He was right. Lamaar, like Disney, had started out as
a small animation house. Rambunctious Rabbit, Slaphappy
Puppy, McGreedy the Moose, and a shitload of terminally
jolly characters had captured the public's heart and transformed
the little cartoon studio into a global entertainment
company.
Today Lamaar made movies and TV shows, owned
music and toy companies, operated hotels and a cruise
line, licensed cartoon characters, and was traded on the
New York Stock Exchange. Familyland was just one small
piece of the corporate pie.
Terry recapped the highlights of his last two trips to
Familyland with Marilyn and the girls. He made sure to
give me some tips on how to get ‘back-doored,' which is
theme park jargon for entering a ride or attraction without
waiting on line. Apparently, his ability to buck the
long lines and get the VIP treatment at Familyland had
made him even more lovable in the eyes of the four
women who already adored him.
We don't like to talk about a case before we get to the
scene, so Terry segued into the upcoming college hunt
for the twins, who were juniors in high school. He never
once mentioned how expensive it would be, which if you
know Terry is just like him. He was just a button-popping
proud Dad, who wanted the best for his girls. We were
discussing the merits of applying for early admission
when he pulled onto the off ramp. The arrow on the sign
for the main entrance to Familyland pointed right. Terry
turned left.
"They said don't go to the front gate," he told me. .
"We're going to the admin building on Happy Landings Boulevard. They want to
keep this investigation low profile, so try not to look like a cop."
That's the nice thing about Terry. Sometimes he lobs
out a straight line for me to take. "Okay," I said. "I'll leave the donuts in
the car."
Terry gave a little chuckle, which from him is a rave.
I, in turn, bowed to thank him for the set-up line. Sometimes
homicide can be a lot of fun.
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