Dad was waiting on the deck of Earl’s house when I got home. He tried to explain what happened, or what he thought had happened.
“I came home, and Tyler called … you’re right, he’s not missing … and said that Bernard’s body was found in the ocean and that Earl needed to come immediately.”
“Tyler called?”
“He gave him specific directions. Earl was frantic when he got off the phone. I could hardly get any information from him. First thing he did was run up to his office. Then he ran out of here.”
“You mean the police weren’t the ones to tell him?”
Dad shook his head.
“Did Earl call the police to check it out?”
Dad shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t think so.”
“This could be a trap, Dad. Nothing more than a trap.”
“Tyler wouldn’t lie to him.”
“Maybe he had no choice. Where did he say he was going?”
“He didn’t say. Probably to find Tyler.”
“Can’t you be more specific than that?”
“I’ll call him.” Looking worried, Dad took out his phone, pressed a few buttons. Earl picked up.
“Buddy, Trisha is here. She says this is a trap. You have to come back home.”
I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but Dad’s eyes grew large and he sat down.
“Really.” He paused.
“Really,” he repeated.
“Ask for a location,” I almost shouted in his ear. But Dad hung up.
“He said that he knows it’s a trap and that Tyler is the bait. He said The Babe is with him.”
“This is a disaster. It’s dark out and Ocean Beach is about three and half miles long. Where is he going?”
“Trish, he knows what he’s doing.”
“I don’t think so. I’m calling SFPD.”
I tapped the cell phone number for Inspector Burrell.
“Inspector Burrell, it’s Trisha Carson. I’m fine. Well, not so fine. Have you heard anything about a body found in or off Ocean Beach?” I asked. “Hmm … nothing? Thanks for checking. Let know if anything changes, okay? I’d appreciate it. Bye.”
I said, “She hasn’t heard of a body found along the beach. She even put me on hold and checked with the Park Service.”
Dad ran his hands over his face and pushed back his hair. “You think he’s in danger?”
“Of course, he is. His grandson calls to tell him that his good friend is dead. And the police have no record of a body found in or near Ocean Beach? It’s a setup. Can’t you see? Even Earl knows it, and he’s going anyway. This spying thing has gone south. He’s dealing with big-time hackers and criminals. We have to find them or who knows what will happen. These cyber snakes could turn into actual killers if they decide Earl and Tyler are disposable. How could Earl get involved with something like this?”
“Maybe he was bored. Or missed the action,” said Dad.
I was about to run out the door to my car when I stopped. “Did he take his gun?”
“What gun?”
“The one he keeps—oh, never mind.” I ran up the steps to Earl’s office. The fake book, the one with the big blue marble and the manilla envelope, lay open on his desk. The gun was gone. I ran out of the room and launched myself down the stairs.
“It’s not there. It’s not there,” I yelled to Dad standing at the foot of the staircase. “We have to find him and stop him before he uses it.”
“What gun, Trish?”
“He had one hidden in his office. You didn’t know?”
“No. He never volunteered the info.”
“You said he missed the action. This kind of action? Has he been a spy all this time?” I asked.
“I couldn’t tell ya, Trisha.”