While Sam used the bathroom, Michaela locked up her office and then walked around the back of the trailer to make sure all the latches were securely locked down. She was sure Sam had already done so, but it was a habit. When she'd been a kid, her dad had forgotten to lock the latch on the trailer and it flew open while they were on the highway, nearly causing an accident. Thank God there weren't any horses on board. They were on their way to pick up a few, just as she and Sam were today. It turned out to be a good thing that she checked the latch, because she could see that one of them wasn't down all the way. She retrieved a hammer from her office and locked up again. Then she pounded the latch down. Once done, she climbed into the truck as Sam appeared. She put the hammer in the side pocket of the truck, figuring it would be good to have once they loaded the horses. The damn latch was tough to get down even with the hammer.
Sam handed her the overnight bag. "Thanks," she said.
"No problem. This is good of you to come out with me like this. I feel so bad for Dwayne, you know. Guy is heart-broken. Tol' me to go watch some of the events tonight. Gave me rodeo tickets. He's a good man. Don't deserve this. He did not do anything wrong."
"I'm glad and I can go with you and help out."
MICHAELA KNEW SAM WAS A TALKER. BUT GOODNESS, who knew he could carry on for hours! He talked about the rodeo, horses, Hawaii, girls he'd loved, and of course good food. He was still talking over halfway into their six-hour ride.
"Man, tough week, huh? Losing Lou and then Bean. It's hard to lose loved ones."
"It sure is. Dwayne mentioned that you lost your mother a couple years ago. The other night at the Chinese restaurant when you mentioned your folks, I guess I thought they were both still living."
"Nah. My mom died, but you know, I still sometimes think she's around. Too bad. She a good woman. She didn't have much love for me though."
His words caught her by surprise. "Why?"
"Oh you know, I be a big disappointment to my folks. Say I got no motivation. I got to follow my cousin and not be my own man."
"Ouch."
"Yeah. But I'm good. It's not true. I got plenty motivation. Like I say, I want to start my own luau now. I could have done it already, if my mom left me some money."
"She didn't leave you anything?"
"Nah. All go to Dwayne. But I get it. He a good guy and helps me out. He could have helped me out to get my restaurant back on Maui, but you know he believe my folks saying I no good with the green stuff. That's fine. I find a way. I think we gonna have to get some gas."
Sam pulled off at the next exit and filled the truck. "You need to go to the bathroom?"
"No. I'm good."
"Want a Coke or something?"
"Water. Thanks."
"Yep. You mind getting my meds out of the glove compartment? I gotta take some now."
"Sure."
She watched as Sam entered the convenience store. That must have been tough growing up in Dwayne's shadow. But Sam seemed to have a good attitude about it. Still, she could sense there was some pain. Maybe he'd stuffed it all down— literally. She was aware that eating the way Sam did could sometimes be due to painful emotions. Maybe she could get him to talk some more. It might make him feel better.
She opened the glove box and took out the pill container. "Topomax?" She'd never heard of the medication but then, she didn't have diabetes and didn't know anyone else who did. She read the label, which contained an alcohol warning, and she noticed that the prescription was from a Dr. Verconti. Wait. That was the same doctor who'd prescribed the Ativan for Uncle Lou. The pill pusher. Sam must have recommended him. She'd definitely be asking him what he knew about her uncle's anxiety issues again. Sam had told her that Lou needed a vacation, but it looked to her like he knew more, especially if he'd told Uncle Lou to call this doc.
Sam was walking back to the truck when her cell rang. Joey said, "I got some info for you. And you ain't gonna like it."
Sam climbed into the truck and she handed him the pills. He swallowed one and pulled back onto the highway. She smiled at him and pointed to the phone. He nodded. "What do you mean, I'm not going to like it?" she asked.
