The Robinson R44helicopter descended in a cloud of dust, and Vasco Borden came out, crouched beneath the blades. He got into the waiting black Hummer. “Talk to me,” he said to Dolly, who was driving. She’d come down earlier, while Vasco went on that wild goose chase to Pebble Beach.

Dolly said, “She checked into the Best Western at seven-thirty tonight, went to Walston’s, where a security guy ID’d the car. She brushed him off with a story about an ex-husband, and he went for it.”

“When was that?”

“Little before eight. From there she went back to the motel, gave the kid at the desk a story about someone being in her room. While he was checking, she took his shotgun from under the counter and made off with it.”

“Did she?” Borden said. “The little lady has some balls.”

“Apparently she had tried to buy a gun in a drugstore, but ran into the ten-day wait.”

“And now?”

“We were tracking her cell phone, but she turned it off. Before that happened we got her heading east, toward Ortega Highway.”

“Into the desert,” Vasco said, nodding. “She’ll sleep in her car, and then continue on tomorrow morning.”

“We can download sat shots at eight a.m. That’s the fastest processing time.”

“She’ll be gone before eight in the morning,” Vasco said. He leaned back in the Hummer. “She’ll go at dawn. So let’s see.” He paused, thinking. “All afternoon she’s been driving, and it’s basically south. The minute all this began, our lady went south.”

“You thinking Mexico?” Dolly said.

Vasco shook his head. “She doesn’t want to leave a record, and crossing the border will leave a record.”

“Maybe she’ll head east, try to cross at Brown Field or Calexico,” Dolly said.

“Maybe.” Vasco rubbed his beard thoughtfully. Too late, he felt the mascara coming off on his fingers. Damn, he had to remember that. “She’s scared. I think she’s heading for a place she thinks will give her help. Maybe meet her father down here. Or meet up with somebody she knows. An old boyfriend? School friend? Sorority sister? Former teacher? Former law partner? Something like that.”

“We’ve been checking all the net databases for the last two hours,” Dolly said. “And so far we’ve got nothing.”

“How about her old phone records?”

“No calls to San Diego area code.”

“How far back?”

“A year. That’s all that’s available without a special order.”

“So whoever this is, she hasn’t called ’em in a year.” Vasco sighed. “We’ll just have to wait for her.” He turned to Dolly. “Let’s go to that Best Western. I want to find out what kind of gun the little lady got. And we can get a couple of hours’ rest, before dawn. I’m sure we’ll get her by tomorrow. I got a feeling.” He tapped his chest. “And I’m never wrong.”

“Hon, you just got mascara on your nice shirt.”

“Ah hell.” He sighed.

“It’ll come out,” Dolly said. “I’ll get it out for you.”