“What’s Deep Tracker got to say about her? Where’s she been?”
“Some place on Caminito Castillo, over off I-5 in the La Jolla Colony area. I guess the cell phone connections have been sketchy over in that area today, so the GPS is fucked. We don’t have an actual street address. She was on a call to her condominium complex today and took a call from the downtown County Jail yesterday; both calls on Castillo.”
“Mack! So I knew it; there’s something going on between them we need to know about.”
“Yeah, Carlos, we’ll keep Tracker watching her cell phone. Keep paying the bills.”
“Easy for you to say, Tommy, not your money.”
Twelve - Proposal
Jim’s house, early evening
“Hi Penny. How’d it go today?”
“Great. I’ve got something I think you’ll be interested in.”
“And I’ve got something I think you’ll be interested in, too. You first.”
“Come into your office and have a look.” She pointed to the six camera views showing on his computer.
“Okay, so what’s that?”
“My condo. Those are the cameras I had installed last year. I set your PC up for remote viewing. We can see what’s going on there.”
“No kidding! How cool is that? You did this?” knowing full well she had to be the one who’d done it.
Proudly sticking her chest out, she said, “Yep. You didn’t know I’m a computer whiz, did you?”
“You’re full of surprises.”
“And there’s more. My friend, Sheila, is the property manager there. I called her and asked her to have our IT guy re-aim two cameras so the outside—front and back—of my place, including the garage door, are covered with the association’s cameras. They’re on the recorder, too. We can check things out before we go there to get my stuff.”
“That’s brilliant! We’ll give it a couple of days, and—”
“I already told Sheila that’s what we’re going to do. I’ll call her later this week. She’ll review her recordings—we’ll do the same here—and if everything is cool, we go!”
“I’m liking you more all the time, hon. Okay, now it’s my turn: Some people at work are setting up a going-away party for me on Friday afternoon. It’s at the craft beer brewery near my office. I can’t wait to introduce you to everyone. You’ll love them.”
“I can do without the craft beer: to damn hoppy and weedy for me. I’ll be polite about it, but I hate all those crazy berry and fruit flavors they mix into it. Do they have cocktails there?
“If they don’t, I’ll sneak a flask of Jack in.”
He kissed her full on the lips, and she squeezed him as hard as she could. “We just might get this thing worked out,” she whispered in his ear.
“I’m looking forward to that.”
“What are you going to tell them about me? How will you introduce me?”
“My cousin from Indiana?”
“That sucks! Give them the truth.”
“What, that you’re shacking up with me?”
“God, I hope you can do better than that!”
“My secret lady who’s been living with me, unknown by anyone—even the next-door neighbors—for months?”
“NFW . . . means it Needs Further Work, sweetie.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I can do better. I’ll have it by the time the party starts.”
“Can’t wait . . . . It better be good, our entire relationship may depend on it.”
The trip to Penny’s condo two days later was uneventful. Penny had been spending the hours when Jim was at work monitoring her cameras and talking to Sheila each day to compare notes on their observations, which showed nothing to be concerned over. There didn’t seem to be any unusual activity at Penny’s unit, and the same was true around the entire complex. Jim rented a plain white van they would use to get Penny’s clothing and other items she decided Jim’s home needed, including a few favorite pieces of bedroom furniture and small kitchen appliances that Jim didn’t have. She left her computer there, running, so it could continue to act as the video-server she monitored at Jim’s. They turned at least one lamp on in each room to give the cameras good lighting to work with. And they opened the shutters at every window for full interior viewing by the complex’s security personnel, day and night.
Jim had backed the van into the garage and closed the big door for complete privacy throughout their loading work. Penny drove the loaded van back to Jim’s place with Jim following at a strategic distance on Penny’s Harley, watching for followers. They were sure the move had gone undetected and that they were not being followed.
At Jim’s they used the same scheme, backing the van into Jim’s garage, closing the big, double door, and unloading in full privacy. Thanks to the video surveillance and good planning it had been a safe operation.
