“There isn’t any. Everything was cash. I’ll just need her signature for the deposit return.”
“I guess I didn’t make myself clear. Dora’s driver’s license was in her purse. I need its number to have it replaced. You obviously have it or you wouldn’t know her name.”
The man behind the counter studied Wally for a moment. “All she needs is her name.”
“And in her state it will take two weeks to get a new license. She was on the phone to them earlier. With the number they can fax a temporary permit.”
The clerk was undecided. He was obviously uncomfortable with the situation.
“Her flight takes off within the hour. She has to drive home from her airport. If by chance she is in an accident without a license, liability for whatever happens to her may well attach itself to you.”
He tightened his lips. Then, keeping the papers so Wally couldn’t see them, read, “FENDERT451N7.” He put the file out of sight and folded his hands on the counter as though saying, `if you think you’re getting any more out of me, think again.’
Wally wrote down the letters and numbers. “Let’s go, Dora.” He took Cilla by the arm and went out of the office.
“Hey, your deposit!”
“Keep it for your trouble,” said Wally, closing the door behind him.
“We don’t know the state,” said Cilla.
“Not yet. Let me have your cell phone.”
“I never use them. I don’t like people calling me whenever they want.”
Carter sighed and went looking for a telephone. Ten minutes later he turned to Cilla. “Let’s get moving. We’ve got a plane to catch, and the tickets are waiting for us.”
“To where?”
“Washington.”
“D.C.?”
“State.”
Cilla looked at him. “We might be gone days! I’d better call Kurt.”
“What will you tell him?”
“I don’t know...Whatever I tell him I’m telling Frances.”
“A problem developed with the order for your new lift.”
She thought a moment. “Production difficulties could have come up. I might have to fly to Germany,” She paused. “What will the FBI be guarding when we’ve all disappeared?”
“Come on. They’re boarding now. You can call later.”
“Do we know where in Washington?” Cilla asked as they broke into a trot.
“Olympia.”
“How did you find out?”
“Friend at Motor Vehicle,” Wally puffed. “The tech age!” It was said like an epithet. “Anybody can learn anything about anyone.”
Chapter 24
They drove by the house on North Garrison in their rented Buick. It was close to dark, yet no lights burned in the one-story ranch.
“Here it is.” Cilla studied the house from the driver’s window.
“Yes. Looks like they’re out.”
“Perhaps they were never here. Maybe she didn’t use her own house to hide Loni. For fear it could be traced.”
“That’s giving them too much credit. Three thousand miles. Who’d find them here?”
“We did.”
“We had somebody to follow.”
Cilla stopped the car at the end of the street, still in sight of the house, and turned to Carver. “That possibility must have occurred to them.”
The old man looked back down the street. They were parked over a block away, facing the gray ranch but behind two other cars. “I’d have someone in a nearby house to keep watch for strangers.”
“So we can’t arouse suspicion from anyone in the neighborhood.” Cilla bit a knuckle. “Do I sell girl scout cookies?”
“No one to sell to. We wait.”
An hour passed. And then two. Cilla ran the engine every fifteen minutes for warmth. She’d never minded cold herself, and the temperature couldn’t be lower than forty-five compared to the twenties they’d left back in New Hampshire. Wally had his arms tightly wound around his chest, but she knew he wouldn’t show weakness if he froze to death. There was no conversation. The only thing they had in common, thought Cilla, was Hudson, and Wally would deny they now had that. She bent her toes toward her shin to exercise the muscles. Wally had levered the passenger seat back and appeared to be asleep, though she knew he wasn’t. She’d learned patience at the ashram, but if Hudson was in that house just a hundred yards away...She focused her thoughts on Wally.
“Time we made a move.” Carver brought the seat upright. “I’m not going to spend the whole night in this damn car. It’s dark enough. We’ll leave the car here.” He climbed out, slapping his hands together. “And leave your bag here; I’ll take the keys.”
Cilla considered telling him to lock the car. No, they might need it quickly. There was nothing in it to take anyway.
They approached on the same side of the street as the house. There were still no lights. A fence ran along the side nearest them, and they crept between it and the house, peeking in windows. They’d almost made a complete circuit of the ranch when Cilla took Wally’s arm and pulled him into some bushes.
“What...?
“Someone’s coming,” she whispered.
A shape appeared at the end of the driveway, and, as they watched, went directly to the front door, opened it and entered. With Wally by the arm, Cilla retraced her steps to a window. Whoever it was turned on no lights, so they could see nothing. Suddenly there was a glimmer of light, not a lamp...“The front door! He’s leaving!” It was Wally’s turn to grab Cilla’s arm. Together they raced around the house. The headlights from a passing car caught the figure of a woman crossing the street. When the car had passed, the two walked quietly down the driveway. From behind a tree they saw the woman mount the steps of a blue house across the street.
“Hypothesis confirmed,” said Wally with satisfaction.
“They’re using both houses,” said Cilla.
“Or just one. I don’t think there’s anyone in this one. Looks as though she just came over to pick something up.”
“Then Hudson’s in the one over there.”
“A little soon for that conclusion. But I think we’ve just seen Dora Fender. Hudson can’t be far away.”
They crossed the street. In the yard was a car, which in the dim light looked dark blue.
“Wally, you wait for me behind this car. I’m going to see who’s inside.”
Wally stiffened. “No indeed. If you think I’m...”
“You’re an old white man. You have neither youth nor Indian skills for skulking.”
For the first time since she’d known him, Carver was momentarily speechless. Cilla ran silently up the driveway. It was a two story raised ranch. There was no one in the front room, but in the kitchen, Dora - if that’s who it was - was talking to a girl whose back was to the window. As she watched, the girl turned slightly. Cilla gasped. It could have been herself sitting there! Without question it was Loni. She studied the girl with wonder, then calculation. In a few minutes she crept back to Carver to tell him what she’d seen. “There’s no one else on the ground floor.”
“Then he’s upstairs,” announced Wally.
“I need ten minutes with Loni.”
“You can get her to talk to you in that period?”
“I have an idea.”
“You do.” As though there was a better chance of acquiring one in a fortune cookie.
“I do.”
“Tell me.”
“Wally, they could leave at any moment. If I can bring it off you’ll know it.”
“I don’t want you fouling our chances of rescuing Hudson.”
“You either. Can you or can you not occupy Dora for a few minutes?”