I drove around the block three times. Finally a space opened up a half block from Salzar’s building, and I maneuvered the Mini into it.
“Do you want to get in touch with authorities now?” Hooker asked. “Or do you want to try to head Bill off first?”
“Bill first. If possible.”
There was a decent amount of traffic on Calle Ocho at this time of day. Cars would slow when they came up to the Mini, the occupants’ eyes would widen, and then the cars would speed up.
Hooker slouched in his seat. “You’d think this was the first time anybody ever saw a car riddled with bullet holes.”
We let a half hour go by. No Bill in sight. I couldn’t call him. He didn’t have his cell phone. I called Judey. Judey hadn’t heard from him.
“We should go in and ask around,” Hooker said. “See if he went past the front desk.”
I did an inadvertent grimace.
“Hey, it could be fun,” Hooker said.
“You’re not worried?”
“You want the truth? My boys got the creepy crawlies. When this is done you’re gonna owe me large.”
We got out of the car and walked the half block to the building entrance. We pushed through the glass doors, crossed the lobby, and went to the front desk.
“I was supposed to meet my brother here,” I told the guy behind the counter.
“Bill Barnaby?”
My stomach went into free fall. “Yes.”
“He’s with Mr. Salzar. They’re expecting you.”
Great. I turned to Hooker. “They’re expecting us.”
Hooker had his hand back at my neck. “No need for both of us to go up. Why don’t you wait here? I know you need to use the ladies’ room.”
I bobbed my head at the desk guy. “Ladies’ room?”
“Take the corridor to the side of the elevators. It’s on the right.”
Hooker and I walked to the elevators together.
“Get out of here,” Hooker said. “Make it look like you’re going to the ladies’ room and find a way out. I’ll call your cell when Bill and I are out of the building. If you don’t hear from me in the next ten minutes, go to the police.”
I walked down the corridor to the ladies’ room and looked around. Security camera at the end of the hall. I went into the ladies’ room and took a couple deep breaths. I was the only one in the ladies’ room. It was on the ground floor. There was a window next to the si
nk. Frosted glass. I unlocked the window and opened it. The window backed up to a service driveway. I climbed out the window and dropped to the ground. I looked for security cameras. One at the far end of the building over the rear entrance. I walked in the opposite direction.
I cut through another service driveway and circled the block. I didn’t want to go to the Mini. Hooker had been in the building for ten minutes now and he hadn’t called. Time to call the police. I was back on Calle Ocho. I was standing in a doorway one building down from Salzar’s building. From where I stood I could see Salzar’s small parking lot and the front entrance.
A man left the building and went to one of two Lincoln Town Cars parked in the lot. He got into the car and drove out of the lot. I ran to the corner and saw the car make its way down the cross street and turn into the service road. I ran to the service road and stood on the corner and watched. The car stopped at Salzar’s rear entrance. After a moment the door opened and Bill and Hooker were marched out and loaded into the Town Car. There were three other men with them. Two of the men got into the car, and the car drove off.
There was a slim chance that I could follow the Town Car if I could get a ride fast enough. No time to run back to the Mini. I was afraid to go back to it anyway. I jogged down the cross street, looking in car windows for keys left in the ignition. I found one almost immediately. Honda Civic with the door open and the keys dangling. It was parked in front of a hole-in-the-wall restaurant advertising fast food and takeout. Someone had been in a hurry and was way too trusting.
I slid behind the wheel, turned the key in the ignition, and took off. I got to the corner, and the Town Car cruised by, going west on Seventh Street. I was several cars back by the time I was able to make the turn, but I had the Town Car in sight. Traffic was slow on Seventh. We inched along. The Town Car turned north on Seventeenth.
After three blocks, I caught a flash of lights in my rearview mirror. Cop car. Damn. Take another deep breath, I told myself. Don’t panic. Pretend they’re an escort. This could be a good thing, right? Just have them follow and help to get Bill and Hooker out of the Town Car.
Three more blocks. The cop car was still behind me, lights flashing. I could be wrong, but it looked like a second cop car was behind the first one. I saw the Lincoln sail across First Street. I approached the intersection and a third cop car came from First, angled in front of me, and stopped me from going any farther.