Hiding Out

I’m having breakfast at a diner in Cle Elum. I spent the night here after driving around forever trying to figure out what to do. I finally decided to come across the pass, but had to stop and get chains for the car before I could make the trip. Somehow I feel safer on this side of the mountains.

10:00 a.m.

There are two things that have me itching a bit (aside from the fact that once I was in a motel in Cle Elum I decided to remove all my makeup and get a really thorough shower. When I woke up this morning I carefully reapplied everything and refreshed the look.) I downloaded my e-mail this morning and had a cryptic message from a blind address. In fact, my guess is that the account was opened just to send me the message. It doesn’t seem to have a connection to anything else as far as I can tell. The message was:

Ms. Riley: We are informed that you have certain property once belonging to one Simon Barnett. We are certain that his property is of little or no value to you, but may be of significant interest to a party or parties with whom he had business relations. We are offering a substantial reward for this property and evidence that any copies of it have been destroyed. This could be a very profitable proposition for you. Or a very dangerous one should you decline our generous offer. Await our instructions regarding disposition of this property. We suggest you have it with you at any time we contact you.—The Committee

Okay. You could be a little more specific, Mr. Committee. What is this supposed property I’ve got and why do you want it? It makes me mad.

Oh yes, the other thing.

I got a hit on my tickler. Sandra Ramon entered Mexico on December fifth. It had took five days for the information to get through Mexican immigration into the data base I was scanning. If I was really going to make something happen, I was going to have to get closer to her or tracker on a more “real time” basis. Let’s face it. I’m not in a good place to be either out here in Cle Elum. I’m thinking I’ll have to go back to Seattle, but I don’t have anywhere to go.

4:00 p.m.

This is just crazy enough that it might work. There happens to be a perfectly good penthouse apartment in Seattle that is currently unoccupied. I’m intending to make use of it. I don’t know if I can stand it, but I know that I have to try.

It’s come together for me this afternoon. I kept Dag’s car covered overnight with the custom canvas car cover that he always kept on it in storage. I’m not sure, but it seems like a good thing to protect it with in inclement weather, and it might also keep it from being spotted immediately. I worked all afternoon in a café after I checked out of the motel. I need a better location for my base. I’m pretty sure Silas isn’t looking too hard for me or he’d have found me by now. So what’s with that? Is he just trying to spook me?

And who is this Committee?

Well, anyway, here’s what I pulled together. I tapped into the property management database at The Condo. I’ve leased The Condo from its current owner and am moving in tonight. I went all the way into Ellensburg to find a Kinko’s open so I could print out my papers, complete with the signature of the building’s property manager. All I need now is a key. I have a feeling I know how to get one.

It is getting dark now and I’m going to head back into Seattle to see if I can move into my new home. Wish me luck.