I patted my pockets, “When did you do that?”
“I saw your attention was fixed on several full moons. Seemed like the opportune time.”
“Moons, like people’s butts?” Marcus asked.
“It’s best you don’t know,” Hondo said as he got behind the wheel and started the car.
“You’re a riot,” I said.
That made Hondo laugh.
Hondo drove through traffic and said, “I think the message means the Chateau Marmont sign.”
I said, “You mean he left a message in neon?”
Hondo shook his head, “Noooo.”
“How’d you come up with that?” I asked.
Hondo shrugged, “I thought about where he was, that he was wounded and they were closing in fast. CMARM is for Chateau Marmont and it’s not S,N, like separate letters, but SN, short for sign.”
I thought a second and said, “Only in LA would some CIA spook think to leave a secret message on a world famous sign, so you may be right. It sure couldn’t happen anywhere else.”
**
We drove past the Chateau Marmont and parked, then walked back along Sunset to the entrance.
“Okay, now what,” I said.
Marcus filmed as Hondo led the way to the large sign on its metal pole. Hondo said, “Look for something.”
“Like what?”
“You’re a private detective, look for a clue.”
“I…am an ac-tor. I only work occasionally as a private detective.”
“Okay, then act like you’re looking for a clue.”
“I can do that.”
Marcus stayed by the street and filmed us as we snooped around the area at the base of the sign. He said, “Ronny, don’t turn your butt towards the camera so much, it fills the frame.”
I straightened up and looked at him. He laughed and said, “I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist.”
“Ha-ha, everybody’s a comedian today.” While I was standing, I glanced at the bottom edge of the sign above me. Something was there, along the inside edge near the support p
ole. At first, I thought it was a smudge.
It wasn’t. There were small numbers, written in what looked like dried blood. It was barely noticeable because of the color of the pole.
“Hondo, come here.” Hondo and Marcus both came over. Marcus filmed over my shoulder as I said, “What do you think?”
Hondo studied it. “It’s him.”
Marcus said, “You sure?”
“It’s what we would do in the same situation.”