Alice set the gun on the seat, near the door, while Knox talked on his cell phone to his cousin. They sat in the dark parking lot of a Chen’s Food Store, a run-down affair. The store was closed so the lot was empty, but the streets buzzed with traffic heading to the airport. A light blue police cruiser tore past, its red lights flashing, then a gray cruiser with a crown on the door, which read CENTRAL POLICE. Every cop on the Bahamas had to be at the airport, and the sirens blared continuously.
“Oh, you’re at FirstBank now?” Knox was saying. “Congratulations, Letty. Auntie Jane didn’t mention it.”
Alice whispered, “Ask her for someone who’s still there. Get a name.”
Knox said into the phone, “Letty, do you know anyone still there? You in touch with anyone? It’s important.”
Alice fished in the console and found a pen and pad with the name of the limo company.
“Who? Say again. Sure, I remember her. Do you have a phone number and address?” Knox read off the information, and Alice wrote it down. “Thanks, Letty. Love to all.” He flipped the phone closed. “The name’s Julie Cosgrove. I know her.”
“How?” Alice set down the paper and turned the key in the ignition.
“We went to high school together. She had a crush on me.”
“How do we get to her house?”
“It’s near Cable, on the way to Nassau.”
“Let’s go. Direct me.”
“Do you want to call first?”
“No, better to drop in.”
“Take the first right, then.” Knox opened the cell phone. “I must call my wife. What can I tell her?”
“Tell her you’re helping at the airport. You’ll be home by morning.” Alice pressed the gas and steered out of the parking lot. She logged the address into the car’s navigation system, and a white arrow popped onto a screen that was affixed to the dashboard.
“Turn right in three hundred feet,” said the soft, mechanical voice.