“Well, I did get in the middle of a cartel hit on an informant. I considered it might be the feds since they weren’t happy about my involvement either, but they wouldn’t do it this way.”
“This isn’t good. Lucky for you, this favor crosses over into my real job. I’ll see if I can track down another rental using that same license so you have some idea what to look for and I can put out a BOLO and ideally get them picked up.”
“That would be nice.”
“Yeah, but if they’re smart, they won’t use the same I.D. twice. Do you think they know you got the plate number?”
“They knew we were looking at them and the plate was visible, so yeah, probably.”
“That doesn’t bode well for you. They have to consider the idea that the I.D. they used was burned when you got the plate.”
“They couldn’t know I have a person to run it.”
“They’d better not since I’m that person, but if they’re smart, they’re going to play it safe and assume you do. You need to play it smart and assume they’re still out there.”
Margot checked her mirrors, wondering if they were behind her now.
“I’ll keep looking for another rental that I.D.,” Doreen continued. “If I find one, I’ll call with the make and model A.S.A.P. I’ll see if the fake license they used left a trail as well. In the meantime, maybe you should stay inside.”
“Too late for that. I’m on my way to Riverside.”
“Well, watch you back then. I need you to stay alive long enough to repay all these favors I’ve been doing for you.”
“I’ll do my best.”
As soon as Doreen ended the call, Margot called Mal and filled him in.
“You should stay home and lie low,” Mal told her. “Maybe I should come over.”
“That’s what Doreen said, minus the part about you coming. That ship has sailed, at least for today. I’m almost to Riverside to talk to Danielle Dandridge.”
“That’s a long way to go for someone who probably doesn’t know anything.”
“You’re the one that said ‘Running down leads you know are bullshit is half the job’ and I needed to do my ‘due diligence’.”
“That was when you’re talking to a kid not driving up to Riverside with a couple of cartel hitmen on your tail. Give me the address and I’ll meet you up there.”
“I’m over an hour ahead of you. Most likely I’ll be on my way home before you get here.”
“You could wait.”
“And standing still for an hour or more would help me stay alive? If they are on me, I’m better off on the move.”
“Maybe, I still don’t feel good about it.”
“We can’t be together twenty-four seven.”
“We can’t? I’ve been thinking about it and it wouldn’t bother me. We were good together, Margot.”
“Until we weren’t. You seemed fine with us just being friends until Radcliff asked me out.”
“I just think you could do better.”
“And you’re better?”
“Yeah, I think I am.”
“Maybe you are but come on, we’ve already tried it and it didn’t work.”