Swimming to Catalina

They wanted me to beg him to get me back, too. I tried not to do that.”
    “Did anyone ever tell you who had ordered your kidnapping?”
    “No. I asked, but they wouldn’t tell me. I heard an occasional reference to ‘the boss.’”
    “When did they take you to the yacht?”
    “I was on two boats, at different times; I was on the big yacht twice.”
    “Did they take you there by boat?”
    “The first time they did; the second time the boat was at a dock. That was yesterday.”
    “Did they ever hurt you? Rough you up?”
    “Once one of them slapped me, after I used the phone. His name was Vinnie, I remember that. I’d like to kick him in the balls, if I ever have the chance.”
    “You won’t; he’s dead. Was there another one named Manny?”
    “Yes, but they kept changing. There was a Tommy and one they called Zip, too.”
    “Any other names?”
    “No, just the four of them.”
    “Did you ever hear the names of Sturmack or Ippolito mentioned?”
    “No; I know them both, so I would have remembered.”
    “It was Ippolito’s yacht.”

    “I got that impression from your conversation with Dino last night.”
    “Did you ever hear the name of Martin Barone?”
    There was a flash of recognition. “I heard one of them mention ‘Marty’ once.”
    “In what connection?”
    “It was something like, ‘Better check with Marty.’”
    “About what?”
    “I don’t remember.”
    “Do you have any idea at all what they wanted from Vance? He’s been very close-mouthed.”
    “No, I don’t. As I said, I thought they wanted ransom, and you can’t blame Vance for not talking about it; I heard them say over and over to him on the phone that if he said anything to anyone, I wouldn’t be coming back.”
    “How did you know that I was in L.A., at the Bel-Air?”
    “The trade paper. It said you were at a party at Vance’s house, so I figured he had turned to you for help.” She put her hand on his. “I’m glad he did.”
    “Would you recognize the other two men—Tommy and Zip—if you saw them again?”
    “Oh, yes.”
    “Do you know their last names?”
    “No.”
    “Can you describe them?”
    “Tommy was about six-four, well over two hundred pounds, a weightlifter, I’m sure; coal-black hair, about thirty. Zip was shorter, a little under six feet, but heavily built; he had black hair going gray, and I guess he was in his early forties.”
    “Good. Can you think of anything else about your captivity that might help us find out who was responsible?”

    “It must be Ippolito, since I was on his yacht. Do you really think David Sturmack is involved? He was always very kind to me; I liked him.”
    “I think the two of them are in it together. What was your relationship to Ippolito like?”
    “There was none. I only met him twice, once at a dinner party at David Sturmack’s house, and once at a cocktail party at the Beverly Hills Hotel, a charity thing.”
    “I guess that’s all I have to ask.”
    “My turn, then.”
    “All right.”
    “First of all, I want to tell you about the beginning, when I was supposed to come sailing with you. I had begun to believe that you were never going to make any kind of real commitment…”
    “I was going to ask you to marry me when you got to St. Marks.”
    A tear spilled down her cheek. “Boy, my timing was great, wasn’t it? I guess I was kind of hurting, more fragile than I thought, and Vance made me feel better. The more time we spent together the better it got, and after I came back to L.A. with him, well, I guess I became infatuated. I thought I was in love with him.”
    “Aren’t you still?”
    “I haven’t entirely figured that out yet, but I intend to. I’m certainly very fond of him, and I have great respect for him as a man.”
    “Even after you were kidnapped, and he didn’t get you back right away?”
    “I knew he was doing everything he could, and he’s explained his actions to my satisfaction. I don’t hold anything against him for what happened—I believe it was completely beyond his control.”

    “He told you he’d be moving here with you while we sort everything out?”
    “Yes, but I’m not staying.”
    “Arrington, this isn’t over; we have to protect you.”
    “I’m going back to Virginia; Betty Southard is arranging a chartered jet right now, and there’ll be some security people to meet me at the other end.”
    “Why are you going back?”
    “Vance told you I was pregnant, didn’t he? I figure that’s