‘I don’t know where she is.’
‘Isn’t she with you?’
‘No, she’s not, and I’m kinda worried.’
‘About what?’
‘Well, I’m at her house–we were supposed to go out tonight–and when I arrived to pick her up, she wasn’t here. Brian thinks she might have flown to see Evan, only I’m not so sure ’cause she didn’t take her purse an’ she never goes anywhere without her credit cards and phone. I’m on her cell now. I heard it ringing an’ I ran to pick up. Something weird is going down.’
Michael felt a sinking in the pit of his stomach. This was no hoax. Something bad had happened. ‘Keep that phone with you, Saffron,’ he said. ‘We’ll get back to you.’
‘Do you know where she is?’
‘We’re finding out.’
‘Who was that?’ Lissa asked, as soon as he put the phone down.
‘Saffron…Now, don’t get alarmed.’
‘Where’s Nicci? Why isn’t she with her?’ Lissa asked, the colour draining from her cheeks.
‘Saffron thinks she might’ve flown to see Evan.’
‘How do we find out?’
‘Where is he?’
‘On location in Utah.’
‘Danny,’ Michael said, ‘check the airlines. See if she was booked on a flight.’
‘Why would she run out on her own party?’ Lissa asked. ‘She was looking forward to it, that’s all she’s been talking about.’
Michael shrugged. ‘Beats me.’
Danny was totally confused. What with the threatening phone call, and now coming in and finding Lissa and Michael in their robes, he didn’t know what to make of it all. ‘I’ll go check the airlines,’ he said, leaving the room.
When the phone rang, Michael put it on speaker and handed the receiver to Lissa. ‘Stay cool,’ he mouthed.
‘Hello?’ she said.
‘Is that Lissa Roman?’ a muffled voice asked.
‘Who is this?’ she asked, as calmly as she could.
‘I’m calling about your dear daughter.’
‘Where is she?’
‘Don’t worry, she’s safe, and she’ll stay safe as long as you come up with what I want.’
‘What do you want?’
‘Two million dollars,’ the muffled voice said. ‘Cash. And I want it within twenty-four hours or Nicci dies. And…if you call the FBI, the cops, or anyone else, she dies anyway. I’ll get back to you with instructions. You’d better start getting the money together. That’s if you ever want to see your daughter’s face again.’
Chapter Forty-three
Just as Taylor had Larry exactly where she wanted him–primed and ready to go–the phone rang.
Taylor was furious at the interruption. Why hadn’t she remembered to put a hold on all calls?
Larry reached for the phone, listened for a moment, then said, ‘Yes, we’ll be there.’
‘Where?’ Taylor asked, as he hung up.
‘Claude’s flying back to L.A. tonight. If we’re at the airport in an hour, we can go with him.’
‘I don’t want to go with him,’ Taylor said stubbornly.
‘I do,’ Larry replied. ‘I hate it here.’
‘But, darling,’ she crooned persuasively, ‘we were just starting to enjoy ourselves.’
‘We can enjoy ourselves in L.A.,’ he said, getting off the bed.
Oh, great! Now he’d have a major erection on the plane, where it would do her absolutely no good.
‘Why can’t we stay?’ she asked.
‘Because this place is tacky, Taylor,’ Larry replied, already starting to dress. ‘And I told you, I hate it here.’
‘Well, I don’t,’ she murmured.
‘Be ready to leave in fifteen minutes. I’ll call a car.’
‘Whatever,’ she said sulkily. ‘Are Seth and Stella coming?’
‘I have no idea. Call their room.’
‘I will.’ She tried to reach the Rossiters: there was no answer. Then she tried the Domingos: no answer in their room either.
‘They’re probably all in the casino,’ she said.
‘What a waste of time,’ Larry said. ‘I can’t wait to get out of here.’
So much for a night of sensual sexual pleasure. Taylor wondered if Larry’s discovery of Oliver’s cheque had anything to do with him wanting to leave. Was he still suspicious?
Absolutely not. There was no way he could imagine her having an affair with someone like Oliver Rock.
Downstairs in the lobby they ran into James and his new friend.
‘Where are you going?’ James asked, noting they were carrying their hand luggage.
