“Okay, now that’s over with,” Ames said, “What are you looking for?”
“Me? Inner peace and reconciliation with the mistakes of my past so I can get another step closer to enlightenment. Or if that’s not available, a nice stiff drink.”
‘That’s not what I meant. You keep looking at the road. It’s almost like you’re expecting someone.”
“Really?” Margot replied. She wasn’t really aware she was doing it, but now that Ames pointed it out, she realized she was still looking for the blue sedan.
“Yeah, really.”
“I don’t know,” Margot lied. She hadn’t seen the sedan since she made the call and was now wondering if it was even the same one she had seen before. She decided she wasn’t going to discuss the sedan and instead told Ames, “I guess I’m hoping Chrissie and Jennifer will just come driving up. It’d be nice to give my client some good news.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t mind seeing that myself. I’ve got a bad feeling they’re going to be hard to find and we’re not going to like what we find when we do.”
Margot couldn’t argue with that.
They all turned and watched the crime scene van approach.
“I guess you can go,” Ames told her, “but we’re going to need to talk later and not over dinner.”
“You saying don’t leave town?”
“Pretty much.”
“Why would I leave before your young partner takes me out to dinner?”
“Just behave, okay?”
“Got it.” She turned to Radcliff. “You want to pick me up at eight? I know you know where I live.”
“You got it.”
As Margot got in the car, she could hear Ames telling Radcliff, “Keep in mind the woman you asked out might be good looking, but knowing her the way I know her, she could be guilty as sin in all this.”
Margot closed the door before she could hear Radcliff’s response.
While she was driving, she called Randy and told him the police would be taking over the investigation and his mom could have her money back minus one day. He was good with that and they arranged to meet back at Layla’s West so she could give him his money.
Chapter 4
Even though she had to drive across town, Margot beat Randy to Layla’s West. Like the first time they met, they were just about the only customers. Since she was currently out of a job, Margot got Stan to pour her some Maker’s Mark over ice. She hadn’t seen the blue sedan or anybody else following her, but she still sat in the corner with her back against the wall.
“I’ve got good news for you,” Randy said as he strolled in and took the seat across from her, “You still have a job.”
“What do you mean? I explained what’s going on over the phone.”
“Yeah, and I passed the information on to Mom. She didn’t see the cop’s involvement as a reason for you to drop out.”
“Did you tell her the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of the cops finding her before I even get close?”
“I did, she didn’t care. She wants you.”
“I guess I should be flattered, but this is a waste of her money.”
“I told her that too, but she said she likes you. The homicide cops? Not so much.”
“Well,” Margot said as she looked at her glass of whiskey, “I guess it’s back to work. You want the rest of this?”
Randy looked at the glass for a second before saying, “Sure. You mind if I ask what you’re going to do next?”