Page 71 of Cougar Point

“Vinnie loves his sister. Told me she’s always been there for him. I asked him if that’s who gave him the money and he hushed up quick-like.”

“What money, Hattie?” Ronnie asks.

“He told me he didn’t steal it.” She pauses, ready to lie for him, or pounce on the first person who makes an accusation.

“I understand,” I say. Understand it’s stolen or from a drug deal.

“Well, it was a bunch of money. Hundred-dollar bills mostly. He said he hit the lottery. He was giving us all money. Bought us these clothes. Wouldn’t say how much money but I seen a roll that would choke a mule.”

“What about the van?” I ask. “Where did it come from? Did he buy that too.” I ask to see if he’s told her the same thing Tammy at the no-name-tavern told us.

“I guess he bought it. He ain’t no thief. He said he didn’t need it no more. His thumb would do him fine. He give it to Annie. That’s the kind of guy he is. He brought us bags of food from McDonald’s. He bought me a vanilla shake ’cause I’d told him I really missed them. I ain’t had a vanilla shake from McDonald’s for a while. I wanted to go with him when he left but he snuck away. I don’t blame him none. I’m not nothing to look at and I’d just be wanting money.”

Hattie smiles and her breath is putrid. She has gum disease, or something worse is going on with her health.

Ronnie asks, “Do you think he was really going to see his sister?”

Hattie scratches under her armpits and thinks. “He said she was the only one who done him right. He might be going to see her. Then again, he might not. He said he needed to getsome more money. He owes some people and he always pays his debts.”

“Who did he owe money to?” I ask. He was giving hundreds away and could have sold the van but he apparently gave it away. Maybe Duke was right about Vinnie being in Dutch to some gangsters and is on the run.

Her lips tremble and her eyes mist. “Don’t know. He said he was taking me with him. He promised. I don’t blame him but I sure would ’a liked to go with him. Your uncle is one good-looking sucker.” The conversation is over.

Outside we thank Officer Nelson and give Annie our contact info. Lucas has searched the van and shakes his head at my questioning look. Annie promises to keep an eye out for Vinnie, but of course, she would say that.

“Give me your phone number,” Ronnie says to Nelson. He does and a moment later his phone dings. “That’s a picture of Vinnie. If you hear anything you can call me and Lucas.”

He asks, “What about the van?”

I defer to Lucas. He makes the right call. “I should have it towed and let my crime scene people go through it. It doesn’t have license plates and isn’t registered to Annie.”

Annie says, “I can’t drive anyway. Lost my license moons ago. And I wouldn’t let any of my people drive it without proper registration, license, and insurance.” She says this to Nelson, and he laughs and says, “Annie, if you weren’t already taken, I’d marry you.”

Annie’s face turns red and she whispers to Ronnie, “Watch out for that one. He’s a womanizer.”

“I wasn’t finished,” Lucas says. “Ishouldhave the van towed, but I’ll leave it up to Officer Nelson.”

Lucas, you old softy. You don’t want to mess with the paperwork, do you?

Lucas says to me, “We’re done here. I’m going to find Duke. I’ll catch up with you later.”

“We’regoing to find Duke,” I correct him. “Butweneed to talk first.”

We follow him back to Bellingham and to the store where Duke told us Vinnie had his upstairs apartment. We go inside what is a café of sorts with only two tables and several chairs. Lucas gets coffee and something to feed his cookie habit. Ronnie gets water and buys me a tall black coffee.

Lucas starts. “Before you say anything, I called Mr. Marsh on the way here. He told me you know about the ransom demand.”

“When were you going to tell us about it?” Ronnie asks. She doesn’t look pissed but I know that tone of voice.

“I had hoped I wouldn’t need to.” He sips his coffee. “Mr. Marsh said the demand is up to ten million now. He knew the note was from Vinnie and I’ve been after Vinnie since this thing started. I was getting close to finding him too when you two arrived and made a mess of things.”

“Is that why you wanted us to go away?” I ask.

“I still want you to go away.”

I say, “If you and Jack had been up front with us, we could have worked together.” Probably not but I feel obligated to say that.

Ronnie says, “My dad is going to pay the ransom? Even though Mom might be filing for divorce?”

---