Visions (Cainsville 2)

"She's getting--" Ricky began.

"I know. And as your lawyer, I would suggest you do not pursue her. Even if you manage to catch her, you'd need to hold her, which is a felony."

"But we haven't questioned her," I said. "We don't know where to find her. All we have is a first name and--"

Gabriel handed me a plastic rectangle. It was Macy's driver's license.

"How the hell--?" I began. "That's why you so kindly helped her down the ladder. I should have known you were up to something."

"Yes, you should have," he said, taking no offense.

"You knew she was going to run."

"We made her nervous. I have no idea why."

I snorted and shone my flashlight on Macy's card and squinted at the photo. "Does she look familiar to you?"

"Yes, she bears a striking resemblance to the young woman who just fled."

Ricky laughed.

I glared at both of them. "I couldn't see her very well inside. Besides the lack of light, she was filthy and disheveled. This photo, though . . ." I looked again and shook my head. "Never mind. I'll figure it out later. So now what?"

"Now we get ourselves looking less filthy and disheveled," Ricky said. "Whose place is closer? Gabriel?"

Gabriel hesitated. Last month, during another long night, he'd been about to stop at his apartment. Then I suggested I wouldn't mind using his bathroom and suddenly his place was no longer on our route.

I was sure he had an apartment. A very nice one, given that he'd had no qualms about taking me as far as the building. I now suspected it was a matter of privacy. That was his home. Private and off-limits.

"Your place is closer," I said to Ricky.

Gabriel acknowledged my save with a nod of thanks.

"I'm parked over there," Gabriel said. "I presume you're elsewhere?"

"At the golf course," I said. "Can you give us a lift?"

He waved us to his car.

--

"Well, I guess we didn't hide it as well as we thought," I said, sta

nding beside my car, looking down at the slashed tire.

"Got a spare?" Ricky asked. "I can change it."

"So can I. Unfortunately, I noticed last week that the tire isn't in the trunk. It must be at my parents' house."

"No problem. A couple of our garages have twenty-four-hour service. I'll get one to fix it." He looked at Gabriel, still in his Jag, window down. "That okay? You can give us a lift?"

"Of course."

--

We decided to wash up at Ricky's and then discuss the situation over breakfast. "I've got class at nine," Ricky said as we headed down the hall to his apartment. "You two?"

"I don't have any appointments," Gabriel said. "But yes, I should be at the office by nine. Olivia can join me."