Sue Grafton - V is for Vengeance

Book 22 in the Kinsey Millhone series

The author wishes to acknowledge the invaluable assistance of the following people: Steven Humphrey; Jay and Marsha Glazer; Barbara Toohey; Lieutenant Paul McCaffrey, Santa Barbara Police Department; Sergeant Detective Bill Turner (retired), Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Department; and Chief of Police Deb Linden, San Luis Obispo; Andrew Blankstein, Los Angeles Times; Renn Murrell, funeral director, Arch Heady & Son Funeral Directors; Dana Hanson, funeral director, Neptune Society; Kelly Petersen, manager, and Cherry Post, Andi Doyle, and Emily Rosendahl of Wendy Foster; Steve Bass; Tracy Pfautch, former manager, Mall Security, Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara; Matt Phar, Santa Barbara Loan and Jewelry; Lisa Holt, Kevin Frantz, and Liz Gastiger.

Phillip Lanahan drove to Vegas in his 1985 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet, a snappy little red car his parents had given him two months before, when he graduated from Princeton. His stepfather bought the car secondhand because he abhorred the notion of depreciation. Better that the original owner take that hit. The car was in pristine condition, with 15,000 miles on the odometer, a black leather interior, fully accessorized, with four brand-new tires. The car could jump from 0 to 60 in 5.4 seconds.

With the top down, he hugged the coastline and then continued traveling east through Los Angeles on the 10. From the 10 he picked up the 15, which took him straight into Vegas. The sun was harsh and the wind whipped his hair to a wild tangle of black. At the age of twenty-three, he knew he was good-looking and he carried the knowledge like a rabbits foot for luck. His face was lean, clean-shaven; his dark eyebrows straight; ears tucked close to his head. He wore jeans and a short-sleeve black polo shirt. His white linen sport coat lay folded beside him on the passengers seat. In his duffel he had ten grand in hundred-dollar bills, compliments of a loan shark hed recently met.

This was his third trip to Vegas in as many weeks. The first time, hed played poker at Caesars Palace, which, though vulgar and overblown, had everything youd ever want in one sprawling complex. That trip had been magical. He could do no wrong. The cards fell into place, one hand after another. He read his opponents, picking up tells so subtle he felt psychic. Hed driven to Vegas with three thousand dollars hed pulled from a savings account and hed run it up to eight with no sweat.

The second trip had started out well but then he lost his nerve. Hed returned to Caesars, thinking the same gut-level instincts would come into play, but his reads were off, the cards wouldnt come, and he couldnt regain ground. He left the casino a miserable five grand down. Thus the meeting with the loan shark, Lorenzo Dante, who (according to Phillips friend Eric) referred to himself as a financier. Phillip assumed the term was meant tongue-in-cheek.

Hed been uneasy about the appointment. In addition to Erics filling him in on Dantes sordid past, hed assured Phillip the exorbitant fees for the loan were what he called industry standard. Phillips stepfather had drilled into him the need to negotiate all monetary matters, and Phillip knew hed have to tackle the issue before he and Dante came to an agreement. He couldnt tell his parents what he was up to, but he did appreciate his stepfathers counsel in absentia. He didnt like the man much, though he had to admit he admired him.

Hed met Dante in his office in downtown Santa Teresa. The space was impressive, all glass and high-gloss teak, leather-upholstered furniture, and soft gray wall-to-wall carpeting. The receptionist had greeted him warmly and buzzed him through. A sexy brunette in tight jeans and spike heels had met him at the door and escorted him past ten interior offices to a large corner suite at the end of the corridor. Everyone he caught sight of was young and casually dressed. He imagined a cadre of tax attorneys, as well as accountants, financial hotshots, paralegals, and administrative assistants. Dante was under indictment on racketeering charges, and Phillip had expected an atmosphere both tense and sinister. Hed worn an expensive sport coat, thinking to show respect, but now he realized the image was all wrong. Everyone he saw wore casual attire, stylish but understated. He felt like a kid dressing up in his daddys clothes, hoping to be taken for an adult.

The brunette showed him into the office, and Dante leaned forward across the desk to shake hands, then motioned Phillip into a seat. Phillip was startled by the mans good looks. He was in his midfifties, a big guy, probably six foot two, and handsome: soulful brown eyes, curly gray hair, dimples, and a cleft in his chin. He appeared to be in great shape. The warm-up conversation had covered Phillips recent graduation from Princeton, his dual major (business and economics), and his job prospects. Dante listened with apparent interest, prompting him now and then. Actually, nothing in the way of employment had materialized as yet, but the less said about that the better. Phillip spoke about his options, not mentioning hed been forced to move back in with his parents. That was too lame to bear thinking about. Phillip began to relax, though his palms were still damp.

Dante said, Youre Tripp Lanahans boy.

You knew my dad?

Not well, but he did me a good turn once upon a time

Excellent. Im glad to hear that.

Otherwise, you wouldnt be sitting here.

I appreciate your time.

Your friend Eric says youre quite the poker player.

Phillip shifted in his seat, steering a course between modest and boastful. I played all through college, starting my freshman year at Princeton.

Dante smiled and his dimples flashed briefly. No need to mention Princeton again. I know where you went to school. Was this high stakes or you taking change off a bunch of donkeys at some frat house?

Actually, I played in Atlantic City and picked up enough change most weekends to cover my expenses.

You didnt work your way through school?

I didnt need to.

Lucky you, Dante said, though, just off the top of my head, poker parlors couldnt be the lifestyle your dad had in mind for you.

Well, no, sir. I expect to work. Thats why I got my degree. At this point, Im just not sure what I want to do.

But youll decide soon.

I hope. I mean, thats certainly my intention. Under his sport coat, Phillip felt his shirt dampen, sticking to his back. There was something fearsome about the man, almost as though there were two of him, the one benevolent, the other pitiless. On the surface he seemed affable, but underneath, a shadow personality was in play, prickly and sharp. Phillip was anxious, uncertain from moment to moment which of the two he was dealing with. Now Dantes smile faded and the alternate took over. Maybe it was in business matters that Dante became dangerous.

And youve come to me for what?

Eric says you sometimes advance him cash if hes experiencing a shortfall situation. I was hoping youd do the same for me.

Dantes tone was pleasant, but the benevolence didnt reach his eyes. A sideline of mine. I lend money to people the banks wont touch. For this I charge fees and administrative costs. How much are you looking for?