‘Back to L.A.,’ Larry said. ‘Aren’t you coming?’
‘Why would I be coming?’ James drawled. ‘I’m on my way to play baccarat.’
‘While you’re playing baccarat,’ Taylor said, ‘Claude is waiting at the airport. He’s taking off tonight.’
James’s lips tightened into a thin white line. ‘He is?’
‘Yes,’ Taylor said. ‘Surely you knew?’
‘I imagine he forgot to tell me,’ James said, refusing to react. ‘Have you met my friend, Kane, the magician?’
‘Nice to meet you, Kane,’ Taylor said, getting the picture. ‘Any message for Claude, James?’
‘Yes,’ James said, in a crisp English accent. ‘Tell him to go fuck himself.’
‘Christ!’ Gregg said, bitching and complaining all the way as he walked out of the Beverly Hills lock-up. ‘It took you goddamn long enough.’
‘Sorry, mate,’ Patrick said, his eyes darting this way and that, searching for his photographer. ‘Had to get the bail money together.’
‘Where’s Belinda?’ Gregg asked.
‘May as well give you the bad news,’ Patrick said. ‘She doesn’t want you back. You’re on your own, mate.’
And at that precise moment, the photographer Patrick was looking for appeared and sprang into action, catching every nuance of Gregg’s outraged expression.
Finally Nicci got it. This was no joke.
When she’d started to struggle with the short man, he’d run out of the room, slamming the door in her face and locking it so she couldn’t get out.
Shit! she thought, looking around. I really am a captive.
There were no windows, a stone floor, a big old heavy door, a rickety cot with a stained mattress in the corner, an old blanket and a bucket. She was screwed.
How had this happened?
She shut her eyes for a moment, trying to summon all the strength she could. Don’t panic, a little voice whispered in her head. Stay calm. You will get out of this.
The short man with the pop eyes had tried to force some pills into her mouth. She’d kicked him in the balls and the pills had scattered on the ground. If she’d been quicker, she might have reached the door before him, but he was fast for such an unfit-looking man. Strong and smelly, too. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.
Kidnapped. It seemed like a plot from a movie. No wonder she felt so sick, they’d obviously used something to put her out.
She remembered the big man coming to her front door and grabbing her. After that it was all a blank until she’d woken up here.
Who were they going to demand the ransom from? Her mom? Her dad? Did this have anything to do with Antonio and his rich new bride?
She was so cold she could barely think straight. The bleak room was freezing, and the effects of the chloroform had made her feel quite sick.
She sat on the side of the filthy cot and tried to figure out what to do next.
Claude was already aboard when Taylor and Larry arrived at his plane.
‘This was rather a sudden departure, wasn’t it?’ Taylor commented, settling into a seat.
Claude nodded abruptly. He did not wish to discuss it.
She wondered if she should impart James’s message, then decided it wouldn’t be a good idea.
Larry sat down and buckled up. She still hadn’t got him where she w
anted him. Sex would have done it but, no, he’d had to insist they fly back to L.A. with Claude.
‘Anyone else coming with us?’ Claude asked.
‘We have no idea,’ Taylor said, reaching for a magazine.
‘Five minutes,’ Claude said, ‘and then we’re leaving.’
‘Fine with me,’ Larry said. ‘The sooner we leave this place, the better.’
‘Where the fuck are you taking me?’ Gregg asked, as Patrick drove along Sunset. ‘And where d’you think that fucking photographer came from?’
‘Beats me, mate,’ Patrick said. ‘Those bastards pop up everywhere.’
‘Yeah,’ Gregg said.
‘I took the liberty of bookin’ you into a hotel,’ Patrick remarked. ‘I got your stuff in the trunk.’
Jesus Christ, Gregg thought, is this becoming a pattern, women throwing me out? ‘I want to talk to Belinda,’ he said.
‘Naw, you don’t wanna do that,’ Patrick said. ‘She heard about the rape thing, doesn’t wanna talk to you.’
‘I didn’t try to rape the bitch,’ Gregg said angrily. ‘Between you and me, I knew her before.’
‘You did?’ Patrick said, keeping his eyes on the road.
