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“Jesus, a politically-correct Indy. God save us,” he muttered.
“Smartass,” I said on a smile.
“What did you wanna talk about?”
Big breath.
“How would I go about finding a missing person?”
Hank became all business. I couldn’t see him but I heard it, for sure. “Who is it?”
“You don’t know him.” Well, Hank did know Rosie, but only to buy coffee from when he came to Fortnum’s.
“How long have they been missing?”
I tried to calculate it. “About ten hours.”
“Sorry, Indy. Not missing yet.”
“What if they actually are?”
“Who is it?” he repeated.
“An employee of mine. He’s a steady guy.” That was a lie. Rosie was anything but steady. But Rosie never missed a chance to make coffee. He worked seven days a week and never complained. “He didn’t show up for work today,” I went on. “His name is Ambrose Coltrane.” Best not use his alias, just in case Lee called in a favor.
“The same Ambrose Coltrane that Lee’s lookin’ for?”
Say what?
“Lee only knows him as Rosie,” I snapped.
Hesitation then, “Lee has ways.”
Grr.
Everybody was always saying this. Lee had ways of getting into girls’ panties. Lee had ways of getting parts for his car when he didn’t have a job. Lee had ways of finding choice parking spots wherever he went. Lee had ways of getting out of being grounded an average of one hour after the grounding, when Ally and I would usually have to do the whole week, or month, or whatever our transgression had bought.
Hank didn’t read my frustration. He just kept talking.
“Starting with his PI databases. He can tap into a lot of things. Lee called in a couple hours ago. Asked me to let him know if Coltrane surfaces. He doin’ this favor for you?”
Pause for answer.
I kept my mouth shut.
“What’s goin’ on?” Hank was losing his good-natured, business-like voice and was lapsing into his stern older brother voice. “Why are you and Lee looking for the same guy?”
Rule Number One in the India Savage Life Code: When in doubt or possible trouble, lie.
“Don’t know. Listen, Hank, can you callmefirst if you hear anything about Rosie? And then forget about it for about an hour or two or twenty before calling Lee?”
“Not if you don’t tell me what this is about.”
Like brother, like brother. Stubborn to the last.
“Forget it. See you Saturday at Dad’s barbeque.”
“You comin’ with Lee?”
