Trifecta

by Pam Richter

  "When we get to the next corner, take a left," Robin directed.

  Julia didn't have time to ask why. She braked quickly and swerved into the turn lane. The big Mercedes was going too fast to slow down and overshot them. She watched in disbelief as it stopped, right in the middle of traffic and tried to back up. That proved impossible; the normally aggressive Los Angeles drivers were thoroughly outraged and honking, so the Mercedes hurled forward to the next corner to make a U-turn.

  Julia raced up a winding hill, past luxurious homes. She hated driving so quickly in a beautiful residential area where there could be children playing, but no one was on the street and she relaxed a bit. She didn't want to get stopped by a policeman, though. She was a thief. If Quijada accused her of stealing from his house she was guilty. It was a daunting thought. She was an outlaw.

  She reminded herself Quijada no more wanted the police to have this information than he wanted her to have it. She and Robin would not be arrested at his instigation. Quijada would be more likely to murder them.

  When she was only a few blocks up the street, she saw the black Mercedes again in her rear view mirror. It was gaining fast, hurling up the hill. She wanted to ask Robin why they had gone up here, but he was on his cellular phone directing someone to open a gate. He stated he would be visiting in a moment and told the person to close the gate immediately when a little blue BMW came inside.

  Robin pointed to a house situated right at the top of the hill and said to turn in there. The gate was open and as Julia passed through, into a circular drive, the gate started closing behind her. It was a good thing because the black Mercedes was practically on their tail, but couldn't get onto the property with the gate shutting.

  Julia was aware that the home was one of the most beautiful she had ever seen, but Robin was pointing at a garage, situated to the right and back of the house. Julia drove down a pathway, between flowering orchid trees toward it. She could see the house was immense, with graceful palm trees fanning the front of the serenely white, majestic place, which was decorated with stately columns and large windows topped with beautiful oval shapes.

  Someone must have been observing from inside because the garage door started opening automatically and Julia drove into a four car garage. As the garage door closed, the lights came on inside. There was a jeep, a small Lotus sports car and the big yellow truck, Make-My-Day. A fancy, large Harley-Davidson motor cycle was parked in the rear.

  Julia turned and looked at Robin. "Where are we?"

  "A friend lives here," Robin said shortly. "We're going to take the Harley and lose those bastards. But first we have to get rid of your camera bag."

  They got out of the car. Robin hurried to the side door of the garage and looked out. "We only have to go a few feet, to the side of the house. I want them to see us go in, so take your time."

  Robin opened the door and walked slowly with Julia toward the house. The big black Mercedes was parked directly in front of the gate, barring exit to the property. When they got in sight of the car, it's engine revved loudly, like a growling beast. It was so theatrical it was almost funny. It was also menacing.

  "Ah hell," Robin said, glancing at the big black car with annoyance, "let's go in the front way, if they insist on behaving like bullies."

  Julia almost laughed at his peeved tone, but she didn't like walking within bullet distance of that growling engine. Robin had his arm around her and was walking on the outside, as though protecting her, and she was grateful. She felt like running to the car and throwing the camera bag to them, just to assure herself that she was not a thief and to rid herself of the menacing information and the danger.

  Robin turned and led Julia around the side of the house to the front and they climbed up the rounded stairs. They didn't have to ring the bell. The door opened and a woman stood there. She was middle aged with short grey hair, dressed in jeans and a sweat shirt.

  Julia had all sorts of questions in her mind. Whose house was this? How did Quijada know Robin, the mechanic, and why did Quijada act in a differential manner when they met each other few minutes ago?

  Quijada had let them go, with what could prove to be damning information about him, because of Robin. There was no doubt in her mind she never would ever have escaped without him, and it didn't make sense.

  Before she could even turn to Robin and start to question him, a fluffy white dog came hurtling over the white marble tiles of the beautiful entrance hall. When it got about five feet from Robin it seemed to bounce straight up and forward into Robins arms.

  "Scooter!" Robin said as he caught the dog in mid-air. He kissed it right on the black nose. The dog responded with a very pink tongue.

