Whistler's Angel (58 page)

“Going where?”

“Through the Circle. They wouldn’t have turned.”

Whistler knew that going through would have made the most sense. On reaching Sea Pines Circle, there were three ways to go. Turning right would have led them past Jump & Phils to the gated community of Sea Pines. They would not have risked being seen from Jump & Phil’s, not after being spotted there the last time. Nor would they try to get past the Sea Pines gate in a car that was so easily remembered.

“Keep going through the Circle,” said Claudia.
“I heard you.”

He did so because that had been his intention. The green Pontiac almost certainly would not have turned left onto the island’s main parkway. They would have to have assumed that an alarm had gone out, and the parkway was the first route that would have been covered because it led off the island. And they might have a scanner. Crow probably used one. That was how he’d avoided being caught all this time.

It seemed likely, therefore, that they’d driven through the Circle and headed due east toward the ocean. They’d pass one other gated community, called Shipyard. They would not have gone there either, same reason. There were several hotels, but he could rule them out as well. They would hardly have booked a hotel room. That left private homes as Sergeant Moore had suggested. Moore thought that Crow would find an unoccupied home. The way to bet, therefore, was North Forrest Beach. If so, they were trapped. They had no place to go. And if so, Sergeant Moore would soon realize that as well. Those police not assigned to specific intersections might then mount a house to house search of that area.

Claudia sat staring forward, sometimes upward. She might have been
looking for birds; he didn’t know, but he thought it best not to ask. With birds on his mind, he was suddenly started when he thought he heard the chirp of a bird
inside their car. In that instant he realized that it was his cell phone. It was
probably Moore calling, asking where they had gone.

Claudia turned her head toward the source of the sound. She said, “You’d better answer that, Adam.”

“I know who it is.”

She squinted. “No, you don’t. You’d better answer it,” she said.

With a sigh, he pulled the phone from his pocket. He thumbed it open and put it to his ear. He heard the words, “Adam? Is that you?”

It was a woman’s voice. It was Olivia Ragland. He did not recall giving her this number. He glanced at Claudia, wondering how she could have known. He said, “Yeah, it’s me. Has something happened?”

“
Someone here needs to speak to you. Hold on.”

Whistler grumbled to himself. He thought it must be her husband. But the

voice that came on was another female voice. Low, soft spoken, almost gentle, but all business. He knew that voice. He knew it before she spoke her name.

She said, “Hello, Adam. Where are you at this moment? And is Claudia with you? This is Molly.”

This was a surprise, but something less than a shock. He might have guessed that she would have grabbed a fast flight after failing to make contact with Olivia. And he’d have thought that she might have been a touch more cordial. It had been sixteen years, after all.

He replied, “She’s with me. We’re in my rental car. Molly, give me a number; I’ll call you back later. This isn’t a good time to talk.”

“Adam, Aubrey’s on the island. Did you know that?”

His stunned silence answered for him. He managed, “You’re sure?”

“So is Aubrey’s man, Briggs. And another man named Robert. Robert’s
in his late twenties, a big man, blond hair. We don’t have a last name for Robert.”

Whistler had to pull over. He saw a curb cut ahead. It was the entrance to the Bi-Lo Supermarket. He said, “You’re describing Stanton Poole’s bodyguard. Are you sure you don’t mean Vernon Lockwood?”

“It’s not Lockwood. That one was already here. Listen, Adam…”

“Just a minute. You knew that? How long have you know
n
that?”

“Not long. Listen, Adam…”

“And who is
we
, Molly? Who else came down here with you?”

“A few of us flew down at your father’s request. We’re here strictly to keep you from harm and that’s all. As we speak, your father is en route with the twins. Harry knows that it was you in that restaurant last night. Claudia’s mother suspected it as well and decided to fly in on her own. Harry asked us to intercept her and we have. She’s in talking to Ragland at the moment. Take my number.”

Whistler shook his head in disgust. “Molly, why am I the last one to hear this?”

“Because you’ve been out of reach. Now you’re not. Take my number.”

An inward groan. “I don’t believe this,” he said. But he memorized the number of her cell phone.

She said, “We’ve all had trouble knowing what to believe. We doubted that you were in that restaurant by chance.”

“We were.”

