Big Easy Escapade

by Joan Rylen

  Lucy grabbed his sleeve. “We think one of your guests has kidnapped a friend of ours and we need to know if he’s still here. If he’s still in town.”

  Gary narrowed his eyes. “If he’s kidnapped somebody, then why are you here and not the police?”

  “It’s kind of a long story,” Kate said and started with Daisy disappearing and ending with the gypsy’s message.

  Kate was interrupted a few times as Gary opened the door for guests and hailed a cab for one couple.

  “We know this sounds crazy,” Wendy said, “but we promise we’re not making it up.”

  “Here,” Kate said and showed him the picture of Vivian, the stripper and GQ. “Zoom in on him to see the tie tack.”

  Gary zoomed, but on the stripper. He grinned. “I’m kidding.” He then moved the picture to GQ. He handed the phone back to Kate and his demeanor turned professional. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I’d be risking my job if I told you anything.”

  Vivian’s heart sank. He’s gotta help us! “Gary, we don’t know what this girl is going through. Is he abusing her? Raping her? Worse?”

  Wendy chimed in. “And can you imagine the torture her fiancé and family are experiencing, wondering where she is and if she’s okay? I worried non-stop about my boxer, Luke, when he went missing a few years ago.”

  Gary sighed and looked around. He hesitated before saying, “This better not get me fired, but Mr. Surendran’s not here right now.”

  “Thank you, Gary,” Vivian said and gave him a side squeeze. “You don’t happen to know his first name, do you?”

  Gary laughed. “It’s Sonofabitch, or something to that effect.”

  The girls walked across the street to a restaurant with tables on the sidewalk. They grabbed one and sat down.

  “I think we’ve gotta call Antonio now,” Wendy said. “He already thinks we’re nuts. A little more loony info can’t hurt. And now we know GQ’s name!”

  Vivian agreed and placed the call. He picked up right away. “We think we know who kidnapped Daisy. He’s staying at Hotél Versailles and his last name is Surendran.”

  “And you think this why?”

  Vivian told him about the gypsy’s message and discovery of the tie tack in Kate’s picture.

  “So because a street swindler gives you a so-called clue and you see a bird on a guy’s tie clip, you think he’s a kidnapper.”

  “It’s not just that. Our friend Kate has these premonitions in her dreams. They never make sense at first, but she totally called this one. She said there would be a soaring predator, and look! The tie tack has an eagle or falcon or something.”

  Antonio didn’t respond.

  “Can we at least send you the picture of the guy?”

  He was silent for a minute, then she heard him take a deep breath. “Fine, send me the picture.” He clicked off.

  Kate sent it immediately.

  “Now what do we do?” Wendy asked. “Just sit here and watch the tourists go by?”

  “If I don’t hear from Antonio in 10 minutes, we’ll move on to plan B,” Vivian said.

  “What’s plan B?” Lucy asked.

  “I dunno, but we’ve got 10 minutes to come up with it.”

  Eight minutes later, Vivian’s phone chimed. She read the message to the girls. “Diplomat from Kuwait. Immunity. Must have substantial evidence.”

  “What the hell?” Wendy said. “Diplomatic immunity? Does that mean he can just go snatch women and get away with it?”

  Vivian’s phone buzzed. Another text from Antonio.

  Where are you??????

  Kate pulled out her phone. “I don’t know what all diplomatic immunity entails, so let’s look it up.” She scanned the internet for a few minutes, then said, “Says it’s not a get-out-of-jail-free card and most crimes involving diplomatic immunity are petty, traffic tickets, shoplifting, etc.”

  “What’s it say about more serious crimes?” Vivian asked.

  Kate scrolled down the webpage. “It can be revoked, though it’s tough and circumstances must be very serious.”

  “Kidnapping is serious!” Wendy smacked her hand on the table. “Let’s get Antonio some proof that Sonofabitch has Daisy, and he can get that shit revoked!”