  The grey haired woman was smiling indulgently.

  "Sandy, this is Julia," Robin said. He was smiling back at the woman who stood before them. "If you would please take her bag, go to the office and copy all the material inside, I'd be grateful."

  Robin had placed the dog on the floor, and now it was jumping up and down enthusiastically in front of Julia. She handed the bag to Sandy, who was evidently a housekeeper, and sat down on the floor. Scooter jumped into her lap.

  The dog seemed large, but it was very light weight, composed mostly of fluffy, curly white hair. Scooter swiped Julia's face several times with her tongue.

  "Scooter evidently likes you," Robin said. She could tell he was pleased.

  "This is the most darling dog I've ever seen," Julia said, petting the soft white fur.

  "I'm going to help Sandy copy that stuff. Then we can take off. If you want anything to drink, the kitchen is over there," Robin said, pointing vaguely past an enormous living room, to the right. He left her there on the floor with his dog, running quickly up beautiful curved stairs off of the entrance hall, after Sandy.

  Julia got up, but Scooter was still jumping up and down, so Julia scooped her up and started in the direction that Robin had indicated. Her mouth was dry as a bone from being so terrified. She went through a majestic living room, decorated in a beautiful motif of complimentary pastel colors. She could see through the windows into the back yard. There was an Olympic size pool and a bath house for changing off of the covered patio area outside.

  Julia found the kitchen behind a formal dining room. When she looked in the refrigerator there were several soft drinks and she took two. She drank most of one of them, and then went looking for Robin.

  Scooter had made it very clear that she wanted to be held and Julia picked her up and carried her like a soft, warm teddy bear as she retraced her steps and climbed the stairs. She could hear voices and went in the direction of the sounds until she stood at the entrance to a home office.

  Robin was sprawled in a chair, feet on an enormous desk, talking on the phone, while he took the bindings of the ledger books apart and handed pages to Sandy, who was working quickly at a copy machine. Julia could hear the whirring of a VCR, attached to a television across the room, making a copy of one of the videos she had taken from the safe.

  She walked over and handed a soda to Robin. He glanced up and smiled. She listened to his side of the conversation, while she took over from Robin, handing pages of the ledger books to Sandy.

  Julia tried to read bits of the material, but it was all written by hand in Spanish. There were lots of large sums of money, at least the dollar signs were legible.

  "I know she'd be safer at Dad's," Robin was saying on the telephone, "but I don't want my parents involved. It's too inflammatory. Yes, I know we have to get away. You just get Tony over here to take the material from Sandy. We're making two copies. And you better keep this under your vest, Jay. Don't involve the police again. Tony can meet us there with a rental car. And tell Bob to get my car. It's parked up the street from Quijada's. Sandy will have the key."

  Robin slammed down the phone and handed it to Julia. "Call the Beverly Hills Hotel and tell them you're authorizing a woman named Carolyn Tandy to come and get your things. Tell them to give you the fax number, so you ca
n send a note. Make a copy of your driver's license and credit card so they'll know it's genuine. Say there was a family emergency, that you have to leave now."

  During all the frantic activity, she watched Robin as he worked the computers, faxes and telephones in this sophisticated home office as though he belonged here. She had never seen anyone move with such efficiency and speed. He was on the telephone several times, giving instructions to other people about complicated things he seemed to be working on. Finally he made a personal call to his father. He was relating what had transpired that day. Apparently his father was trying to persuade Robin to take her to his own home, as his friend Jay had done.

  "Dad, I can't let you be involved in this situation...I'm pleased that you want to help, but it's better this way. Yes, I will promise to be careful. Of course. Give love to Mom. Yes...I promise you'll meet Julia when this whole thing is over."

  Robin slammed down the phone and ran out of the room. Julia helped Sandy put the ledger books back together and wondered what he was doing. It didn't take long to find out. He returned with two leather jackets, two helmets and a large briefcase.

  "Try this one," Robin said, handing her a jacket.

