California Schemin' - Kate George [67]
Wendy led us past the bed and the bathroom to a bookcase against the wall. She dropped a couple of books on the floor and pulled a key out of her pocket. I moved up behind her so I could see there was a keyhole in the back of the bookcase. She inserted the key and yanked on what I had assumed was a decorative knob for hanging towels on the wall between the bathroom door and the shelves. The whole wall, books and all, swung forward, revealing a doorway into a typical basement storage area.
Beau looked at me and shrugged. We followed her past sleds, skis and snowboards. There were a couple of ski machines at the back near a set of garage doors and a light went on in my head. Under the deck at the front of the house were a couple of garage doors. I hadn’t given a thought to them, but of course the main rooms of the house were upstairs. Beau’s room was on the same level as the garage basement. Street level.
“We need to wait until they tow the limos up here.” Wendy went to a small window in the garage door. “Paris is going to make sure the Jeep isn’t blocked. We’re bored and fed up with the thugs Dad’s got hanging around, so we told dad we’re going to the movies in Nevada City. We’re driving ourselves. Dad’s not happy, but I’m twenty-one, so he has no choice. I’ll knock on the door five minutes before we leave. You come through here. Shut the wall and bring the key. Don’t open the big doors, they make too much noise. There’s a regular door over there,” Wendy pointed. “The key will unlock it. I’ll back the Jeep as close as I can, and you guys jump in the back seat.”
“What if they’re watching?” I asked.
“They’ll never keep up with the Jeep in a limo, if either of them is drivable. I’ll take you to my real mom’s, and we’ll tell her what’s up. She’s a lawyer in Sacramento. You’ll be safe with her.”
Wendy led us back through the garage and locked the bookcase but left the key in the lock.
“Just be ready,” she said and ran up the stairs and out the door.
“Lara Croft. Should have known.” Beau watched Wendy leave with admiration on his face.
I sat on the couch and looked at the view.
“I thought life was strange after I found Vera’s body,” I said. “That was nothing compared to this. I feel like I’m in some weird role-playing game. Any moment someone is going to come out and say ‘Sorry, you lose,’ and send me home.”
“You wish.” Beau sat next to me and dropped his arm across my shoulder. “Getting back to normal isn’t going to be that simple. Nothing I believed about the world appears to be true here. Vermont is small time compared to all this.” He turned to me and kissed my forehead. “You need to do anything before we leave? Write a secret message in the kitchen cabinet so the cops can find it? Collect your luggage?”
“Luggage?” I snorted. “I was drugged and abducted. I flew across America in my sweatpants and an old tee-shirt. I suppose Hammie has my driver’s license and who knows what else, but I’ll just have to replace that stuff when I get home. If I never see Richard Hambecker again, it will be too soon.”
“Jeez, don’t sugarcoat it, MacGowan.” Beau laughed. “I wouldn’t want to be him and meet you in a dark alley. His chances of coming away with all his parts are slim.”
“Better believe it.” I laid my head on his shoulder. “I missed you, Maverick, but at least you weren’t worrying about where I was the last few days. Meg is probably going out of her mind. I haven’t been near a working phone in days.” I sat up straight. “Wait. Do you have your phone with you?”
“Sorry, Darlin’, they told me not to bother bringing it. No service up here. Sounded plausible to me. I’m not married to my cell at the best of times. I figure if I need to make a call, I can find a pay phone.”
“I’m here to tell you, pay phones are few and far between. I searched all over Sacramento and couldn’t find one. Next time, bring it just in case.