Chapter 28: The Search for Inez

Chapter 28: The Search for Inez

As Tomlinson left Mel’s office, Cindy stood up.

‘You have lots of problems demanding your attention,’ she said bitterly, ‘and I’m sure they’re all more important to you than your wife.’

‘Cindy, I really do have to work.’

‘Yes, but you love it, don’t you? You love your work much more than you love me or the children or a good social life.’

‘Why are we fighting? We don’t have to fight any more.’

‘No,’ Cindy said. ‘I suppose not.’

There was a silence.

‘Are you quite sure about the divorce?’ Mel asked. ‘If you have any doubts-’

‘I haven’t, and neither have you really.’

‘That’s true.’

She almost started to tell him about Lionel, but then decided that it would be better to keep it a secret.

There was a light knock at the door.

‘Again!’ Cindy exclaimed.

Tanya Livingston came in. ‘Mel, I need some advice-’ she began. Then she saw Cindy, and stopped. ‘Excuse me. I thought you were alone.’

‘He will be very soon,’ Cindy said, looking hard at Tanya, Tanya went red. ‘I’m sorry, Mrs Bakersfeld. I didn’t mean to interrupt you.’

‘I’m sure that it’s time we were interrupted,’ Cindy went on looking at Mel. ‘After all, it must be at least two minutes since someone came in.’ She turned to Tanya. ‘How do you know my name? And who are you?’

‘I’m sorry,’ Mel said. ‘I should have introduced you to one another.’

He knew that Cindy was wondering about his relationship with Tanya. She was looking at Tanya in a strange way. Had she already guessed that they planned to meet later that night? It didn’t matter what she thought, though, now that they had decided to get divorced.

‘How nice that attractive ladies come to ask you for your advice,’ Cindy said sweetly. ‘It must make your job so much more interesting.’ She turned to Tanya. ‘Now, what exactly was your problem?’

‘I said that I wanted some advice.’

‘Oh really? What kind of advice? Professional or personal?’

‘Stop it, Cindy!’ Mel said sharply. ‘That’s enough! You have no right to behave like this!’

Tanya looked at Cindy calmly. ‘It’s about Flight Two. That’s a flight to Rome, Mrs Bakersfeld.’

‘What’s wrong?’ Mel asked.

Tanya told him about the thin man with a small case, and her conversation with the Customs Officer, Standish.

‘It sounds like a job for Italian Customs, not us,’ he said.

They had both forgotten that Cindy was there.

‘I’m not sure. I’ve checked on this man, and I’ve discovered something strange about him. He’s flying to Rome without any luggage.’

‘Flying to Rome without any luggage! That’s mad! Why would he do that?’

‘I don’t know,’ Tanya admitted, ‘well - it may sound stupid, but…’

‘Go on. What are you trying to suggest?’

‘Perhaps he doesn’t need any luggage because he knows that the flight will never arrive. If there’s a bomb in the case-’

A bomb. Mel wondered what he should do. It could be all imagination and yet - what if it was true? He did not want to look a fool, but on the other hand … Then he thought of one thing that he could check.

He phoned the insurance desk, and asked the girl for the names of all the people who had bought flight insurance policies that evening.

While he was waiting for the girl to find the names, he asked Tanya: ‘Did you get the name of the man with no luggage?’

‘Yes, his name’s Guerrero. D. O. Guerrero.’

The same name as that woman Ned Ordway had brought to his office! Could there be some connection?

‘Tanya,’ he said, ‘there was a middle-aged woman waiting outside my office earlier this evening. I didn’t have time to see her, and she left. Try and find her now. Her name is Inez Guerrero.’

Tanya went off to make the announcement that he hoped Inez Guerrero would hear. It would be heard all over the terminal.

The girl from the insurance desk came back to the telephone with the information that Mel needed. Now he knew exactly how important it was to find Inez.

They must find her. If only he had had time to talk to her earlier! But there had been the Meadowood meeting, and Keith to worry about - Mel remembered he had considered going back to the control tower. Then there had been Cindy. He looked around and realized that Cindy had gone. He had not even noticed her leaving.

He phoned Ordway. Now every policeman in the airport would be looking for Inez Guerrero.

Tanya came back. ‘Have you discovered anything new about our man?’ she asked.

Mel answered her slowly and quietly. ‘Yes, I have. Guerrero, the man who is going to Rome without any luggage, insured his life this evening for three hundred thousand dollars. In the event of his death, the money would go to Inez Guerrero. He bought the policy with his last few coins.’

Tanya turned white. ‘Oh no!’ she whispered. ‘Oh God, no!’