He grabbed his keys, “Let’s go.”
We left Juan at the office and told him to stay out of sight. He said he would. When we got
to Amber’s apartment complex, I went up the stairs three at a time and knocked on her door, but no one answered. Hondo came up the stairs and stepped beside me to use his lock picks and get us inside.
I saw an overturned water glass on the bar, but nothing else seemed out of place. I glanced out the window and saw her car still in its designated space.
Hondo said, “It doesn’t feel right. I know we’re supposed to wait, but I think you need to tell Vick right now, and update him on what we’ve been doing.”
I called and Vick showed up twenty minutes later with two crime scene investigators. He said, “Let them go through the room, see if anything pops up. Until more time passes or they find some evidence of a crime, we can’t really do anything. I’m sorry Ronny.”
Hondo and I moved him away from the others and told him about what we had been doing, including blowing the tire off the Firebird last night.
“No reports of gunshots from that area last night,” Vick said. “And as far as I’m concerned, you did what you had to do to avert a potentially violent situation.”
Hondo said, “You’re a good friend.” He shrugged it off, then told us to leave and he could let us know if forensics turned up anything.
I drove Shamu to the office while Hondo went to pick up something he said he needed from a health food store. All the way to the office, my mind swirled with questions about the two missing women, Amber and Bodhi. They were good friends, and now both were unaccounted for, and I felt the same people had them both. There was a connection, maybe a clue, if I could only figure it out, and do it before something bad happened to them. I didn’t let my thoughts turn to a darker place.
When I returned to the office, Juan was gone. He didn’t leave a note, either. It was as if he’d never been there. I had a thought and walked toward the Venice Pier to see if maybe Juan might be taking in the sights. I passed several people I knew and talked a few minutes with each, then continued. Several young women played tetherball and laughed every time they missed the ball.
I spotted Jericho Moon on the same patch of grass under the palms as the last time. He wore faded jeans, no shoes, a gray tee shirt with a peace symbol on the front, and over the tee shirt he had a fringed leather jacket that looked old. Suri, Donna, and Willow sat on the grass beside him.
A dozen young men and women sat before him as he talked and used hand gestures to emphasize his words. When he finished, Moon stood and went to each of them, kissing them on the forehead. I was close enough to hear him say, “Go now, and reap the fruits and joys of this bountiful place. When you return, I’ll be here for you.”
They departed and he turned to me showing a warm welcoming smile. “Welcome, Ronny.” He peered at me and said, “Something is troubling you. Come, sit. We can talk.”
I didn’t sit. “Bodhi is still missing, and now her friend, Amber is missing, too. You know anything about it?”
He looked concerned, “The Amber child, she’s the tall one with honey colored hair, is that right?”
“It is. Someone took her from the apartment last night. I know that you hear things, talking to people like you do. I’d appreciate any help you can give us on these two women.”
He nodded, “I will ask.”
I slipped in the kicker, “There’s a hundred thousand dollar reward if your information leads to them.” That wasn’t exactly true, but I was pushing.
Moon smiled at me, “The money is nothing. I will help because you asked. If she’s found because of anything I do, keep the money.”
I didn’t expect that answer.
Moon continued, “Or give it to a charity, or someone in need, whatever you wish will be fine. I have no need of a hundred thousand dollars.”
“Thank you for offering to help.”
“Do you have a card, or someway to contact you if I find out something?”
I gave him a business card, “It has our office address and both our phone numbers. You can call either one of us.”
He put it in his fringed jacket then stepped closer and put his hand on my shoulder, “Let the dead rest.” His eyes were reassuring and full of comfort.
“I don’t–“
“You saved two of the three. Let the one left behind bother you no more.”
I walked away in a daze, not sure what had transpired. When I looked back, Moon was gone. I walked to the office and reached it as Hondo parked his Mercedes. We went inside and sat down, then he looked at me for a long second and said, “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I told him about my conversation with Jericho Moon.