BooksBarbecue
Back Mobbed Save as PDF
Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

The air was so still and quiet except for the sound of the crickets.

Wilbur turned. He took one step, then collapsed onto the ground.

71

Here they are,” Regan said as Monique’s cousin’s car drove past. “You know, Jack, it’s been hours and Cleo still hasn’t returned my call. Who knows when Dizzy will show up? I have to at least try to get his wife to talk to me.”

“Let’s do it,” Jack said. He turned the key in the engine and drove down the block. When they parked in front of the Cammarizzos’, the boys had already run inside the house. Monique and her cousin were unloading bags of groceries from the trunk.

Monique’s cousin looked up as Regan and Jack got out of the car. “I told you Dizzy wasn’t here. What do you want now?”

“I’m Dizzy’s wife. Why are you looking for him?” Monique asked suspiciously, her face flashing with anger.

“We’re actually trying to track down Cleo Paradise,” Regan explained. “I’m a private investigator. Cleo’s parents haven’t heard from her lately and are worried. She left the house she was renting here at the Shore last Friday. We were wondering if she’d been to her apartment in Los Angeles. Perhaps your husband could call people in the building to see if anyone’s seen her this week.”

“Give me a break,” Monique said, shaking her head. “Dizzy’s on vacation. Why should he have to worry about Cleo’s disappearing act?”

“I didn’t say anything about a disappearing act,” Regan said firmly. “Cleo’s parents are worried, and I’m trying to explore every avenue. You’re a mother, you must understand. Can you try and reach your husband for me?”

“He doesn’t have his phone with him.”

“Do you know where he is?”

“No. We were at the beach and he left. I don’t know when he’ll be back.”

“Monique, I told them he stranded you there, the jerk.”

“Sheryl!” Monique snapped. “Keep your opinion about my husband to yourself.”

“This has been some vacation,” Sheryl muttered.

“Do you have the name of anyone in your building in Los Angeles that I could call and find out if they’ve seen Cleo this past week?” Regan asked.

Monique shrugged.

“I’ll say it again. Cleo’s parents are desperately worried. If one of your children went missing, no matter how old they might be, you’d feel—”

“Okay!” Monique interrupted. “When we travel, Dizzy always brings a list of the people who live in the building and their numbers. You can make the calls. I don’t have time.”

“That’s fine.”

“But I don’t know whether I should be giving out this information to total strangers.”

Jack pulled out his badge.

“Oh,” Monique said quickly. “All right, then.”