“That’s a ton of stuff, let’s drink to it staying here for a while. I wouldn’t want to do it again next week,” Jim said.
“I guess that depends on how this thing with Mack and his friends goes . . . . Or, you could make me an offer?” Penny said, placing her hands on her hips, and swiveling her body back and forth.
Make her an offer? He couldn’t resist, “Like two peas in a pod?”
“You might call it that.”
“If you mean a proposal, it’s on the table, right now. And it’s open-ended—no expiration date,” he replied, opening his hands toward her.
“That was quick.”
“I trust my instincts and always go with a positive vibe. And you give me good vibes. I feel great about us.”
Penny reached for his hands, taking them both, “Offer—sorry, proposal—accepted, then. But what is it? I’m confused, are we talking about living together, or a wedding? I’m open to either.”
“How about a wedding?”
“You surprise me, James, because at our ages we get to do whatever we want. But I’m for that, too.”
“I need to do this, Penny. I really do want to finally be married.”
“That’s mysterious. Do I need to be worried about a woman, or something in your past?”
“No. Believe me, no. We’ll talk about it when the time is right.”
She leaned into his arms, “Yes. Yes, Jim, I accept your proposal to get married.”
“Did I make the proposal, or did you? Seemed like it was you . . . .”
“I offered to allow you to make a proposal to me.”
“Is that how it happened? I’m getting an idea of what debating with you will be like.”
“How’s that?”
“Challenging. But I like challenges,” Jim said, kissing her on the forehead.
“James, that’s not good enough after we just agreed to marry.” Penny said with a sexy smile.
“Try this.” He pulled her into a full embrace, with a long tender kiss.
“That’s more like it.”
“I can do even better . . . . What are you wearing to the party tomorrow?”
“I want better! How about ‘biker girl’?”
“Does that mean jeans with crotchless chaps and halter top? I don’t think so . . . . How about upscale business woman?”
“Pants suit and spiky heels? I have those, but that’s not me anymore.”
“Okay, so what are you, ‘anymore’?”
“You’ll see.” She was a long cool woman in a black dress He couldn’t wait.
Thirteen - Celebration
“Hey, Jim. Who’s this pretty lady?”
Penny wore a trim, black skirt, hemmed modestly, but fashionably, above her knees; a sleeveless, low-cut turquoise blouse with a matching crocheted cardigan that reached below her hips, and low, strap-back heels. No stockings covered her tanned legs. A long necklace of black onyx beads dangled provocatively from her neck, sparkling against the turquoise blouse.
“Hi Steve, hi Ali. How did they get you two to come down off the mountain for this? This is Penny. Penny Lane. Penny, this is Steve and Alice
Barton . . . or Alessandra Bertone, but that’s a long story. Call her Ali.”
“Hi Ali and Steve. It sounds like you three are old friends.”
“You wouldn’t believe how old—and how close,” Ali said.
“Sounds like there are stories I’d like to hear sometime, Jim,” Penny said, giving him a sly smile.
“I’ll just say that Jim saved our butts once and leave it at that. That’s a story best told up at our place in Julian with an entire evening and a bottle of wine, or cocktails, in front of us,” Steve said.
“So, what about you two? You never mentioned Penny to us the last times we talked, Jim. New acquaintances?” Ali asked.
“Yeah, no secrets allowed between us—ever,” Steve added.
“She’s my fiancé,” Jim answered.
“What? Wow! That must have happened fast.” Steve’s eyes widened.
With a surprised, slight smile of embarrassment, Penny said, “You wouldn’t believe how fast.”
“Oh, my God, I’m so happy to hear this! I think we’re going to be great friends, Penny,” Ali said, giving Penny a hug.
“I hope so, I’d love it!” Penny answered, with a big smile.
“And, Jim, I’m happy for you. I thought you were a committed bachelor and would die that way,” Ali said, giving him a friendly kiss on the lips.
“It’s not like I haven’t been trying . . . .”
