Page 77 of Cougar Point

Jack’s coffee mug stops halfway to his lips and he puts the cup down so fast it spills. “Absolutely not! He will not be in my house. I don’t want him around my girls. That’s a ridiculous idea.”

I say, “He doesn’t need to stay here. We could get a couple of rooms at a nearby hotel or motel. Ronnie and I can share a room next to him. We need to talk to him. Get him to trust us. I’m not sure Vinnie is behind any of this.”

Jack seems to calm down. At least I don’t see the vein throbbing on his neck now. “What good will that do?”

“Think about it. If Vinnie left the note on your wife’s door, it probably means he didn’t get to talk to her. Or…”

“Or what?” Jack asks.

I haven’t even discussed this theory with Ronnie or Rebecca yet, but it just feels right so I have to consider it. “The kidnappers might be setting Vinnie up.”

“Preposterous!” Jack says, and I see the shocked look on the sisters’ faces.

“Just hear me out. Vinnie spent time in Whatcom County Jail. He was a trusty so he made contacts and is known to the jail staff and inmates. Like Duke. And Thundercloud. The kidnappers have known our every move. Rebecca said Thundercloud was the guy that was following her and her mom around a store in Birch Bay and smiling at them. Thundercloud worked at the resort for a while. His girlfriend is Missy who works at the resort. Thundercloud has connections to Roger, the resort manager who seemed stymied as to how the surveillance video was missing during the time we think your wife was kidnapped.”

“That’s fairly convincing,” Jack says, “but what about Duke, and how does this make you believe Vinnie is being framed for the kidnapping?”

Ronnie picks up the thread. “Thundercloud knew Vinnie. Duke knows Vinnie. Mom had left money for Vinnie at the jail. She bonded Vinnie out of the jail. And it seems there’s not much that goes on that doesn’t get around in the jail. The note was scribbled like a child’s handwriting. We only think it’s from Vinnie because you remember him calling Mom Dinky. What if Vinnie used that nickname to talk about her in the jail?”

Jack is thinking. He connects the dots and says, “So you want to find Vinnie and question him about the note and if he talked to Duke or Thundercloud or anyone else at the jail and told them about the nickname. In that case you should put him somewhere safe. If the kidnappers are setting him up, they will find out he’s with you and try to silence him.”

I say, “I know I’m not part of this family, but I would never do anything to harm any of you. We need to find Vinnie. We need to find Duke to spread the word. Even if we don’t find Vinnie, I want to spread the word Vinnie is with us and looking for his sister.”

Rebecca asks, “But if you don’t find Vinnie or Duke, what’s the plan?”

“I’ll make sure word gets around the resort.” I even plan to let this leak to the jail. “We know how to find Missy and Thundercloud, Duke may show up, or the kidnappers will come and we’ll be waiting.”

“So, you’re using Vinnie and my daughter for bait,” Jack says.

“I wouldn’t call it that.”It’s exactly that.“I’ll be there too. Ronnie is tougher than you give her credit for.” And I’m twice as tough.

“I don’t think you’re asking my permission at all. What part do I have in all of this?”

“I want you to get us a couple of rooms at a dive motel near the jail,” I say. I would do it but I want Jack to feel that he has a part in finding his wife. If he’s helping us, he may not stab us in the back.

Rebecca says, “Dad, we should let Uncle Vinnie stay here with us. We have surveillance cameras and alarms. I don’t like the idea of Ronnie and Megan making themselves targets.”

“I don’t want him to stay here in our home.” His eyes soften and he looks at Ronnie. “As a last resort. Okay? But I trust you not to do something reckless. If they’re armed, I want you to get out of there or call the police.”

Because I’m a better liar, I say, “I promise we’ll do that, Jack. We’ll be cautious.”

Part of my idea is that Vinnie might get word that he’s at the motel and know what’s going on. He seems pretty shrewd and I think he wants to find his sister. The idea he’s behind this is less realistic in my mind. I could be wrong; in which case I might have to hurt him. Either way we’ll find out.

“What about me?” Rebecca asks.

“You can find us a motel and Jack can rent the rooms.”

“Why not stay at the resort?” she asks, but the answer is obvious.

I say, “Preferably downtown Bellingham where there’s high foot traffic. Maybe close to the jail, or the Mom & Pop store. You’ll stay here with your dad in case you’re contacted. Rent one room in the name of Vincent Lombardi. Then rent the entire motel under an assumed name.”

Rebecca asks, “Do you think a motel will let me do that?”

“Money will buy you anything, sis,” Ronnie says.

“Will it be dangerous?” Rebecca asks.

“For us? Nah. Not any more than driving a car, or getting out of the shower without slipping.” I try to make light of this butJack’s right. This kind of money breeds unconscionable greed. “Ronnie and I have trained for this type of situation.”

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