16.1 Playa Del Rey

Hours of hurtling and on the climb to Harbour Bridge, she sighted a ghost ship hauled in the bay; a huge aircraft carrier. Shortly, Natalia arrived at 901 Navigation Boulevard, the same old motel, Days Inn, and booked in at the white counter. She was given Room No 252 on the second floor, South Wing, facing east and the courtyard. This time she had a better view of the street far away.

This modest room with brick red doors and CRT television was a little cheat for a cheap trick. Like gaining time to walk slowly across the playfield for the substitute to climb on…she bargained for the money. Natalia had to stay with Angela and so decided to cut the cost for giving her a flight ticket. The bed was comfortable. Natalia loved the dark furniture and black seats.

At 4:00 pm, at 75° F, she took a bath and dressed in the long sleeve crochet mini dress and lingerie. Natalia climbed downstairs to come across a clerk who recalled her after six years on two occasions she stayed there.

They joined at the restaurant for a drink, in the rubber coated benches. “I’m free this evening. Would you like me to take you out?” asked Shanna who kept shaking her head and smiling as if to say ‘I know everything about you’. She wore a scarf around her neck.

“Yes and no,” responded Natalia, “I am not going to a ball. I have to pick Angie from the airport tomorrow. How is the weather like?”

“It’s going to get a little colder,” she supposed.

“Are you married?”

“No,” said the smiling woman, “you can come to my place if you like seafood.”

“I do like seafood but I do not like families.”

“It’s not a big family, Miss Natalia. My mother is there and two brothers.”

“Were you born in Corpus Christi?”

“Yes, in Annaville.”

“Annaville!”

“Why?”

“Do you have Chirrko en Korpus Krreesthi?”

“No!” cried Shanna amused.

“I have not got a thing to do until next morning,” said Natalia, “I’m giving my legs a rest.”

“I can take you on my scooter.”

“I’d love that for a change!”

“Shall we, Miss Natalia!”

“Call me Mono.”

Meanwhile, Angela left home from Staten Island to catch an American Airlines from Newark. Six hours on the flight, one stop at Dallas, and arrive in the afternoon at Corpus Christi.

Next day, Natalia waited for her at the airport in a daring blue dress flashing major side-boob. Angela put her hands to the mouth in utter shock, “You seriously did that! Looks like balloons!”

“I told you,” cried Natalia, “Give me a hug!”

 

Next morning, they drove to Padre. Natalia in her power costume; Muay Thai outfit – red slit shorts and bra, white camisole top, Nike shoes, armbands, with a beach bag and camera. They picked towels from the hotel.

“It’s comfortable here in Corpus,” said Angela.

“How’s the weather in New York?”

“It is very cold in Staten Island. I live close to the coast. It is your turn next to go to Staten Island.”

“I promise,” said Natalia, “once I’m done here, I will take a trip to your home. Maybe, you should come to San Diego too.”

“On the road!” chortled Angela.

“It’s quite a hurdle. It is tough on the road. Miles and miles of desert. I see nothing and it’s burning hot. I get suntanned in a moment, if not for this air condition blowing ice-cold. But this Bronco isn’t moving fast. I have to buy a new vehicle.”

“True,” echoed Angela, “new Broncos I see, gives more room inside and the dash, not like this…rectangles and squares, I don’t like it. And this blue…”

“I’m fed up of this blue. I am rolling like a truck. I want to go fast. I want a sporty car, something like…”

“A Mustang!”

“No,” said Natalia, “I need a hard top cruiser.”

“What is this?” cried Angela pulling out the coin compartment, “Are you on it?” In the narrow storage box, Natalia placed her Glock 17 with a suppressor.

“I am,” uttered Natalia, “I learnt a lot of things in Baton Rouge. Remember, I was looking for a guy called Joseph Fellon!”

“I can remember nothing.”

“I found him. He’s the dirtiest mouth I ever came across but no longer a ‘stranger-danger’. Linda Linz lied to me. Now I am going after her.”

“When is the rave?”

“April first week. This Komos takes place during the Full Moon. She’s so attached to the eclipses and some Greek mythology.”

