The Case of the Kidnapped Angel: A Masao Masuto Mystery (Book Six) Read Online Free PDF Page B

here?”
    â€œMostly the same kind you find in the Colony down the road, only with less money for the most part. Of course, some of them, like Barton, use their houses only on weekends, and some of the houses, like this one, are as classy as the houses in the Colony. Some people don’t want to live in the Colony, and then the houses at the Colony aren’t for sale very often. You get writers, actors, directors, lawyers—you name it.”
    Masuto turned toward the ocean, staring at the incoming waves, apparently lost in thought. “I’d like to live here,” Beckman said. “I guess I’d rather live here than anywhere else.”
    â€œTime was, and not so long ago,” Cominsky told them, “that you could buy one of these houses for forty, fifty thousand dollars. Now there isn’t one you can touch for less than half a million.”
    Masuto smiled thinly and shrugged. “Let’s go back to the station house.” He had been thinking that Malibu Beach was very beautiful. But most of the world was very beautiful until men touched it.

Malibu Beach
    Back at the Malibu police station, Masuto found a message to call Wainwright at the Beverly Hills station. He made the call and was put through to Wainwright, who said, “What was taken has been returned.”
    â€œVery cryptic and interesting.”
    â€œI got a room full of reporters. I’ll call you back in five minutes.”
    Masuto put down the telephone and asked Cominsky, “How much has this leaked?”
    â€œWho knows, Masuto? I did my best. The local news people were here. They always are when there’s a break-in on the beach, but I didn’t say word one about the kidnapping. They wanted to know were any of the Bartons in the house. I had no comment for that.”
    â€œWhat about Netty Cooper?”
    â€œShe had to know something was going on when I got the list of her guests. But I didn’t mention the kidnapping. That won’t help. It’ll come out before the day’s over.”
    â€œAngel’s back.”
    â€œHow do you know?” Beckman asked him.
    â€œI spoke to Wainwright. He had a room full of reporters. I guess that means it’ll be out. The chief’s right. You can’t sit on something like that.”
    â€œWell, thank God,” Cominsky said. “She’s a nice lady. I’d hate to think that anything happened to her. Is she all right? Did they rough her up?”
    â€œI don’t know. Wainwright didn’t fill me in on any details.”
    â€œI’m starved,” Beckman said.
    â€œYou can grab a bite at the drugstore in the shopping center across the road. It’s not great, but it’s all right. Or you can drive down to the pier and eat fancy.”
    â€œWe have to wait for Wainwright to call back.”
    A few minutes later the call from Wainwright came through. “Masao,” he said, “I’ll be leaving for Mike Barton’s place in about an hour, and I want you to meet me there.”
    â€œYou said his wife is back?”
    â€œRight. No harm done except some tape marks on her mouth and wrists. She says she was snatched out of her Malibu house by two men who wore stocking masks, taken somewhere, and finally dumped on Mulholland Drive, just to the west of Coldwater Canyon. She walked to the fire-house and they drove her home. McCarthy’s with her, and that’s the story he tells me. I got to meet with the mayor and city manager again, because they think they can sit on this and I got to tell them they’re crazy.”
    â€œWhat about Mike Barton?”
    â€œNo sign of him yet.”
    â€œDid you put out anything on him? He should be back by now.”
    â€œNot yet, Masao. You know, he could have made the drop fifty miles from here. The kidnappers could have split up. One takes Angel, one goes to pick up the money. What are you thinking?”
    â€œI don’t know exactly what