Anna Strong - Retribution Part 12

WHEN GLORIA IS IN TOWN, SHE STAYS IN A PENTHOUSE at the Four Seasons. The clerk who takes my call refuses to put it through. His tone implies that the queen does not like to be disturbed.

I swallow back the impulse to say something rude and put a hopeful smile in my voice when I reply, "Look. I understand. If you've been around at all, you'll remember a few months ago Gloria got in trouble with the law. My name is Anna Strong. I helped her get out of that trouble. If you just call up to her room and ask, I'm sure she'll take the call."

And if she doesn't, I'll come over there, climb the f.u.c.king building and yank Gloria by the short hairs until she begs me to stop.

The clerk finally agrees to try. He puts me on hold. I'm on hold two minutes. I know because I'm timing it, plotting how to exact revenge if the b.i.t.c.h refuses my call.

The Kenny G elevator music I'm forced to endure during this interminable hold cycle suddenly cuts off to be replaced by a ring.

Thank you.

The phone is picked up.

"h.e.l.lo?"

It's a man's voice. Or rather a male voice-a sleepy, s.e.xy, incredibly young-sounding male voice.

"This is Anna Strong. I need to speak with Gloria."

No reponse.

"h.e.l.lo? I'm calling for Gloria. Is she there?"

This time, the voice purrs, "Ms. Estrella is still asleep. I'm not sure I should disturb her. If you tell me the nature of your call . . ." I get it now. Gloria is directing the conversation from somewhere in the background. From the sound of this guy 's voice, they're most likely in bed.

"Look, d.i.c.khead, I don't care if Ms. Estrella is asleep. Put her on now or I'll come up there and make it difficult for you to f.u.c.k anything else for a long time. Ask Gloria. She'll tell you I'll do it."

I hear a sharp intake of breath, a m.u.f.fled conversation as he relays my message and finally, "Jesus, Anna, you never change, do you?"

"I could say the same for you, Gloria. The kid sounds like he's about sixteen. His voice is still changing. Should I send the police?"

Her laugh is short, brittle. "Did you have a reason to call? Or do you get off badgering me?"

I did have a reason to call. An important reason. It galls me that just the sound of her voice makes me lose mine.

"Yes. This Eternal Youth thing you're involved with. I have some questions."

"Then contact my lawyer." Her tone morphs from aggravation to boredom. "Unless you're asking me to slip you a few jars. Are you suddenly feeing old? See a few wrinkles when you look in the mirror?"

Laughter bubbles up. If she only knew- "No, you idiot. I think there's something wrong with the stuff. Have you tried it?"

Now it's Gloria who laughs. "Are you kidding? Why would I put that c.r.a.p on my face? I don't need it. And when I get to the point that I do, I'll have my own formula made up. This is purely a moneymaking thing. Tremaine seems to have stumbled on a unique product. She asked me to be the spokesmodel. I agreed. Period."

Part of me is relieved; part of me wants to howl in disappointment.

"How do you know Tremaine?"

"Why are you asking?"

My hands clutch into fists on the steering wheel. "Jesus, Gloria, will you just answer the f.u.c.king question?"

"Not the way to encourage cooperation, Anna. Okay, I'll answer your questions if you agree to answer mine. Quid pro quo."

I feel the blood rush to my face. If I had the time, I 'd find her and s.n.a.t.c.h every hair from her head. Instead, I speak with slow deliberation. "Fine. Ask."

"How's David?"

My first impulse to deny her any information about her ex is quickly swallowed up by a better idea. "He's just great. He's in the Bahamas with his fiancee."

It provokes the desired result. A sharp intake of breath followed by an equally sharp, "Fiancee? When did that happen? Who is she? Do I know her?"

"That's three questions, Gloria. Now answer mine. How did you meet Simone Tremaine?"

At first, I think she's hung up on me, the silence stretches so long. Finally, though, she says, "Through my agent. She contacted him, he contacted me. We did a deal." Tiny voice, "What's her name?"

"You don't know her, Gloria. David met her after you broke up. Do you have an address for Tremaine? A telephone number?"

"Not here. The contract's in my office in L.A."

Another dead end. At least if I can't track her down any other way, I'll follow up with Gloria. A surprisingly subdued Gloria. She's not snapping back with another question, so I take the initiative.

"The cream, has the stuff been tested?" I ask. "Approved by the FDA?"

That revives her. She snorts. "Your ignorance is showing. Cosmetics are not subject to FDA approval. It's left up to each company to substantiate the safety and effectiveness of their products."

Too formal.

She's been asked that before? "How do you know that?"

"I'm not stupid, Anna. I looked into it. I'm not going to jump into something I might get sued for later." Ah. Meaning, her lawyer looked into it. Still, no human lawyer could have known or suspected that Tremaine was not what she appeared.

"Look, Gloria, I can't believe I'm about to say this." True enough, I'd like nothing better than to see her go down in flames. "But something is not right with Tremaine. I'm warning you. Get out now while you can. Disa.s.sociate yourself from Eternal Youth before it's too late."