  “I’m totally with you,” Vivian said, “but how?”

  “I have an idea,” Lucy said with a little mischief in her eye. She turned and looked at Kate. “But it’s kinda risky.”

  Chapter 43

  The doorman at Hotél Versailles, Gary, introduced Lea to Kate. “Lea’s our new housekeeping supervisor and a very good friend. I’ve told her the situation and she’ll help you find what you’re looking for, inspector.”

  “Thank you,” Kate said and smiled at Lea.

  “Yes, follow me and we’ll make a quick stop in housekeeping so you can review items there. Then we’ll move to the 12th floor.”

  “Perfect.”

  Kate glanced back at Wendy, who was still across the street. As she walked inside and into the lobby, she saw Lucy sitting on the couch, holding a newspaper. She looked into the Gallerie de Glaces and briefly made eye contact with Vivian, who sat at the bar and twirled a curl on her finger. Nervous habit.

  Lea used her badge to buzz the security door that led to an employees-only area of the first floor. They walked past noisy kitchens, an engineering office, a security station and banquet area before coming to a large laundry room with several industrial-sized washers and dryers.

  “Mmmmm, smells good back here,” Kate said. “Thanks for helping us with this. I know you’re putting your job in jeopardy.”

  “This is a really great job, but there will be others,” Lea replied. “I just keep thinking, what if it were me? I’d want someone on the hotel staff to help.” They approached the long row of shelves with lost and found items. She looked through the odds and ends and pulled out a briefcase. “This should work.” She yanked off the identification tag. “What else do you need?”

  Kate felt her iPhone in her pocket. “A clipboard and paper, pen, tape measure, bobby pins, ponytail holder, a stepstool, and perhaps, that?” she asked, pointing to a black suit jacket.

  “Sure.” Lea pulled it off the hanger and held it up to her. “It’s going to be big, but it’ll work well enough.”

  As Kate used bobby pins to hold her hair in a bun, Lea clicked around on the computer. “Looks like Mr. Surendran hasn’t received any housekeeping services in the last four days other than requesting extra towels.”

  “That time frame coincides with when Daisy was taken.” Kate slid on the jacket and adjusted her sleeves. “How do I look?”

  “Like no inspector I’ve ever seen.” They both snickered.

  ***

  Vivian sat at the bar in the Gallerie de Glaces. A trifold mirror was across from her and she could see Lucy in the lobby, fanning herself with the Times-Picayune. Vivian hopped up and went over to her. “I’m going crazy in there, worrying about Kate. We shouldn’t have sent her up.”

  Lucy quit fanning. “She’s smart and she’s with Lea. They can bullshit their way through this.”

  Lucy’s confidence didn’t help Vivian feel any better. She looked at Gary, who looked away, and she could see Wendy at her post across the street. She scanned every car, every face that went by. Sonofabitch wasn’t getting past her.

  Lucy flipped through the paper. “I can’t believe there’s no mention of Simone being found yesterday.”

  “They probably didn’t find out about it until past deadline,” Vivian said. “I’m going back to my spot.”

  “I only have great ideas. This is gonna work. Don’t worry.”

  ***

  A do-not-disturb sign hung off the doorknob to suite 1217, registered under Mr. Sonu Bhavesh Surendran.

  That does sound like Sonofabitch, Kate thought.

  Lea knocked. “Housekeeping.” The door wasn’t answered right away, so she rapped again.

  A stocky Middle Eastern man in a suit answered.

  Lea flas
hed her badge and said, “Sorry for disturbing you. This is Inspector Kate Jameson with City Code Compliance. There was a fire here last month and she needs to verify we have corrected all issues. We need to come in.”

  The man studied Lea and then glanced at Kate, unimpressed.

  Kate stood on her tippy toes, trying to look into the room. “The fire started in this very room, and I’m here to ensure that the hotel is in full compliance with the fire code.” She flashed her library card.

  “That will not be possible,” he said.