“Full Moon is 16^th April, two and a half weeks.”

“How do you know?”

“Easter Sunday.”

“Oh! You’re Roman Catholic!”

“Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

“What’s the difference?”

“Plenty. Let’s not, okay, we don’t mark dates.”

“When is your birthday?”

“Eighth August.”

They arrived in Padre Island and raced up Park Road 22 to Balli Beach. There was no sign of a festival but then they do not hang the banners before noon on ‘rave’ day. There were rows of automobiles parked in an orderly manner. Bamboo shades placed at equidistance. A huge complex built on top of the long jetty. Sunlight through the clouds reflected in the water. A driveway marked with wooden poles along the beach and road signs newly put in place.

“We are not getting into this water,” said Natalia, “I do not want to bump into Linzy unexpectedly. Now this place is reordered.”

“We can go to North Beach,” suggested Angela, “It is right after crossing the Harbour Bridge.”

“A good idea!” They climbed Corpus Christi and raced to Harbour Bridge.

Shortly, two girls spread the towels on the beach and dropped their outfits for a swim. “Look at that!” cried Angela.

“What’s that ship doing there?” asked Natalia, “It is an aircraft carrier! It is huge!”

“It’s docked so close to the beach!”

USS Lexington was decommissioned in 1991 and donated for use as a museum ship where it would rest in Corpus Christi Bay.

The girls took photographs with the big ship in the background. Entered the water briefly and climbed because it was too cold. There were several places to eat here on Shoreline Boulevard and a spa where they spent an hour. “This is a lovely spot!” exclaimed Angela.

After six and before sunset, they climbed from the beach and drove towards the motel. Natalia turned to Airport Road and entered La Molina suburbs.

“Where are we now? What is going on your mind, Mono?” cried Angela.

“We’ll see if Linda Linz is at home. She’ll put her lights on,” said Natalia turning into Bloomington Street.

She stopped the car on Archdale Drive and said, “I can’t go in there. Will you go to that house and ring the bell? 906 Maurus Circle, second house on the left. Ask for Linda Linz. If she is there or if someone answers, tell that I am here waiting in the car, I want to talk to Linzy.”

Angela entered the cul-de-sac, her blonde hair in the fading light under cloud cover. She rang the doorbell and waited. She looked around at Natalia in the Bronco. Then someone answered at the door.

“Is Linda Linz at home?” asked Angela.

“Who?” uttered the resident.

“Linda? Linzy?”

“Nobody lives here by that name.”

“She was here few years ago.”

“She’s no longer here.”

“Do you know where she is?”

“No,” he shook his head, “I do not know her.”

“Thank you,” she began to walk out of the circle with the glow in her eyes. Natalia started the engine.

“She does not live there,” said Angela.

“I will have to do some digging tonight,” Natalia echoed, “I remember they mentioned some place in Playa Del Rey last time when we were here. She was interested to buy it in Padre Island.”

“You can find her in a Phone Book.”

Arriving at Days Inn, both paused by the counter on the left in the registration lobby. Shanna knelt behind the desk stacking papers. “Hola Shanna! Are you still at work?

“Oh! Hi there!” taken aback, she rose on her feet with that beaming smile on her face, wearing glasses, and dropped her smile noticing Angela, “Yes, month ends are a little busy. Miss!”

“This is Angie.”

“Good Evening, Miss Angie!”

“Show me a Phone Book,” Natalia requested.

Looking into the Phone Book, they located Linda Linz; 431431 Playa Del Rey.

“Do you know this place, Shanna, Playa Del Rey in Padre Island?”

“The King’s Beach!” Shanna shook her head, “No ma’am, I have no idea.”

“They say it is close to Packery Channel.”

“Packery Channel!” echoed the Desk Clerk, “That must be a real estate lot, high-priced properties. Let me show you on a map!” She unfurled a map and showed the location to the befriend girls.

“Thank you, Shanna. Goodnight!”

“Goodnight, Miss Natalia, Miss Angie!”

“Ouch!” Angela muttered once out of the glass-fitted door, “What was going on back there with that lady, Mono?”

“Oh! Come on!” Natalia flinched briskly.