was a lot more pleasant with a burger on his lap and a container of French fries in his door’s map pocket. By the time he pulled into his parking space lunch was a memory and Hannibal’s mind was focused on packing for a long drive south. His thoughts shifted only when Monte met him on the sidewalk.
“What’s up, Hannibal. Still working a hot case?”
“As a matter of fact, I still am,” Hannibal said, “and I have to take off for Virginia Beach this afternoon.”
“Hey, you gonna be catching up with Huge?” Monte asked, following Hannibal up the stairs.
Hannibal stopped just inside the door, sensing a variety of elements dropping into place. “Actually, Monte, I will be checking in with him. How’d you like to meet him?”
Monte took in a giant breath, and word rushed out of him like water over a cascade. “Are you for real? You think I could meet him, in person, like shake his hand and actually talk to him? Man I’d give anything for a chance like that.”
“Maybe,” Hannibal said, unlocking his apartment door. “What’s it worth to you?”
“Huh?”
“I’m ready to make you a deal.”
Monte backed off as Hannibal entered his place, perhaps sensing that he was about to step into a trap. “What kind of a deal.”
“A book every two weeks.”
“What?” Monte said, his voice rising higher.
“Like I said, you read a book every two weeks for the rest of the summer, you bring me a nicely written report of said book, and I’ll see if your grandmother will let me take you with me to spend some time at Huge’s studio.”
Monte stomped in a small circle in the hall, and Hannibal wondered what kept his pants from falling down. They were already several inches below his waist. “That’s the deal,” Hannibal said. “Take it or leave it. I have to get packed right now. It’s a three and a half hour drive and I’d like to be there before sundown.”
Marquita greeted Hannibal at the door with a strong hug. Although caught by surprise, Hannibal returned the embrace before guiding her to the sofa.
“Hey, little bro,” Sarge said to Monte while pouring four sodas. “Didn’t expect you to be coming along.”
“It was a last minute decision,” Hannibal said. “I filled him in on the bare bones of the case on the way down.”
“Well, Hannibal, I’m damned glad to see you, brother,” Sarge said. “Markie has been a wreck since this morning, but I knew you getting here would make her feel better.”
Sarge had splurged on a comfortable condo within sight of the ocean in the city’s resort area. The great room was set up for entertaining. The kitchenette had everything they could need for meals, the table would seat six, and the living room area held a television, stereo, a comfortable wicker love seat and two chairs. Fresh flowers dotted the whole space and, even at six o’clock, sunlight flooded the room through the sliding glass doors. The balcony beyond them offered a wide view of the Atlantic, but watching the waves was not Hannibal’s priority.
“I’m sure Marquita feels quite safe with you around, Sarge,” Hannibal said, settling into one of the wicker chairs.
“Sarge will never leave my side,” Marquita said, her feet tucked beneath her on the couch as if she wanted to protect them. “I know he will look after me, but you, Mr. Jones, you can go out and find this man and do something.”
“You gonna hunt this guy down and terminate him?” Monte asked with a grin.
“I’m not terminating anybody,” Hannibal said with a stern look in Monte’s direction. Then he turned to Marquita. The air conditioner was blowing hard and must have been for quite a while. It gave Hannibal a slight chill and made Marquita’s nipples press into her lightweight tank top in a way that seemed somehow inappropriate to Hannibal. “Now, Marquita, tell me what you saw.”
“I saw him,” she all but shouted. “It was Rod, right out there on the beach.”
“Alone?” Hannibal asked. “Just walking down the beach in his flip flops?”
Marquita ran fingers through her long platinum hair and curled her lips inward. Sarge sat beside her and stretched out an arm to wrap around her but she shrugged it away. Her thin form shook with ragged breaths and her hands covered her eyes. After a few seconds of silence she was able to look at Hannibal.
“I’m sorry. We were down the beach from here, maybe a mile or so. There is this lovely boardwalk with cute little shops full of useless trinkets and soft ice cream cones.”
“We were just walking along,” Sarge said. “Not really paying attention to where we were, you know? We turned off from the beach on a whim and wandered a block or two up a lane of houses.”
“That’s when they went by,” Marquita said.
“They?” Hannibal asked, prompting her on.
“It was a red Jeep, or one of those four wheel drive things,” Marquita said. “The top was off and it was just open. And there he sat in the front passenger seat. I swear he looked right through me without seeing me. I just screamed.”
“You’re sure it was him?” Hannibal asked.
Marquita sat forward, her fawn eyes locking onto Hannibal’s. “I could never forget that face.”
“Sarge, what did you do?” Hannibal glanced at Monte, who sat with eyes wide. He could see that the lady was badly shaken but he had sense enough to stay quiet. Sarge was quiet at first too, but not for the same reason.
“Worthless,” Sarge said under his breath. “Never even saw the man. All I knew was, Markie was screaming. By the time I knew why, the car was long gone.”
“But you know what this guy looks like, right?” Monte sounded anxious to help. “We can just hit the street and cover the area. Nobody ever notices me so I could follow him and come get you.”
“Appreciate the offer, Monte,” Hannibal said. “But let’s collect a little more data first. Marquita, you said Rod was in the passenger seat. Who was driving?”
Marquita’s brows closed together, as if she had never considered the question before. “He wasn’t alone,” she said as if surprised by the revelation. “There was a younger man driving. Tall, beach boy type, blonde, like a body builder. And the three girls crammed into the back seat. Wait, one of them I had seen before. Yes. It was the witch called Mariah.”
“Wearing?”
“Who knows?” Marquita said, waving a hand.
“You do,” Hannibal said in a harder voice. “Just recall the scene. Picture it in your mind.”
Marquita closed her eyes and despite the cool breeze in the room perspiration broke through the skin on her face. “The boy was bare-chested. Rod wore a Hawaiian shirt. The girls wore bikinis, all three. Solid colors, like three Italian icees. Cherry, lemon and lime.”
Hannibal broke into a grin. “Now that’s a picture that will be hard to miss. I’ve also got a couple of other leads to follow up on. But it’s getting late and I feel like I spent the whole day in the car. How about I take everyone to dinner?”
Marquita showed a sudden burst of energy, bouncing to her feet and heading for the refrigerator. “Oh, I was going to make my special Jambalaya for Archie. See, I bought everything I need. I’m sure I can make enough for the four of us. Believe me, it will be better than anything you could get at a restaurant.”
She ended with a nervous laugh. The men sat quiet. After a moment she turned toward them, one side of her smile gone but the other side still bravely holding up.
“I really just don’t want to go outside again so soon,” she said. “If we can just stay inside this one evening?”
“Of course,” Hannibal said. “It sounds wonderful.”
“Sure,” Sarge added. “We can rent a movie or something. Make an evening of it. You guys know how to play tonk?”
Monte gave Sarge a sidelong look and raised a tentative eyebrow. “Archie?”