  Kate quickly conjured a list of fire code sections specific to transient lodging from her early days at the architecture firm. “If the corridor partition is not per ASTM E 1966, and the undercut on this FM-rated door is not within the specified tolerances, and the smoke alarm is not installed per IBC Chapter 9, Section 204.1.2, you could be in trouble as we speak. I mean, someone died last month.” Finger pointed, articulating every syllable, Kate added emphatically, “In. This. Room.”

  The man sighed and said, “One moment,” and closed the door.

  ***

  The guy who had pulled Daisy off of Sonu two days prior ran into the room and ordered her into the bathroom. He had a roll of gray duct tape in his hand. She hesitated to get up from the chair, so he ran over and picked her up onto his shoulder and carried her in there. He shut the door and slammed her down onto the toilet. Then he pulled a gun on her.

  “Do not make one sound or you will die.”

  He looked like the kind of guy who had no qualms about killing people.

  He pulled a strip of duct tape off the roll and put it over her mouth. He motioned for her to get into the bathtub. She didn’t want to die, it would interfere with her plans to escape, so she climbed in. He kept the gun trained on her.

  ***

  The man opened the door to the suite and motioned for Kate and Lea to come in. “Please be quick.”

  Kate pushed past him. Those years working on hotel prototypes finally paid off!

  Lea followed behind, stepstool under her arm and with a pleased look on her face.

  Kate scanned the suite and assessed three bedrooms, the nearest door of which was closed, and a bathroom with the door open. Dirty towels littered the floor. She looked back at the closed door, and the man placed himself between her and it.

  Lea unfolded the stepstool. “Where do you want this?”

  “Under that smoke alarm, right there, please.”

  Lea set it in the middle of the living room, under the chandelier. Kate took the three steps up and reached for the smoke alarm but couldn’t get to it. She stepped down and glanced at the man. “Would you mind pushing that little button up there?”

  He scowled but did as she asked. The alarm shrieked for a second.

  “Excellent! Sounds like it is in perfect working order.” Kate pulled out her iPhone and continued the fake inspection around the living room. She opened the flashlight app and waved the beam up and down at the curtain as if it were a metal detector. “Looks like these curtains just barely pass the Class A flammability rating for a Type R occupancy.”

  She then moved into the nearest bedroom and rapped on the walls and inspected the curtains. She nodded to the man, then repeated the action in the second bedroom.

  Back in the living room, Lea pointed to the closed bedroom door. “She’ll need to inspect in here.”

  The man gave a tight smile, opened the master suite door and walked in first.

  The smell of sour food hit Kate and she coughed. Towels were piled against the wall near the closet. She did the wall tapping and curtain charade, then stooped at the end of the king-sized bed. She pounded on the floor and loudly proclaimed, “This floor-ceiling assembly is sufficiently fireproofed!” She took a good look under the bed, and there it was, Daisy’s Shoe-Be-Do shoe.

  Chapter 44

  Wendy tapped on the table, watching everything that moved and even things that didn’t. She couldn’t help but laugh at a person dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and a giant, brown dog head. He was slumped against the lamp post, tallboy of Keystone in one hand and a sign that read “Ruff nite” in the other. A top hat was flipped over in front of him, and she watched as people dropped money in.

  People can make a living here doin’ nothing!

  The waitress delivered a glass of water and Wendy tipped her $2, then took a sip. She almost spewed it everywhere as a limo pulled up and two guys stepped out, followed by GQ. Gary rushed to meet them and started talking to GQ. Wendy couldn’t hear the conversation, but she could see it was mostly one-sided. She quickly texted Kate, Lucy and Vivian.

  ***

  Vivian looked around the bar, glanced in the mirror above it and felt worse and worse about sending Kate to meet her fate. She decided to text Antonio. He needed to know where they were.

  We’re at Hotel Versailles. We might have screwed up.

  She started to put her phone away when another text came in, this time from Wendy.

