Beautiful Girls (12 page)

^{Mel pleaded her case one more time. I couldn't hear any of their words due to the techno music filling the air.}

^{Finally, Jim raised both of his arms in a surrender position. Mel was happy. She gave Jim a hug. Then, she looked at me and gave me the thumbs up sign. Mel said something as Jim looked at me. Then, Mel walked into the kitchen.}

^{That's how I got my Las Vegas helper. Perhaps it was because I was engaged to a successful Hollywood actress that impressed her and raised her opinion of me. Perhaps it was how I looked; worried, focused and sincere in my undertaking. Perhaps it was her status in life in Las Vegas; vulnerable in some way. Perhaps it was all these things, that added up to her feeling safe with me, to being open and helpful, knowing I'd be kind and complimentary towards her, while allowing her to share in the kind of bold adventure she'd dreamed life would be all the time in Sin City.}

^{From the start, our relationship was a chaste friendship that we both knew could, would have been different if I was not engaged and a soon-to-be-father. As such, we were comfortable together and stayed focused on the case.}

^{Mel brought my salad and a roll, sat next to me and said, “We're good. Jim will let me help you as long as we don't disturb anyone.”}

^{“Hey, that's great.”}

^{“Where do we start?”}

^{I said, “In all the obvious places. I don't know what we're looking for, but I need your eyes. Tell me if you see anything unusual sitting out in the open.”}

^{“OK, I will, Stevie. I'll start while you're eating.”}

^{She took her new job seriously. Mel walked slowly around the perimeter of the pools and tables and bars. She bent at the knees to look under lounge chairs and beds. She stood on her toes to see on top shelves. She felt under table tops and chairs; all without luck.}

^{Then, she stopped and walked back to the kitchen. She came out thirty seconds later with my steak and potatoes. She whisked away my salad bowl and roll plate. Then, she sat down and audibly exhaled.}

^{“I didn't see anything that looks odd.”}

^{“Hang in there, Mel. It's early.”}

^{“I will.”}

^{I said, “After I finish we'll dig deeper.”}

^{My filet was very good. The baked potato had sat too long and was a little dry. The green beans were crisp – I liked them.}

^{I said to Mel, “Tell me your life story and I'll tell you mine.”}

^{“OK, Stevie.”}

^{Melody Pima and her fraternal twin, Harmony, had been left for orphans at birth someplace in Arizona twenty-three years earlier. She wasn't sure who gave them the musical names. She never knew her parents. They were never adopted. Instead, they lived in a series of foster homes and, finally, at an orphanage-like ranch near Phoenix. At eighteen, the twins “escaped” (Mel's word) to Las Vegas and worked at odd jobs and lived in different, cheap apartments until they turned twenty-one. Those three years were hard, not as hard as some of their earlier years, but still hard. They started with no money, no credit, no car and no real skills. After reaching the age of maturity they would get better jobs in the casinos and lounges. That's when they earned more money and saved for their condo, which they bought a year ago. The twins had lived in Las Vegas five years. It's home and the most stable life they've ever had.}

^{The twins' story touched me, and was surprised that I had to fight back tears. Somehow, I recovered and gave a quick review of my life, focusing on how I met and fell in love with Edie –that took enough time and certainly kept Mel's attention. My meal was long finished at the end of the stories. So, we started looking for the clue again.}

^{Four minutes after I joined the search we found it. I was lucky. I noticed the lack of reflection or a different reflection in one spot at the bottom of the big pool. I stopped walking and looked close.}

^{From the other side of the pool Mel said, “What is it, Stevie?”}

^{A clear, round disk with a three-inch radius sat on the bottom of the pool. It looked like something was inside the disk; paper with letters on it. The disk was near the shallow end of the pool about three inches from the bottom step.}

