Designer Detective (A Fiona Marlowe Mystery)

by Thelen, Marjorie

“I wonder what kind of car it was. Probably black limousine with tinted windows.”

  Jake gave half a laugh. “What an imagination. None of that matters anyway. I’ve decided to drive Opal back to Oregon.”

  “What?”

  “I said I’m going to drive Opal cross country. It’ll take about five days. She might hold up better that way then taking her through airports. Besides, someone might be watching the airports.”

  We heard footsteps, and Opal appeared at the kitchen entrance, the perpetual smile on her face. Hudson was behind, urging her in.

  “Hello you two,” she said. “Nice to see you again. How have you been?”

  Jake nodded. “Are you feeling better?”

  “I wasn’t feeling bad. Everyone around here makes such a fuss. Where is everyone?”

  Hudson steered her toward the table. “Everyone is out right now. Jake has come to take you back to Oregon.”

  “I thought Cody was going back with me.”

  Hudson hesitated not a nanosecond and said, “Cody has business to attend to here. He asked Jake to take you back. You’ll be leaving now, won’t she, Mr. Manyhorses?”

  “You bet,” chimed in Jake, not missing a beat. “How’d you like to take a cross-country trip?”

  Opal seated herself across the table from us. Hudson busied himself setting out plates and silverware. Opal sat smiling, not bothering to answer the question.

  “You two are like family.” She smiled wider at the thought.

  Jake and I sneaked sideways glances at each other. The idea was not comforting.

  Hudson slid a big platter of garlic chicken in front of us as well as a marinated vegetable salad in shiny bright colors. I reached for a serving spoon and helped myself. I was ravenous.

  Hudson passed the chicken to Opal. She selected a tiny piece.

  Jake said, “Opal, how ‘bout we eat and get you packed. We’ll leave tonight. There’ll be less traffic. We’ll drive across country and take in the sights on our way back to Oregon.”

  She helped herself to salad. Hudson poured white wine into her glass.

  “My, isn’t this delicious?” she said. “Hudson, you are such a master chef. We will be sad to see you go back to England.”

  “Yes, Miss Opal. I’ll be sorry to leave. But I am looking forward to returning to Cornwall. Wine, Mr. Manyhorses?”

  Jake shook his head. “Have any beer?”

  “Certainly.”

  Hudson gave me a good pour of wine. I mulled over the upcoming cross country trip. I would be going alone to Australia, if I ever found my passport.

  Jake tried again. “Opal, can you be ready to go?”

  “Go where?” She looked up in seeming surprise.

  “We’re going to Oregon. I’m driving you back.”

  “Is Fiona going with us? Wouldn’t you like to visit the ranch, dear? We’d love to have you. Stay as long as you like. I’m sure Cody will be along soon enough.”

  That was true. Cody could fly out and beat Jake to the ranch. “Jake,” I said, “did you consider that Cody would be joining you?”

  Jake took a swig from a bottle of Guinness Stout Hudson had placed before him. “We’ll have to see how that goes, won’t we?”

  “I reckon,” I said.

  “Then you’ll go with us?” Opal said.

  “No, actually, I have a trip planned to Australia. I’m leaving tonight.” I checked my watch. “I might not be leaving tonight if I don’t leave soon.” I finished the wine and stood. “Thank you so much all of you. I better get on down the highway so I don’t miss my flight.”

  “What about your passport?” Jake asked.

  “I’m going by my place to have a look again. It has to be there. I hope you have a delightful trip.”

  “I’m so sorry you won’t be going with us, Fiona.”

  “Another time, thank you.”

  Jake said, “Hudson, will you help Opal pack a light suitcase? We can send for the rest of her things later.”

  “Certainly. We’ll be ready in fifteen minutes.” He hustled Opal from the room without protest.

  Jake walked me to the front door. As we neared the door headlights turned into the driveway. We both stepped back from the glare.

  “Who do you think that is?” I said under my breath.

  “I hope it isn’t Cody.”

