Marjorie Thelen - Designer Detective

“I’m pleased to hear that more men are coming,” he said with his usual smile, not even winded, looking very spy in black windbreaker and gray slacks.

I was having a panic attack myself.

“You are?” I said.

“By all means,” Hudson said. “They are coming out of the woodwork now, as the saying goes. We will catch them at their game. You performed your role as bait splendidly. I apologize for the terrible ordeal, but you helped catch two of the gang we’re targeting.”

“We were bait? Hudson, those guys threatened to cut body parts off Jake, if we didn’t tell them where the rifles were. They had knives. Jake got a head chop out of the deal.”

Jake seemed to be coming back to life after the run down the hall. He was rubbing and rotating his neck.

“It was all in the line of duty,” he said. “No permanent harm done.”

Hudson examined Jake’s neck. “You have a nasty welt, but I rather suspect you’ll live. We will need your continued cooperation. Those fellows think you know where the rifles are. We’re going to pretend to take them there.”

“I thought we were going to the airport,” I said. “Alice said we’d be removed from harm’s way. I’m going to Australia. I have the ticket right here.” I tapped my bag. “Jake and Opal are going back to Oregon.”

“Right. But before you do, we need you to be a decoy of sorts.”

“I don’t like the sound of this.”

The elevator door opened before I had more time to protest.

Hudson hustled us to the sitting area of the main lobby done in colors of maroon, yellow and gray with lots of sharp corners and pointy designs in the carpet. I was trying to look cosmopolitan and together, but I felt more like a bag lady.

“I’m sorry,” Hudson said, “I didn’t introduce you to my associate. This is Mike.” Hudson motioned to Mike who didn’t look like he could knock over a flea.

“Mike is going to drive. All four of us will be going together ostensibly to the airport.”

“Hudson,” I said, “some guys are set to kidnap us in front of the hotel right now.”

“No, they won’t,” said Hudson. “We will exit the main entrance so the men can see you. We are trying to force their hand and get them moving.”

“Hold on,” I said. “Those guys said Cody didn’t deliver on the rifles, that half are missing. They think we know where the rifles are. They might kill us.”

“Not if I can help it.” Hudson smiled his warm, comforting smile again.

I was not comforted.

Hudson said, “Cody couldn’t deliver the rifles because I concealed them so these men would come after the rifles. It was a way to draw them out in the open, to make a move, so that we can catch them in the act. We’ll be grateful if you continue to play along. It will be just a matter of one more car ride.”

“Let me understand,” Jake said, “we draw these guys out by becoming targets.”

“Not quite. We have people monitoring your every move who will come to your aid if anything goes wrong. Trust me.”

“That’s asking a lot,” I said.

Hudson took my hand. “I know none of this makes much sense to you. I may never be able to explain everything, but I am asking this one last favor.”

I heaved a great suffering sigh and looked at Jake.

He shrugged and said, “Lead the way.”

Mike peeled off to get the car. Hudson led us out the main entrance, and we stood outside under the portico in clear view, sitting ducks. The morning mist swirled around rush hour traffic already in full swing along Route Seven, although it was barely light.

“Keep smiling,” said Hudson. “Let’s appear a joyous group. Not a care in the world.”

Jake said, “I could use a drink. I’d settle for some strong coffee.”

I said, “I would like to know how you managed to deceive us for so long, Hudson.”

He smiled. “It was my job.”

“Why did you say you needed an alibi?”

“Opal and Jake thought I needed an alibi so I played along. Jake especially didn’t want you to leave.”

We both looked at Jake who kept his eyes on the horizon.

“I had to play along,” said Hudson, “you must understand. These men set the fire. Cody egged them on, telling them about the receipts and the incriminating evidence in Albert’s study. They got carried away and nearly burned the place down. It’s a terrible tragedy to destroy a fine house like that. I must say, I had some anxious moments with the police till we got that sorted out.”

A dark gray Suburban pulled in front of the entrance.

“Here we are.” Hudson said. “Now the fun begins. Maybe we’ll get into a high-speed chase. I do so love them.”

“High-speed chase?” I said, as he helped me into the back seat. Jake got in the other side. “It didn’t say anything in my contract about a high speed chase.”

Hudson jumped in the front seat, and we pulled out slowly as if taunting the other guys to follow us in full view of the bustling world of Tysons Corners. Two cars fell in behind, one a brown Chevy, the other a dark green SUV. I counted it lucky no one shot at us so far.

“Those guys must be confused,” I said. “The other two were supposed to be with us.”

Mike and Hudson kept moving their heads an inch or two side to side, monitoring the rear view mirrors.

“Confusion is good,” said Hudson. “What counts is that they are following us.”

We turned right on Route Seven, heading west through the surreal world of Tysons Corners strip malls and car dealerships. Jake’s hand reached over and covered mine on the seat. I looked at him and managed a weak smile. The gesture calmed my wired tight nerves for a nanosecond.

“What about Opal and the boys?” Jake said.

“Yes,” I said, “Alice is supposed to help Jake and Opal get to Oregon. We can’t leave Opal behind. Hudson, do you know where she is?”

“When the boys and I came back from our late night outing, I arranged for them to pick Opal up and head out to Oregon in their truck.” He checked his watch. “They’ll have been on the road for hours by now. We’ll contact them to make sure all is well as soon as we catch a few more criminals.”

“That’s a relief. Hudson, might I ask for whom you work?” I said.

“All I can say is that I’m on loan. We are trying to break an intricate crime organization that spans a number of countries. This sting operation is one link in the chain. Now that we are on the move, the dominoes are falling. Everything will turn out just fine, you’ll see.”

“I wish I could feel as confident.”

Mike set an easy pace through the Tysons area, stopping at nearly every light. Traffic was bumper to bumper. It was the usual Northern Virginia snarl. Hudson and Mike checked mirrors and peered about, exchanging a terse word or two. Apparently, the brown Chevy was behind us.

I glanced at the car beside me. It was a large truck that looked a lot like the truck Jake’s buddies were driving. I nudged Jake and pointed. Lo, there sat one of the boys at the wheel, giant cowboy hat fixed firmly on his head. Opal waved at us through the back window.

Jake said, “Hudson, to your right.”

Hudson glanced over and did a double take. “I say, there are your friends. And there is Miss Opal. I thought they would be far afield at this hour. How extraordinary. I thought the Geronimo unit was taking care of them.”

Mike leaned forward and looked. “Geronimo said everything was good to go. I guess they got delayed. I hope they don’t follow us.”

“I don’t want to draw attention to them,” said Hudson.

Opal rolled down her window and waved, trying to shout to us. I rolled my window down to hear her.

“Fiona, it is so good to see you. Thanks for coming back. And there is Hudson. Well, I never. Is Jake with you?”