Racing the Light (Elvis Cole #19; Joe Pike #8)(3)
The woman in the blue suit gave her a gentle smile.
“We’ll be right outside, Ms. S. Take as much time as you like.”
“Thanks so much, Wendy.”
Wendy and her partner left, and Ms. S finally looked at me. She raked threads of hair behind an ear, but they floated free and drifted toward the ceiling.
“You’re Mr. Cole? The detective?”
I stood, hoping she couldn’t hear my stomach grumble.
“I am. And you?”
She came to my desk and held out a weathered hand. She was one of those people who should’ve avoided the sun, but hadn’t. Faint spots and fine creases covered her skin.
“My name is Adele Schumacher. Forgive me for not phoning first. I don’t care for phones.”
I glanced toward the hall.
“And them?”
“Wendy and Kurt?”
She frowned as if my question was odd.
“They’re my helpers.”
I nodded. Helpers.
“I apologize for showing up without an appointment. If now isn’t a good time, I could wait or come back later if you’d—”
I held up a hand, stopping her.
“I think I can fit you in. Please, sit.”
She sat in one of the leather director’s chairs across from my desk. I took my seat again, facing her.
“All right, Ms. Schumacher, how can I help?”
“You find missing persons.”
A statement of fact.
“Among other things, yes. We offer a wide array of services.”
We. This was the detective presenting himself as a multinational corporation.
“My son was kidnapped. I’d like you to find him.”
I pulled a yellow legal pad close.
“Are we talking about a minor child?”
“Josh is twenty-six. Joshua Albert Schumacher.”
She spelled his first and last names. She probably figured I was smart enough to spell Albert.
“If you believe he was kidnapped, you should call the police.”
“I filed a missing persons report four days ago. The first detective referred me to a second detective, but I haven’t heard from her since.”
I nodded. She probably filed the report at her local division station, but division dicks don’t look for missing people. The division dick would have passed the case downtown to a detective at the Missing Persons Unit.
“Uh-huh. Have you received a ransom demand?”
“I have not and don’t expect to. I believe Josh was kidnapped to silence him.”
“Silence him?”
“Yes.”
She drew a 9x12 manila envelope from her purse and placed it on my desk.
“I have pictures of Josh here, and information you’ll need. Address and phone, a key to his home, and so forth. The second detective’s card is here, too. She was smug.”
I made another note. Smug.
“Why would someone want to silence him?”
“He’s an investigative journalist. He was going to expose them.”
“Expose who?”
“You may have heard of his show. In Your Face with Josh Shoe. It’s a very popular podcast.”
“Sorry. I’ll look it up.”
“He’s becoming quite famous.”
“I’ll give it a listen.”
I tapped the pad with the pen, encouraging her to continue.
“So who is it Josh was going to expose who kidnapped him but hasn’t demanded a ransom?”
She raked the hair behind her ear again, but it still didn’t stay.
“He’s likely being held at a secret facility. If so, your job will not be easy.”
“Secret facility?”
“In Nevada. They might be holding him at Site 4 or Area 6, but he definitely went to Area 51. He’s been there several times.”
Pinocchio’s eyes slid from side to side. Their unchanging precision was reassuring. I cleared my throat.
“Area 51. Where the government develops stealth aircraft.”
Her eyes grew bright, like bits of mica catching the sun.
“Stealth technology is the least of their projects.”
I jotted another note. Aliens.
I wondered if Wendy and Kurt were outside laughing.
“Uh-huh. And did you explain this to the police?”
Adele Schumacher sat a bit taller.
“They dismissed me just as you have. The difference between them and you is you work for hire. You are my last best hope, Mr. Cole. I need you.”
She fished a white envelope from her purse. The envelope was thick and held closed by pink rubber bands. She peeled off the bands and showed me the contents. The envelope was fat with hundred-dollar bills.
She said, “How much would you like?”
I wet my lips.
“You shouldn’t carry so much cash, Ms. Schumacher. You could lose it.”
“Electronic transactions are not secure. Cash is secure. How much?”
She pushed the envelope toward me.
“I don’t want your money. Please put it away.”
She didn’t.
“I don’t expect you to find him for free, Mr. Cole. How much?”
“Have Wendy and Kurt tried to find him?”
“They did what they could before we went to the police. Joshua has not been admitted to a hospital in Los Angeles County, nor has he been arrested.”