^{Mel was at my side. I pointed at the disk.}

^{She asked, “What is that?”}

^{“I don't know, but it could be what we're looking for.”}

^{“I can get it. The water isn't too deep here.”}

^{I said, “You're not going in, are you? You'll get soaked.”}

^{“I'll lift my dress; just don't look too closely at my butt. I'll do it so quickly no one will notice.”}

^{Before I could say anything else, Mel stepped out of her big heels and started down the concrete stairway. The water looked to be about three feet deep. With each step, as the water level rose, Mel slowly lifted her dress higher and higher, keeping it dry. As she stood on the bottom of the pool, the water was above her waist. Her pink toe nail polish, the thin pink straps of her panties, and her bare legs and behind were only partially visible due to the movement of the water.}

^{On her second step away from the steps she put her right foot on top of the clear disc. Her toes grabbed it and she slid it along the bottom back to the steps. Her toes then lifted it up the vertical side onto the first step and pushed it across the horizontal side. She continued this process until she could reach into six inches of water and lift the disk off the top step.}

^{“That was easy.”}

^{I handed Mel her shoes and she handed me the disk. She said, “Thanks. I'll be right back after I dry off. Don't open this until I get back!”}

^{She turned, walked to a large wicker basket near the pool, pulled out a large white towel and headed to the women's bathroom. I returned to my table and looked at the disk. It was waterproof since the folded paper within looked perfectly dry.}

 

 

^{I used my waiting time to call Edie. She and Tawny were in the middle of watching a romantic movie so I kept my comments brief. I gave her an overview of my progress and described Melody Pima, my new helper.}

^{Edie said, “I'm OK with that, Stevie, because it will be a ‘no touch' friendship, correct?”}

^{“Absolutely.”}

^{“Plus, you don't know Las Vegas.”}

^{“That's why I want her help.”}

^{The true excitement for Edie was the news that we had guessed correctly and found the second clue. Edie asked to be put on the cell phone's speaker when Mel and I opened the plastic case. I agreed and told her we'd call back in a few minutes.}

^{Mel returned from the bathroom. She showed her open, honest personality when she said, “Sorry for the delay, Stevie. My panties took so long to dry with the blow dryer. It's still a little damp, which is hard to believe given that it's just a thong.”}

^{I smiled at that thought, and said, “No problem, Mel. I took the time to call my fiancée, Edie. She's thrilled that we found the second clue. She's glad you're helping me.”}

^{“Really?”}

^{“Yes, she knows I could use an assistant.”}

^{“That's great; I want to be your assistant, Stevie.”}

^{“Mel, I'm glad you're here, too. You know Las Vegas and I don't. But, I want you to be careful. You've got to listen to what I say, OK?”}

^“Sure.”

^{“My first rule is to be safe at all times.”}

^{“I agree.”}

^{“Edie wants us to call her as we open the clue.”}

^“OK.”

^{“Mel, I have no idea where this clue could lead us. It could be a long night.”}

^{“That's fine. I don't usually go to bed until sunrise when I'm working. Plus, this place is dead tonight. I'll punch out early and save the company some money.”}

^{We dialed Edie, put her on speaker, introduced her to Mel and put the phone next to the clue on my table.}

^{I said, “It's a clear plastic disk about three inches wide. There's a folded paper inside and the seal is tight. The paper looks dry. I'll open it now.”}

^{I pried it open with my fingers.}

^{“Edie, there are two pieces of paper inside, like those in the first clue's envelope; a small piece of paper and a cutting from a bible. It looks like the next verses from 1 Samuel, Chapter 25.”}

^{I read the scripture out loud.}

^{When David heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep, he sent ten of his young men to Carmel with this message for Nabal: “Peace and prosperity to you, your family, and everything you own! I am told that it is sheep-shearing time. While your shepherds stayed among us near Carmel, we never harmed them, and nothing was ever stolen from them. Ask your own men, and they will tell you this is true. So would you be kind to us, since we have come at a time of celebration? Please share any provisions you might have on hand with us and with your friend David.” David's young men gave this message to Nabal in David's name, and they waited for a reply.}

^{Edie said, “I'm following in the Bible and that is the correct next six verses of that chapter.”}

^{I said, “It looks like it came from the same bible, too.”}

^{Edie said, “There are some phrases that seem relevant to us, you know, time of celebration – our wedding, and how we've been kind to my father, but now need something from him, like David and Nabal.”}

^{I said, “True.”}

^{Then Edie said, “But, mostly it's different from our life.”}

^“Right.”

