I tried to match that with the text he left on Hondo’s phone, but it didn’t bring anything to mind.
Hondo said to me, “Want to go to Venice?”
“Sure.”
“Take some shorts for volleyball. We can ask them if they saw anything.”
“Mine are at the office.”
“Mine, too.”
Amber said, “We’ll stay here and guard the house.” Bodhi looked relieved. Here was safety, outside was danger.
~*~
We changed at the office and walked to the beach. People milled about on the walkway, on the sand, and in the surf. The word “crowded” didn’t seem to do it justice. I said, “They must all be here to see us.”
Hondo pointed toward a platform near the pier. Large Amplifiers and light poles adorned it. He said, “Unless you can sing, the crowd’s here for someone else.”
We meandered that way since there weren’t any volleyball games at the moment. We saw our Electrical Testicle friends the same time they spotted us.
“Dudes,” I said and nodded my head at the stage, “Are you up?”
“Not us,” Spade said, “Algonquin Rhino. Archie told us to come over and hang out. We’re friends with the band, so we’re figuring on a good party afterward. You two can come with us if you want.”
“Thanks, but we’re working,” Hondo said.
Eric said, “Did you hear that Archie arranged an audition for us with Sony Records next week?”
We grinned, “We’re rooting for you.”
Eric said, “Thanks.”
Hondo nudged me, “See that?” He pointed under the pier, where two men stood. Even from here their body language told us they weren’t happy with each other.
Hondo has twenty-ten vision and can see better than most people, including me. I said to him, “Aim one of your eyes like the Six Million Dollar Man used to do and focus in on ‘em. And make that noise like on the show, you know, nah-nah-nah-nah-nah, like that.”
Eric said, “Something we can help you with?”
Hondo said, “Couple guys we know are arguing over there.”
“Under the pier,” Eric said.
I said, “Yeah. We’re curious what it’s about.”
Spade said, “One of them is Jericho Moon, I can tell that. I don’t know the other one.”
I said, “The other one is Troy Hanson, the recent widower of Sylvia Artell. It may be nothing, but still, we need to check it out.”
Eric said, “Stay here. He held up his GoPro and motioned to the other band members. “We’ll take some video with those two in the background, and be close enough to record the conversation.”
“Thanks,” Hondo said.
“Hey, we owe you,” Eric said.
We watched the Algonquin Rhinos setting up on stage and visited with several friends who saw us. The Testicles returned ten minutes later. Eric handed us the camera, saying, “Take a look.”
The video showed Jericho and Troy standing on the sand, maybe two feet apart.