"You were about to compliment me and Liz on our incredible planning."
"Something like that, but done is done. If you hear from Liz, you call me right away, got it? I'll give you my cell number.” She dug in the backpack and pulled out one of her own business cards, writing on the back before handing it over. “If anyone asks, you tell them I gave it to you when I was out at the estate. In case you thought of anything that could help me, right? You tell Liz to call me, or give me a number where I can call her. Will she believe you if you tell her it's okay, that she can trust me?"
"Probably. Yeah, I think so."
"All right, but if not, give her that address.” She indicated the address of Jessica's House she'd written on the back. “The phone number's there, too. It's a shelter for teenagers on the west side of L.A., run by someone I trust, someone reliable. If Liz needs a ride to get there, they'll take care of it."
"What're you gonna do now?"
"That phone call was from Liz's caseworker. Everyone seems to agree that Liz trusted her, so I'm hoping she'll know something that can help me. After that, I need to figure out a way to get Mirabelle on a plane with me back to California, and then I'm going to find your friend Liz."
Kelli's eyes were big as saucers. “He'll never let her go. Not Mirabelle. Even if Liz gets away, he's already got Mirabelle and her money. You don't know what he's like, what he'll do to her."
"Actually, I have a pretty good idea, but I'll figure something out. I can't abandon her there."
Kelli was looking at her as if she'd grown another head. “Why'd he call you? I mean, you sure don't seem to like vampires much, so why you?"
Cyn stood again, her mind already working the problem of Mirabelle. “Like I said before,” she said distractedly. “He thought he could use me to get back at someone else. Unfortunately, that someone doesn't give a shit, so it won't work out the way he hoped."
"A boyfriend, huh?"
"No!” Cyn focused on the girl, surprised. “Why would you say that?"
"Yeah, I can tell,” she said smugly. “It's a boyfriend thing."
"Whatever. Listen, you've got a cell phone, right?"
"Sure."
"Give me your number.” She pushed the pen over and dug out another card, watching as the girl wrote her name and number in a childish hand, then took it back and looked it over. “Good. I've got to go. You'll be okay?"
"No problem. I'm meeting some friends later."
"And you'll call me if you hear anything? Anything at all."
"Yep."
"Okay. I don't know how much longer I'll be in Houston, but you can reach me on my cell phone wherever I am.” She slung the backpack over her shoulder and gave Kelli one last look. “Thanks for this, Kelli. It's a good thing."
Kelli blushed and ducked her head. “Yeah, well. Liz is all right."
"So are you. You make a mom proud.” She grinned. “Talk to you later."
She hurried out of the museum, figuring she had just enough time to get back to the hotel and her meeting with Ramona Hewitt.
Chapter Eleven
Ramona Hewitt was already at a table when Cyn arrived. It had taken her longer than she'd expected to get across town because, contrary to the wide open image most people had of Texas, Houston was a big city, with lots of traffic.
Hewitt looked worn out. Her neat-as-a-pin blue suit was wilted and the tidy hairdo had a halo of wisps that had escaped their rigid confinement. A glass of Scotch sat on the table in front of her.
"I hope you put that on a tab,” Cyn said, pulling out a chair to sit.
"I did."
"Good.” Cyn signaled to the waiter who hurried over after leaving a trayful of drinks at the next table.
"What can I get you ladies?"