"Get this. The checks were all being transferred from a Washington Mutual account in your uncle's name into an account with The Los Angeles Grand Cayman Trust company. And, let me tell you, that place is hush-hush. All transfers were made online. But I got a cousin who has a friend who's married to the sister of one of the bigwigs at that trust company. That's how I got this info." Thank God for Joey and the million cousins. "The account at WAMU was set up online, like I suspected, but you can't do that with the trust company. They do banking in large sums. They have the L.A. branch, but all deposits wind up in the Caymans and it's under Cayman law once the money is out of the United States, which means no taxes and very difficult to trace."
"You say you can't open an account online with them?"
"Nope. You got to go in and do it. Your friend Dwayne may not be the one who put this thing together. Everything I've been able to find says his hands are clean on this. But his cousin, Sam, he's one bad dude. He's the one who opened the account. And get this: The guy did time a while back on the islands for forging bad checks and for identity theft. He knows what he's doing."
Michaela gasped. "Are you sure about this?" Sam glanced at her. She mustered a smile. Oh no, what if he could hear their conversation? She tried to adjust the volume on the phone.
"Positive. That guy has stolen over half a million dollars from your uncle. You better call the police and tell them, 'cause I'm betting he's planning to get the hell out of Dodge soon. Looks like he made another transfer yesterday, and he bought a ticket from Vegas to the Caymans. Know what else? That dude caught a flight from Vegas at 11:30 the night before your uncle was murdered. Got him into John Wayne Airport a little after midnight. Then he caught a flight back to Vegas the next morning. Early. At seven. He was back in Vegas before eight that morning."
"Oh my God."
"Yep. You better find that guy."
"Already have, Mom. Thanks for telling me. I'll take care of it when I get back. I'm actually on my way to Vegas to pick up some horses. You know Sam Yamiguchi, right?"
"Mick? Did you hear what I just said. What the hell is wrong with you?" Joey asked.
"Yeah, that Sam. Anyway, I'm with him and I'll be back in town tomorrow, so maybe I can stop by and see you and Dad then."
"Oh, shit. You're with Sam right now?"
"I am. Yep. Like I said, be back tomorrow and I'll stop by. Maybe you can make some of those cookies I like. You know, the ones you gave to Detective Davis the other day."
"You want me to call this Davis?"
"That would be good. Well, I better go. We're traveling through the Mojave now."
"Got it. Be careful. I'm on it."
"Love you, too, Mom." She flipped the phone shut and sat back in the chair. Sam eyed her again and smiled. She smiled back, knowing she was stuck in a truck in the middle of the Mojave Desert with a killer.
THIRTY-SIX
KEEP HIM TALKING. THINK. GOT TO THINK AND act normal. Okay.
"Your ma, huh?"
"Yeah." She tried hard to sound light, but she could hear the strain in her voice. Did Sam wonder about it? Had he overheard Joey on the other end of the phone? "She's been trying to learn financial stuff, you know. With Uncle Lou dying, she figured it was time for her to get a grip, in case something happened to my dad. She doesn't know how to open an account, if you can believe that." Keep it light. "My dad and I told her she should learn how to do those things. Funny she had no clue that you can open bank accounts online."
Was he buying this? She sure hoped so. All she had to do was make it to Vegas. She didn't think he planned to kill her. Why do that? He only wanted to get out of town, and she probably made a good cover for him. Dwayne obviously had no clue what his cousin was capable of. Man, she was scared, because if Sam found out that she was on to him, all bets would be off. She eyed the ha
mmer in the side pocket next to her seat.
"Oh, yeah? Huh."
"So, your luau idea sounds great. I was wondering why you didn't ask my uncle for a loan when the opportunity came about. He might have given it to you."
"I think that, too. But you know, I ask him and he tell me no. Say he like me and all, but Dwayne tell him I better off training horses than running a business. Lou tol' me that he not in the restaurant biz, but in the horse biz and a man got to make his own way."
"Yes, my uncle was a practical man." She was pretty sure now that she understood Sam's motive for killing her uncle and for setting up the breeding scheme— all in the name of revenge. The money didn't hurt either, especially since it looked as though Sam figured he was going to make his way to the Caymans or wherever and enjoy it. The guy did more than stuff his anger away. He'd let it stew, and he'd carefully planned this all out until the timing was right. "That was what, a couple of years ago, you could have bought into the luau?"
