Hit and Run

by Rayna Morgan

  Before Lea could respond, they were startled by loud knocking at the door.

  Warren looked out the window and saw their neighbor pacing on the porch.

  He waved the man inside. “Ralph, what’s wrong?”

  When Ralph saw Lea, he looked relieved.

  “Thank goodness, you’re here. A young man showed up at our house who claims to be a friend of Cate’s. He seems upset over questions you asked him. He wants us to know he had nothing to do with Cate's death. Denise tried to calm him but he’s quite distraught.”

  “Oh, my goodness! It must be Danny.”

  “Yes, that’s his name. What’s this all about?”

  “How did he get here?” Lea asked, astonished.

  Ralph pointed out the window. “That’s his car on our driveway.”

  “I’ll come right over,” Lea said, grabbing Ralph’s arm.

  She hollered over her shoulder as she ran from the house.

  “I’ll drive Danny home, Dad. Follow us and pick me up at his mother’s house.”

  “Check that car for signs of damage or repairs,” Warren yelled back.

  • • •

  Danny sat in the car looking miserable.

  When she got in the driver’s side, he glanced sideways at her.

  “Am I in trouble?”

  “You mustn’t go off like that without telling your mother.”

  “She wouldn’t let me go if I asked,” he whined.

  “Your mother is only concerned for your safety.”

  “She worries too much,” he muttered under his breath.

  Lea looked at him before backing out the driveway. “There’s something I need to know. You won’t get in trouble but you must tell me the truth. Do you understand?”

  He looked eager. “Is this a question-and-answer game?”

  His moods change as quickly as a chameleon, she thought. “Something like that.”

  She took a deep breath before asking the question.

  “Is there anything you should tell me about you and Cate?”

  Danny wrung his hands. His fingers trembled. “I was only trying to help. I never meant to hurt her.”

  She kept her voice calm. “What did you do, Danny? It’s all right. You can tell me.”

  His head pivoted in both directions. He looked like a frightened child.

  Lea gently coaxed him to continue. “Think back to the night of Cate’s accident. Did you want her to go with you? When she refused, did you follow her and accidentally run her off the road?”

  His eyes widened. “What are you saying? I’m talking about the recorder she asked me to keep until she decided what to do with it.”

  Lea’s pulse quickened at mention of a recorder.

  “Why would she ask you to keep it?”

  “She needed a place where no one would look.”

  She hardly knew how to respond as she struggled to understand his logic. “If you only kept the recorder, what makes you feel responsible?”

  “If I let people know I had it, I would have ended up in a ditch instead of Cate. I could have saved her life instead of being the reason she lost it.”

  She reached over and squeezed his hand. “Don’t think that. It isn’t true.”

  Though his shoulders relaxed, Lea proceeded with caution.

  “Do you still have the recorder, Danny?”

  “Did I do wrong?” His voice trembled. “I thought I was being a good friend.”

  “I understand, Danny, but I need the recorder.”

  “It belongs to Cate.” He wrung his hands. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “She would want us to have it. You’ll be helping her by giving it to me.”

  Danny folded his arms across his chest and stared out the window.

  Lea pursued another line of questioning.

  “Did you sneak your mother’s car the night of Cate’s accident?”

  Lea noted panic in his eyes before he responded. “No, I swear it.”

  “You came to see her parents. How do you know where Cate lived if you only saw her at work?”

  Another change in temperament. This time, his mood turned ugly.

  “I never followed her home,” he sneered, “if that’s what you think.”

  Tension filled the air. Lea struggled to breathe.

  I’m afraid that’s exactly what happened, she thought, if Danny was stalking Cate.

  • • •

  When her father picked her up, Lea repeated her conversation with Danny.

  “If and when, the young man coughs up the tape,” Warren said, “we must turn it over to the police. The recording may contain enough evidence for them to reopen the case.”

  Lea reluctantly agreed before he continued.

  “I can’t do it myself or Mike may accuse me of having it all along. He’d love to write me up for obstructing justice by interfering with a police investigation.”

  “We’ll cross that bridge when we get our hands on the tape,” Lea said.

  “What makes you think Danny will come through?”

  “Let’s just say I’m using the intuition and compassion I bring to our partnership.”

  Chapter 18

  Before turning in, Lea got the news she was hoping for.

  “I don’t want you to be mad at me,” a small voice said when she answered her phone.

  “I’m not mad at you, Danny.”

  “You were angry because I drove the car to Cate’s house.”

  “I was concerned about your safety. Besides, you don’t have a license which means you’re breaking the law. Do you understand?”

  “I’m not a child,” he grumbled.

  “No, you’re not a child,” she said gently.

  “I did something to make you happy,” he announced.

  She could hear a smile in his voice.

  “Oh, good. I love surprises. What did you do?”

  “I sent Cate’s secret to you.”

  Lea’s heart skipped a beat.

  “How did you send it to me? You don’t know my address.”

  “Of course I do. I took it to the post office and wrote the address on the envelope exactly as it appears on your card.”

  Lea laughed. “I see. You mailed it to Buena Viaje.”