‘I was fucking her, for crissakes,’ Gregg admitted, ‘and when I walked out on her, she was pissed. This crap is her way of getting revenge.’
‘What’s her name again?’ Patrick asked casually.
‘Deidra,’ Gregg said disdainfully. ‘She’s some little cunt who works at Barneys. Used to be a salesgirl there.’
‘Really?’ Patrick said, making a mental note of Deidra’s name so he could approach her for a story. ‘How long were you banging her?’
‘A few months. It was when Lissa and I were together. Then she started nagging like they all do, so I dumped her. And I might’ve said a few choice things she didn’t like.’
‘You screwed her, now she’s screwin’ you,’ Patrick said, with a morbid chuckle.
‘Damn right,’ Gregg said, glad that someone understood the truth. ‘I’m sure when I explain it to Belinda she’ll understand.’
‘The way I heard it,’ Patrick ventured, ‘Belinda introduced you to the girl at the house, an’ you didn’t know her then.’
‘What was I gonna say?’ Gregg said, totally pissed off. ‘Oh, yeah, I know Deidra, we used to get it on. That would’ve gone down well.’
‘I’d let Belinda cool off if I was you,’ Patrick advised. ‘Wouldn’t try to contact her now.’
‘What’s happening with the paper?’ Gregg asked. ‘Did they come up with my price?’
‘We’re gonna have to put that on hold, mate, this shit has stirred up the waters a bit.’
‘Doesn’t anybody get it?’ Gregg complained. ‘I’ve been set up.’
‘I’d call your lawyer as soon as possible,’ Patrick suggested.
‘You mean Belinda didn’t get me a lawyer?’ Gregg said, outraged.
‘No, mate. I bailed you out myself.’
‘Shit!’ Gregg said. ‘Women! You can shove ’em up your ass with bells on.’
Abbey was painting her toenails. She was nude, of course. Once the door closed, Abbey was always nude. And why not? She had quite a body.
‘Were you ever a nudist?’ Evan asked, wondering how he was going to tell her that Nicci might be on her way.
‘No,’ Abbey said, giggling. ‘Can you imagine what those places must be like? All those saggy tits and hanging balls.’
‘I was thinking, it might be a good idea for us to stay in your room tonight,’ Evan said.
‘Why?’ she said. ‘I’m perfectly happy here.’
‘I got a call that Nicci might be on her way to see me.’
‘Your fiancée Nicci?’ she said, almost spilling the bottle of nail polish.
‘That’s the one.’
‘Why is she coming here?’ Abbey asked, a spiteful glint in her eyes.
‘We haven’t been getting along on the phone,’ Evan explained, ‘so she’s probably coming to find out what’s going on.’
‘Good,’ Abbey said, with a vindictive smile. ‘You can tell her about us.’
‘I will,’ he promised. ‘Only you shouldn’t be in the room.’
‘And why’s that?’
‘Because it’s not a good idea.’
‘I don’t see anything wrong with it.’
‘I’d prefer it if you weren’t here.’
‘Tough,’ Abbey said, with no trace of her famous smile. ‘It’s you and me now, Evan. I’m in on everything. And,’ she added, giving him a baleful glare, ‘if you’re too scared to tell her, I’ll do it.’
Evan had a strong suspicion that Abbey was going to be hard to shake.
‘I think we should call Antonio,’ Lissa said, her blue eyes filled with worry.
‘The fewer people who know about this, the better,’ Michael said. ‘When the man calls back, you’ll tell him that under no circumstances can you come up with the money unless you speak to Nicci first. It’s very important.’
‘I still think we must get Antonio here,’ she said, desperately trying to stay calm. ‘He is her father.’
‘The main thing is to talk about how we should handle this,’ Michael said. ‘Do you want me to contact the FBI?’
‘No,’ she said sharply. ‘You heard what he said. I’ll pay the ransom, Michael.’
‘Do you have two million dollars lying around in cash?’
‘Of course I don’t,’ she said, her eyes filling with sudden tears. ‘I was thinking we should go to Walter. This is a casino, they’ll have the cash. I’ll ask Walter to pay me–after all, he owes me three million so he can’t argue.’