There's a moment of silence and I think Gloria might be considering what I 've told her. I brace myself for the barrage of questions sure to follow.

"Oh, Anna," she says finally. "You're still jealous of me. It's so childish."

The line goes dead and I'm left gaping openmouthed at the phone. How like Gloria to interpret concern for jealousy.

I toss the phone onto the seat beside me.

Then I smile.

I tried to warn you, Gloria. Don't blame me when this Eternal Youth thing bites you in the a.s.s.

CHAPTER 24.

THAT GLORIA REFUSES MY ADVICE DOES NOT SURPRISE me. I'm only glad I was able to take the wind out of her sales about David. Sure, it was lie; he's not engaged. And she'll likely find that out on her own, but it shut her up for a minute at least.

It's a tiny victory, even though I learned nothing new about Tremaine.

What is surprising is arriving at the warehouse, my next destination, and finding the parking lot empty.

I pull up to the door, park and look around.

Apprehension replaces the brief feeling of satisfaction. This cannot be a good sign.

I get out of the car, shut the door quietly and approach the front door.

The office is dark. I walk around the building. There is one car parked beside the loading dock, a late-model Ford sedan. On the sides and trunk of the car are those magnetic signs with "Nelson Security Services" and a telephone number superimposed over a logo.

Did Burke hire security after I broke in? Surely, though, she wouldn't have suspended operations because of a missing file.

I walk back around to the office door and knock.

After about thirty seconds, two armed security guards appear from the back. One has a dog, another German shepherd naturally, on a short leash.

The guard with the dog comes to the door. He mouths through the gla.s.s, "Closed."

He's short and heavy-lidded and looks mean. So does the dog, eyeing me with a sneer and a trail of drool.

"Where is everybody?" I ask.

He shrugs. "Not a clue. Come back tomorrow. The place is supposed to reopen then."

He turns and walks back to his partner. They both watch me through squinty eyes.

s.h.i.t.

Guards now.

With a dog, no less.

I get into my car. I've got to find that receptionist. I don't want to bust my way in and subdue those guards (and dog), but I might have to.

Until I remember.

The receptionist uses Eternal Youth. Is she one of the test subjects? If so, she'll be in that file I gave Ortiz. All had contact information on the forms. When I try to call Ortiz, his phone goes again to voice mail.

I have no choice but to drive back to Chula Vista. Even if he's already left for work, it's likely Ortiz would have left the file at home. Burke is not yet an official suspect in the death of those two women. I'll just have to charm sweet Brooke into letting me see it.

This time, when I pull up, Ortiz' garage door is open. There are two cars parked inside. One is his-I recognize the Navigator-the other is a candy-apple red Miata with a San Diego State b.u.mper sticker. Brooke is probably a college student. Ortiz, you are a dog.

At least my timing is good. I'd rather deal with Ortiz than his petulant girlfriend.

And there are no other cars around. I'm a.s.suming Edie has left, which is a relief.

I don't know if vampires are capable of blushing, but I get the uncomfortable feeling I might if I was to see her again.

Brooke answers my ring. She must have just gotten out of the shower because her hair is wet and she's dressed in sweats. She doesn't say h.e.l.lo when she sees me, just turns on her bare feet and pads away with a curt, "He's not here."

I've accepted less cordial invitations. I let myself in and follow.

She's trounced off to the dining room table. That she's a student is reinforced by the open college chemistry text perched on a notebook next to a bowl of Cocoa Puffs.

She sits, thumbs a page of the text, takes a spoonful of cereal, ignores me.

I wait.

Another page, another mouthful of cereal.

Finally, I break the stalemate. "Where's Ortiz?"

She doesn't look up. "I told you he's not here."

"So. Where did he go?"

"He left for work. Ten minutes ago."

"Who picked him up?"

Finally, a question that gets more than a bored monosyllabic reply. She turns and stares at me. "Why would anyone pick him up?"

I jerk a thumb toward the front. "Because the garage door is open and his car is inside-"

She jumps up and takes off for the door. Her reaction triggers my own alarm. When we get outside, she clasps both hands over her mouth and gasps.

"Oh G.o.d-I heard a noise, but I thought-"

I pull her hands down. "What noise?"

She's crying. "A loud pop. Right after Mario left the house. I didn't go look. I was still mad . . ."

She takes a step into the garage, but I'm there first. The car doors are closed but unlocked. I open the pa.s.senger side door and look in.

Ortiz' folder, the one he had last night, is on the seat. It's unzipped and open.

It's also empty.

I get Brooke back inside and call Williams. He comes right over. We get Brooke calmed down and convince her that this is just some silly misunderstanding and one of Ortiz' cop buddies did pick him up for work. When she tries his cell, it goes right to voice mail. Not necessarily a bad thing, since she says he often turns off his phone when he checks in for duty.

The tears are dried, her fears at least momentarily alleviated. We ask if she has cla.s.ses today. She says yes. We convince her to go, that we'll let her know as soon as we get through to Ortiz. She heads back to the bedroom to get ready.