  It almost reached her knees and the sleeves covered her fingers, but Robin seemed pleased. At least he was smiling.

  He had repacked her camera bag with the original documents and videos she had taken from Quijada's safe. They had only been in this home for about twenty minutes. Julia realized he had intended all along to copy the information she would give him here, at his friend's house.

  "I'm going to give the camera bag back to the men in the car outside," Robin said. "I'll say there was a mistake and you just realized you had some of Quijada's property. When I do, I want you to go out the side door and wait for me in the garage. Try to slip outside when I'm talking to the men, so they don't see you."

  Robin had placed one copy of each of the ledger books in the briefcase, along with the copies of the videos. He handed it to her and they started down the stairs at a run.

  "I don't think they'll believe we could copy the stuff this fast. But if anything happens to me, you just hand over the briefcase to whomever asks for it. Sandy will have duplicates, but I want to look the material over, too. Also, if they capture us, it'll be safer if I have something to give them."

  They reached the front door and Robin said, "I'm sorry about the camera bag, but I want them to believe I'm handing the items back in it's original package. That it hasn't been tampered with. I'll get you another one."

  She wanted to say it didn't matter. She wanted to say that she couldn't believe she was only paying two hundred dollars a day for a man who had saved her life; a man who took drugs to help her find her brother's killer.

  She looked at Robin and saw the man who had been there when her brother died and had comforted her; the man who had agreed to her crazy scheme to steal and replace damming information about Quijada; the man who hugged her and didn't try to take advantage. She thought she was in love with him, and put it down to gratitude.

  Julia threw her arms around his neck, hugged him tightly, and kissed his cheek.

  "What was that for?" Robin asked. He looked a little astonished at her uncharacteristic behavior, but now Sandy was pulling on her arm, trying to rush her away.

  "Everything," Julia said, unable to express what she was thinking within the time constraints. "Be careful."

  Sandy pulled her roughly toward the garage side of the house, through the kitchen and to the side door. When she let go Julia rubbed her arm. Sandy's grip had been a painful vice, but maybe she was scared.

  Sandy carefully slipped outside and hurried to the garage. When she saw it was safe she motioned for to Julia to come. Sandy was already packing the briefcase on the back of the Harley-Davidson when Julia sneaked inside the garage.

  "I really appreciate all your help," Julia said to Sandy. The woman had not uttered a single word that Julia had heard during the whole time they were in the house. The woman nodded grimly, "If you hurt Robin, in any way, you won't have to wait for Aaron Quijada to come get you. I will personally find pleasure in causing you great bodily damage, myself."

  Julia felt struck dumb. "I don't understand."

  "You have tricked Robin into a very dangerous situation, with your pretty face and fancy ways. But it was a very reckless and stupid thing to do."

  Sandy had heard Robin talking to his father and knew all about the theft. She was extremely angry.

  Julia felt immediate guilt wash over her because the woman was right. In committing a felony, she and had induced Robin into becoming her accessory.

  "You're right, Sandy. I wasn't thinking of the consequences. I'm very sorry."

  "Sorry isn't good enough. He's a wonderful young man, with a brilliant career, and you may have ruined everything."

  The woman looked at Julia contemptuously.

  "Robin must be good friends with the person who owns this house, because you seem to know him well," Julia said, trying to draw the woman out so that she could learn more.

  "I've known Robin since he was a baby. And the two are inseparable," Sandy said.

  "So Robin keeps his dog here? And his truck?"

  "I said they were inseparable," Sandy repeated impatiently.

  "That's quite enough!" Robin had entered the garage and he was glaring at Sandy. "Everything will be okay. I don't want you to worry. Just take care of Scooter and we'll be back in no time."

  Robin grabbed one of the helmets, plopped it on Julia's head and fastened the strap under her chin. "Tuck your hair in, or it'll get tangled in the wind. The people out front want to talk to you, and are not leaving, so we have to escape."

  Robin put on his helmet and stomped on the starter pedal. The machine let out an enormous roar. Robin threw his right leg over the saddle and sat down. He motioned for Julia to climb on behind him.

