Part 60 (1/2)
”Thought you should know,” Mr. Santos said.
”Maybe I should have told them,” Mrs. Carson worried.
”You did right,” he rea.s.sured both of them.
He left his office and drove to Holly's house. Her car was gone. Still, he knocked. No one answered.
He sat in front of the house for several minutes, then decided to try Marty. She might know something. He might also get a glimpse of the three people asking questions about someone who sounded very much like Liz.
He found them in a bar across from Special Things. It was quite obvious that they weren't tourists. They were staring across at Marty's store.
He wandered in and ordered a c.o.ke. He sat at the bar and studied the trio.
A pretty young woman. A man in his early fifties who looked like an ex-boxer and a man who looked like a cop. He could always spot them. Their eyes never stilled. Just as this one's didn't still.
He finished his c.o.ke and sauntered over. ”How do you like our little town?”
The woman looked disconcerted, then smiled. ”I like it,” she said.
He stiffened. Her eyes looked just like Holly's. So did the smile.
Nothing else did. She was slim, but more roundly built than Holly. Taller. Her face didn't have the fine bones that Holly's did, and the nose was larger, yet the accents were similar. So was the musical quality of their voices.
”Good,” he said. ”I'm the county sheriff. Anything I can help you with?”
He saw them stiffen this time. He didn't wear a badge on his s.h.i.+rt, nor did he carry his gun in an obvious place.
The man he had pegged as a cop stood. He held out his hand. ”I'm Gage Gaynor. Detective. New Orleans.”
”Doug Menelo. You here on official business?”
”No. Vacation. My girl is trying to find her sister. Meredith's mother just died and left them both a rather large estate.”
”What's her name?”
”Holly,” the woman said. ”Holly Ames.” She pulled out a photo. It was Liz.
He shook his head. ” 'Fraid I can't help you. Don't know anyone named Holly.”
The woman persisted. ”She might be using another name. She has a son. She might be in a great deal of danger. We have to warn her.”
”Now that sounds mighty interesting. Care to tell me more about it?”
”That would take time. We need to find her.”
”I have all the time in the world,” Doug said as he settled down in a seat overlooking the window. The others had to turn away from it to talk to him.
”We're looking for the person who runs the shop across the street,” Gaynor said.
Doug saw Marty then. She'd parked in the city lot and was walking toward her store. He didn't want her talking to anyone until he had.
”Marty sometimes goes to the bank about this time of day,” he said. ”It's two blocks down.”
”She'll be back, won't she?”
”Doubtful. She's a free spirit. Often takes off early.”
He watched as Marty turned the CLOSED sign to OPEN. He hoped the town's newest visitors didn't notice.
He got up. ”You said your name was Gaynor?” he said. ”What division?” He intended to call the NOPD as soon as he could.
”Homicide.”
Doug didn't like the sound of that at all. ”Well, good luck to you. If you want to find Marty, you might try the bank first, then her house. You go straight up this road. Just keep climbing until you reach the last road, then turn right. Ask anyone.”
He rose and went to the bar, paid for his soda.
Then he sauntered out, went down the road and came up to the back of Marty's store. He pounded on it.
Finally, Marty answered.
”You're going to have company soon. A New Orleans detective and some woman who claims she's Liz's sister.”
She didn't look surprised.
”Where is she, Marty?”
”At a cabin fifteen miles from here.” She went in and jotted directions for him on a notepad by the telephone. ”It's an old miner's cabin I fixed up.”
”I think I know it,” he said. ”What's this all about?”
”She'll tell you. She's ready now, I think.” Marty hesitated, then added, ”She needs you.”
”Keep those folks busy.”
”I can do that.”
He returned to the sheriff's office, called the New Orleans police department and verified they had a Gage Gaynor in homicide.
”Where did you say you were?” a voice on the line asked.
He hung up. He wanted to talk to Holly first.
Doug decided not to use his official vehicle. Instead he jumped in the Jeep. Heart speeding he started west.
A pounding shook the door. Marty left the storeroom and went out to check. She expected the three people Doug had described. Instead two men in sports coats stood there. They couldn't have looked more out of place if they wore devil suits in Disneyland.