Pike opened the phone with delicate care, and answered the same way, thinking it might be Smith or Azzara or one of Azzara’s thugs playing around. He stared at Cole as he answered.

“Yes?”

“Willieyouhavetogivehimthemoneypleasegiveittohimhehasmeandhe’s—”

The words exploded out of her, but then she was gone, as if her call had been chopped by a headsman’s ax.

Cole moved closer.

“Was it her?”

Pike wondered if this was real or another incomprehensible lie.

“Talk to me, Joseph. What did she say?”

“I don’t know.”

Pike held up a finger, saying wait as he dialed her back, but his call went straight to her voice mail.

“What did she say?”

“She called me Willie. Like she was talking to Rainey. She begged Rainey to give him the money. She said he has her. That’s it.”

“Who has her, the executioner?”

“That’s how it sounded.”

Pike replayed her call in his head, her voice as tight as breaking wire. She sounded authentic, but she could have made the call from Azzara’s pool, surrounded by cowboy spectators who cheered her acting ability.

Cole said, “Let’s call Button. We have to call him anyway.”

Pike was already on his way out.

“Dru doesn’t know we found them. Let’s see if she’s still at Azzara’s.”

“Rose.”

Pike stopped at the door, not understanding.

Cole said, “It’s Rose. Not Dru.”

“If her call was real, then he has her—let’s check Azzara’s. We can call Button when we know.”

Cole didn’t look confident, but they went in Pike’s Jeep, pushing hard down Laurel Canyon to Sunset, then west to Azzara’s. Pike described the layout of the house and the position of the guards as they drove. He nailed a parking spot a block from the Regency billboard, then led Cole to the corner to scan Azzara’s street.

“There was a guard in the alley. Another guard was in the Monte Carlo. You see it?”

“The car, yeah. I don’t see any guards.”

“They’re gone.”

The Monte Carlo and the Tercel were still in front of Azzara’s, but the alley and the car appeared empty.

Cole said, “These guys don’t know me. Wait here, and I’ll take a closer look.”

Cole strolled down the sidewalk as if he were just another pedestrian.

Pike watched the surrounding cars and the alley for movement, but no one appeared as Cole reached the house. He stopped on the sidewalk beside the Monte Carlo, stared at the car for a moment, then motioned Pike closer.

Pike trotted down, knowing something was wrong by Cole’s flat expression.

“Look.”

Pike saw the body, then moved to the car for a closer look. A man was curled on his side across the front seat as if he were sleeping on a red satin pillow. Hector.

Pike immediately turned for the house.