"Sure was. But like I said, no worries. I'll have my place."
She changed the subject. "My friend Camden is flying out today. Good thing it's a short flight to Vegas. She wanted to go to Ethan's wedding."
He shook his head. "Big mistake. Big one on Ethan's part."
She couldn't argue with that. Her stomach hurt badly, and she could feel her shirt sticking to her back from perspiration. Keep him talking. "You see Dr. Verconti? I saw it on the pills. I think my uncle was seeing him for his memory problems."
"I told him he was a good doc. His old doc say there was nuthin' wrong with his mind."
"What did you think?"
"I think you full of shit."
Her back stiffened. "What?"
He pressed down on the automatic locks. "Your mom got a deep voice."
So, her cell phone wasn't as good as she'd hoped. "My... dad got on the phone for a minute."
Sam pressed down on the gas. "You a poor liar. I notice the way you talk to whoever on the phone; it wasn't your mom. I listen, and I know I hear a man's voice. Then you try to turn down the volume. I'm not stupid."
"Sam, I have no idea what you're carrying on about." She shifted uncomfortably against the leather seats.
Sam took the next exit off the freeway. He barely slowed down on the exit ramp. She thought about trying to jump out. When he did slow down to turn the corner, heading south, he grabbed her arm, holding tight. His grip burned. He was strong. Really strong. Michaela's adrenaline pumped. She had to do something. "Sam? We're friends. We've been friends for a long time."
"We not friends. I don't have friends. I look out for me. It always be that way. I tried to make friends. Dwayne, Lou, Bean, even your jackass ex-husband. But no. No friends. People screw you. All the time."
"That's why you did it then, huh? Killed my uncle? Because you thought he screwed you out of having your own restaurant?" There was no use in faking it any longer. He knew and she knew that the truth had been exposed. How she'd missed it that Sam was the one all this time, she didn't know.
"Yeah. Your uncle, even Dwayne could've helped me out. But no. They like my parents: tight. Don't believe in me. I been planning this for some time. Ever since they both say no. I figure, fine. I get the money and start my place somehow. Then I learn how to do it. The breedings. I was in Ohio with Dwayne at the Quarter Horse Congress when I met some people looking for a good stud. I got their numbers. Told them I'd have Lou call. There's others, too." He paused. "Lot of money in good horses. I didn't want to kill Lou. I made more money stealing from him. I only want to frame him and Dwayne for fraud. Get them in trouble. Let them see how it feels to have people look at you with distrust. Lou would have lost his license. Dwayne would have never been able to show his face in the quarterhorse world again, or Lou either."
"So why? Why did you kill him, then? If all you planned to do was frame him for stealing?"
He made another turn and drove down a narrow dirt road, heading straight into the desert. "Because Lou figure it out. When we got to Vegas with the horses, me and Dwayne, we unloaded them. We went to our hotel and the bar downstairs, had a few drinks. Some hooker came onto Dwayne and he left with her. Good friend, huh? Good cousin! But he also forgot his cell phone, and it rang. I saw it was Lou. I answered and pretended I was Dwayne."
"How did my uncle not know that it was you?"
Sam suddenly changed dialect and voice. "I did not get to be who I am today, sweet pea, without studying." Oh my God. He sounded exactly like her uncle! Lou had always called her sweet pea. She closed her eyes tightly for a second, not wanting to believe any of this. He smiled wickedly at her. "I study people, voices, actions. I listen to everyone and everything. I am much smarter than anyone ever gives me credit for, and ambitious. I told you my parents were wrong about me."
"Where are you taking me?"
He didn't answer. "On the phone with your uncle, he told Dwayne that he knew who was running the breeding scam and that he thought he could prove it. He knew it was me. I was glad Dwayne went with the woman. I flew home that night, rented a car, killed Lou in the morning, got back to the airport, and made it back in time to meet my cousin for breakfast."
"You're really disturbed."
