Realtors For Sale

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Realtors For Sale Page 16

by Diane Rapp


  Charlotte said, “Those men let me see their faces, so I knew they’d never let me go. Although they claimed I could go home if I cooperated with an independent film, I knew it was a lie. They also claimed my husband was eager to see me again. What a laugh!” Charlotte took a bite of the cheesecake and grinned. “Their research was flawed. I’m in the middle of a nasty divorce which will cost my husband millions, so those jerks lied about everything. I knew I must fight back any way I could.”

  Bonnie Jamison agreed. “The same guy grabbed me on Saturday at my open house outside of Sacramento. When I woke he showed me disgusting photos and said my husband wanted me to come home. I felt confused. You see, I’m not married. My brother Sam lets me live in his house until I save enough for my own place. When Charlotte and I spoke that evening, it was clear we must resist their demands and gain time.”

  Charlotte added, “I knew exactly where they were holding us. It was a fixer-upper in the hills of San Francisco which was sold about a month ago. I can supply you with the address and the listing broker’s name to check out. We left plenty of fingerprints in spots nobody would think to clean. A CSI team should find them.”

  The redhead, Maureen Collins, spoke next. “I was kidnapped on Sunday in Paso Robles. My listing was on a country road. A blue Mercedes pulled up alongside me as I set up an open house sign to direct buyers to the listing. A man stepped out with an unfolded map to ask me directions. As I leaned over the map, he stuck a needle in my arm and shoved me into the back seat of the car.”

  “After Maureen arrived, we heard voices arguing downstairs,” Charlotte said, “Then they drugged our food and moved us into the farmhouse. We had no idea where we were.”

  Tamara asked, “You stopped eating to avoid being drugged again? You all seemed extremely hungry.”

  Maureen nodded as tears threatened to spill from her green eyes. “We refused to eat and would only drink tap water from the bathroom. That started a week ago, but I’m not sure how long we could’ve kept it up. I know I’ve lost weight and felt weaker each day.”

  Charlotte stated, “I’d rather starve than cooperate with those gangsters. We all realized things were going to happen fast. The men laughed about the attack-poodle on Saturday, and they brought Phyllis to the farmhouse on Sunday evening.”

  Maureen added, “After Phyllis arrived, they forced all four of us to dress in costumes and read lines in front of movie cameras. The set resembled a living room but the script was pitiful. You remember the old movie How to Marry a Millionaire? We read lines from an old script, but they didn’t seem too bad at the time.”

  “I remember that movie, but there were only three women who tried to find rich husbands,” Tamara said.

  “Those creeps said four sexy girls would bring them more money for the movie,” Phyllis replied. “Later we were forced to dress in skimpy nighties, and we heard them move furniture downstairs.”

  “I got this shiner when they tried to make me shoot a new scene on my own.” Charlotte explained, “I read the script and raised a ruckus until one of them smacked me in the face. This bruise will show on film, so I knew the shoot was over. Still, it’s lucky you guys came to our rescue tonight. I heard one of them say the Boss planned to close down the house tomorrow.”

  Paxton turned to Jerry. “What did you find inside the house? Was there a film studio?”

  Jerry replied, “We found cameras, floodlights, and bedroom furniture in the main living area. A sofa had been shoved into the dining room next door. It was a pretty lame excuse for a film studio, but they had costly editing equipment in the kitchen area.”

  Charlotte chuckled. “Their whole operation was cheesy. They made us watch hours of old movies starring the actresses we resembled. Their hairstylist did a fair job on our hair and makeup, but who would believe we were actresses if anyone saw the film?”

  “Some rich guys from the Middle East,” Troy stated. “It didn’t matter if your acting fell flat. No one was meant to understand your dialogue. The title printed on one film canister was Realtors for Sale and there were translated scripts into several Mid-Eastern languages. We speculate those buyers were bidding on the images shown in brief film clips. You were offered as a complete collection to the buyers.”

  The doorbell rang, breaking the silence. Aunt Jessica bustled forward and peered through the glass. “There’s a very tall Marine standing outside. Should I let him in?” she asked.

