Blink of an Eye

by Roy Johansen

  “Believe it.”

  Jesse nodded, but Kendra knew that she was still worried out of her mind. Words weren’t going to help. Try to distract her. “Come on.” She motioned toward a pair of white wooden beach chairs out on the back patio. “Let’s sit down and take in that million-dollar view. I can tell you what I learned from Kelland on the way down here.”

  “Kelland? You talked to him?”

  “He took my call right away, believe it or not.” Kendra opened the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the patio. “And I don’t think my friends at the San Diego FBI office even had to lean on him to do it.”

  Jessie joined her outside. “Why are you surprised? I think you impressed him last night. And he’s probably heard how much his colleagues have benefited from your help over the years.”

  “Maybe.” Kendra sat down and gazed at the canal. “Anyway, they got some info on those speaker cabinets backstage. They were delivered about one thirty in the afternoon, shortly before the sound check. Delilah’s crew thought they belonged to the Bowl, and venue staff thought they were part of Delilah’s show. No one paid attention to the speakers, but there’s some thought that the people who took Delilah may have been hiding inside them all day.”

  “I had the same thought,” Jessie said. “Did cameras get the truck making the delivery?”

  “Yes. Looks like the same van that took her away last night. The big speakers were rolled off, and the van left immediately. The two guys pushing the speaker shells don’t pop up on any other surveillance cams until last night, when they were rolling the speaker back during the show. The FBI is swabbing the hell out of the remaining speakers. If those guys left so much as a drop of perspiration in there, we’ll soon have their DNA.”

  “Good. In the meantime, I want to talk to her crew.”

  “Which ones?”

  “All of them. Every single one.”

  “You think it was an inside job?”

  Jessie shrugged. “It’s hard to pull off this kind of thing without some intimate backstage knowledge. You never know.”

  Kendra pulled out her phone and started typing. “I’ll send Kelland a text and see if he’ll help set that up. They’ll probably be questioning the crew themselves, and maybe they’ll let us tag along.”

  “Most of her tour crew have been with her from the beginning. I know them. They’re a great bunch of people. They were always very protective of Dee.”

  “She was fifteen when she started, right?”

  “Professionally. But she actually started singing when she was thirteen. She recorded dozens of videos of herself singing songs in her family’s little apartment up in Lancaster. A lot of the songs were originals. Within a couple years, she had a million followers. She landed the Disney Channel show, then a recording contract, and everything else came pretty quickly after that.”

  “Has anyone notified her mother?”

  The subject brought a sour look to Jessie’s face. “I called her this morning. She’s in France with the latest in a long line of loser husbands.”

  “Is she coming back here?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Really?”

  “She said there’s nothing she can do for her daughter here that she can’t do there. She seemed more concerned about her monthly check than anything else.”

  “Touching.”

  “Yeah, Gina Winter is a piece of work. Incredibly selfish and overbearing. Dee became a much happier person when she got her own place and encouraged her mom to move to Europe. Trust me, we’re all better off with that woman staying exactly where she is.”

  “Got it.” Kendra’s phone rang in her hands, and she checked the screen. “It’s Kelland. That was fast.” Kendra pressed the button to answer. “Hi, Kelland. I’m here with Jessie. You’re on speaker.”

  “Hello, ladies. I just got your text. We’ve actually already spoken to most of the stage crew.”

  Jessie leaned closer to Kendra’s phone. “So you won’t mind if I take a crack at them?”

  “Free country.”

  “Good.”

  “But let me ask you something, Jessie. What can you tell me about Adrian Nash?”

  Jessie frowned, thinking. “Sound guy. Small build, longish blond hair?”

  “Sounds like him.”

  “He’s been with Dee’s stage crew for years. I can’t tell you much more. Why? Did he set off alarm bells for you guys?”

  “You could say that. He’s missing.”

  Kendra and Jessie glanced at each other.

  “Since when?” Jessie asked.