As the party wound down and friends were giving best wishes to Jim and Penny, Jim cornered Steve Barton by the railing overlooking the Japanese garden and fish pond next to the party’s patio deck.
“Have you heard anything from Detective Daggett down at police headquarters lately?”
“No, no reason to. I saw a blurb in the paper about him retiring a while back. Why?”
“I’m not sure, but I may want to contact a detective about something that’s bothering me. I sure wish he was still there. He’s a guy I could talk to and trust with information and not worry about any blowback, if you know what I mean.”
“Yeah, like not having something come back down on you if you just wanted some advice?”
“Exactly.”
“Nothing to do with the Wu Tan affair, I hope.”
“No, nothing like that mess; I hope we never get into anything like that again. I’ll tell you about it when we can get together.”
“What about next week? Can you come up to Julian for a weekend with us? We’d love to get to know Penny better. She seems like a good match for you.”
“I’m glad you do, I think so too. This has happened so fast, I’m still a little numb about it. Spending time with you and Ali would probably be a good thing for both of us. I’ll call you in a day or two. I think we’ll want to take you up on that.”
The sun was setting as the four sat in the screened-in patio of Ali and Steve’s place, on Wynola Road, north of Julian. Apple orchards and vineyards surrounded the property, providing an intimate setting for the old friends to get to know Penny. They were working on a previously opened bottle of Jack Daniels, drinking the Manhattans Steve had mixed on the weak side to avoid needing to make a last-minute run to the liquor store.
“I can’t believe what you’ve been telling me! The three of you were involved in a kidnapping, drugging, forced labor, and murder drama, and the whole thing ended with the crooks being confronted and captured in Hong Kong—and the leader killed by Steve?”
“That’s right,” the men agreed. Ali backed them up.
“You all seem like ordinary people!” Penny shook her head in disbelief.
“We were ordinary people. Ordinary people who got caught up in one of the most amazing crime stories ever to happen in San Diego. We didn’t go looking for it,” Steve said.
“This is making my thing with Mack look like child’s play. I’m sitting here with three people who’ve dealt with murderers and international thugs. What do I have to worry about?” Penny said with a weak, half-laugh.
“Don’t assume we knew what we were doing. We were stumbling from one bad move to the next. If it hadn’t been for getting hooked up with the right people and some good luck, it could have turned out much differently,” Steve said. “But don’t think whatever you two have stumbled into is child’s play. That murder at the warehouse in Ramona is no small matter. The good news is that you both were unrecognizable and hopefully—knock on wood—got away clean. But there has to be a dangerous connection between that murder and this Mack guy you need to be careful about.”
Jim swirled the ice cubes in his half empty glass. “I’d sure like to talk to Detective Daggett, at least to get some advice on what Penny and I should do next.”
“Maybe we can find him in his retired life. I’ll make a few calls, if you’d like. That other detective—Dale someone, if he’s still at SDPD—should know about Paul,” Steve offered.
“Morton, Dale Morton. That would be great. Thanks, Steve,” Jim said.
“So, what’s next for you two? A quick wedding and honeymoon somewhere on motorcycles?” Ali asked.
Jim, in an off-key, one note voice, sang, “Going to the chapel and we’re gonna get marrarried, goin’ to the chapel of lo-ove . . . . We’re working on that. We haven’t talked about it much, but I have this old dream of taking a cycle ride following the ‘Easy Rider’ route. Maybe it’ll be part of that.”
“Oh my God, I remember you singing that song when we told you we were getting married a long time ago. That’s just like you, Jim,” Ali said.
“Wait a minute.” Penny cut in, saying, “Here’s how it actually happened: He said he was thinking about doing that ride after his final days at work, and I said, ‘Can I come along?’”
“Yeah, that was the second time we were together.” Jim said. “And now, here we are . . . .”
“Love at first sight, then. I know about that,” Steve said, winking at Ali. “So, it was a mutual idea then!”
