Page 49 of Cougar Point

“I think we should be honest with each other. I don’t want any credit, but I do want to finish this. I don’t think Victoria has run off. Do you?” I ask.

“It’s a possibility, but…no, I don’t think so.”

“So what do you think? Why is she missing?”

He thinks for a few miles. I don’t interrupt.

“Mr. Marsh is a hard man.” He glances over at me to judge my reaction before he continues. “Mrs. Marsh has been giving money to her less-than-law-abiding brother. I’m guessing Jack doesn’t know and if he did, he wouldn’t approve. He’s proudto the point of arrogance. In any case, I don’t think he would want to continue supporting his wife’s brother. Apparently his daughters know little to nothing about their uncle or that side of their family. I did some research on Victoria Lombardi Marsh. She comes from a lower middle-class family. Stay-at-home mom, father had a lawn-care business until he became disabled.

“Victoria paid her own way through college. She met and married Jack Marsh. He was an up-and-coming lawyer who went on to have his own firm and continues to make a name for himself. Two children. Rebecca followed him into corporate law and is with his firm. Ronnie is a detective with Jefferson County. Both daughters are talented and have distinguished themselves, which is not surprising given the family they come from.

“On the Lombardi side of the equation however, the Lombardis had Victoria and Vinnie. Vinnie is a criminal and a little off. No other children or grandchildren except for Rebecca and Ronnie. Mrs. Lombardi is in a long-care nursing home paid for by Victoria. Dementia. Mr. Lombardi is on Social Security Disability, living in subsidized housing and drinking himself to death. Shall I go on?”

I don’t let on that I’m surprised Victoria’s parents are still alive. I had assumed they were deceased. This guy has really done his homework. He knows more about the family than the family knows. How the sisters will react to this news is beyond me, so I’ll tuck that away for now.

“Okay, here’s what I know so far,” I say. “Before we came to see you this afternoon, Rebecca received a phone call. The caller disguised their voice and said she should stop. They indicated they knew we were detectives. They said if she didn’t stop us what happens next will be her doing.”

“Do you need me to trace the call?” Lucas asks.

“Ronnie is very good at that kind of stuff. She looked into it and said the call was untraceable.”

“So all we have is Vinnie Lombardi writing a cryptic note and leaving it outside Victoria’s room at the Semiahmoo Resort. We assume he was asking for money she promised to him,” Lucas says. “That’s pretty thin but Vinnie is what we’ve got.”

I add, “According to Duke, Vinnie owes some big-time money for gambling debts.”

Lucas passes a car that was already exceeding the speed limit. “Do you think the people are after Vinnie and have something to do with the disappearance?”

“Maybe Vinnie can tell us. If you know anything else, you’ll share it with us. Right?”

Lucas says, “Agreed. Maybe we should meet each day to discuss strategy?”

I don’t expect this to last long, but he’s at least making an offer to work with us. “Sounds good. You can buy us dinner. I always think better with a full stomach.”

He laughs. I’m getting to him. He’s getting to me too. I feel a little queasy.

“Let’s see how this goes.”

“And while we’re being open,” I say, “what’s the story about the Greenwood case?”

Lucas narrows his eyes. “What?”

“The deputy earlier, he said this was like the Greenwood case all over again.”

Lucas looks pained, like he had been hoping I hadn’t picked up on that. “It’s not your concern.”

“Okay. You can ask me a question and I’ll be honest with you.”

“Are you always this annoying, Detective Carpenter?” Lucas is getting pissed.

“Yes. Okay, I was honest with you, so tell me about the Greenwood case. Was it another kidnapping?”

“It’s not related to what we’re doing.”

“Then what is it related to?”

“Christ! Do you ever give up?”

“Is that your second question? You still haven’t answered mine.”

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