Chapter 4
“Where are we going?” Acer said. He exited the Lucky Parrot by the back door with Dane. He’d called Sassy and sent her to the trailer to stay with Shana, to help her pack for their move to the Gables’ hotel-size home.
“To the airport terminal. I know a few people who work there.” Dane knew one young lady particularly well.
Mona Kramer. She worked at the car rental counter and he hoped she would be there now.
As a consummate gossip, she’d always been good at remembering faces and names and other miscellaneous details.
Dane got in the driver’s side and Acer got in the passenger’s side, reluctant to ride shotgun.
“I can’t believe you’re still driving this old shit-bucket Jeep. How do you keep it going?”
“I tinker with it.”
“Bullshit. You must have a hell of a mechanic. You think we’ll find Stravana at the airport?”
“I think I know someone who will remember her and point us in the right direction if she’s on the island.”
Dane drove fast and pulled into the parking lot for the private aviation building.
“We’ll walk over to the terminal building from here. My contact is at the car rental counter.”
“Your contact? You mean an ex-girlfriend, don’t you? Does Shana know about her?”
Dane ignored Acer as they walked to the terminal building through the rental car lot and went in a side entrance where the car rental agencies were located. He spotted Mona and motioned Acer to hang back.
He approached the twenty-something woman and smiled. It wasn’t an insincere smile as he conjured up their last—and only—date. He hadn’t seen her since and he hoped belatedly that he didn’t hold that against him.
She raised her brow and gave him a skeptical half smile. Dane reminded himself he was on home turf. He had to be genuine. No tradecraft, no deceptive tactics. He leaned up against the counter and she smirked. That’s when he decided he’d need to use bribery.
“If it isn’t the long-lost Dane Blaise.”
“Good to see you Mona.”
“If you say so.”
“I’ll cut to the chase. I need a favor.”
“Of course you do.”
“I need some information and I’m willing to pay for it.”
She raised her brows and looked a lot friendlier now.
“Keep talking.”
“I’m looking for a woman—”
“I heard you were getting married.”
He grinned.
“Not that kind of woman.” He slid the photo onto the counter in front of her. She looked down at it for a second, no more.
“I’ve seen her. She’s very popular. Some guys in dark suits have already been by asking about this same woman.”
“And?” Dane prompted.
“Who is she?”
“A professional assassin.” He got the desired response.
“Shit. Yeah, I saw her. Landed last night on the last plane in from Boston. Is she after you, Dane? God, I hope not.”
He smiled. “Don’t you worry about me. I can take care of myself. Where was she headed?”
“Vineyard Haven. I remember because she looked more like the Edgartown type to me. You sure she’s not after you?”
“Edgartown type?”
“You know. High-end clothing and luggage, slick-looking, designer sunglasses though it was night time. That’s why I remembered her. She only took them off to sign the form.”
“Anything else? How much luggage?”
“Two matching bags—and a third one, out of place like she was carrying some kind of musical instrument. I thought she might be a musician. Maybe someone famous who wanted to be incognito.”
“Did you tell the suits the same story?”
She shook her head and smiled. “Neither of them were Dane Blaise. Plus, they didn’t offer me money. I only told them I saw her and gave them the info on the car I rented her.”
“Which was?”
“Brand-new Chevy Malibu. It was the best we had on the lot at the time. She wasn’t happy, but she took it. She was pissed when she found out it was red. Almost didn’t take it.”
Dane didn’t need to ask for the license plate. He’d find Natalia Stravano without it in her beacon-red Malibu.
He slipped Mona a fifty and wished he had a hundred with him.
Not that he felt guilty trading on the young lady’s crush.
He’d only dated her that once and never bedded her because she was too young and smitten and he wasn’t as cold-hearted a bastard as he’d thought at the time. Of course, this was all pre-Shana.
“Let me know if you think of any other details.”
Acer fell in beside them as they headed back out the door.
“I heard it all. You have to be the luckiest SOB detective I ever knew.”
“No respect.”
Dane pushed through the door, smiling on the inside. He was lucky. But his good luck had nothing to do with getting a break on locating their lady assassin and everything to do with his pending marriage to Shana.
But he wasn’t there yet and he never took anything for granted. He had to get himself out of the fix he was in with the murder charge and he had to track down and neutralize the threat to his friend and mentor, the governor.
“So now we drive by all the hotels, motels, and inns in Vineyard Haven looking for a red Chevy Malibu?” Acer asked when they got back in the car.
“Sure. Unless you want to call Cap and see if he can help out, make some calls.”
Acer snorted. “Don’t even mention the bastard’s name.” He shook his head. “I never would have figured it. Never would have thought Cap would turn on you, even if he was official law enforcement. He was always cool. Always one of us.”
Dane said nothing as he drove to the Admiral’s Inn. He knew Vineyard Haven like his lover’s tit, every bump and curve. There were only seven places open this time of year and they could check them all within an hour, then he could get back to Shana.
“Do you think it’s about Shana?” Acer’s voice was low, his eyes straight ahead.
“Brave question. You tell me? I don’t know what the hell’s in Cap’s head. I’m hoping Peter will find out and enlighten me. At some point.”
Acer nodded.
Dane’s phone buzzed and he slipped it out, saw it was Peter, and gave it to Acer.
Dane pulled into the Admiral’s Inn parking lot and around back to where guests cars were parked. He pulled into the spot next to a red Chevy Malibu.
“Hello, gov, what’s up?” Acer flicked on the speaker phone.
“Acer. I got a lead.” There was a slight pause and Dane stilled. He recognized the tension. He knew who Peter’s source was. Cap.
“I heard that the feds are looking at an Inn—Admiral’s Inn. You know it? Stravana is supposed to be there according to . . . intel.”
Dane grabbed the phone back from Acer and spoke.
“We’re already here. Are we ahead of the feds or a step behind?”
“I’m not sure. Either way it can’t hurt to talk to them. I have confidence in your ability to get people to talk. Even without torturing them.”
“Very funny. I’ll keep you posted.”
He shut down the phone and slipped it into his pocket. Exchanging a look with Acer, they both opened their doors at the same time and trotted around to the Inn’s front door.
Stepping inside the lobby, he took a quick survey and landed on the lady behind the registration desk. He knew she’d be there. Seemed she always was.
Acer looked at him and followed his gaze.
Speaking under his breath, he said, “Don’t tell me you know her too?”
“I live here. I make it my business to know people. They’re called sources.” He flicked a glance at Acer. “Never mind. You never did detective work.”
“Not unless you count the cyber kind.”
“You keep an eye out for the feds. They’re not here now. Likely they’re a step ahead of us, but if they’re behind us, I want to know about it in time to slip out of here.”
“Got it, boss.”
Dane put on his lady-killer smile and approached the quiet registration desk.