Near Miss

Chapter Nine: Location

"Yes, I understand that," Rhiannon said impatiently. "But that doesn't answer my question. Where's the RV?"

Gina's arms, which had been crossed in frustration for the last several minutes, began to slide apart. Her hands, Rhiannon guessed, were probably about to move toward her hips; she certainly wouldn't be easily pacified by this point. "I've told you several times now. There's no need to snap back." Her voice was level and calm, but transparent enough to reveal her frustration. "The RV is not my property, and it's not my responsibility to track its location. I'm in charge of the lot. If you're going to look at a lot, will you please just get to the point?"

Rhiannon frowned. "Do you know where the RV is?" She tried to keep her tone as clear as possible.

"You just asked me that."

"You don't know where it is, do you?"

"It's not my job!" Gina protested. "I've been trying to tell you that."

"Can you please just answer? Do you know where the RV is, yes or no?"

"I don't know where the RV is, no." Gina's arms untwined fully, and she planted her hands firmly on her hips. "Why exactly do you care?"

"I'm the assistant to a private detective. I'm gathering as much evidence as I can regarding Malachi Lindquist," Rhiannon explained. "If you know where his RV is, I need to know."

Gina shrugged. "Maybe he moved somewhere else, maybe he took it on a trip, I don't know. Why don't you ask someone who knew what he was doing with it?"

"And when did the RV disappear, exactly?"

"Disappear?" Gina scowled. "It didn't disappear. Lindquist would take it places, just, you know, because he could. I don't know, he probably took it sometime this week. He's done it before. I didn't pay any attention."

"How often does he do it?"

"A couple times every summer, probably," Gina shrugged. "Mostly in the summer. A lot of people leave in the summer, but at least Malachi would still pay for the lot while he was gone."

"Do you think that was an oversight on his part, then, or-"

"No, I just remember he was never gone for more than two weeks. I rent lots by the month. Other people would stay longer, but he was always short about it. That was good."

"So..." Rhiannon trailed off. "Which lot is his, then?"

Gina didn't even bother to lead her there; instead she just pointed toward the front corner of the trailer park. "The one on the edge, the empty one."

"Thank you, Regina, that was very helpful."

"I told you, it's Gina," she muttered under her breath.

Rhiannon didn't correct herself. "You can reach us at this number if you happen to remember anything else." Rhiannon presented her with an improvised business card, which Gina didn't even bother to glance at before slipping into her pocket.

"Just one more thing- who's in that lot?" Rhiannon indicated Malachi's closest neighbor.

"Sonia Baird," Gina said bluntly.

That helps a lot, Rhiannon wanted badly to say. But she knew it wouldn't do any good in the long run, and it was always possible that she might have to speak with Gina again at some point. Dipping her head, she trotted across the trailer park and toward the motor home of Sonia Baird.

It had been quite a long time since Rhiannon had needed to knock on the door of a trailer, but her expectations had hardly changed. It only made sense for someone to open the door immediately. A knock was obvious from inside; it could be readily heard.