  Red alert! Red alert! The Eagle has landed!!!

  Vivian’s heart raced and her stomach flipped. She stared at her phone until the screen went blank. She looked into the trifold mirror and almost fell off her stool. GQ was in the middle mirror, walking toward the elevator. Lucy was in the right-hand mirror, newspaper covering all of her face but her eyes, which looked into Vivian’s with fear. Gary was in the left mirror, trailing after GQ.

  ***

  Kate’s heart raced but she kept her cool as she walked around the room, pretending to further inspect. “There are definitely signs of leakage under these demising walls. I’ve got to check under the corridor baseboards in here.”

  The man didn’t move away from the door. “Someone is in there.”

  “The corridor wall is in the bathroom. It’s pertinent that I inspect it.” He shook his head, and the angry look in his eyes convinced Kate not to push him. She turned to Lea. “I have no choice but to red flag this suite.”

  Lea let out an exaggerated sigh. “Are you sure? Is there nothing else we can do?”

  Kate tapped her clipboard with her pen. “I’ll have to re-inspect next week when my schedule opens up. You know, I’m a very busy woman.”

  Lea’s walkie-talkie beeped and Gary’s voice crackled. “Has the lavatory on the seventh floor been cleared?” Lea looked at Kate. “I’ve got another issue I have to clear up.”

  Kate tucked her pen behind her ear. “My inspection is as complete as it can be for now. I’ll write up my report and send it to the fire marshal.”

  Lea and Kate hustled to the door. Lea called over her shoulder just before the door closed, “Thanks for your cooperation!”

  ***

  Daisy heard a knocking on the walls and woman talking about something being fireproof. She looked down the barrel of the pistol and contemplated screaming behind the tape. The jerk read her, pressed the gun to her forehead and tilted her head back. She trembled and kept quiet. She heard radio chatter and then another woman speak into it. Moments later she heard them leave. Tears spilled from her eyes.

  ***

  After GQ got onto the elevator, Vivian and Lucy rushed up to Gary, who was talking into his walkie-talkie. “Has the lavatory on the seventh floor been cleared?”

  “You’ve got to get them out of the room!” Vivian said.

  His walkie-talkie beeped. “That’s affirmative. The drain has been cleared.”

  “Ten-four,” he said, then looked at Vivian. “They’re out of the suite.” He rushed to the front door, put on a fake smile and held it for a couple walking in.

  Vivian and Lucy waited in the lobby for Kate. Vivian sighed in relief as Kate walked off the elevator. She walked through the lobby and out the door without glancing at them. Vivian and Lucy waited a couple of minutes, then met Wendy and Kate inside the restaurant across the street.

  “She’s in that room,” Kate said as soon as they walked up. “I saw her Shoe-Be-Do shoe tucked under the bed. He’s got her!”

  “Did you see her?” Lucy
asked.

  “No, but they wouldn’t let me go into the bathroom in the master suite. I know she’s in there.”

  “I’m not sure that’s the proof Antonio needs, but he’s gotta do something,” Vivian said.

  ***

  Daisy paced the room and looked out the windows every few steps. Something was up. She heard Sonu shouting in a foreign language in the other room.

  A short while later, Sonu and the pistol-toting nutcase came into the room. Crazy guy shoved a glass of water into her hand and pointed his gun on her.

  “Drink this,” Sonu ordered.

  Daisy looked at the chalky water and didn’t want to drink it. She frowned.

  Sonu raised the glass to her mouth. “This will be your last warning to obey me.”

  Crazy guy inched closer.

  I’m never going to get away with this motherfucker around.

  Daisy took a tiny step back. “What is this and will it kill me?” Could their plan be to give me an overdose?

  “It will only help you deal with our departure,” Sonu answered.

  Fuck it, she thought, and chugged the water.

  ***

  Vivian sat in the restaurant facing the hotel and pulled out her phone. Antonio answered right away and she said, “He has her.”

  “What’d y’all do?”