  It was a van, black. Very cloak and dagger looking. Four big men exited. None of them looked like Cody. They came up the front steps. Jake pulled me into the shadows in the library. We waited.

  They opened the door, walked in like they lived there, big as you please and headed for the kitchen. They all wore fedoras, looked Anglo, but weren’t speaking English.

  Jake whispered in my ear. “Now we know how the rifles go in and out of here.”

  “Right.”

  “Can you give us a ride to the nearest car rental agency?”

  “Me? Why not take one of the Lodge cars. That Rolls is a real looker.”

  “For precisely that reason. It stands outs. I can’t believe you are arguing with me. Rental car isn’t as easy to trace.”

  “All right, all right.”

  “Wait in the car. I’m going upstairs the back way to get Opal.”

  “Where is the back way?”

  “Through the bookcases.”

  “No kidding. How’d you find them?”

  “Hudson showed me.”

  “I knew it.”

  “I’ll be out as quick as I can. We need to leave before those men come back.”

  “Right.”

  I left through the front door and got in the car. I hoped Jake wasn’t going to kidnap me and take me with them. I really was not in the mood. Before Jake could return, the men in fedoras trundled out with dollies loaded with rifle boxes. I slouched down in the seat so they couldn’t see me. The boxes were ones like we had seen in the basement.

  Cody was working fast. Where was he? I hope nothing untoward had happened to him. I still liked him in a misguided way, but his career choices disappointed me.

  The men loaded the boxes in the van, got in, and left.

  I sat back up. That was strange. They had only taken maybe a fraction of the boxes. Did that mean others would be arriving for more? Maybe they had already gotten the rest.

  Where was Cody?

  I checked my watch. There was no way I was going to make that plane to Los Angeles. The door opened and out came Jake carrying a small suitcase with backpack over one shoulder and Opal on his arm. Hudson stood at the door like a worried mom. I hope nothing ugly happened to him. How involved was he?

  Jake opened the back door, threw in the suitcase and backpack and helped Opal in. He had managed to find a jean jacket to ward off the chill of the night. He slid into the front passenger seat, and I drove off before he closed the door. As we sailed through the gate another vehicle turned into the other end of the semi-circular drive. Busy night tonight at the Lodge estate.

  “Cody must be having another party,” said Opal. “He’s been entertaining a lot lately. I didn’t know he had so many friends in the area. I’m sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye.”

  “You’ll be seeing him soon enough,” I said. “You’ll have a lovely drive across country in the meantime.”

  As we pulled onto the roadway, I noticed the other car hadn’t stopped and was coming up behind us.

  “Jake, that car is following us.”

  I sped up going down the road and told him about the men leaving with boxes.

  “I don’t want to look back,” he said. “What kind of car is it?”

  “Black.”

  “That’s a help.”

  My cell phone rang, and I fished around in my purse. “Jake, can you look for my cell phone. I can’t seem to find it.”

  He took over the search and rescue operation. “Here it is.”

  I opened it up and before I could get a word out, someone said, “You two have a lot of nerve coming back. What do you think you are doing?”

 
“Cody?” I looked at Jake.

  Jake said, “Don’t tell him anything.”

  I nodded and wished I weren’t driving.

  Cody said, “Who do you have in the back seat? I think you better pull over. We need to talk.”

  I held the phone to my chest. “He wants to talk,” I whispered to Jake, hoping Opal wasn’t following what was transpiring.

  “No way,” said Jake. “Floor it.”

  I closed the cell phone and did as directed. The Legend responded beautifully. We tore down the street as if pursued by banshees. I kept checking the rear view mirror. “I can’t tell if he’s behind us.”

  I headed onto I-66 West, racking my brain for the nearest car rental agency. There were a million lights in the mirror, and I couldn’t tell one car from another. If Cody was behind us, he was being discreet.

  Jake took my cell phone. “How do you check caller ID on here. I want to see his number.”

  “Press the red phone icon and it should show last caller.”

  “Oops, I pressed redial.”

