I picked out some of the men’s shirts and pants. “From the size of these, they must all be vegans, and probably weak from malnourishment.”
Hondo knelt and looked in the bottom, “Shoes, boots, sneakers, but mostly sandals and flip-flops.”
“Nothing suggesting a kidnapping.”
“Nope.”
We checked the second closet and found Bodhi’s clothes. They ranged from Goth to casual to Rodeo Drive elegant.
We heard the faint sound of a key, and both of us moved to either side of the bedroom door. I eased my eye around the corner and saw a drop-dead gorgeous young woman with a California tan and straight sixties-style hair the color of honey. She wore an open, sleeveless leather vest, and nothing under it. She also had on a tiny pair of cutoff jeans with a dozen frayed holes that looked like small cotton explosions where the white threads extended. Tanned skin showed through a few holes, too.
Hondo whispered, “Don’t whinny and bare your teeth.”
I whispered back, “I can control myself around beautiful women. I have the strength of ten.”
She dropped a set of keys on the kitchen counter, opened the refrigerator and took out a Snapple. She drained half of it on the first try. A few drops ran down her chin and onto the tanned skin between her breasts. She ran one palm slowly across it, going under the vest sides and doing what under there, I could only imagine.
And I was imagining a lot right then. I craned my neck to the side to see more of her.
Hondo shook the wire hanger at me and silently mouthed, “Quit it.”
She glanced at the bedroom door and saw me. I jerked back as she said, “Oh, hey!” We stepped out and she said, “You’re the two newlyweds, I bet. From the beach ceremony last month. I didn’t make that one, but Bodhi said it was epic.”
Hondo said, “No, we’re not married. It wasn’t us.”
I watched a golden bead of peach tea run down her stomach, curve around the edge of her fine little navel and continue south. Hondo nudged me.
I said, “My name’s Ronny, and he’s Hondo.”
She said, “I’m Amber.” She put out her fist, so Hondo and I fist-bumped her.
I said, “Have you seen Bodhi?”
“Sure.”
“So you know where she is.”
She laughed, “Not right this exact instant.”
Amber had one of those bell-clear laughs that added to
her beauty, and it worked on me.
Hondo whispered to me, “Don’t swoon.”
She said, “What? I didn’t catch that.”
Hondo said, “When was the last time you saw her?”
“When I borrowed her car last week.”
“You kept it for a week?”
“Bodhi told me to take it, said she was fine and had other wheels. She’s loaned it to me lots of times.” Amber looked at us, “Are you guys cops? What’s with all the questions?”
Hondo handed her one of our business cards and I said, “We’re trying to find Bodhi. She’s missing.”
“Like missing-missing?”