  “Yes. I sent it to your office.”

  “That’s my home address. I work from my house.”

  “You don’t live in San Diego?”

  “My parents live here. I’m visiting them.”

  He sounded perplexed. “How can we be friends if you don’t live here?”

  “Friendship isn't limited to geographic locations. You can have friends all over the world.”

  “Think of that.” He sounded pleased with the discovery.

  She wished him good night and hung up.

  That young man continues to surprise me, she thought.

  She sent Paul a text. Package arriving by mail. FedEx to me ASAP.

  She walked into the living room.

  “May I interrupt your game?” she asked.

  “It better be important,” her father warned. “The Padres are one run down in the bottom of the ninth.”

  She didn’t worry that her news would capture his attention.

  “We may soon get our hands on the secret to Cate’s death.”

  Chapter 19

  Lea tapped the keys on her computer, getting information about the cruise. The late night call did nothing to dispel her pre-voyage jitters.

  “Tomorrow my sister sails away on her big adventure.”

  “For Pete’s sake, Maddy. It’s only a two-day cruise.”

  “Still, it’s exciting. Tell me about your room.”

  “I booked a cheap inside cabin with no window.”

  “Is that a good idea? A few extra dollars might ease your discomfort.”

  Lea ignored Maddy’s unwanted reference.

  “I’ll spend tomorrow night on board ship. Early Saturday morning, we disembark at Ensenada where the rest of the passengers will s
pend the day. Dad will meet me on the dock to find Mario’s friend. With any luck, we’ll get the information we need and be back in San Diego before dark.”

  “You aren’t going back to the ship Saturday night?”

  “This isn’t a vacation, Mad. I’m working, remember?”

  “Is that the reason or are you avoiding a second night in a closet-sized room?”

  Her sister knew her too well.

  “I plan on spending as little time as possible in close quarters,” she admitted.

  “That’s smart. Take advantage of everything offered. It would do you good to relax and have fun when you’re done playing detective.”

  “I won’t enjoy myself without Paul. I feel badly enough that I postponed our weekend plans.”

  “You never know. You might meet a tall, dark, handsome stranger.”

  “And do what? Have a fling?”

  “Of course not. But there’s no harm in kicking up your heels a bit.”

  “Never! I would never cheat on Paul.”

  “I mean on the dance floor, silly.”

  Flustered, Lea tried to end the conversation. “I have to go.”

  Maddy dropped the merriment in her voice. “All kidding aside, Sis. Be careful.”

  “There’s nothing to worry about. I’ll be with Dad in Ensenada.”

  “Nevertheless, Tom says the Mexican authorities don’t hanker to gringos poking around in their affairs.”

  Lea hung up and printed her cruise documents including a luggage tag and a boarding pass. Following Maddy’s suggestion, she booked an appointment for a facial and a massage at the spa.

  But sleep didn’t come easily.

  She tossed and turned, filled with anticipation over Danny’s news and concerns about tracking down their prime suspect on the other side of the border.

  PART TWO

  SOUTH OF THE BORDER

  Chapter 20

  The big day arrived.

  An hour before departure, Lea took a taxi to the cruise ship terminal. The check-in process was seamless allowing her to readily pass through security and board an older vessel refurbished with fresh new attractions.

  A steward approached as she walked down the hall.

  “May I help you find your cabin?”

  He used a master key to open the door to a windowless room with two single beds pushed together into a queen.

  Her heart pounded and her legs turned to rubber when she entered and looked around.

  Maddy was right, she thought. My money would have been better spent on a room with a window instead of a facial.

  The decor was simple. Crisp white sheets, a multi-colored bed runner, a small bedside lamp, and blue carpeting. Furnishings included a desk, a chair, and a flat-screen TV. A single picture hung on the wall. The tiny closet housed a safe for valuables.

  She pushed her overnight bag under the bed and followed the steward out of the room.

  “Don’t you want to settle in?” he asked.

  “I didn’t bring enough to unpack,” she said, fanning her flushed face. “I’m eager to see the rest of the ship.”

  As she moved between decks, she observed the diversity of fellow passengers. Families with children of every age and size. Couples from newlyweds to pairs in their twilight years. A few other singles.

  The style of dress was casual. Most people wore short-sleeved shirts and shorts, sun hats, and flip-flops. The only other clothes required were swimsuits or athletic wear. The two-night sailing avoided formal dress for dinner.

  For the second time in less than a week, Lea leaned on the rail of a ship leaving shore. Anticipating costly roaming charges farther out to sea, she placed a call to her father.

  “Where are you?” she asked.

  “Stuck in traffic at the border crossing.”

  “Will you get to Ensenada in time to meet your friend for dinner?”

  “Dinner in Mexico is typically between eight and nine. I’ll be there by then.”

  “I’m sorry I won’t get to see Oscar. I remember the training instructor from my visits to the police academy.”

  “You won’t miss anything. When he retired, he brought his boat to Mexico. We’ll be talking about sailing and fishing all night. You’ll have more fun on the cruise.”

  “It will probably be early to bed for me. We’ve got a long day tomorrow.”