  “Since immediately after everyone left the Bowl early this morning. His live-in girlfriend said he never came home. No one’s heard from him.”

  Jessie thought about this. “It wouldn’t be the first time a roadie went home with someone else after a show.”

  “She says he isn’t like that. He missed a doctor’s appointment and a lunch date. I’m about to run over and talk to her. If you’d care to join us…”

  “What’s the address?” Kendra said.

  “It’s in Palms, just off National. I’ll text it to you.”

  Jesse nodded. “Right. We’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

  “See you there.”

  Kendra cut the connection.

  CHAPTER

  4

  Kendra and Jessie rolled to a stop in front of a one-story Spanish-style home in the West L.A. community of Palms, on a street uncomfortably close to the din of the 405 freeway.

  Kelland was already there. He climbed out of his Ford Explorer, pulling a dark suit jacket over his broad shoulders.

  Kendra and Jessie joined him on the sidewalk. “Thanks for letting us in on this,” Kendra said. “We appreciate it.”

  Kelland shrugged. “You’re welcome. According to my boss, we should be the ones grateful to you. He got an earful from the special agent in charge of the San Diego office.”

  Kendra asked, “Michael Griffin?”

  “Yes. He said we’d be complete idiots not to include you for whatever extent you choose to be involved in our investigation. After seeing you in action last night, I tend to agree.” A warm smile lit his face. “Griffin says he’s been trying to get you to join the Bureau for years.”

  “I value my sanity far too much for that.”

  “Yet you’ve been involved in the office’s most high-profile cases of the past few years.”

  Kendra grimaced. “I guess I just don’t value my sanity enough.”

  “How many cases has it been? Twenty-eight, twenty-nine?”

  “Don’t remind me. Not all of them have been for the FBI. And I’ve turned down ten times that number.”

  “So I’ve heard. There are days I wish I could do that.”

  “Like today?” Jessie said.

  Kelland shook his head. “No. Believe me, I want to find Delilah Winter as much as you do. And we will.” He gestured to the house in front of them. “But I’m not sure if this will help us do that.”

  Kendra strode quickly toward the front door. “Let’s find out.”

  Kelland and Jessie had barely caught up with her when she rapped on the door. It opened to reveal a small woman in shorts and a tank top. She eyed them nervously. “Yes?”

  Kelland stepped forward. “Katy Wynn?”

  “Yes?”

  “I’m Special Agent Kelland. FBI.” Kelland flashed his ID. “And these two women are helping us on the case. We want to talk to you about Adrian Nash.”

  She cast a wary glance at them. “Did you find him?”

  “Afraid not,” Kelland said. “That’s why we’re here.”

  “I don’t have anything more to say.” She stepped back from the door and moved to close it.

  Jessie slapped her palm against the door and pushed back. “Let’s give it a shot. You want to help Adrian, don’t you?” She cocked her head. “Or maybe you don’t.”

  “Of course I do,” she answered quickly.

  “Then talk
to us.”

  “I’ve already talked to another FBI agent and a cop.”

  “Which is why we’re here,” Kelland said gently. “Just following up. Okay?”

  Katy nodded reluctantly.

  “May we come in?”

  She pulled the door open wide and walked back into the house.

  Kendra glanced around as they followed her inside. The small house was decorated with framed concert posters, many autographed, that she assumed must have come from Nash’s previous tour jobs. The décor and furnishings had a definite masculine vibe, suggesting that Katy had only recently moved in.

  “Your boyfriend is Delilah Winter’s sound guy?” she asked.

  Katy nodded. “Second audio engineer.”

  “He works in the booth?” Kelland said.

  “No. On the stage. He manages the microphones for the instruments and vocalists.”

  Kelland looked at several framed photographs of Adrian, posing with such rock luminaries as Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and Paul Simon. “I remember him. We spoke to Adrian briefly at the Bowl before we let the crew go.” Kelland pulled out his phone and swiped his finger across the screen.

