Janet Evanovich - Full Tilt

Deedee waited for a moment before closing the door softly and turning the lock. Beenie grinned, and they hurried out the back door. "This way," she said, heading toward Jamie's car.

Beenie reached it first. "There aren't any keys in the ignition."

"I know where she keeps her spare." Deedee reached inside the rear bumper. She pulled out a black case with a magnet on one side, opened it, and produced a key. "You'll have to drive," she said. "My license has been suspended because I keep running into people with my car."

"I thought I wasn't supposed to drive because of my concussion."

"You're going to let something silly like that stop you?"

"Hell, no."

"Then hurry up and let's get out of here. Once Choker realizes he's been locked in the cellar he'll kick down the door." They climbed inside Jamie's car. Beenie started the engine, put the car into gear and they shot off. They passed the guard at the gate who looked up in surprise when they didn't stop to sign out.

"Faster," Deedee said. "Maybe if we're lucky we can catch up. But don't get too close. I don't want Swamp Dog to know we're following him."

Beenie shot her a look of pure annoyance. "Look, I know what I'm doing, okay? Just keep quiet and let me do the driving. By the way, you're going to owe me big time for this."

"I'll take you to Charleston on a shopping spree," she said. "We'll have lunch at your favorite restaurant."

He frowned at her. "Why the hell would I want to go shopping?"

She sighed. "Oh, never mind. How about I just buy you a pack of Redman chewing tobacco and a case of beer?"

"That'll work." He looked her over. "But I have something better in mind."

"Sheesh!" Deedee said.

* * * * *

Max dialed Duncan's cell phone, and the man picked up on the first ring. "Find Swamp Dog," Max said without preamble.

"I was just about to call you," Duncan replied. "We have a problem."

"I'm listening."

"Swamp Dog left with Frankie not more than fifteen minutes ago. Claimed they found the Deedee's dog."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Max demanded, startling Jamie and Alexa, who were sitting on the sofa across from him.

"It gets worse," Duncan said. "Deedee and her houseboy took off right behind them. Just flew right through the security checkpoint. I was trying to grab some well-needed shut-eye in my truck when one of the guys alerted me. I've already sent a crew out looking for them, but they've got a ten-minute head start on us."

"How could this have happened?" Max said.

"Deedee locked Choker and another guard in the cellar. By the time Choker broke the door down they were gone."

"That sister of mine just doesn't give up. Anything else?"

"Yeah. Is Swamp Dog on our side or not?"

"I don't think Swamp Dog takes sides," Max said. "Consider him dangerous and call me when you know something."

"What's going on?" Jamie asked as soon as Max hung up.

He quickly repeated the story.

"I've heard of Swamp Dog," Alexa said, the color leaving her face. "If he's involved in this, my son could already be dead."

Max glanced around the room. "I need your help, Alexa. You wrote the word 'EPSCO' on the last page of the budget printout. We can't find anything on it. I think it's a password to something."

"I don't know what it means," she said. "Old man Grimby doodles a lot when he's on the phone. I saw the word and wrote it down. What does this have to do with my son?"

"This town is filled with corruption, Alexa, but you already know it, or you wouldn't have given me the name EPSCO."

Alexa remained silent.

"This may be important," Max said.

Jamie noted the look of fear in the woman's eyes. "Have you been threatened? Is that why you're scared to talk?"

"If I implicate anyone I could be implicated, as well," she said.

"How?" Max asked.

"Someone set up an account for Danny in the amount of fifty thousand dollars. I was so scared I burned the letter, but I know the account is being held in a Delaware bank."

"Do you remember who sent the letter?" Max asked.

"There was no return address. I'm scared, Max. These people mean business. As long as I played along I was okay."

"You wouldn't get into trouble for printing out the city budget," Max reminded her. "Besides, it's a fake."

"Yes. So why are they doing this? And why not take me? Danny has nothing to do with this."

"They're playing with your head, that's all. They knew you'd be more afraid if they took the boy than you would be for yourself. They're counting on the fear factor here, Alexa, believe me. They have no intention of hurting Danny; this is simply payback for cooperating with me in the first place." Max sounded more confident than he felt. He suspected Danny was in grave danger.

"Do you know if Phillip is involved in this?" Jamie asked.

Alexa gave her a blank look. "He's the one who sent you to my office. If he were trying to keep you from finding out anything, why would he do that?"

Jamie nibbled her bottom lip as she considered it.

"Excuse me," Max said. "I need to get on my computer." He hurried away.

"His computer is in his car," Jamie told Alexa.

"Don't you think Lamar should call the FBI?" Alexa asked, wringing her hands. "After all, this is a kidnapping case."

"Just hold tight," Jamie said. "Max's computer is probably more sophisticated than what the FBI has."

* * * * *

Max slipped into his car. "I've got information for you, Muffin."

"It's about the missing boy, right? Danny Sanders?"

"Yeah. Someone set up an account for him in a bank in Delaware in hopes of keeping his mother quiet. I think that's where the missing dollars are going. Banking laws are fairly lenient in that state so money could easily be laundered and forwarded to another location. I think EPSCO might be the password we need to get in."

"Okay, searching now."

"How long will it take?"

"There are a shitload of financial institutions, Max, and we don't know if it's the password into the bank, or a private account. I'll let you know if I get a hit. Anything else?"

"I just thought of something. I'll get back to you."

* * * * *

"Is this the place?" Frankie asked once Swamp Dog slowed and turned into the parking lot of the city municipal building.

"Yeah." Swamp Dog reached beneath his seat and pulled out a remote-control device. He pushed a button, and a door rose. He drove inside, and the door closed. "This is it, pal. The end of the road."

Frankie nodded as though he understood. "I only have one request. I don't care what you do with me, but don't hurt my wife."

"If I was interested in her I would have led them here. She and her houseboy have been following us since we left the house. Right now they're so lost they don't know which way is up." Swamp Dog grinned. "It's you they want, Fontana. You and your genius cousin, Max Holt."

"You won't be able to get your hands on him."

"Watch me."

* * * * *

"Shit!" Beenie said. "Where'd they go? I saw them turn down this street."

"You idiot!" Deedee cried. "I told you to speed up."

Beenie glared at her. "You talk to me like that again, and I'm going to put you out of the car, you got that?" They bounced along the road for a moment. "Oh, damn," he said.

"What is it?" Deedee cried.

"I just remembered who hit me. That bastard Swamp Dog. I never saw him, but I'd know that voice anywhere."

Deedee gasped in horror. She grabbed Beenie's arm. "We have to find them!" she all but shrieked.

The car swerved to one side, almost running into a ditch. "Get your hands off of me, you crazy woman!" Beenie turned the steering wheel in the opposite direction but overcorrected and lost control. Deedee screamed as they slammed into a tree.

"Are you okay?" she asked Beenie.