  “Relax and enjoy yourself.”

  “That’s the advice Maddy gave me.”

  “She’s right. You take after me too much by not getting your mind off your work. You and Paul both lean to the serious side. Lighten up. Be more like your sister.”

  “Do you honestly believe I could be like Mad?”

  He joined in her laughter. “Strike that suggestion. You two aren’t wired the same. At least you’ll get a good night’s sleep, rocking on the waves.”

  Picturing her cabin, she doubted that would be the case.

  • • •

  Lea headed for the casino ahead of the after-dinner crowd.

  She walked past a game room with foosball and billiard tables through a noisy arcade filled with youngsters playing video games. Her destination was a large room filled with slot machines and poker tables. A board at the entrance announced an upcoming Texas Hold‘em tournament.

  The room was empty except for a heavy-set woman pulling the handle on a slot machine and a solitary player at a table where a striking Hispanic woman fanned a deck of cards.

  Maddy’s words came to mind. The player was bad-boy handsome with sleek black hair and two-day stubble. Before taking a seat, she inconspicuously snapped a photo to send her sister.

  He acknowledged Lea with a slight nod before picking up his chips. He left a tip on the table and walked away.

  Lea introduced herself to the dealer, Anita Valenzuela. In the absence of other players, she got right to the point.

  “I don’t want to play. I’m looking for Mario Torres.”

  “He’s not working this cruise. I’m not sure when he will be back.”

  “It’s important I locate him. Have you any idea where he is?”

  Anita shrugged. “Mario and I are friends, but only at work. We don’t stay in touch after we leave the ship.”

  Lea sneezed. She couldn’t stay in a room where smoke saturated the air.

  “I wonder if we might go somewhere and talk when you get a break. Any information you could give me about your friend would be helpful.”

  Anita’s look changed from curiosity to alarm. “What’s wrong? Has something happened to Mario?”

  “There’s no cause for concern but it’s important I speak with him.”

  “What’s this about?”

  “It relates to his girlfriend’s death.”

  The woman acknowledged Lea’s words by stepping away from the table. Looking toward a man on the far side of the room, she pointed at her watch and held up five fingers. He nodded.

  The dealer put away her cards. “We’ll go to the juice bar. I don’t want anyone to hear something which could get Mario in trouble.”

  • • •

  They stepped to the counter at the juice bar and ordered fruit smoothies. As they waited for the drinks to be prepared, they were approached by the steward who conducted Lea to her cabin.

  He smiled at his passenger. “Enjoying the cruise?”

  “So far, so good,” Lea replied.

  “Let me know if you need anything.”

  He glanced sharply at Anita before walking away.

  After receiving their drinks, they found a bench overlooking a pool where a member of the crew entertained a group of children.

  “Do you and Mario both provide entertainment and work in the casino?” Lea asked.

  Anita brushed curly, black hair away from her face. “During the day, we amuse the small fry while their parents relax by the pool or get pampered in the spa. At night when the casino gets busy, we both deal cards. Mario also emcees for karaoke and dance events.”

  “Is he popular with t
he passengers?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Anita rolled her eyes. “Especially the women. When he spins tunes, every woman on board is dying to get on the dance floor and shake her booty. If he doesn’t come back, he’ll leave broken hearts behind.”

  She flashed a coquettish smile, suggesting she was a flirt herself. “I tell his women admirers there’s always another day, another voyage, another romance.”

  “So he’s a ladies’ man?”

  “Not any longer. He lost all interest when he fell for that gringo chick.”

  “Do you know why he didn’t show up for this cruise?”

  “He called in sick. The boss warned him about missing another trip.”

  “Are you saying this absence might cost him his job?”

  She looked over her shoulder. “I don’t want the boss to know but I’m not sure Mario intends to come back.”

  “What reason would he have for quitting?”

  “He’s all torn up about his girlfriend’s accident.”

  “Did you know Cate Palmer?”

  “I met her at a party where she and I served cocktails. I was supervising cleanup when she asked if I had another job besides helping Holly. When I told her I work on a cruise ship, she got excited and asked if I knew Mario. She didn’t say she was his girlfriend but it was written all over her face.”

  “Is there any other reason Mario didn’t come on the cruise?” Lea asked.

  The woman started to speak but her lips closed before words came out.

  Lea changed her line of questioning. “Were there any changes in Mario’s work habits before the accident?”

  “What changes are you talking about?”

  “Did he appear to be distracted? Perhaps he had a confrontation with a passenger. Can you think of anything which caught your attention?”

  Anita knitted her brows in concentration. “The only thing is the man who keeps showing up at Mario’s table in the casino.”

  “Is it unusual to have regulars?”

  “I asked Mario why his player takes so many trips.”

  “What was his response?”

  “He gave some half-baked explanation about the man having an import business. Honestly, I didn’t believe him. One night the guy showed up before Mario arrived. He sat at my table and we struck up a conversation. He seemed pleasant enough until I asked if he knew Mario from other than the cruises. He clammed up and left. It was strange because he was winning. Most people aren’t savvy enough to pick up their chips and leave when they’re ahead.”