‘There’s no way we can bring Walter in without telling him,’ Michael argued.
‘I’ll say it’s personal.’
‘The man’s not a fool, Lissa, he’ll suspect something’s going on.’
‘Then we’ll bring him in on it,’ she said determinedly. ‘I have to get the cash, Michael.’
‘I understand, but first you must speak to Nicci.’
‘Why?’
‘I don’t mean to sound morbid, but how do you know he’s even got her? And that she’s all right?’
‘What’re you saying?’ she asked, trying her best to stay on top of the situation without falling to pieces.
‘I’m saying,’ Michael said, speaking slowly, ‘that we have to receive proof of life. Otherwise, there’s no deal.’
Saffron and Brian hung out in the living room of Evan’s house trying to figure out what could’ve happened.
‘Nicci’s not in Vegas,’ Saffron said.
‘She’s not with Evan either,’ Brian said, ‘although she could be on her way.’
‘Then all we can do is wait.’
‘That’s about it,’ Brian said, getting up and walking around the room. ‘You got a joint?’ he asked restlessly.
‘Sorry,’ Saffron said, thinking she should call her babysitter and tell her she might not be back.
‘I think I know where Nic keeps her stash,’ Brian said, going in the bedroom. He found a bag of marijuana and some cigarette papers pushed to the back of her bedside drawer. Quickly and expertly he rolled a joint, then returned to the living room.
‘Do you think it’s likely she flew off to see Evan?’ Saffron asked.
‘I spent the day with her,’ Brian said, taking a deep hit because he needed it. ‘She was having doubts about the whole wedding scene.’
‘She was?’
‘Nic’s a great girl,’ he said, offering Saffron a hit. ‘She deserves better.’
‘Yeah,’ Saffron said knowingly. ‘I hear you two had quite a time the other night.’
‘Yeah, we did. She’s not only great-looking, she’s also nice and fun to be with. Totally different from the girls I usually date.’
‘Am I gettin’ a clue you’re interested?’ Saffron asked, raising an eyebrow.
‘C’mon,’ he objected. ‘She’s engaged to my brother.’
&nb
sp; ‘I didn’t ask that. I asked if you were interested.’
‘How do I know? She’s very young.’
‘Oh, like you’re so old? Thirty–right? The same age as good old Evan.’
‘I guess that’s not so old, huh?’
‘You do like her,’ Saffron said triumphantly.
‘Yeah, I do. So whaddaya goin’ t’ do–shoot me?’
‘No way, man, I think it’s cool.’
‘Anyway,’ he said, moving on, ‘there’s something about Evan I think you should know.’
‘Go ahead.’
‘He’s screwing Abbey Christian.’
‘Holy shit!’ Saffron exclaimed. ‘If Nicci knew this, she’d definitely be on the next plane to confront him.’
‘Well…I kind of alluded to it.’
‘Why’d you do that?’
‘’Cause I didn’t think she should marry someone she wasn’t sure about. And since she said she was having doubts, I gave her a hint.’
‘The good news is we now know where she is,’ Saffron said. ‘On her way to beat the crap outta your bro.’
‘You think?’
‘I feel much better,’ Saffron said. ‘Let’s call the hotel an’ have them contact us the moment she arrives.’
‘Good idea.’
‘So, Brian,’ Saffron said, grinning. ‘Tell me how you really feel about our girl? I’m dying to know.’
Chapter Forty-four
Arliss returned with a brown bag of greasy hamburgers and several cartons of soggy french fries. Davey was back, so the only one missing was Big Mark.’
‘I got six burgers,’ Arliss announced, face twitching. ‘One for her.’
‘This isn’t a restaurant,’ Eric said, hating being confined with this bunch of cretins. ‘She gets nothing. I want her weak. I don’t need her getting strong and trying to escape.’
‘She can’t escape,’ Arliss boasted. ‘I made that room escape-proof.’
‘She’s strong,’ Little Joe volunteered. ‘She kicked me in the nuts.’
‘You shouldn’t get that close,’ Eric warned.
‘You told me to give her the pills,’ Little Joe said, foraging in the bag for a burger.
‘Did you get them down her?’