  Phyllis jumped up from the table and ran toward the door. “It’s my husband, Josh.” Tears ran down her cheeks as she flung the door open and the tall Marine lifted her off the floor in a bear hug.

  Quickly removing his cap, Josh stated, “I got here as quick as I could. Are you all right, honey?”

  She nodded. “Since you’re here, I feel just fine. Josh, these are the people who rescued us.” Bentley ran forward and wiggled as Josh reached down to pet him.

  “I can’t tell you how grateful I am,” Josh said as he wrapped his arm around his wife’s slender waist. “Did you catch them all?” he asked.

  Paxton shook his head. “We plan to round up the gang’s boss at midnight, but Phyllis is free to leave with you.”

  “No. I want to stay until I know you got them all behind bars. I can apply makeup and want to help.” She gazed up at Josh. “Can we stay here and help them tonight?”

  “No one could make me leave right now. Besides, you might need a trained combat officer for extra protection. My superiors gave me ten days family leave, so tell me what you need me to do.” He stared at Paxton with an intense expression.

  “You look like the right size to impersonate their driver. We’ll get you into costume right away,” Paxton said, and Josh grinned.

  Tamara pushed her chair away from the table. “We all need to get into our costumes and makeup. There are criminals to catch at midnight.”

  Troy announced, “We found swanky dresses hanging on racks in the farmhouse dining room, looked real expensive. We brought the clothes back with us, so I’ll go collect them from the van.”

  Aunt Jessica offered, “You can change in the bedrooms upstairs. I had makeup lights installed in each bathroom when I remodeled. I’ll get my waiters to clear up down here while you all head upstairs.”

  Paxton took Tamara aside as Paula led the women upstairs in the elevator. “We believe Dana Thompson is the ringleader, but we need more evidence to arrest her. The men were all caught red-handed with kidnapped victims, but Dana’s been savvy enough to stay in the background. She didn’t even let the victims see her face. In the morning we must let the men meet with lawyers, and Dana will disappear for sure.”

  “We must trap her at the airport tonight!” Tamara chewed on her bottom lip. “I don’t believe she’d let those dimwits handle her money, so she’s going to be there in person to meet the buyer.”

  Paxton tugged on his earlobe. “I’ll be handed my walking papers if I let civilians get hurt. You and Charlotte must be extra careful.”

  Tamara patted his arm. “We will. I wish I could take Bentley along, but he’d make Dana suspicious. Make sure your team keeps him safe, please.”

  Paxton stroked Bentley’s curly shoulder. “He’s an important member of our team, so we’ll protect him.”

  In the upstairs living room, the women examined the beautiful gowns and high heels. They laughed and made suggestions about hair styles and makeup. Tamara joined the women, who no longer resembled victims.

  “This white dress looks just like the one Marilyn wore in Seven Year Itch,” Charlotte stated, holding the dress up to check for length. “I remember the halter top and full skirt. Should I wear my hair up or down?”

  “Marilyn wore her hair loose in the movie, I’m sure,” Maureen declared.

  Bonnie agreed, “I think you’d look more beautiful with your hair down.” She picked up a low-cut red frock, the perfect size for her figure. “This one is so cute.” She fingered the filmy fabric of the skirt. “I like it.”

  “The emerald gre
en dress would enhance my red hair,” Maureen stated. “It’s lovely and the green heels match perfectly.”

  Phyllis picked up the silky black dress and pointed at the scooped neckline. “I’m sure this one was meant for you to wear, Tamara.”

  “Really? It looks too sophisticated for me. I’m more of a sweatshirt and denim type of girl,” Tamara said, fingering the sheer fabric.

  “You’ll look fabulous,” Charlotte said. “I remember Suzanne Pleshette wore a dress like this one to an awards show. She was gorgeous.”

  Aunt Jessica watched the women fuss over the dresses with a worried expression. She cleared her throat and motioned to get Tamara’s attention. “You might be making a dreadful mistake, my dear. If the gang’s leader is a woman, she’s well aware of each victim’s face. You can’t expect to fool her with substitutes, no matter how much makeup you apply.”

  The women froze as they heard Jessica’s comment. “She’s right,” Maureen said. “How many pictures did they take of us? We must be the ones to show up at the airport.” She grabbed hold of the green gown. “Sorry, Paula, but you wouldn’t fill out this gown in the right places.”