  “Close the phone, close the phone. We don’t want to talk to him again.”

  “Calm down, Fiona. Calm down.”

  “Me? Calm down? This is not how normal life is lived, fleeing from criminals.”

  “It’s not my fault. I’m an innocent bystander like you. I was just helping out Opal, and I still am.”

  “Good, you keep helping her. I’m going in a different direction. Where do you want me to drop you?”

  “You should go with us.”

  “No way. I want out. I’m history. I’m going to Australia where people drink beer and sit on the beach and don’t get involved with spooks and criminals. I’m going to Dulles Airport to get my flight. You can get a rental car there easy.”

  “You don’t have a passport.”

  “True. I have other plans.”

  “What other plans?”

  “I’m not telling you. If you are caught and tortured, you might tell these criminals where I’ve gone and they might find me and then where will I be? No, I’m disappearing, never to be heard from again.”

  “Fiona, you are being unreasonable.”

  “I’m being unreasonable? You’re the one who has been absolutely no help at all. You didn’t tell me what a nut case the Lodge family is.”

  “Quiet. Opal will hear you.”

  I checked the rearview mirror. Opal was head down, fast asleep. “She’s out. You two get the rental car as planned and head out I-70 toward Ohio.”

  “Got a map on you?”

  “No, they have them at the rental car place.”

  We headed out the Dulles toll road toward the airport. I still couldn’t tell if the car was pursuing us. This was nerve wracking. The phone rang.

  “Who is it?” I said.

  “ID says Olympia.”

  “Here, give it to me. I want to talk to a sane person.”

  “Olympia?”

  “Hi, Fiona. Where are you? Did you forget we were having dinner together this evening?”

  “I did. I’m so sorry. Where are you?”

  “At my house still waiting for you and about half looped drinking your cocktail and mine. Where are you?”

  “I’m on my way to Dulles Airport”

  “Really? Why?”

  “I’m catching a flight to Australia. It’s a long story.”

  “I wish you’d told me. I want to go.”

  “I might not be going because I can’t find my passport.”

  “Did you look in the freezer? That where you said your new safe hiding place is.”

  “You’re right. Olympia, you are fantastic and the perfect friend. Listen, I’m sorry about dinner. I’ll call you when I get to Australia, okay? Plan to come in a few days. Pack and book a flight to Sydney. I’ll call later.”

  “We have to go back to my condo,” I said to Jake. “My passport is in the freezer.”

  “We’re driving all over Virginia tonight.”

  “Look at it as a diversion for those kooks who are following us. I’ll drop you at the rental car level at the airport since I’ve got to go to the airport to return to the city. This is an airport access only highway.”

  “Fine.”

  Traffic was heavy into the airport, and we got caught in a slow lane. As I tried to change to a faster moving lane, I looked to the left and who should I see but Cody waving at us from the passenger side of the black limo. I couldn’t see who was driving.

  “Uh-oh, Jake. Look who’s beside us.”

  “Guess we didn’t lose them.”

  “Damnation, now what are we going to do?”

  “Keep moving.”

  “Uh-oh, look. He’s got the window down. Should I roll mine down?”

  “Only if you’re curious.”

  I was. I pressed the auto electric button and down the window went.

  “You having dinner at Dulles Airport?” Cody yelled at me.

  “Sure, there’s lots of good restaurants on B concourse.”

  “We have to talk. You don’t understand. We have to talk. You need to help me.”

  Yet another member of the Lodge family in need of help.

  “Not me. Jake, do you want to help him?”

  Cars were honking. Cody’s car bumped into my side of the car.

  “Cut it out,” I said.

  We were in the far right lane. I had to move onto the skirt of the road to avoid being banged again, and the car jerked and jumped.

  “Watch it,” called Jake. “There’s construction over here.”

  “I can’t help it. This guy is trying to run me off the road.”

  Jake wasn’t much help. It wasn’t like he could drive. Opal woke up in the back seat with all the bumping and swerving.

  “What is it?” she said.

