As far as the Santa Monica police were concerned, an abandoned Lexus near the airport was either catnip for car thieves, or part of a prearranged drug drop, so they had it towed in and searched for contraband. They got quite a surprise when they popped the trunk.
—
ABDUL-HAKIM MUSTERED all the information he could before he called Calvin Hancock.
“This is unacceptable,” Calvin said. “You’re telling me a movie producer walks off the set, kills a hit man, and disappears?”
“We’ll find him. The student’s body was found a mile from the Santa Monica airport. We know Billy Barnett was on his way to the airport to borrow Peter Barrington’s plane. Shortly before midnight that plane took off for Reno. It never got there. But we’re not taking anything for granted. We’re searching the airport in Reno, and the airports here.”
“Are we sure he ever left?”
“He wasn’t on the set today. He and his wife have a house, we’re searching it now. The men on the job are thorough. And, yes, we’re searching the airport in Santa Monica.”
“What else?”
“We’re searching hotel reservations, car rentals, plane, train, and bus tickets, any credit card use whatsoever in the name of Billy Barnett. He can’t have disappeared into thin air.”
“I’m pleased to hear it. So you tell me, then.”
“What?”
“Where’s Billy Barnett?”