When I got back to the Dauphine Hotel it was almost ten-thirty in the morning. I was too tired and too worked up to sleep.  My heart was still racing. There was a message for me: Inspector Hughes had called from San Francisco.
I stretched out on the bed and called Jamilla back. I shut my eyes.
I wanted to hear a friendly voice, especially hers.  ‘I might have something good for you/ she said when I reached her at home.’In my spare time, ha-ha, I’ve been taking a close look at Santa Cruz. Why Santa Cruz, you might ask? There have been several unsolved disappearances there. Too many. I plotted them out myself. Alex, something is happening up there. It fits in with the rest of this case.’
‘Santa Cruz was on our original list,’I said. I was trying to focus on what she had just told me. I couldn’t remember exactly where Santa Cruz was located.
Tou sound tired. Are you all right?’ she asked.
‘I just got back to the hotel a few minutes ago. Long night.’
‘Alex, go to sleepi This can wait. Goodnight.’ ‘No, I can’t sleep anyway. Tell me about Santa Cruz. I want to hear it.’
‘All right. I talked to a lieutenant with the Santa Cruz PD.
Interesting conversation. Annoying, too. They’re aware of the disappearances.
The/ve also noted house p............