Stuart Woods - Short Straw

Vittorio was back at his own suite, wondering what his next move should be, when his cell phone rang.

"Yes?"

"Vittorio?" A woman's voice.

"Yes."

"It's Birgit, here."

He smiled. "Hello, Birgit, how are you?"

"The question is being, how are you? Any infection?"

"No, you did a great job; I'm healing well."

"Where are you?"

"I'm in L.A."

"Coming back this way any time soon?"

"I don't think so, Birgit."

"Maybe I can persuade?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"Well, guess who I am just giving massage?"

"Beats me."

"Your friend, Barbara."

Vittorio's heart leapt. "She's back at La Reserve?"

"In the Pine Cottage, like before, and with lots of new clothes."

"Sweetheart, I'll be in La Jolla as soon as I can."

"You won't find her here tonight, though."

"Why not?"

"Well, she's going out to dinner; she asked me about the restaurant."

Vittorio looked at his watch. It was after one o'clock. "Birgit, I'm going to drive down there right now. I'll call you when I arrive."

"Okay, I'm looking forward to change your bandage."

"Oh, will you book me a room there? It will save me time."

"Sure, I talk to desk. Bye-bye."

"Use the fake name, remember?" Vittorio grabbed his bags and ran for his car.

TWO HOURS LATER, Vittorio was still stalled in a monumental traffic jam on the interstate, south of L.A., and the only way out was to get out of the car and jump over the railing to the ground. Vittorio had considered it more than once, but it was a good sixty feet, he reckoned. He'd have to sweat it out.

It was a little after seven when he arrived at La Reserve and checked in. He called Birgit.

"Good day," she said.

"It's Vittorio. Thanks for booking the room."

"I am glad to."

"Do you know where Barbara is now?"

"I have seen her in the hotel shop some minutes ago."

"Where is the shop?"

"In the main building, but she is not there no more."

"Where is she?"

"I am seeing her getting into black BMW for her dinner date."

"Do you know where she is dining?"

"Yes, she is asking me about restaurant."

"Which restaurant?"

"La Fonda."

"Do you know the address?"

"Not exactly address. It is on the beach outside town."

"What road?"

"The big main road; I forget the number."

"Never mind; it doesn't matter." He would wait for her in her cottage.

"I am sorry I have been to this restaurant once before. It is best in Tijuana."

"La Fonda is in Tijuana?"

"Yes, on the road from Tijuana, on the beach. Is easy to find."

That put a whole new light on things. "Thank you, Birgit."

"We are having dinner, Vittorio?"

He thought about it. Why not? "You want to go to La Fonda?"

"Oh, yes."

"How soon can you be ready?"

"Thirty minutes?"

That would give them time to settle down at the restaurant before he arrived. "I'll meet you out front in half an hour."

VITTORIO HAD TWO PHONE CALLS to make. First, he called the Bel-Air and asked for Ed Eagle.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Eagle, it's Vittorio."

"Yes, Vittorio?"

"I know where Barbara is, or at least, where she'll be a little later this evening."

"Tell me, and I'll call the police."

"I'm afraid that won't help."

"Why not?"

"She's staying at La Jolla again, but she's gone to Tijuana for dinner. I'm headed down there; do you want to be there when I confront her?"

"Yes, I do"

"You have an airplane, don't you?"

"Yes. The flight is less than an hour."

"She'll be at a restaurant called La Fonda. It's on the beach, west of the city. Any cabdriver should know it. I'll be outside."

"See you there." Eagle hung up, and Vittorio began getting into his resort clothes.

Then he made his second phone call.

EAGLE GRABBED A JACKET AND A FILE CONTAINING MORE copies of the divorce settlement. He walked into the bathroom, where Susannah was putting on her makeup.

"I'm sorry, but I have to fly to Tijuana. It's to do with Barbara, and I hope we can wrap this up tonight. Do you mind dining alone?"

"Not at all," she replied. "You go ahead. Will you be back tonight?"

"Yes," he replied, "with any luck at all."

EAGLE PICKED UP the phone and called Cupie Dalton. "Hello?"

"Cupie, it's Ed Eagle."

"Good evening."

"I have to fly to Tijuana right now to get the divorce settlement papers signed. Will you come with me for support?"

"Sure."

"How soon can you be at Supermarine, at Santa Monica Airport?"

"Ten minutes."

"See you there." He hung up and headed for the parking lot. From the car Eagle phoned Supermarine and asked that his airplane be ready, then he called Flight Services and filed an international flight plan for Tijuana. His insurance policy already covered flights to Mexico. Then he made one more phone call. Half an hour later, he and Cupie were in the air.

VITTORIO AND BIRGIT LEFT La Reserve and headed south toward the border. Vittorio's mind was racing, thinking ahead, trying to plan. Barbara was a very slippery lady, and he was determined to keep her from slipping through his fingers this time. Birgit sat quietly beside him.

At the border he chatted briefly with the guards, then was allowed to drive through. He had not wanted to cross the border armed, so he had not brought a weapon.

BARBARA AND JIMMY were shown to a table on the upstairs terrace, facing the sea. They sat down, ordered margaritas and gazed at the remnants of the sunset over the Pacific.

"So," Jimmy said, "what are your plans, now that you're divorced?"

"I'm not exactly divorced yet," she said. "But soon."

"Say, did you see the news on TV about the murders at the Bel-Air last night?"

"No, I haven't looked at a TV all day," she lied. "Who was murdered?"

"The police hadn't released a name when I saw the report, but there were shots of two corpses being wheeled out of the hotel. Jesus, we were just there last evening!"

Barbara smiled. "What I remember about last evening was a lovely dinner and the best night I ever spent in bed," she said. "I'll never forget it."

"Neither will I," Jimmy replied. "Not any detail." He raised his glass. "Let's drink to that."

They touched glasses. Barbara's mind raced ahead. She'd stay at La Reserve for another week or two, then she'd call the insurance company, get the forms signed and claim four million dollars in insurance money. Once that was in the bank, she'd take the copy of Eagle's will in her bag to Santa Fe and file for probate. She doubted very much if he'd bothered to change it yet. Then she'd move in to Eagle's house, throw out the furniture and start over. She'd always loved Santa Fe, and now she could settle down there on her own terms. Even if he had changed his will, she could fight it. After all, as his undivorced widow, she was entitled to a big chunk of his estate.

VITTORIO, following Birgit's instructions, drove west from Tijuana, then along the coast road. A mile or two further, the restaurant appeared, a large building on the beach.

"Tell me the layout of the place," he said to Brigit.

"The bar is being downstairs, and the dining room is being upstairs. There's a balcony to overlook the sea. I suggest to Barbara this is the best place for tables."

As Vittorio pulled up in front of the restaurant, his cell phone vibrated.

"Hello?"

"It's Eagle; I'm leaving the airport in a cab now, and Cupie Dalton is with me. Where are you?"

"I've just arrived at the restaurant," Vittorio replied.

"Don't go in until I get there," Eagle said. "The driver says it will be less than twenty minutes."

"As you wish, Mr. Eagle." Vittorio hung up.

"Who was this?" Birgit asked.