  Sandy took gloves and a pair of riding goggles out of her pocket and handed them to Robin. He winked at her and tousled her hair because it was too noisy, now, in the garage to speak. Then he nodded at Sandy and she went over to the garage door and pushed a button. The garage door started opening.

  Robin took Julia's hands, which she had placed tentatively on the front of his jacket and pulled her forward, locking her arms around him. She could feel him leaning forward, pulling her with him, as they hurtled out of the garage.

  CHAPTER 17

  Julia screamed the first time Robin took a fast corner, which was immediately out of his driveway when he passed the black Mercedes parked at the gate. He almost laid the huge motorcycle over on it's side. Julia closed her eyes and prepared for a violent crash, in that instant imagining herself sliding over asphalt on the side of her face. But miraculously he righted the vehicle on the road down toward Sunset Boulevard.

  Julia saw the black car make a clumsy turn behind them, but she was too petrified with fear to glance back again, as Robin went through a series of tricky and sickening maneuvers, with what felt like lethally inclined turns through a maze of alleyways in back of the homes in the area, where trash was picked up out of sight of the wealthy homeowners. He skipped several blocks going through the alleys in an effort to confuse the men following, who would have a hard time trying to guess which block he would come out on.

  Robin was hunched over the bike and Julia held on for dear life, burying her head in the back of his leather jacket and closing her eyes, as they progressed through the alleys, down Alpine Way and then crossed Sunset Boulevard. They went through the 'flats' of Beverly Hills and rode at breathtaking speed north down Santa Monica Boulevard.

  Robin drove up La Cienega Boulevard, and then they were moving more sedately down Fountain Avenue, which ran parallel to Sunset. Every once in a while she could see Robin glancing behind them and feel the movement in his large shoulders. She felt like a bug plastered on the back of a speeding shark, but after a while she started to enjoy the thrilling ride.

  When there were two lanes of traff
ic in the same direction Robin sometimes sent the motorcycle down through the narrow middle, so that they were at the front of the line of cars waiting for a red light. Some cars honked at them, but in Los Angeles the drivers seemed used to reckless and rude motorists.

  At one of the red lights, Robin turned and looked at her. "You all right?"

  Julia didn't have any breath left for a reply, she had been holding it for most of the trip, and merely nodded. She thought of the title of a book, 'Waiting to Exhale.' She didn't feel safe enough yet for the deep exhale, but she gave Robin a small smile.

  "I think we lost them. Watch out for police cars. Quijada may try to use the ones in his pocket for surveillance."

  Oh great, Julia thought, as they took off again. They weren't safe anywhere if they had to be afraid of the police, too. Quijada probably already had his drug gangs watching for them. They would never recognize a snitch who happened to see them passing the corner where he sold heroin or cocaine. She craned her neck looking for police cars, and noticed that the area they were now in, West Hollywood nearing the freeway, was rife with shabbily dressed people who all seemed to be staring as they passed by. Any one of them could be in Quijada's army of drug peddlers.

  Julia wondered if Robin would take her totally out of Los Angeles. He wanted to get rid of her, she was sure. Put her on a plane and send her back to Boston. She wanted to be in on the investigation of Quijada, which would be initiated when they had a chance to see the books and videos from the safe. Since she had risked stealing the stuff, she wanted to see the secrets that would be revealed.

  Julia was not used to the confusing freeways in Los Angeles and her hope that they would not have to travel on one, especially on a motorcycle, was quickly dashed when Robin went hurtling up an on-ramp to join the crowded 101. There were clusters of baffling signs pointing in every direction where the freeways connected near the downtown area, but Robin seemed to know exactly how to navigate from one freeway to another and they rode in the fast lane most of the time. On the motorcycle it felt like they were flying, and even riding a Harley-Davidson, the biggest of all motorcycles, Julia felt they were extremely fragile and exposed with all the other cars around them appearing as hostile, aggressive and malevolent unthinking machines, bound to crash and crush them with their superior weight and bulk.