  Kendra leaned over and saw he was scrolling through photos he’d taken of the crew members. He finally stopped at what was clearly Nash. “Yeah, I remember him. He said he assumed the big speakers were there for another show this weekend.” Kelland glanced up at Katy. “We released everyone by four thirty A.M. You’re sure he didn’t come home while you were sleeping?”

  “Positive. He would’ve had to turn off the alarm, which would have woken me up. I’ve been here all day. I’d know if he was in the house.”

  “Have you tried calling him?” Jessie said.

  “About fifty times. It just goes to voicemail.”

  Kendra scanned the room, looking for something, anything that would give her insight into the missing man. She paid special attention to the cluttered foyer table and the kitchen’s overflowing trash can. “Has he behaved or spoken in a way you might call unusual?”

  Katy shook her head. “He’s been on tour with Delilah Winter. I joined him two or three weekends a month, and things were the same as always. He seemed happy to be back home. We’re supposed to drive up to Big Sur together next week.” She looked down. “I thought he might be going to propose there.”

  Kendra smiled. “He may still.” She was still glancing around the room. She stiffened. Yes, that might be it. Now pull it all together…

  “Maybe,” Katy said. “I don’t want to talk about it now.”

  “Is there anyone else who may have an idea where he went?” Kelland said. “A friend, a coworker…”

  “He’d tell me before he’d tell anyone. But I did check with a couple friends of his. I’m so upset. No one has any idea where he is.”

  “Really?” Kendra asked softly. “Aren’t you laying it on a little thick, Katy?”

  Katy’s gaze flew up to meet her. “What?”

  “You heard me.” Kendra tried to sound threatening. It was hard to do because there was something vulnerable about the woman that reminded her of a lost kitten. “I don’t have to tell you that it may appear suspicious that he went on the run just hours after Delilah Winter was abducted on his stage.”

  “Suspicious?” Katy recoiled at the word.

  “Yes,” Kendra said. “Even more suspicious than it is for you to stand there and lie to us.”

  She could tell Jessie and Kelland were almost as surprised to hear this as Katy. “I know Adrian was here this morning,” she said. “He packed a rolling bag and left. I think you even helped him. Maybe you carried another bag out to his truck. Or maybe a large van or camping vehicle?”

  Katy stepped back and raised her hands in an almost-defensive posture. “What in the hell is going on here?”

  Kendra moved toward her. “You tell us, Katy. But be careful. You’ve already lied to the FBI. That alone can get you jail time. How deep do you want to bury yourself?”

  Katy’s eyes widened as she tried to think frantically. “One of my neighbors told you, didn’t they?”

  “Does it really make any difference? Start by telling us where he went.”

  “I don’t know. He said he parked his pickup on the street a couple blocks from here. He left in an old RV he inherited from his parents. I have no idea where he went.”

  Kendra shot her a skeptical look.

  Katy’s eyes were tearing. “Really, I have no idea!”

  Kelland gave Kendra the faintest nod of approval before turning back to Katy. “Okay, let’s back this up. I want to hear about every second you had with him this morning. Don’t leave one word out. What you say next could mean the difference between spending the night in jail and not. Do you understand?”

  Katy nodded.

  “Good. So when did he get home?”

  Katy was silent for a long moment, as if weighing her options. Finally she replied, “About five this morning. He came straight from the Bowl. He was freaked.”

  “About what?” Jessie said.

  “Delilah’s kidnapping. He said some security guys had been killed.”

  Kelland nodded. “What else did he say?”

  “He said he had to get the hell out of here. Right away. Like at that very moment.”

  “Why?” Kendra said.

  “He wouldn’t say. He said the less I knew, the better.”

  “He used those words?” Jessie said.

  “Exactly. He was scaring me. He wouldn’t even let me go with him.”

  “Okay, so where was he headed?” Kelland asked.

  “He wouldn’t tell me.”

  Kelland clicked his tongue. “You wouldn’t be holding out on us, would you?”