  “I felt worried about my lack of robust equipment.” Paula blushed as she fingered the fabric of the green dress and looked up at the statuesque redhead. “I kept wondering how we might fix the problem. I also doubted we could find a red wig which would fool them.”

  Bonnie sighed and folded the red dress over her arm. “I was already beginning to think I should go with the group, and now I’m sure of it. The gang won’t harm valuable merchandise, so count me in.”

  Phyllis shook her head and turned toward her husband. “I can’t do it! I’m too terrified.” She burrowed into Josh’s arms and sobbed.

  Tamara patted her on the shoulder. “You won’t need to go, Phyllis. I have an idea how to make sure the Boss expects me to come with you to the airport.” She gestured to Paxton and demanded, “Please give me the phone Travis Jenkins carried. I’m going to send his Boss a text message she can’t refuse.”

  Paxton frowned but handed the phone to Tamara. “What will you tell her?” he asked.

  “I was her original target for the collection, so I’ll make sure she expects me at the airport.” Tamara typed the message as she read it aloud, “Good news! Max grabbed your first choice for Suzanne. He nabbed Tamara Owens outside the real estate office and just arrived at the farmhouse with her all tied up. The other woman starts crying if anyone comes near her, so what do you want us to do?”

  Grinning, Paxton took the phone and pressed the send arrow. “Sounds good to me. Let’s see if she falls for the bait.”

  “She will.” Tamara stared at Paxton’s face with a serious expression. “I think you’d better paste some bandages over your face, darken your hair, and wear a cheap pinstriped suit if you want to pose as Max. She’ll expect him to be in the car with the women and doesn’t know he’s already in jail.”

  Hearing a beep from the phone, Paxton read the reply message aloud, “Our buyer will be very pleased. He wanted her as his first choice. Bring all four women on time to the airport, or you’ll be very sorry. Lock up the other Suzanne in the farmhouse, so we can use her for another deal.”

  Josh grumbled, “They never expected to set Phyllis free, even if I paid the ransom!”

  “No. She had seen their faces, so she’s a witness they wouldn’t release. We must catch the whole gang or none of the women will ever be safe.” Tamara picked up the black dress. “We’d better change into our costumes. Phyllis, will you help me with my zipper? Ladies, use the other bedrooms and meet back here to work on hair and makeup.” She winked at Paxton and disappeared into her bedroom. Phyllis smiled at Josh and followed Tamara.

  Charlotte said, “You heard Tamara. It’s time to get ready for a special performance.” Wearing shorts, sweatpants, and T-shirts, a strange-looking ensemble of women sauntered down the hall. They each carried a slinky dress.

  Paxton turned to Jerry and ordered, “Get plain-clothes officers set up in strategic positions at the airport. If any of these women get hurt, our jobs are toast.” His team scrambled to make calls as Paxton’s jaw clenched. Bentley leaned against his leg and whimpered. “We’ll make sure she’s safe, boy. I promise. Maybe you can hide in the back of the limo and work with Josh when we arrive.”

  Bentley seemed to understand everything he said.

  Chapter 15—Showdown at Midnight

  Tamara fidgeted, smoothing the silky black material of the dress she wore. Its neckline was cut too low to wear a bra, and the tight waist and built-in wire stays constricted her breathing. She resisted an urge to tug up the material which barely rested on her bare shoulders. How could anyone design such a dress? It felt so uncomfortable.

  She glanced at the beautiful faces of the women surrounding her in the back of the limousine. They all revealed tell-tale signs of stress, quivering lips, puckered brows, and tears threatening to spill from wide eyes.

  No one voiced fear out loud, so Tamara decided it was time to break the tension. “Dressing up is great, but what should we do for fun tomorrow? Sky diving? Swimming with sharks? How about learning to throw very sharp knives at the suspects?” she asked with a wry grin.

  “You’re a real comedienne.” Charlotte chuckled and said, “Seriously, I plan to sign up for self-defense classes first thing next week. No one with a sharp needle is ever getting near me again.”