“I know that. Olivia told me.”

“Has Olivia said anything about Claudia’s…performance?”

“Privately. Only to me. Did that happen?”

“Yes, it did.”

“You taught her?”

“Me? I couldn’t have done that myself. Please do not, in any case, tell her mother about that. The story is that neither of us used that knife. Let’s keep it that way if we can.”

“Except Claudia knows. How is she handling it, Adam?”

This question was Whistler’s first inkling thus far of the old Molly Farrell that he’d known. The nice one, the kind one, the compassionate one with whom he had skied and played tennis.

He answered, “I’m not sure. We’ll see how it settles. Molly…on my way out of Palmetto Bay, I thought I recognized a couple of men. Would one of those men have been Billy McHugh?”

“Billy and John Waldo. You slipped past them, I take it.”

“You’re in contact with them? Tell them not to board the boat.”

“They’ve…surmised that Lockwood had been there for a reason. You think he’s rigged something?”

“I would bet on a bomb.”

“Billy says that three men kidnapped a young woman. Two of those men would be Lockwood and Crow. Do you have a name for the third?”

“No, I don’t, but he witnessed what happened last night. So did the girl who they kidnapped,” said Whistler.

“Which is why they took her?”

“That would not have been the reason. I am probably the reason. Look, Molly, I have get moving.”

“Adam…where are you?”

“Out looking for them.”

“You’re out looking for that green Pontiac by yourselves? Adam, you’re up against six of them now. Are you trying to get the both of you killed?”

“Well…Claudia’s more afraid that it’s Leslie who’ll be killed. She would not find that easy to live with.”

“Adam, where are you? Please tell me precisely.”

“Molly, hold on.” He pressed the mute button. He asked Claudia, “How much could you hear?”

“Most of it. Who is Molly?”

“That’s a long story. Later.”

“My mother’s here? Really?”

“And in very good hands. Don’t worry about her. Molly will want us to sit here and wait for two other men to come and join us. They’re not far away. They’re old friends of my father.”

“Men who’ve done this sort of thing? Like the twins”

“Men who’ve been doing it since before you were born. We’d be foolish not to wait for them, Claudia.”

“How long?”

“A few minutes.”

“But not longer than that. I can’t stand knowing that they’ve got Leslie.”

That was easy, thought Whistler. And it was a relief. If he knew Molly,
she’d tell those two to lock Claudia in the trunk until Aubrey was dealt with one way or the other. He’d be all for it. He’d apologize later. But if Molly was there at his father’s behest, she’d be as likely to tell them to stuff him in with her. And those two could do it if they got within reach. He would damned well make sure that they didn’t.

He released the mute button. “Are you looking at a map?”

Molly answered, “I am. Go ahead.”

“Find Sea Pines Circle. We’re a mile and a half above it. We’re in a beige Ford Taurus. We’ll be waiting, right hand side.”

“I got it. I’m putting you on hold.”

He heard a click and the line went still. He assumed that she was calling John Waldo or Billy. He held the phone to his ear for what must have been a full minute, much too long for Molly just to tell them where he is. They were probably discussing such options as the trunk.

He heard another soft click. Molly came on again. She said, “That was Carla. She’s somewhere near you. You remember Carla Benedict, don’t you?”

“Oh, yes.”

“Did you know that it was Carla who cut Briggs and Aubrey?”

“No one said so, but it wasn’t hard to guess.”

“Listen to me, Adam. She knows where they are. She denies it, but I don’t believe her.”

“How could she?”

“Trust me; she could. The ‘how’ part can wait. She is on her way to meet you. I want you to hold her. Keep her there until Billy or John Waldo can join you. One of them will stay near the boat. Introduce her to Claudia. Let them talk.”

“
Um…what for?”

“She
’s only coming to meet you because Claudia’s with you. Otherwise,
she’s like you; she works mostly alone. She might try to take that bunch by herself.”

“With a knife?”

A patient sigh. “No, Adam. Not with a knife. She is quite well equipped to take out six men, but I’ll say again, that is not why we came here. We’re here to protect you; get you both off this island. Your father needs you to…be healthy.”

He had heard the hesitation. A near slip. That wasn’t like her. He asked her, “Molly, is my father okay?”

“Your dad’s fine.”