  “No. I’m telling you, he was here only long enough to change clothes and pack a bag. Then he was gone.” Katy crossed her arms in front of her. “I’ve never seen him like that. He was scared.”

  “Scared of what?” Kelland said. “The police?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

  “Then what was he afraid of?”

  “I…don’t know. He’d been acting kind of strange since he got back into town.”

  “You said he was happy to be back.”

  “He was. It’s just that sometimes he was kind of…distant. He was on the phone a lot.”

  “Was that unusual?” Jessie said.

  “Not by itself. Whenever he finished a tour, he was trying to line up his next one. But in the last few days…” Her voice trailed off.

  “If you want to help him, you need to talk to us,” Kendra said.

  Katy looked away, then back. “He left the room when he was on the phone. He didn’t usually do that. I joked that he was having an affair, but he said he needed to concentrate.”

  “Did you believe him?” Jessie said.

  “I don’t know. I didn’t really think he was having an affair. He really cares about me. And a couple times I could hear that he was talking to a man and he’s definitely not gay. I think Adrian met him for breakfast on Tuesday or Wednesday.”

  “Now, why did you lie to us?” Kendra asked.

  Katy nervously ran her fingers through her hair. “Adrian told me not to tell anybody that he’d left town. I don’t know why. It was important to him. It was the last thing he said to me before he left.”

  “We’re going to need you to call him,” Kelland said. “We’ll have a better chance of him picking up if he sees it’s you.”

  “That won’t be possible.” She held up her hand. “I’m trying to cooperate, dammit.”

  “Then why won’t you call him?”

  Katy walked over to a coffee table and pulled open a drawer. She picked up an iPhone and showed it to them. “It’s Adrian’s. He didn’t want to take it with him.”

  “Did he say why?” Kelland said.

  “No. He just said he bought a new one.”

  Kelland extended his hand. “May I?”

  Katy handed it to him.


  Kelland tapped the screen and flicked his thumb over it.

  “Password-protected?” Jessie said.

  “No.” Kelland furrowed his brow as his thumb flew across the screen. “Not at all. This phone has been wiped clean. There are no apps, contacts, call history, or email accounts. It looks like a total factory reset.” He looked up at Katy. “Did you know he’d done that?”

  “No. He must have done it before he got back here this morning. He said he’d call me with his new number.”

  Kelland pulled a plastic evidence bag from his jacket’s breast pocket. “Do I have your permission to take this?”

  “I thought you said the phone had been erased.”

  “It has. But there’s erased and there’s erased. It could still be helpful to us. May I take it?”

  Katy wrestled with this before finally nodding. “Okay.”

  Kelland bagged the phone. “Please do not dispose of or otherwise remove anything from the premises. Do you understand me?”

  Katy seemed disturbed by this. “That’s what they say on all the cop TV shows. Is Adrian in trouble?”

  “That’s what we’re trying to find out. It may be nothing. A big part of our job is to clear potential suspects.”

  “Look, Adrian adores Delilah. He told me once that she took less on her last contract so that they’d up the money to the musicians and crew. You can’t think he had anything to do with what happened to her.”

  “The sooner we talk to him, the sooner we can clear all this up. Can we count on your help?”

  She responded with a weak nod.

  Kelland handed her his card. “Call when you hear from him. Try and get him to come back. I guarantee it would be for his own good.”

  Katy looked shell-shocked, Kendra thought. Her face was red, and she was on the verge of tears. No lost kitten, but she was scared, and Kendra had helped to make her that way. She put a hand on Katy’s arm as she passed her. “Do as he says,” she said quietly. “You’ll be okay. One more thing. Have you left the house at all today?”

  Katy shook her head no.

  “We’ll be in touch.” Kendra followed Kelland and Jessie down the short driveway and stood on the sidewalk near their cars.

  Kelland turned toward Kendra and spoke in a low voice. “How in the hell did you know that stuff about Adrian coming back here and leaving with the suitcase? That was too much detail for a bluff.”