, ready to swoop down on anything that might be edible.

  She kicked at the sand. “Skip, I’m working at it. It’s going to be a lot harder than we thought. You’re not going to believe what happened the first night I was here.” She filled him in.

  “So she’s a professional swindler,” Skip said. “Somebody who she put in jail confronted her. And she and Dad became friends after she helped him in Nohamay City. Jesus Christ.”

  “Yeah. I put her on notice yesterday. Told her we had our eyes on her.”

  “What did she say?”

  “In so many words? That she loved Dad and wouldn’t do anything to hurt him.”

  “Lik
e you could believe her.”

  “I’m telling you, Skip, she’s charming and helpful. And you’ve got to admit Dad’s been doing better since she arrived.”

  “Are they in the same bedroom?”

  “They were before I got here. Now she has her own room, but they must be sleeping together. They’re very discreet.”

  “Is he crushing on her?”

  “No, he’s not fawning; he’s like his regular self.”

  “So there’s no end in sight?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine,” Bell said. “I’ve got to go home in a little over two weeks. I’m teaching a new class this fall, and I haven’t started planning it yet.”

  “I know you’re doing your best. I appreciate you taking the lead on this. If I can move enough appointments, maybe I can come out to help.”

  “I don’t know if it will do any good. We might just have to wait this thing out.”

  “I’m not saying it’s the same thing, but I’m a little concerned that Dad is taking his magical thinking a little too far.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Look, none of us wanted Mom to die, but we had to accept reality. Dad wouldn’t even have been in Nohamay City if he hadn’t been unwilling to accept the facts. How much did he pay that hospital to use Mom as a pincushion? And this is the same thing. He doesn’t really know this woman, but he thinks he’s in love with her. We should give him some more time, but maybe in six months or so, if his thinking doesn’t sharpen up, we should talk him into a brain scan to make sure he didn’t have a brain bleed or something from all the pressure he was under during Mom’s cancer.”

  “You think there might be something physically wrong with Dad?”

  “I don’t know. All I’m saying is that his behavior now is different than before Mom got sick. You know it. I know it. That’s why you’re down there, and we’re on the phone talking like conspirators.”

  “I don’t like going behind his back.”

  “Me, neither, but he’s our dad. If we’re got to protect him from himself, that’s what we’ve got to do.

  The next day, as soon as Betty left for lunch, Molly headed for Robertson’s private office. She was wearing a tapestry-print shirtdress and no panties. She unbuttoned the top two buttons of the dress. It was only the third day of their relationship, but when he put his hands on her, she knew that she was completely in control. It was almost pathetic, the ease with which she could use her body to manipulate him. And sober, it was so much easier to read his tells. Today she was going to try out her pouty voice and see if she could make him come even quicker. When she stepped into his office, he was on the phone.