Chapter 23

TWENTY-THREE

Ronnie motions for me to follow her toward the back of the residence. She says in a quiet voice, "We're being warned off. Rebecca just got a call. The voice sounded disguised and they told her to stop what she's doing or something will happen to Mom. They know she called us and that we're detectives. Let's go outside."

Ronnie leads me through the back and onto a stone deck where stairs hewn out of solid rock lead down to a larger landing. "I hoped Dad was right and she wasn't in any danger. But now we know. And the threat to harm her means there will be a ransom demand."

"They called on her cell?" I ask, to clarify.

Ronnie nods. "We can talk to the phone company, see if they can tell us where the call came from, but…"

She doesn't need to finish the sentence. The odds of the caller being dumb enough to leave a trail to their door are pretty long.

"Was the caller a man or a woman?" I ask.

"Rebecca thought it sounded more like a woman's voice but it was muffled."

"How do they know we're detectives?" Someone has been talking. "The only place we asked any questions was the resort."

Ronnie says, "I've known Roger a long time. He would never discuss this with anyone."

I say, "Missy knew your mom was missing. Tell me something, Ronnie. It might be none of my business."

"Ask."

"When we were talking to Missy at Packer's, I had the feeling that Missy had a bone to pick with Rebecca. Or your mom. She seemed to be pushing Rebecca's buttons and getting off on it."

"I don't know her. I haven't stayed at the resort for a long time. I can't imagine what my mom or sister could have done to her. We always treat the staff nice. Dad gives Christmas bonuses. Maybe she was just having a bad day."

Or maybe she's just a bitch? Maybe I should have pressed Missy harder. One rule of investigation is to not worry about what you can't change. Sheriff Gray taught me that early on. But I can feel time pressing on us. If Victoria has been taken, her kidnappers won't wait forever to finish this. I'm surprised it's taken them this long to play their hand. They're amateurs. That gives me hope they'll make a mistake and we'll catch them. On the other hand they may cut their losses and that would be bad.

"Tell me what you know of your mom's side of the family."

"Is it important?" Ronnie asks.

"I won't know until you tell me."

"I'm ashamed to admit it but I don't know much about them. I've never met them. I believe her mother and father are deceased. She never talks about any of them and I've never seen pictures." She tilts her head and asks, "How can that be?"

"Where is your mom from?"

Ronnie blushes. "I'm not really sure. I know it's horrible but they never talk about it. I mean, we may have asked when we were younger. I don't know. Maybe Rebecca knows."

One entire side of Ronnie's family doesn't exist except in very general terms from a long time ago and the one Jack told me about is a drug addict. Jack's side of the family had money, but his family ancestry is made-up. But I'm not one to judge.

I never talk about my mother, or father, or stepfather. Not even about my brother until very recently. Ronnie knows a little about my past. She shot the woman who was trying to kill me because of my past. You never know what your past will drag up from the depths of Hell. Is this some of Victoria's past coming back? Or maybe Jack's? Ronnie may be estranged from her parents but she's fiercely loyal. I respect that. I'm that way with Hayden.

Ronnie says, "On the Marsh side my dad's an only child. My grandparents are great. I visit them as often as I can, and we talk on the phone a couple of times a year. But I don't think this has anything to do with our family unless it's just about money."

"Your dad knows who wrote the note," I say. "Have you heard the name VincentLombardi?"

"Mom's maiden name is Lombardi. Now I remember. Vinnie is her younger brother. Does Dad think he is involved?"

"Your dad said Vinnie called your mom Dinky when they were kids."

Ronnie's eyes widen. "So the note was from Vinnie."

Or someone that knows Vinnie, but chances of it not being him are slim to none. "The note mentions a promise. Your dad says your uncle is an alcoholic and a gambling addict. Maybe some drugs are involved. He's gotten into trouble with gamblers in the past, and your dad bailed him out. He said your mom had helped Vinnie out in the past but your dad says he put a stop to it. Could your mom have been giving Vinnie money without your dad knowing?"

Ronnie says, "Dad has a tight grip on the money. I don't think Mom could get much but apparently I don't know a lot of things."

"We need to find Vinnie. Get Rebecca and meet me in the kitchen."

I don't want to bring it up with the sisters but maybe Victoria has left Jack or is faking her own kidnapping to get money for Vinnie's gambling debt. It's not a long stretch. Ronnie said her mom faked an injury to get Ronnie to come home from the police academy. But this doesn't sound like it's a fake. If Vinnie really is an alcoholic and drug addict, he might not be thinking straight. Maybe he's holding her against her will to try and get money from Jack. But who knows what a drug addict will do if they're in a bind? Maybe it's the people Vinnie owes that are behind this. I have a lot to consider.