“What was that for?”
“Checking another possibility.”
“And now to the airport?”
“Yes.”
“You’re giving up? We’re going home?”
“No to both.”
“Then...what?”
Without answering, Carver pulled into a gas station and went inside, returning with a map. “You look a little pale.”
“Well I
A twitch at the corner of his mouth could have been what passed for a Carver smile. “But my problem is irremediable.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means we’re going to get you some sunshine.”
“Where?”
“In Arizona.”
“We’re going to Arizona?” Loni sat straight in her seat. “Just because I look a little pale? What are you, a Donald?”
“What did Cilla and I set out to do?”
“Find your friend, Hudson Rogers.”
“And?”
“And find the people that killed my father, I guess.”
“That’s what we’re doing.”
“You think they’re taking Rogers and Cilla to Arizona?”
Carver nodded. “If we’re right that they were in that ambulance, the number we found can’t be its license. It’s a Thurston County vehicle and must have Washington plates.”
“But Mr. Bowditch said it wasn’t a Washington plate number.”
“So what else could a five digit number be?”
Loni fidgeted.
“That would be a location.”
“A zip code!” She sank back in the passenger seat. “My God, we’re going to Arizona because of some hairpins and pills scattered on a table.” She was quiet for a minute. Then, “Where in Arizona?”
“Sedona.”
“Aren’t you going to tell Mr. Bowditch?”
“Would he believe me?”
“Hell,
Loni looked out the window. At Tacoma she said, “I haven’t any clothes.”
“We’ll get them there.”
“Have you also figured what in God’s name else we’re going to do there? How are we going to find these people?”
“They’re not driving just any car, it’s a Thurston County ambulance.”
“So we just ride around until we find it? Suppose they paint out the name?”
“It’s still an ambulance. Open the map.”
It proved to be one of the western states. “I’ve found Arizona. Where’s Sedona? Oh, I see it, right in the middle.”
“I figure they’ll go through Flagstaff. Then it’s less than fifty miles, and just one road.”
“We fly into Flagstaff?”
“Phoenix. We rent a car and drive up to wait for them.”
“How do we know when they’ll get there?”
“We don’t. If they drive right through, the earliest they’ll be there will be midnight tonight. That’s when we start watching. And hope for moonlight.”
“And suppose they stop someplace overnight? It might be tomorrow afternoon, and we’ll be sitting in the car for over twelve hours.” Almost a wail.
“Got a better idea?”
There was no response from Loni. Carver looked at her. “I’d send you home but I may need you.”
“What for?” She was near tears. “To sit in a car in the desert in the middle of winter with rattlesnakes all around?”
“To substitute for Cilla. As she did for you.”
Loni’s eyes widened, and she sat back in the seat.
“I was looking for a sweater,” said Cilla. “All my stuff is in the other house.”
“You cold?”
Not as your voice, thought Cilla, but replied to Frank, “Yes, I am.”
Dora looked at her closely. “You look thinner. You aren’t coming down with something are you?”
“I don’t think so. I just need to lie down for a while.”
“I’m afraid there’s no time for that,” said Dora. “We have to move.”
“Again? Why? We just did!”
“Orders. I reported that man’s visit. The agency said to move.”
“That old man? What could he do?”
“Just extra caution. He could have been a spy for the people after you.”
“And when someone else comes to the door do we move again? When will it stop?”
“This time. We’re going to make a move where they’ll never find us.”
“Where?”
“You’ll see. Let’s pack up what we have here.”
“What about my things in the other house?”
“We’ll have another agent pick them up and send them to us.” Frank went out. Dora crossed to her bureau, taking things out of drawers and putting them on top. Cilla snuck another look at the envelope in her hand and eased it back into the coat pocket.
In her room she sat on her bed thinking. Should she make a break for it? Immobilize Frank and Dora and...could she lug Hudson’s dead weight out before Harv came? Perhaps she could take care of Harv, too. Then what? They were still no closer to finding out who was trying to kill them and why. She was in a position to look for answers. They said they weren’t going to hurt Hudson until they got to Arizona. Frank was quite a bit bigger than her, but his muscles looked soft and his flesh unhealthy. And Dora didn’t look strong. Yes, with a plan she could take them, and she’d have fifteen hundred miles or whatever it was to Sedona to come up with it. She and Hudson were not going to spend the rest of their lives running. She reached a decision, put the few clothes from her bureau in a bag from the closet and went to the dressing table. When she was done she went out, leaving the door open. If it was only Frances next in there, instead of a young office worker and an old man who hated computers.
On the stairs she passed Frank and another man who must be Harv, coming up. Her heart sank. Harv looked well over 250 pounds and hard as a rock. She’d underestimated the opposing forces. Had she just gambled with Hudson’s life and lost?
Wally tried to stretch his legs and groaned silently. He’d gotten out and walked around the car several times