  Bonnie added, “I plan to move into my own apartment. Sam’s been patient while I save for a deposit, but it’s time for me to act like a grownup.” Bonnie peeked over the seat at the dog staring out the back window. “I also want to own a trained guard dog just like Bentley.”

  “Sounds like a good idea.” Tamara suggested, “My dog trainer, Carra, has a kennel filled with trained dogs. Do you like German Shepherds?”

  “Yes! They always look so intelligent and noble,” Bonnie declared. “A poodle is wonderful, but a bigger dog might scare off assailants before they got close.” Using a tissue, she dabbed at a tear clinging to her black lashes. “Who thought realtors would ever be kidnapped?”

  Frowning, Maureen’s green eyes flashed with anger. “Those creeps can’t make me cower in fear! I plan to force our Board of Realtors to offer self-defense classes for all the agents. We shouldn’t be sitting ducks.”

  Tamara spotted road signs for the Santa Barbara airport. “We’re getting close to the airport. See the red tile rooflines and white stucco walls?”

  Paxton turned around in the front seat. He looked villainous with dark hair and bandages over his face. “We stationed undercover police officers all over the place but don’t try looking for them. We need to record Dana handing you over to the buyer to build a tight court case against her. Air traffic control confirmed a private jet is scheduled to arrive in a few minutes.”

  Bentley popped his head over the back seat and nudged Tamara’s shoulder with his nose. She said, “Down, boy. We don’t want those bad people to see you’re here to guard us.” Tamara pointed at the floor in the cargo area, and he slid half-way down. “All the way, now. Down and stay!” He complied with a loud sigh. Tamara hid a grin behind her hand while the other women chuckled.

  “He’s so cute,” Charlotte whispered. Maureen and Bonnie both agreed but avoided peeking over the seat to look at him.

  Josh Rodriguez was driving the limo. His short haircut was hidden under a chauffeur’s cap and his wide shoulders filled out the dark suit jacket. He made a wide turn into the gate for the airport and followed signs to the General Aviation parking area. He unlatched the doors from the driver’s seat.

  Gazing outside, Tamara remembered the first time she ever flew into Santa Barbara to visit her Aunt Jessica. She was ten years old. Jessica had proudly pointed out the Colonial Spanish-style architecture of the building. It had a round two-story stucco tower with red-tiled roof soaring over a colonnade of arches across the front façade of the main entry. Flowering plants and lush grass lined the concrete pa
thway, softening hard surfaces. The building had looked beautiful and elegant, a testament to the rich history of Santa Barbara.

  Tamara had read stories in the news about a new two-story terminal built on the site in 2011. The original tower and arched colonnade had been carefully moved to the far side of the new structure. Although the new building’s white walls and tile rooflines reflected a Spanish motif, Tamara felt the final product lacked the classic style of the older building.

  Paxton climbed out and opened the limousine doors for the women. He stepped back, arrogantly watching as the women struggled to get out unassisted. Tamara realized he was trying to act arrogant like Max. As the women walked in front of him, he swaggered across the pavement.

  Small planes were parked along a wide strip of tarmac leading from the airport runways into private hangars. Tamara recognized the two women standing next to an open hangar door, Dana Thompson and the receptionist, Zina. Why would Dana bring Zina to this exchange?

  Dana Thompson was dressed in a cream-colored suit tailored to fit her slender body, but she meekly dropped her gaze to the floor when Zina barked orders at her.

  Zina wore black leather trimmed with purple piping and accented by purple stiletto heels. The tailored leather jacket hung open, revealing a high collared purple blouse which was tucked into ultra-slim pants. Tamara realized the custom-made ensemble was much too expensive for a receptionist’s salary.

  Tamara’s stomach churned. Did Paxton notice that Dana, his prime suspect, suddenly behaved subservient to her presumed underling? Tamara needed to alert him to the gang’s actual chain of command.

  Pretending to trip on a concrete curb, Paxton grabbed her elbow roughly. As he propelled her body forward, she scrambled to maintain his pace. She covered her mouth and whispered, “I think Zina might be the real leader of this gang. Check out her body language.”

  Paxton’s gaze flitted to the two women standing just ahead. “Stay close to me,” he murmured but gave her a shove toward the suspects.

 

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