"Elementary Watson"
Half the bathwater had seeped down the drain. I shivered from a draft. It was cold. I got up and dried off. The room was dark and cold. I walked over to the window. It was dark outside. I turned the heater/air conditioner to low heat, walked over to the night table and picked up the telephone and dialed zero.
It rang three times, then, "Yes may I help you."
"Yes, I would like a wake up call at 4:00 am."
The voice said, "4:00 to 4:15, very well."
"Thank you." and hung up the phone. I looked at the clock next to the bed. '8:00 pm'. Flopping into bed I turned the light on. The BLUE LINE brochure had unfolded open. I picked it up and read the page it popped open to.
'TOURS WITH BAY CRUISE.' It had the Tour 12W circled. It read:
*Enjoy all the features of Tour 12, Muir Woods and Sausalito Tour plus a 1 1/4 hour Bay Cruise.
*Board a Blue & Gold Sightseeing Ferry Boat for a 1 1/4 hour tour by water of San Francisco area.
*Hear a fully narrated viewpoint of San Francisco from the Bay.
*Guide beneath both the Golden . . .
It said more, but basically a rehash of the beginning. I flipped it to the last page. It said, 'The BLUE LINE is a great international sightseeing organization.' I read the cities which BLUE LINE operated in. Tokyo, Seoul, Panama City. There were about eighty in all, but those three were the cities I was interested in and looking for. I got up, walked to the bathroom, and sat on the toilet. I realized I hadn't used the bathroom since this morning.
'Elementary Watson.' I misquoted Sherlock Holmes. Holmes only said that in the movie and television rendition, he never used that line in the books. I was looking for a connection to these cities. Of course, a tour company. Now, what Mr. Carter's involvement is the important question. He was supposed to make a deal with 'businessmen'. I was guessing, I was HOPING. If it was the case, my work would indeed be easier.
I finished and patted myself. The room was warm now, a nice cozy feeling. I turned the warm air off and plopped back on the bed. The covers were still cool and it felt good. 'Damn 8:30.' I picked up the phone and dialed for an outside line. Then I dialed the telephone number at the bottom of the brochure. It was used for reservations. After a second or two the line rang. My heart pounded slowly. On the forth ring a voice said, "Thank you for calling the BLUE LINE Sighting-seeing tour. All operators are busy . . ." Good they're open 24 hours, " . . .an operator will be with you in a moment."
Then, "Operator Jane, may I help you?"
I cleared my throat. "Yes, My name is Paula Haggart . . ." I reached for my purse and took Mr. Carter's wallet out. ". . .I'm confirming a Mr. Thomas H. Carter. Time and date please."
The Operator said, "One moment please."
I looked through his wallet. He had a photo of a beautiful woman. Two kids were next to the woman. I was saddened by the thought of messing up Mr. Carter's life. Then I thought about the hundreds of lives he had messed up through his dealings and no longer felt sorrow for him. I hoped he would burn in hell . . .
"Hello, Miss Haggart."
"Yes?"
"His tour is set for the twelfth, 1:00 in front of the Hotel. Is he still staying at the Ramada INN?"
"Yes, we are."
"We, Miss. Haggart?"
"Yes, I'm also calling to make sure my name is on the list."
"One moment, Please." She placed me on hold. "I'm sorry, but your name is not on the list, would you like me to add it?"
"Please."
"Would you like me to add you to the Night Club Tour?"
Night Club Tour? "Yes, please." I leafed through the brochure and found LAPANO.
"A shuttle will be at the hotel at 7:00 pm same day. Is there anything else I could help you with?"
"No, thank you very much. I appreciate it."
"Thank you, and remember to keep the BLUE LINE on your mind for travel plans . . .click!"
I listened for a bit. Nothing. I placed the phone back in its cradle.
LAPANO is a famous female impersonator club. I looked at the picture of his wife and kids, I presumed they were such. She was very beautiful. It had to be a business deal, I hope, or it could mean he's a closet gay, or he was very curious. The picture of LAPANO had nine 'women' in it. The first row had some of the prettiest women I've ever seen. LAPANO had to be the place for a business deal, I hope. I'm not sure about the early tour. I would have to go and wing it. Now the WINCHESTER place was important. Why else would the tray be circled. I picked up that brochure and looked at the tour hours. 'It opens at 9:00.' Which means I would have to go there first. I yawned. What a day this had been? Fatigue overcame me. I placed the phone back on the table, turned the lights out and slipped under the covers for a good nights sleep. Only God knew I needed it.