"No. I'm smart. You know what though, your uncle was a smart man, too. He also told me that he had found out the medication he was taking for headaches— the medicine I suggested and called in for him, and asked my doctor for— was for panic attacks and agitation, not so good for headaches. Old fool. I could've pulled anything over on him. What he didn't know was that I changed out his pills when I picked them up from the drugstore for him. I put my meds in his."
"Topomax?"
"Yes. You know what Topomax is for?"
"For diabetes, I assume."
He shook a finger at her. "No. Topomax is a drug for seizures, all right. But not diabetic seizures. I have what the doctors call a bipolar disorder."
No kidding.
"But give that medicine to someone who don't need it and it can cause memory loss and confusion."
Oh my God. Talk about twisted! "But what about Bean? Why did you kill him?"
"Bean not as retarded as we all thought. Yeah, he took care of that mare for me near your place. Good place to keep her. She get your stud, Rocky, all riled up when I needed him."
"You bastard!"
"Worked for me for a while. I tell Bean that the mare be his and he can live there at that dairy farm with her. But then Rocky get out the other day. Bean tol' me that he saw him there. He call me up right away, like I tell him he had to. I tell him that if he ever saw anyone or anything go on there without me knowing, that I'd take the mare away from him. I also say he couldn't tell no one about the mare. But after I got that mare out of there and had the horse killers come meet me with her. Bean learned what I did, and he said he was gonna tell on me. Ha! The retard was gonna tell on me!
"So, I know every day he go and read with Mrs. Bancroft. I saw her out walking before Dwayne and I went to get some feed the other day. I knew Bean was in the house. I thought, good timing. Tol' Dwayne I needed to check on one of the mares in the pasture I didn't put away. I went in, killed Bean, wrote the note, wiped it all clean, met Dwayne back out at the barn, and we take off for the feed store."
He stopped the truck. "Get out."
"What?"
He reached down into his boot, pulled out a gun, and unlocked the doors. "Get out!"
"You'll never get away with this. People know I'm traveling with you. They're looking for us right now. You can't kill me. The police know you have a ticket to the Caymans from Vegas tonight. Don't delude yourself." Michaela was sweating like crazy, her gut twisted in fear, her mind trying to grasp for words that might reach him. Maybe she could still reason with him.
"I didn't steal a half a million dollars to not get away with murder. I will get away with it. Now get out of the damn truck!"
She didn't move. He yanked her arm and started to pull her out of the truck on his side. Her hand fol
ded around the hammer in the side pocket and as he started to pull her out of his door, she swung the hammer as hard as she could, hitting him on the side of his face. He yelled in pain. She opened up her door, jumped out, and started running. The sand slowed her down and she tripped. Sam was on her fast. She hadn't hurt him enough. She reached out and tried to poke him in the eyes. His breath was hot on her. He held her to the ground. She tried to knee him in the privates, but instead aimed too high and got his massive gut. He groaned. She won a little leverage as he gasped. He was wavering. What was going on? She squirmed out from underneath him, got to her feet, and started to run again. She was running as fast as she could when she heard the humming of what sounded like a helicopter overhead. Yes! She slowed and watched as the chopper flew lower. Emblazoned on the side of it were the words LAS VEGAS POLICE.
Michaela looked back to see Sam on the ground, convulsing in one of his seizures.
THIRTY-SEVEN
THANK GOD JOEY'S COUSIN'S BEST FRIEND'S uncle's daughter-in-law worked as a dispatcher for the Las Vegas Police Department. Between her and Davis, who didn't ask Joe how he'd gotten his information, they were able to get a chopper in the air and locate Michaela rather quickly, before she either died at the hands of Sam or was blown away by the Santa Ana winds out in the Mojave.
The police arrested Sam and took him under watch to a hospital in Vegas, where once released he would await trial for two murders and a whole lot more. Michaela was also taken to the hospital and released after being checked out. A police officer kindly drove her to the Bellagio, where she called Camden from the lobby of the hotel.
The Michaela Bancroft Mysteries 1-3 Page 21