“That’s pretty elaborate.”
“So was the crime scene.”
He exhaled in several bursts and took the single stride that led to his desk. Plopping into his chair, he made it whinny in protest. “So where the hell is she?”
I said, “If the key was setting Dugong up as an unwitting character reference, she’s anywhere but where she was supposed to be. That could mean she never left the building but is out of view—like that back-of-the-back room. Or she got away without being spotted—walked a few miles west and was picked up, maybe by her co-conspirator.”
He rubbed his face. “Who isn’t Dugong. All right, let’s go for horses, not zebras, and try her damn apartment.”
—
I drove and Milo called Sleepy, asking him to get Dugong a free ticket on the next flight to Key West.
“You like being in debt?”
“We’ll find a way to even up.”
“This guy’s a C.I.?”
“Something like that.”
A beat. “If there’s a cheap seat, I’ll do it,” said Sleepy, “but man, you’re compounding interest.”
Seconds later: texted verification of the flight number.
Milo called Binchy. Binchy whispered, “Great, he’ll be happy.”
“Why the hush-hush?”
“He fell asleep, Loot. Maybe emotional overload?”
Milo clicked off. “My designated bleeding-heart. Think he could use some therapy for the balcony stuff?”
“Yup.”
“Should I order it?”
“Give him more time,” I said. “I’m keeping an eye out.”
He smiled. “Such a nurturing environment we’ve created. Okay, let’s get a look at Medina’s natural habitat.”
—
Not to be.
Okash’s building was well maintained, full security, with an in-house manager, a woman named Ada Mansour who responded to Milo’s buzzer-push with a snappish “Police?” and took her time appearing.
Fifties, stocky, bleached blonde in a brown shirt with faint military overtones over tan stretch pants and a scowl that looked sewn-on.
She sidled through one of a pair of glass doors, folded her arms across her chest as she listened to Milo’s request.
Responding before his final word faded. “Nope, can’t let you in.”
Milo said, “It’s a welfare check, ma’am.”
“Based on what?”
“Ms. Okash is missing.”
