Evil's Root

Chapter 21

In the car park, she saw the head of the man moving cautiously toward the front, and her internal warning system clanged. It stood to reason that there were more police than just the man inside. She waited until his face was turned, and she stepped across the drive into a clump of oleander, ducking down and scanning the area for an exit.

Benlow tipped his head and muttered a warning into his miniature microphone, sending Uplander into a flurry of excessive hand signals that had his men sucking their teeth. Barry was speaking to the waitress and glancing back toward the restroom area, and Benlow had the sudden sinking feeling that she had twigged to his observation.

He spoke again into the microphone and then casually made his way to the men's room. Outside, Heidi had slipped past two of the men through the shrubs and bushes flanking the restaurant, making her way down to the highway and across to the beach. Benlow paused in the corridor and listened at the ladies room door, itching to open it and peer inside. Just as he made his decision, one of the waitresses came down and gave him a funny look.

"Can I help you, sir?"

Benlow blushed and fumbled awkwardly. "My wife went in a little while ago and I was wondering if she was- if everything was okay."

"I thought you were alone." The young woman seemed to tense and he held up his hands in a placating gesture.

"She just arrived. it was a- a surprise, but she came down here and I- just. could you check inside for me?"

"I suppose there's no harm." She opened the door and he jigged up and down waiting for her to return. When she did and told him the room was empty, Benlow swore and dashed back down the hall, issuing orders into his microphone as he went.

Barry was turned toward the hallway when Benlow dashed out heading right for his table. No pumpkin, Barry realized immediately it was a cop, and he was the target. He jumped up from the table spilling two martinis and made a break for the terrace door, dragging the tablecloth with him.

Dishes, glasses, a vase of flowers and a lit candle showered the floor in front of Benlow, and he skidded trying to jump the debris, his shoe landing on a dinner knife and riding it into the next table where he fell with a crash over a chair.

Barry broke out onto the terrace and jumped over a low wall, making a beeline for the parking lot. Two policemen in uniform suddenly appeared in front of him and he veered to the left, down a set of wide stone steps to the sidewalk and right out onto the road into the path of a tour van.

The loud thump and screech of brakes brought the policeman to an abrupt halt, and they just stood and looked at the twisted form of their suspect jammed under the front wheels of the van. Uplander arrived, shouting orders and waving his arms frantically, happy to see Benlow emerge from the terrace, limping and holding one arm.

"He ran right in front of the van!" One of the policemen said guiltily.

"Has anybody checked to see if he's alive or not?" Benlow shoved them aside and knelt down next to Barry. Blood was running from his nose and one ear, and his shirt front had a dangerously large bulge around the rib cage. His eyes swam without focus and when Benlow whispered his name, he gurgled once and went still. Benlow levered himself up by the bus and cursed.

"Where's the woman?"

Uplander's face fell and he looked at his men, who looked blankly at one another.

"Aww don't tell me-"

"Detective Benlow!" Rich jogged up the road toward them. "I think your suspect just stole a small boat off the beach and headed down the coast."

"Why the hell didn't you stop her, Rich!" Uplander huffed and pointed a scolding finger.

"I was covering the rear of the restaurant, sir. She came out the south side through a storeroom door. I was just lucky to see her casting off by the time I got down to the highway." He glared at Uplander who was responsible for the south side of the restaurant, and then at the body under the van. "Is that the man?"

Benlow nodded. "You think she's heading back to the marina?"

"Couldn't really say, sir." Rich answered. "There's a bunch of waterfront homes and eateries down there. They all have docks with boats tied up. She might just steal another one. a bigger one."

"My gut feeling is she won't leave without whatever was on her boat, and the financial information I got leaves about three hundred or so thousand dollars unaccounted for."

"We could be at the marina ahead of her, Detective." Rich looked excited and eager to help.

"Let's do it. Grab a car and bring it around."

"Hey! This is my jurisdiction. I'll look after-"

"Good. While Officer Rich and I head to the marina you can look after this. It is your jurisdiction." Benlow hobbled down to the drive where Rich was exiting with the car. Uplander stood with fat fists clenched, his face suffused in a ghastly red glow.

"Are you in shit for this?" Benlow asked as they pulled out of the drive and tore down the coast road.

"Most likely. Uplander can't take being upstaged. He's an asshole."

"I figured as much. I'll do what I can when this is over to see you covered."

"That's right decent, sir. I appreciate it."

They drove the rest of the way in silence, both hoping everything would turn out okay. and soon.