Marjorie Thelen - Designer Detective

“I’ve been trying to extricate myself from this family mess, but I keep getting sucked back in.”

“I’m here to take you out permanently. We don’t intend to kill you, though that is an option. Don’t look alarmed. I mean to take you out of this operation. We don’t need you mucking it up. And you are mucking it up.”

“Can I inquire as to the nature of the operation?”

“No. Suffice it to say that we are trying to break the back of a criminal operation that extends into many countries. I am not here with you. I am a figment of your imagination.”

Room service knocked and I opened the door, not sure what to expect. A little uniformed guy stood with two carry out lattes on a tray. He conveyed them to our table and left with a tip.

Alice opened hers and took a dainty sip. “I love caffeine,” she said with closed eyes.

Mine was steaming, and I set it aside, waiting for more revelations from Alice, the figment of my imagination.

“We’re prepared to give you an incentive to distance yourself from this. If you don’t take it, we may put you someplace you don’t want to be.”

Meddling was getting more and more lucrative. Of course, I was interested.

“Take the trip to Sydney and lay low for a month or so. We arrange to pay your expenses at a location of our choice in Sydney for the time you are there. We make a car available and provide a daily stipend.”

“Then you will know where I am if I need to give evidence, and you can protect me at the same time.”

She smiled. “Clever girl. You figured it out. The criminals have taken an interest in you. We are doing you a favor.”

“Sort of like a witness protection program.”

“Sort of.”

“What kind of danger am I in?”

“The criminals know that you helped Cody. That you know about the rifles. It is nothing to them to delete such a person who does not meet with their approval.”

“Delete.” I wondered if I would go to the recycle bin.

“You cannot help the Lodge family anymore. You cannot be an alibi. We will take care of all that.”

“We?”

“Let’s call it a loose confederation of agencies.”

“I see. What will happen to Jake, Hudson and Opal? If I’m not their alibi, the police could charge them with arson.”

“That’s of small consequence. We’ll work a deal with local authorities.”

“Small consequence? How did they get involved in the first place?”

“Through Albert. Cody is a bumbler. Albert should never have brought him in. Jake and Opal took matters into their own hands when they shouldn’t have.”

“You left out Hudson.”

“Hudson is one of ours. We take care of him.”

The shock waves from that pronouncement reverberated about the room and nearly knocked me flat on the floor. “One of yours? What does that mean?”

She finished her latte and sat back.

“I’ve told you enough. Don’t worry about your friends any longer.” She opened her purse and withdrew an envelope and pushed it across the table “Here. This should cover it. It’s a ticket for tonight’s flight to Sydney on Qantas and a travel voucher. Are you in?”

I wasn’t sure. I needed some time to think. She was giving me a persuasive out and protection. I had been trying to get to Sydney for days. I did not want to meet the bad guys. It made me nervous to have their interest in me confirmed. I opened the envelope. There was a one-way Quantas ticket in my name and a money order for $5,000.

“Do you think that will cover it?” she asked.

“I think so. Where am I staying?”

“One of our people will meet your flight and take you to where you’ll be staying.”

“You are assuming that I trust your people.”

“You have no choice. If you don’t leave we’ll keep everyone on the hook for arson. No deal with the locals. Jake and Opal will be in a difficult position.”

“I see.” I was being blackmailed and didn’t like the feeling. I sat back and gazed around the room.

“What’s your hesitation? It seems pretty clear to me what you need to do. We’re offering you a fabulous deal. You get to stay alive. Believe me, this isn’t easy for me to arrange. You should be grateful.”

I looked at her. “But why me? I’m of small consequence. I believe that is how you put it. You’re going to an awful lot of trouble and expense to remove me.” Maybe I didn’t know as much as they thought I did. I didn’t know who her people were. They could be any government agency. They could be a gang of your everyday criminals. Why were they so interested in getting me out of the picture?

She didn’t answer but stood and moved the curtain aside slightly. “Do you see those men across the parking lot? The ones sitting in the brown Chevy?”

I looked. I saw shadowy heads in a dark car. That was all. It gave me a creepy feeling like they were looking straight at me. I nodded.

“Those are the men I’m telling you about. I am offering you a means of escape.”

“Where are Jake and Opal? Opal wasn’t in her room when we went looking for her. Jake is looking for all of them. Have you kidnapped them?”

“Opal is with us. Jake soon will be. We’ll move them out today. We’ll make sure they get to Oregon. That is, if you play by our rules. One of our people will come to escort you. You need to sit tight here until then. We will personally deliver you to the airport and your flight.”

“I guess I have to decide now. I don’t get to sleep on it.”

“That’s correct. I need you to sign on the dotted line right now.”

“Where’s the pen?”

An expense paid vacation to Australia was now part of the incentive package. But I wasn’t sure about the remodel job and ranchette.

My cell phone rang.

Jake said, “Fiona, you okay?”

“Alice just left. She said she’s taking care of everything.”

“Alice? You’re kidding. What did she want with you?”

“She offered me an incentive to leave the country real fast. I’m awash in incentives. I didn’t realize the criminal life could be so lucrative. I’m definitely in the wrong field.”

“Are you okay?”

“I think so. I hope so. I’m not sure. What about you?”

“I haven’t found anyone. They all seem to have disappeared. I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone. I’m glad you’re still here.”

“Alice says Opal is okay and that you two are going to Oregon. She said Hudson is, and I quote, ‘one of ours’. Trouble is she wasn’t forthcoming with a lot of details. Where are you?”

“I’m at the door, let me in.”

I opened the door cell phone still to my ear. Jake shut his phone and walked inside.

“Jake, the bad guys are in the parking lot, and Alice says they are after us. She’s providing us — you, me, Opal — a safe out so the bad guys don’t get us.”

“Fiona, are you sure you aren’t hallucinating? You’ve been under a big strain lately. You wouldn’t be making all this up, would you? You have a very active imagination.”

“Jake, she offered me money and a ticket to Sydney.”

“What about Hudson and the arson and all that.”

I shrugged. “She says she’ll take care of everything. Look.” I handed him the envelope she gave me. “Look inside, if you don’t believe me.”

Gingerly, like I had just handed him a bomb, he peeled open the envelope and whistled. “You’re telling the truth.” He ran his hand through the disarray of his dark curls. “I can barely think. You sure Opal is okay?”

“Alice said she was in their safe keeping.”

“Unbelievable.”

“Jake, I’m going to Sydney. I’ll lay low for a month, and then I’ll be back in touch.”