his own game.”
“Maybe…” I thought about the lawyer for a moment. “He doesn’t seem…” I took a moment to collect my thoughts. “While he’s a lawyer and you know what I think about that…he’s not the aggressive type. Not sure if he would be good for something like this.”
“If it is a kidnapping, that leaves us with somebody else who thinks Daddy Warbucks will pay a hefty price to get his daughter and grandkids back.”
“It could even be that Henry Montreal has already been contacted.”
We were in the 90210 zip code now, an exclusive neighborhood known as Trousdale Estates. Everyone from Elvis, to Frank Sinatra, to Jennifer Aniston, was said to have lived here over the years. Many of the sprawling mansions were hidden behind ivy covered fences, including the one owned by Henry Montreal.
Leo pulled up in front of some iron gates that had an intercom. “Let’s see how the other half lives.”
After announcing ourselves, the gates swung open. We parked in a circular driveway, with Darby and Mel following. The home was a modern affair, with lots of steel and glass, probably built on a lot where the original home had been torn down. I wasn’t sure if the style had a name, but I’d seen something similar in one of those architectural magazines. If I had to guess, I would have said we were in a twenty million dollar neighborhood.
We waited in the home’s whitewashed lobby while a servant announced us. Five minutes later, Henry and Georgette Montreal made an appearance. We made introductions and were ushered into a living room, the décor fitting the home’s modern, industrial appearance. Before we took seats, Georgette, a heavy-set blonde woman, asked if we had any news about their daughter and grandchildren.
“I’m sorry. There’s nothing so far, but we’re actively working on finding them.”
My words caused a stream of tears to gush from her eyes. She fell against her husband, sobbing. “I can’t believe they’re gone. Who would do such a thing?”
“That’s what we’re going to find out.”
“How can we help?” Henry Montreal asked. He was wearing a dark suit. His blue eyes fixed on Bernie for a moment before finding me again.
“It’s routine for us to talk to the family members in this kind of situation,” I said. “Did either of you know Maria Chavez?”
Georgette gave us a teary answer. “I talked to her several times while visiting Allison. She was…such a sweet girl. Is it true what…what the press is saying?” She found a tissue and blew her nose.
I knew she was talking about the decapitation. “I’m afraid so.” Henry sat stony faced. I gave his wife a moment before going on. “Usually, in these kinds of situations…” I took a breath. “Let me be frank. When there’s an unusual murder like this and the family is missing, it could mean there was a kidnapping.”
“Kidnapping,” Georgette said, looking at her husband. “Oh, God.” There was another cascade of tears.
“What exactly are you trying to say?” Henry asked, at the same time placing a hand on his wife’s shoulder, trying to offer some reassurance.
Darby answered before I could open my mouth. “If the family was taken, since you’re a wealthy man, it means they will be contacting you for a ransom.”
“But why…why would they kill the maid?”
Darby’s answer was to the point, making me wonder if he possessed even a modicum of finesse. “To send a signal they mean business, that they will do the same thing to your daughter and her kids if you don’t pay up.”
Henry Montreal drew in a breath and released it slowly. He looked at his wife, who was still crying. He looked back at us, lowering his voice. “If that’s the case, I’ll pay anything to get them back.”
Leo spoke up. “You haven’t heard from anyone, so far, have you?”
“Of course not. I’m a practical man…Detective…”
“Kingsley.”
He nodded. “I would certainly inform the authorities.” The
“Maybe…” I thought about the lawyer for a moment. “He doesn’t seem…” I took a moment to collect my thoughts. “While he’s a lawyer and you know what I think about that…he’s not the aggressive type. Not sure if he would be good for something like this.”
“If it is a kidnapping, that leaves us with somebody else who thinks Daddy Warbucks will pay a hefty price to get his daughter and grandkids back.”
“It could even be that Henry Montreal has already been contacted.”
We were in the 90210 zip code now, an exclusive neighborhood known as Trousdale Estates. Everyone from Elvis, to Frank Sinatra, to Jennifer Aniston, was said to have lived here over the years. Many of the sprawling mansions were hidden behind ivy covered fences, including the one owned by Henry Montreal.
Leo pulled up in front of some iron gates that had an intercom. “Let’s see how the other half lives.”
After announcing ourselves, the gates swung open. We parked in a circular driveway, with Darby and Mel following. The home was a modern affair, with lots of steel and glass, probably built on a lot where the original home had been torn down. I wasn’t sure if the style had a name, but I’d seen something similar in one of those architectural magazines. If I had to guess, I would have said we were in a twenty million dollar neighborhood.
We waited in the home’s whitewashed lobby while a servant announced us. Five minutes later, Henry and Georgette Montreal made an appearance. We made introductions and were ushered into a living room, the décor fitting the home’s modern, industrial appearance. Before we took seats, Georgette, a heavy-set blonde woman, asked if we had any news about their daughter and grandchildren.
“I’m sorry. There’s nothing so far, but we’re actively working on finding them.”
My words caused a stream of tears to gush from her eyes. She fell against her husband, sobbing. “I can’t believe they’re gone. Who would do such a thing?”
“That’s what we’re going to find out.”
“How can we help?” Henry Montreal asked. He was wearing a dark suit. His blue eyes fixed on Bernie for a moment before finding me again.
“It’s routine for us to talk to the family members in this kind of situation,” I said. “Did either of you know Maria Chavez?”
Georgette gave us a teary answer. “I talked to her several times while visiting Allison. She was…such a sweet girl. Is it true what…what the press is saying?” She found a tissue and blew her nose.
I knew she was talking about the decapitation. “I’m afraid so.” Henry sat stony faced. I gave his wife a moment before going on. “Usually, in these kinds of situations…” I took a breath. “Let me be frank. When there’s an unusual murder like this and the family is missing, it could mean there was a kidnapping.”
“Kidnapping,” Georgette said, looking at her husband. “Oh, God.” There was another cascade of tears.
“What exactly are you trying to say?” Henry asked, at the same time placing a hand on his wife’s shoulder, trying to offer some reassurance.
Darby answered before I could open my mouth. “If the family was taken, since you’re a wealthy man, it means they will be contacting you for a ransom.”
“But why…why would they kill the maid?”
Darby’s answer was to the point, making me wonder if he possessed even a modicum of finesse. “To send a signal they mean business, that they will do the same thing to your daughter and her kids if you don’t pay up.”
Henry Montreal drew in a breath and released it slowly. He looked at his wife, who was still crying. He looked back at us, lowering his voice. “If that’s the case, I’ll pay anything to get them back.”
Leo spoke up. “You haven’t heard from anyone, so far, have you?”
“Of course not. I’m a practical man…Detective…”
“Kingsley.”
He nodded. “I would certainly inform the authorities.” The
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