odds of her being alive seemed pretty good, and seemed better the more he thought about it. And if she was alive, he had a pretty good idea how to find her.
Hicks was deciding what to tell the cowboy when Ramos called. Three deceased males had been found in a residence. The men had not been identified, and appeared to have died in a gunfight. It was unknown whether additional individuals were involved, but no other persons, living or dead, had been found. Ramos phoned from his car, on his way to the scene.
Hicks hung up with a nervous resolve.
He knew what to tell the cowboy.
Hicks raised his phone again, and called.
Riley answered.
“Yes, Mr. Hicks?”
“We have a problem.”
Riley’s silence sounded like death.
“Tell me what happened.”
“Joe Pike happened. We need to talk.”
41.
Riley refused to discuss it on the phone. He told Hicks to meet him outside an all-night café on Hillhurst, not far away. Hicks arrived first, which surprised him, and pulled into a little parking lot next door. He half-expected a cowboy to step up and start blasting, so he kept his gun handy, and called Blanch.
“Stegner get you?”
Blanch answered in the creepy hoarse whisper.
“Is it over?”
“So far as I know, she’s still alive. She wasn’t at the house when the cops arrived.”
“Mm.”
“Tell Stegner. Tell him to stay on her house.”
“Shall I keep him company?”
“No. You’ll be with me. First, call the area hospitals. Make up some crap like you heard your sister was shot, and find out if she’s been admitted.”
“I know what to say.”
“I gotta deal with the shitkickers. I’ll pick you up when I finish.”
“Of course. Where shall I be?”
“Sunset and Fairfax, the southwest corner. There’s a big parking lot behind the drugstore.”
“I’ll be there.”
Riley’s car pulled up at the curb. Riley saw Hicks, and stared.
Hicks raised a finger, the finger saying hang on. He slipped the pistol into his pocket.
“Now listen, I’m here on Hillhurst to meet Riley—”
Hicks twisted around to see the café’s sign, and repeated the name.
“Shouldn’t take more than ten minutes. I’ll call when I leave. If you don’t hear from me, or I don’t show up—”
“I understand.”
Riley stepped from his car, and approached.
“Gotta go. They’re here.”
Hicks climbed out to meet him. Two more cowboys appeared, but remained by Riley’s car. They were big ol’ boys with empty eyes, and stood out among the Hillhurst hipsters like a couple of Brahman bulls.
Riley didn’t offer his hand, and neither did Hicks.
Riley said, “We’re disappointed.”
“I’m disappointed, too. What’d your boss say?”
“I’ll tell him when I know how this happened.”
Hicks was so angry he wanted to throw fists, but he tried to stay calm.
“Remind the man my advice was to back off, and approach the girl slowly. But, no. We did it his way. Fast and stupid.”
Riley’s eyes were as flat as two plates.
“What else should I tell him?”
“Tell him I was wrong. She has the money. She’s had it all along. I believe we can get it.”
“I’m listening.”
“The dude who canned Karbo and Bender. Pike.”
“The Samaritan.”
“According to the police report, he was, yeah. Her customer, they said. Even Karbo and Bender bought it. They were wrong. He wasn’t.”
“I don’t see how this matters.”
“I saw him take down Karbo and Bender. The way he hit those guys, he put them down like nothing.”
Riley glanced at his men.
“So he’s rough. These boys are rough.”
“He was at her home this morning. If he was only a bystander, why would he be at her home?”
Riley frowned, but now he seemed curious, so Hicks kept going.
“I made a couple of calls. Pike wasn’t just some guy who happened to be there. He’s a professional operator.”
“An operator. Meaning, what, a commando?”
“A professional soldier, Riley, what they call a private military contractor. The dude is high-end muscle for hire. I think she hired him.”
Riley seemed interested for the first time.
“A bodyguard?”
“Yes.”
“You’re saying she’s with him?”
“Riley, listen, I’m talking out my ass, okay? For all I know, she shot my guys, but I think he found her, and busted her out. And I’ll tell you something else.”
“What?”
“He’s after the money. That’s why he was at the bank, and why he was at her home. He wants the money.”
Riley glanced at his men.
“Do you know where to find him?”
“He lives here. I can find him if I need to, but I think I can find the girl.”
Riley glanced at his men again.
“You’re down three people. We can help.”
“If she’s with Pike, I’ll take you up on it.”
“I’ll let my employer know. He’ll be upset,