"Me and Suzy were hangin' out, what time I don't know, we don't have watches, don't give a shit about time, had a couple burgers at Go-Ji's, we were headed back to this place where we camp-no B&E, it's like an empty squat, we camp there all the time, this guy Marilyn comes up and says he needs me to drive the 'Vette to his house, he knows I'm straight he can trust me, he just wants me to drive it there, put the keys in the mailbox, and take the bus back to 'Wood. Twenty bucks now and fifty more when he sees me tomorrow morning at Go-Ji's."

"What time tomorrow morning?"

"Ten. He's gonna meet me in the parking lot and give me the fifty and also give Suzy back."

"Give her back from where?" said Milo.

"I don't know," said Soames. He whimpered.

"He just took her and didn't tell you where or why?"

"He borrowed her, man."

"To make a movie, right? Guess what kind of movies he makes?"

Soames's shaking knee locked. He began to cry. Milo shook him out of it. "What else, Chris?"

"Nothing, that's it-you think he really could hurt her?"

"Oh, yeah," said Milo. "So think back, genius. Where did he say he was taking her?"

"I don't know! Oh, man!" said Soames. "Oh man, oh man-after we arranged about the 'Vette, he looked at Suzy and said she was real pretty and he could use her in this movie he was making, he's a producer. He didn't say nothing about where, I thought, Oh, man, her dad's gonna kill me."

"Why?"

" 'Cause a the movie-you know."

"You assumed he was making a fuck film," said Milo.

"No," said Soames. "I wouldn'ta- He said, 'Don't worry, no one's gonna mess with her, it's just a movie.' "

"What kind of movie? You handed her over and didn't ask him anything?"

"I- He- I think he said it was a thriller, she was gonna be like a main character, he needed to film her at night. 'Cause it was a thriller. He was gonna give us-her-a hundred bucks."

"In addition to the fifty?"

"Yeah."

"Generous."

"He said it was a big part."

"And he said he'd give you every penny of it, right?"

"It was for both of us, man. We hang together, but Suzy don't hold no money, I'm more responsible."

The deputies finally arrived. Milo let them take custody of Soames, and he and I hurried to the unmarked.

He pulled away fast, sped north.

"Two cars means two drivers," I said. "Before the escape, Crimmins and Heidi arranged a meet. Somewhere in Hollywood. But Crimmins knew Heidi wouldn't live out the evening, and with her out of the way, he needed someone to drive the second car. Most Hollywood streets have parking regulations; he couldn't risk a ticket. Also, the 'Vette's conspicuous."

"Why would he trust an idiot like Soames to transport it?"