^{Mel spoke up and asked, “The verses mention Carmel. Do you have any connection to that town or the Monterey Peninsula?”}

^{Edie answered, “No, not at all.”}

^{Mel then asked, “What did you want from your father?”}

^{Edie said, “All I wanted from him was to walk me down the aisle at our wedding like any other father would do.”}

^{Edie choked up as she finished that sentence.}

^{I said, “That's true, baby, but, as you said, mostly this bible story doesn't relate to us.”}

^{We heard Edie sniffling. Mel said, “Stevie, read the note.”}

^“OK.”

^David,

^{Welcome to Sodom. You have followed me so far. The path gets more difficult. The natives are always restless. That won't stop you, will it?}

^{Go on to the circus of the sun. For the next clue, don't get wet and look carefully where you sit.}

^Nabal

 

^{“Strange,” said Mel.}

^{“I agree,” said Edie.}

^{I asked, “What does he mean by ‘circus of the sun'?”}

^{Mel said, “It must be Cirque du Soleil – that means circus of the sun in French.”}

^{“Yes, of course,” said Edie.}

^{I said, “Where is
Cirque du Soleil?”}

^{Mel said, “There're two in town.”}

^{Edie asked, “Which one does he mean?”}

^{Mel answered, “Well, one of them is right next door, inside the Bellagio. A big part of that show involves divers and swimmers into a pool.”}

^{Edie said, “That's got to be it. My dad wrote not to get wet at the circus.”}

^{“You could be right,” Mel said. Then, she continued, “Cirque du Soleil has a show starting at eight.”}

^{I said, “It's 7:40 now. We could just make it if we hurry.”}

^{Edie asked, “Mel, where would my father hide a clue at the circus?”}

^{“I don't know. Cirque is a stage show, not a real circus.”}

^{Edie said, “Right. Where will you two start to look?”}

^{I said, “I don't know.”}

^{Mel said, “Stevie, I need to change out of this cocktail dress now or we'll be late.”}

^{Mel got up, walked to the bar, and told Jim, the assistant manager, she needed to leave, he shrugged, and then she disappeared into the kitchen.}

^{Edie broke my focus on my waitress when she said, “Stevie, Stevie…”}

^{“Yes, Edie.”}

^{“She must be good looking, isn't she?”}

^{“Oh, Edie…”}

^{“Stevie!”}

^{“Yes, she's cute. She's a kid and thinks this is a big game.”}

^{“Yes, I can hear it in her voice. Mel seems like a good person. She is helping us. Be careful and be careful with her.”}

^{“I will.”}

^{“Does Mel know my father?”}

^{“No, she never met him, as far as she can remember.”}

^{Then, Edie asked, “Where is this leading?”}

^{“I don't know. Rob has some sort of method to his madness.”}

^{“Do you think he's watching you?”}

^{“I'm not sure. I know he's not in this place. It's too small and has too few people. I'm not sure if he's waiting outside or if he'll be at Cirque du Soleil.”}

^{I asked about Edie's night and plans. She and Tawny were still watching a movie. She explained that she had scheduled meetings in Los Angeles on Monday with Tawny's school and Bambi's lawyer.}

^{“Stevie, I better get back to Tawny as she's waiting for me. Call me at nine tomorrow morning and give me an update. Call anytime if you're in trouble.”}

^{“I will, baby. Goodnight.”}

^{“Goodnight, Mr. Private Eye.”}