Hotline to Murder

you. I went home, and you weren’t there.” Shahla was crying on the phone.
    There had obviously been a royal mix-up. Rasa had driven to Carlsbad last night. The police hadn’t wanted her to go, especially in her distraught state, but she had said she couldn’t stay in her own house. But at least the police knew where she was. And she had left her sister’s number on Tony’s answering machine.
    “I called your cell phone, but you didn’t return my call,” Shahla said through her tears. And after a pause, “You forgot to take it with you?”
    “I can’t stay in the house tonight,” Shahla told her mother. “The kidnapper knows where I live.” After listening, she said, “No, don’t come home tonight. We don’t know where he is. Nobody should stay in the house.” And after a short pause, “I’ll stay with Tony.”
    Besides, Carlsbad was a couple of hours away, by car, near San Diego. Shahla told Rasa that Tony had an extra bedroom. They talked for another minute, and then Shahla said, “I love you,” and hung up.
    “Are you okay?” Tony asked Shahla.
    Shahla nodded. She said, “I was worried about her.”
    “That must have been very difficult…”
    “If you complete that sentence, I’ll punch you in the nose,” Shahla said, smiling through her tears.
    Tony was relieved. He asked, “Are you up to going to the police now?”
    ***
    They arrived at the police station ten minutes later and found out from the female officer at the desk that Detective Croyden wasn’t on duty. Tony thought for the second time that at least he didn’t work twenty-four hours a day.
    “I’ll get Lieutenant Stone,” the desk officer said, perking up after they told her who Shahla was. She had looked bored when they came in. “She’s the officer in charge.” And then to Shahla, “I’m glad you’re all right. We were worried about you.”
    “You were?” Shahla turned to Tony after they entered the conference room and said, “Were the police looking for me?”
    Tony nodded.
    “But I was right here all the time.”
    Lieutenant Stone walked into the conference room. Although she wasn’t exceptionally big, she looked impressive in her blue police uniform, with the full belt, attached to which were a gun, handcuffs, a nightstick, a cell phone, and a number of other implements of the trade that Tony couldn’t identify. That belt must weigh plenty. And the lieutenant looked as if she could take care of herself.
    Lieutenant Stone shook hands with both of them. She said to Shahla, “Your hands are cut. Do you need medical attention?”
    “It’s nothing. I’m okay.”
    “Be sure to clean them up and disinfect them. I’m glad you’re safe. Sit down and tell me what happened.”
    “The first thing is that a man attempted to kidnap her within the last half hour,” Tony said. “He may still be in the area.”
    The lieutenant flashed into action and asked key questions. When she asked what kind of car he was driving, Shahla said, “It was silver, not too big. I don’t know what kind.” Tony, who had seen it only at long range, couldn’t identify it any better. Shahla’s description of the suspect was a little more helpful, but not much.
    Lieutenant Stone said, “That isn’t much to go on, but I’ll put out an APB and tell everybody you’re safe.”
    She went out of the room. Tony ached to question Shahla some more, but he would hear it all soon enough. He felt a great sense of relief that she was all right. She looked okay, if a little bedraggled, except for her wrist and hands. He wondered whether the broadcast went out to more than just the two or three cars that he imagined were patrolling in Bonita Beach, but when Stone came back, she was all business, and he didn’t get a chance to ask.
    “They’re keeping an eye on your mom’s house,” she said to Shahla, “and yours too, since he knows where you live,” indicating Tony. “We can have a car drive you home, Shahla.”
    “I’m staying with Tony tonight,” Shahla said. “My mom’s out of town, you know.”
    Stone looked dubious. “Is that all right with her?”
    “I talked to her. She said it was okay.”
    Tony didn’t want to get involved in this discussion. He had that guilty feeling he got when he thought he was going to be accused of doing something immoral.
    Stone said, “Maybe that’s for the best. I suspect some news crews may be on their way to your mom’s house now. It’s probably better if you can avoid them for