executed?”
He shrugged.
“That’s odd. I figured it was just somebody looking for money and she was killed because she didn’t have anything to give them.”
“No, thieves don’t put a gun to a person’s forehead and pull the trigger. Plus, the killer must have used a silencer or someone would have heard the shot. Three people checked in at about the same time the police figured Betsy was killed. They were in and out of the parking lot getting their luggage and they didn’t hear anything. Thieves don’t carry silencers.”
My stomach dropped with each word. Executed? Why was she executed?
Tom turned the engine on.
I put my hand on his arm, “I’m not really hungry anymore, Tom.”
He nodded, “I know, but you need to eat.”
We drove out of the parking lot and into Long Beach. I leaned my head back against the headrest. The sun was low in the sky and the lights of the city were coming on. It really was beautiful but I wasn’t in the mood to enjoy it.
What did it all mean? Betsy was executed? Why? Did it have anything to do with her husband’s death or my parents? Or was it just about her? I needed Justin to look into Betsy Ruiz.
“What about Chili’s?” Tom asked. “You like their baby back ribs, and Ed at work told me there’s one near here right by the water.”
“That’s fine,” I shrugged.
It took us a while to get there. We passed several other motels which looked a lot nicer than the Nordic Inn. And when we passed a Best Western, Tom didn’t say a single word.
He bypassed the parking lot at a shopping center called The Pike, and drove into another lot. “Get out, Liza. I’m going to have them park the car.”
I looked at him, “You’re valet parking your car?”
“Sure, why not?”
“Let’s see – the cost, someone else driving your car, and a million other reasons you never use valet parking.”
He shrugged.
I put my hand on his arm, “I’m really am fine, Tom.”
He opened his door as another attendant opened mine. I grabbed my purse and stepped out. Tom joined me on my side, handed the attendant his keys, and took my arm.
“No, dear, you’re not fine. That’s the first ten minutes I’ve had of peace and quiet since I met you. It was scary.”
I tilted my head and said, “Oh, it was, was it?”
“Yes.” He leaned down and kissed me gently on the lips. “Let’s put our name in at Chili’s and see how long the wait is.” He glanced at all the people wandering around. “It’s got to be at least an hour. We can walk by the water and you can tell me what’s got your mind racing.”
“What a wonderful idea.” I linked my fingers in his. “I love walking and talking with you.”
He smiled. “Stop buttering me up, Liza. You’re going to tell me what’s going on, remember?”
I nodded.
While Tom went inside to check on the wait, I sat on the bench outside the restaurant. The weather was warm and many people were out walking. Teenagers were riding skateboards, and I saw a few cops on bicycles going down the walkway by the water. Tom should get those for his men, I thought. Some could sure use the exercise.
A yacht pulled into the dock, and I stood to get a better look. It was a beautiful boat with a center mast that had to be at least fifty feet tall. I felt someone bump me from behind. I turned, it was a teenager on a skateboard.
“Sorry,” he said.
I smiled, “It’s okay.”
He grabbed my purse and took off. As he ran he dug through the purse, probably looking for my wallet.
I screamed and ran after him.
Chapter 7
I chased him down the walkway, screaming at him the entire way. People were stopping and staring, but no one helped! The two cops I’d seen earlier on bikes turned around. They headed toward the running boy. Finally, some help.
The boy threw my purse to someone in an idling boat who caught it and took off.
One cop grabbed the kid and the other got on his cell phone.
My heart tried to pound its way out of my chest by the
He shrugged.
“That’s odd. I figured it was just somebody looking for money and she was killed because she didn’t have anything to give them.”
“No, thieves don’t put a gun to a person’s forehead and pull the trigger. Plus, the killer must have used a silencer or someone would have heard the shot. Three people checked in at about the same time the police figured Betsy was killed. They were in and out of the parking lot getting their luggage and they didn’t hear anything. Thieves don’t carry silencers.”
My stomach dropped with each word. Executed? Why was she executed?
Tom turned the engine on.
I put my hand on his arm, “I’m not really hungry anymore, Tom.”
He nodded, “I know, but you need to eat.”
We drove out of the parking lot and into Long Beach. I leaned my head back against the headrest. The sun was low in the sky and the lights of the city were coming on. It really was beautiful but I wasn’t in the mood to enjoy it.
What did it all mean? Betsy was executed? Why? Did it have anything to do with her husband’s death or my parents? Or was it just about her? I needed Justin to look into Betsy Ruiz.
“What about Chili’s?” Tom asked. “You like their baby back ribs, and Ed at work told me there’s one near here right by the water.”
“That’s fine,” I shrugged.
It took us a while to get there. We passed several other motels which looked a lot nicer than the Nordic Inn. And when we passed a Best Western, Tom didn’t say a single word.
He bypassed the parking lot at a shopping center called The Pike, and drove into another lot. “Get out, Liza. I’m going to have them park the car.”
I looked at him, “You’re valet parking your car?”
“Sure, why not?”
“Let’s see – the cost, someone else driving your car, and a million other reasons you never use valet parking.”
He shrugged.
I put my hand on his arm, “I’m really am fine, Tom.”
He opened his door as another attendant opened mine. I grabbed my purse and stepped out. Tom joined me on my side, handed the attendant his keys, and took my arm.
“No, dear, you’re not fine. That’s the first ten minutes I’ve had of peace and quiet since I met you. It was scary.”
I tilted my head and said, “Oh, it was, was it?”
“Yes.” He leaned down and kissed me gently on the lips. “Let’s put our name in at Chili’s and see how long the wait is.” He glanced at all the people wandering around. “It’s got to be at least an hour. We can walk by the water and you can tell me what’s got your mind racing.”
“What a wonderful idea.” I linked my fingers in his. “I love walking and talking with you.”
He smiled. “Stop buttering me up, Liza. You’re going to tell me what’s going on, remember?”
I nodded.
While Tom went inside to check on the wait, I sat on the bench outside the restaurant. The weather was warm and many people were out walking. Teenagers were riding skateboards, and I saw a few cops on bicycles going down the walkway by the water. Tom should get those for his men, I thought. Some could sure use the exercise.
A yacht pulled into the dock, and I stood to get a better look. It was a beautiful boat with a center mast that had to be at least fifty feet tall. I felt someone bump me from behind. I turned, it was a teenager on a skateboard.
“Sorry,” he said.
I smiled, “It’s okay.”
He grabbed my purse and took off. As he ran he dug through the purse, probably looking for my wallet.
I screamed and ran after him.
Chapter 7
I chased him down the walkway, screaming at him the entire way. People were stopping and staring, but no one helped! The two cops I’d seen earlier on bikes turned around. They headed toward the running boy. Finally, some help.
The boy threw my purse to someone in an idling boat who caught it and took off.
One cop grabbed the kid and the other got on his cell phone.
My heart tried to pound its way out of my chest by the
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