a lien got put on
“Checking out other MP cases with either an acting connection or a Malibu link. As usual,the computer flagged nothing, but a sheriff’s detective remembered theGaidelases as would-be thespians. In his mind, no homicide, two adultsrabbiting. I reached the brother-in-law, plastic surgeon. The Gaidelases arestill missing, family got fed up with the sheriffs, tried the P.I. route, wentthrough three investigators. The first two gave them zilch, the third turned upthe fact that the Gaidelases’ rental car had showed up five weeks after thedisappearance, sent them a big bill and said that’s all she could do.”
“The sheriffs never thought to tell the family about the car?”
“Venturapolice auto-recovery case, sheriffs weren’t even aware of it.”
“Where was it found?”
“Camarillo.One of the parking lots at that big discount shopping outlet they’ve gotthere.”
“Huge place,” I said.
“You shop there?”
Twice. With Allison. Waiting as she tried on outfits at Ralph Lauren andVersace. “Five weeks and no one noticed the car?”
He said, “For all we know, it was stashed somewhere and moved. TheGaidelases’ rental contract was for two weeks and when they didn’t return it,the company started phoning the number on the form, got no answer. When thecompany tried to bill for late charges, they found out the Gaidelases’ creditcard and cell phone had been canceled the day after they disappeared. Companykept tacking on fees at a usurious rate of interest. The bill compoundedseriously and after thirty days, the debt got assigned to a collection agency.The agency found out the Gaidelases’ number in Ohio, got another disconnect. What’s itsound like to you?”
“A skip.”
“Ten points. Anyway, a lien got put on the Gaidelases’ assets, screwed uptheir credit rating. Private Sleuth Number Three pulled a credit check and backtraced. The Palmers say no way the Gaidelases skipped, the two of them werehyped up about making it as actors, loved California.”
“Did the car get checked for evidence?”
He shook his head. “No reason to check a recovered rental. By now, no oneknows where it is. Probably put up for auction and shipped to Mexico.”
“The Camarillo outlet’s miles up the coastfrom Malibu,” Isaid. “The Gaidelases could’ve gone hiking and followed up with a shoppingtrip—duds for auditions. Or they never got out of the hills.”
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