  “We’re having a little problem,” Jake said. “Nothing to worry about.”

  We were back in the slow lane. Our lane of traffic started to move faster, and Cody’s car dropped behind.

  “Jake, this is crazy.”

  “Yup. Is there anywhere we can exit?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Let’s give it a try. Maybe we can lose them on a back road. Does that exist in this area?”

  “There are plenty of scenic back roads, but do we want to go down a lonely back road with them in pursuit? Maybe it’s better to stay on busy four lane highways. We could lose them easier.”

  “Who are we trying to lose?” asked Opal. She had moved forward and stuck her head between us. “My-oh-my, I must have fallen asleep. My head feels dizzy. It must be my medication. Where are we?”

  The colossal wings of the Dulles terminal loomed before us. The bright lights on the building and the dark night made the structure look surreal, like science fiction. I wished it were a spaceport, and we could get a shuttle to Mars.

  “We are on the way to the airport,” said Jake “We’re trying to lose Cody. He’s in a black limo that is trying to run us off the road.”

  “That’s not very nice. What’s gotten into Cody?” she said.

  “He’s been trying to drug you, and he seems to be involved in a weapons smuggling scheme. Albert was, too.”

  I glanced at Jake. What a time for true confessions. I guess he was trying to be kind to Opal. She didn’t respond. I was busy trying to drive and figure out at the same time where Cody’s car was.

  “Are they still following us?” said Jake.

  “I can’t tell.”

  I was now dodging traffic on the airport departure level, as cars pulled over to the right to let passengers out. I stayed to the left in the through traffic lane. Jake was pivoting about like a whirligig, trying to see what was going on around us.

  “I won’t to be able to stop long enough to let you and Opal out at the car rental place,” I said.

  “Keep moving. There has to be a million car rental places down the road.”

  We passed the terminal and were on the way to the airport exit when the car behin
d zoomed up close and banged our rear fender. This was annoying. I did not appreciate having my beautiful car abused.

  “Speed up,” said Jake.

  “I’m trying but there’s this small problem of the cars in front of us.”

  “I believe someone hit us,” said Opal.

  “It’s Cody. He’s doing it on purpose,” said Jake.

  I glanced at Jake. He was on truth serum this evening.

  “Why is Cody trying to hit us?” asked Opal.

  “He says he wants to talk.”

  “We should stop and talk to him,” said Opal. “Cody can be very persistent when he wants to be.”

  “Cody might want to harm us,” said Jake.

  “Oh?” said Opal.

  “We found out about his weapons business, and I don’t think he likes that so we are trying to get away from him.”

  “Weapons? I didn’t know he had a weapons business. He has been acting funny.”

  “Funny?” I said.

  “Yes, he’s not himself. Back at the ranch he’s a pretty good hand. Here, he’s a different person.”

  “How so?”

  Opal was quiet for a moment then said, “He’s been short tempered with me. He’s never like that. He’s always been sweet natured. Something is bothering him.”

  Something was bothering him all right, I thought to myself. He’s mixed up in something he can’t get out of. Maybe that’s what he wants to talk about.

  “Jake,” I said, “we should talk to Cody.”

  “I think you agreed we’ve helped this family all we can.”

  Opal said, as if talking to herself, oblivious to what Jake and I were saying, “Cody’s been helping me with my medications. He insists I keep up with them, but they make me sleepy.” She gave a huge yawn.

  I checked Jake out of the corner of my eye. He was nodding his head.

  The car behind bumped us again. This was making me mad. I floored it and cut to an opening in the left lane and hit eighty miles per hour going back toward the city on Route 267. The Herndon exit shot by.

  “Goodness,” said Opal. “Are we going to a fire?”

  “Maybe,” I said.

  A bell started chiming on the dash. I scanned the myriad of lights and saw flashing blue on the gas tank indicator. I was almost out of gas. We were done for.

  Astutely picking up on our plight, Jake said, “Where’s the nearest exit?”

  “Reston is coming up.”