“Yeah, but she doesn’t know the next part—yet.” Jim looked sideways at Penny, saying, “I think the wedding will happen somewhere on the way; location yet to be determined.”
“Oh my God, I love it!” Penny nearly shouted. “We’ll pick some beautiful spot out of the movie and do it there. How cool would that be?”
“Not the cemetery in New Orleans, though, right?” Steve joked.
“God, no! Maybe one of those beautiful places up in northern Arizona or New Mexico they rode through? Like one of the old Navajo monuments? I can feel the ancient mysteries running through the ceremony right now. Maybe we can get a shaman to perform the wedding ceremony!” Penny said. “What was that Van Morrison Song?”
“See? We didn’t talk about that yet, but we’re both on the same wavelength! But the song you’re thinking of isn’t ‘Wavelength.’ It’s ‘Into the Mystic.’ I can see it now: drum circles, pipe smoking, chewing a little peyote, drinking a little mezcal, and sitting up until dawn talking with the Creator and watching the stars . . . . I’m glad you’re getting into the spirit of this, hon, ‘Let your soul and spirt fly into the mystic.’”
“That’s it. But instead of Celtic spiritualism, this will be Anasazi mysticism,” Penny laughed as she said it.
“An ancient Indian ceremony. How cool would that be?” Jim loved the idea.
“This could be perfect, dear. I was thinking of your search for spiritualism, but you’re way ahead of me already. And I don’t want to do a ‘Dearly Beloved’ kind of thing at this point in my life: suits, gowns, veils, bibles, and hymns . . . not for me anymore.”
“Me, either. I knew we were meant for each other because of that karma we discovered up at Cholame.” Looking at Steve and Ali, Jim added, “It’s like she descended out of a cloud onto my avocado ranch up on Starvation Mountain one day. How do you like that for karma?”
Steve gulped, and changed the subject, asking, “Are you going to ride your cycles all the way from here? Sounds like a long, hard ride.”
“I know, I’ve been thinking about that. Those first 500 miles, through t
he east LA-Riverside area and then the California desert are a pain. Been there, done that—too many times,” Jim said, frowning.
“Why don’t you rent a van or pickup truck to haul your bikes past all that? Maybe to Needles? You could relax in a comfortable, air-conditioned van, or modern pickup truck, and then drop it at a truck and van rental place for a week or two while you’re riding the fun part,” Steve suggested. “Then do the same for the return trip too—after you’re saddle sore and all bowlegged and sunburned.”
“What a great idea! What do you think, Jim?” Penny asked.
“Seems a little like cheating . . . not being true to the quest, kinda thing. But, you know what? Screw that purity stuff. I like it.”
“When are you leaving,” Ali wanted to know.
“Within a week or ten days if we do the hauling or trailering thing, I’ll need a day or two to get that set up.”
“And what about the wedding location? Can Steve and I come?” Ali asked.
“Oh my God, that would be great, wouldn’t it Jim? If we do it somewhere near an airport, you could fly in. Steve, can you fly your plane that far?” Penny asked.
Looking a little offended, but trying to hide it, Steve answered, “I can fly to the east coast in my plane. It has a 500-mile range on one fuel load and a full electronic, all-weather navigation system.”
Jim stepped in to deflect the conversation away from airplanes, saying, “Jesus, wouldn’t that be something? The four of us getting together somewhere out in ‘Easy Rider’ land and having a wedding? I love it. Consider this your official wedding invitation, details to be announced. You two will be maid of honor and best man!”
They finished the bottle of Jack Daniels and went to a nearby winery that served Julian Mountain wine and steaks.
“What about Farmington, New Mexico?” Jim asked. “That’s on our ‘Easy Rider’ route and right in the middle of a bunch of old Hopi, or Anasazi, or whatever they are, ruins. There are cliff dwellings and ruins everywhere. Farmington has a good, monitored civilian airport where you two could fly in, rent a car, and get a decent motel.”
Starvation Mountain Page 7
