Remo offered a card and said, "Remo Zimbalist, Jr., FBI."
"He's disappeared!"
"So we heard."
"No, he really, really disappeared," the man said excitedly. "I keep telling people this, but these so-called journalists refuse to believe me."
"Start from the top," said Remo, trying to sound official.
"I'm Cody Custer, Thrush's chief of staff." He blinked. "Aren't you going to take notes?"
"Photographic memory," said Remo.
"And who's he?" Custer asked, indicating Chiun.
"That's my Korean crime-scene photographer."
"Where's his camera?"
"He's got a photographic memory too. Let's hear your story."
"We pulled into town about ten o'clock. Thrush stopped in at the local funeral parlor."
"Esterquest and Son?"
"Yeah, that was the name. He went in and talked to him a while and came out all excited. Thrush said he had the whole thing figured out, and told me to drive straight here."
"Then what?"
"On the way, we were stopped by the California Highway Patrol. They said they were quarantining the area, but we could go through once they explained the risk."
"Yeah?"
"I told them I was okay with it, and they went in back and talked with Thrush. Not more than a minute or two. I drove on, pulled into here, ran Thrush's ballyhoo tape like he told me to. But he never came out."
"Okay, let's look at this logically. You sure he got back on in town?"
"Positive. When Thrush gets on or off this thing, believe me, you know it. We gotta replace the shocks every six months."
"And you didn't stop except for the police."
"Yeah. It's the only way it could have happened."
"What is?"
"The highway patrol kidnapped Thrush Limburger. They must have."
"You know how that sounds?"
"Yeah, but I think they weren't really police. One of them had a ponytail tucked up under his cap."
Remo looked to the Master of Sinanju. The Master of Sinanju stepped up to Cody Custer and looked him straight in the eye with hazel orbs like cold lasers.
Custer looked at Remo and asked, "What's he doing?"
"Taking your picture. Just hold still."
"He is telling the truth, Remo," said Chiun, stepping back.
Remo frowned. "Great. As if we don't have enough to do, we've got a kidnapping. Maybe we'd better talk to the coroner."
"That's what I kept telling the press. Talk to the coroner. But all they're interested in is food service trucks and bugeaters. In that order."
Chapter 13
There was a crowd outside the Esterquest and Son funeral parlor. Police cars were pulled up before the door and an ambulance stood waiting, its rear doors open.
There was also a contingent of press. Minicams and print journalists jostled one another for position.
"I don't see anyone who might recognize us," Remo said, easing the car into a parking slot.
"Something is wrong," said Chiun. "I smell death in the air."
"I just hope it's not what I think it is."
They got out and sauntered up to the edge of the waiting crowd. A sheet-wrapped body was being carried out. The electronic press crushed close as if the anonymous body on the gurney were the most important figure on earth.
"Don't they normally take bodies into a funeral parlor?" Remo said, loud enough for anyone to hear.
"Not when the body is the owner," a print journalist said.
Remo winced. "Esterquest?"
"That is the name over the door."
"What killed him?" Remo asked.
"No one knows the what, but the police have a pretty good idea of the who."
"Who?"
"Thrush Limburger. He paid the guy a visit less than an hour ago, and now he's croaked."
"Yeah, and Limburger's missing," added another reporter.
"Which proves he's guilty," said a third.