Page 19 of For Better or for Ransom

“I know. But don’t publish anything yet!” Isabel told her.

Sol had only gotten the director to open up because she’d forgotten about the detectives. Isabel’s ego had been happy to babble to a journalist. Divya and Luke definitely owed Sol one.

12

Sol

What I really want to know” Sol said to Luke and Divya over lunch at an outdoor table of Casa Güell in Poble Nou that day, “is how much Isabel is going to get paid for this second run of the play.”

After the chaotic interview with director Isabel Teixidor, the detectives and their newly minted entertainment consultant had searched for sustenance—with Sol set on showing Divya as many areas of her hometown as possible. Since they were the only ones seated at the restaurant’s outside space, they were brainstorming the case. Sol didn’t even have to beg or try that hard, she soon convinced Divya and Luke to share with her everything they’d unearthed so far.

“Moon just texted.” Divya was checking her cell phone and scrolling through some messages as if looking for something. She couldn’t repress the smile and she blushed a bit. “Here. They sent the contact for Leonardo’s publicist. The family has chosen her as the point person.”

Sol let out a loud breath. “The publicist? We won’t get anything.”

“Moon says they got in touch with Leonardo’s agent but they were referred to the publicist. Her name is Penny Carr and apparently has been with Leonardo for a couple of years. She’s in Los Angeles.”

“It makes sense for the publicist to be the person of contact if I want to interview him.” Sol leaned forward on the table. “But why have the detectives investigating Leonardo’s disappearance also get the sanitized version of events? Unless there’s something to sanitize—” She was getting carried away by her hypothesis.

“I’m not sure we’re following,” Divya reminded her of the Bakshi & Contadino Agency’s lack of entertainment knowledge.

“I may be mistaken, but my guess is that there’s something potentially controversial in Leonardo’s history, and they want to make sure that—whatever it is—gets communicated following the strictest script,” Sol tried explaining. Divya and Luke still returned blank expressions even if both were wearing sunglasses while taking advantage of the glorious mid-March day.

“Should we ring the publicist and see what happens?” Luke smiled. He was looking particularly dashing, a lock of waves falling rebelliously over his forehead. “We can have the call on speaker and you can let us know your take after.”

Sol checked the time. Technically it was barely eight in the morning in Los Angeles, but that should be adequate enough. Californians were early risers: workouts and walks were preferably dealt with early in the morning. Something Sol had never shared—or understood—during her decade living there.

Divya dialed the number and they all waited, looking fixedly at the cell phone on top of the table.

“Penny Carr speaking,” a strong New England accent answered after a few tones. The talker was a bit short of breath. “Forgive all the puffing and panting. I was just on my Peloton.” Sol suppressed a smirk.

“Penny, this is Luke Contadino and Divya Bakshi from the Bakshi & Contadino Agency,” Divya said. “We’re investigating Leonardo’s disappearance.”

“Are we calling it that?” It wasn’t that Penny sounded displeased but there was an edge of extreme efficiency in her voice.

“The disappearance you mean?” Divya said.

“We don’t know that he’s disappeared,” Penny decided. “The circumstances around Leonardo’s situation have been grossly exaggerated by the media.”

Sol looked at the two detectives, cocked her head, conveying an “I told you this was gonna get fun” with just her body language.

“Penny, this is Luke. Not to get technical with language choices, but since nobody seems to know where Leonardo is, I think we can safely say—at least in a private conversation such as this one—that he’s disappeared.” There was nothing like a Brit dressing someone down. “Or you have more information than we do and know where we can find him?”

“At present I don’t have more details than you do about Leonardo’s situation,” Penny said, and Divya almost choked trying to suppress some laughter. The publicist no longer sounded breathless but like the utmost media relations professional that she was.

“Can we ask you a couple of things that could help us in the investigation?” Luke continued.

Sol always liked to see him in the middle of things. She could tell he loved his job. Investigating suited him. If it was possible for him to look any sexier, she would say he did when he was doing his job.

“You can but I have to tell you that I am currently in California, where I’m based. This is a two-party consent state. You cannot record this call and use its content unless I give you express consent, and I am not doing that. And this conversation, of course, is completely off the record.”

A smile tugged at Sol’s lips. This was going to get so interesting.

Luke dragged a hand over his face, then looked at Sol from across the table. She was sure he was being reminded how much it was that he hated entertainment cases. “We understand.”

Both Luke and Divya took their notebooks.

Luke