TWENTY-FIVE

Sergeant Espinoza’s car sat in Aden’s driveway, in the BMW’s usual spot. Two other vehicles parked along the edge of the road. There were actually a lot of cars parked along the road. Lately, most were customers in the gallery, but these stood out like mold on cheese. Both wore New York State government plates.

Uniformed and plain clothed men hovered in Aden’s front yard. One came out the front door carrying a plastic bag. Espinoza unlocked the rear door of his vehicle, waited while the man deposited the bag, then relocked the vehicle. Chain of evidence. The words slashed a path through Payton’s good mood.

Aden’s note said he had to leave on a business trip and she should call him if she needed anything. She took out her cell phone and dialed his number. It rang four times and Aden’s voice came on the line. “Hello…” “Oh, Aden, I’m so glad—” “This is Aden Green. I’m not available…” The message finished and the beep sounded. Payton spoke again. “Aden, it’s Payton. Call me. It’s important.”

Another officer came out carrying a bag about the size of a sandwich. There was something blue inside. Once again, Espinoza unlocked the car and the bag got swallowed. So far her approach had gone unnoticed. She took a breath to steady her nerves and went across the street. The sergeant didn’t look surprised to see her. He took several steps to close the distance between them.

She kept her voice steady. “Where’s Aden?”

“That’s what I was just about to ask you.”

“I don’t know.”

“When he left your house this morning he didn’t tell you where he was going?”

They’d been watching. Of course they would be; she was their prime suspect. The lunch did a flip-flop in her gut. “It’s not what you’re thinking.”

Espinoza’s eyebrows rose an inch, then returned to their fatherly position over his dark eyes. “What am I thinking?”

“Aden came over because he knew I was upset.”

“And what had you upset?”

“That should be obvious. I almost died the other day. Aden saw my lights and brought me something to eat.”

“What did he bring?”

“Seafood fettucini.” Why did she feel the need to defend Aden? He was a man, like all other men, out to get something from her and then leave. Wasn’t his desertion proof of it? He’d left her to deal with the police.

“Something wrong?” Espinoza asked. “You suddenly looked as though a dog crapped on your shoe.”

“Nothing’s wrong.”

“Prove it.”

“What’s the point? You’ve already formed your theory. Nothing I say can change that. What I don’t understand is why you think either Aden or I had anything to do with Sean’s death.”

“The jury’s still out on you, but Mr. Green had two motives, at least.” The sergeant took Payton’s arm and led her toward his vehicle. He opened the passenger door and helped her inside. He walked around and got in the drivers’ side, sliding his right knee onto the seat. “How well do you know him?”

“Not that well.”

“He didn’t come to your defense when Mr. Adams harassed you?”

“Oh for heaven sakes. I already told you, the thing between Sean and me was nothing.”

“His behavior didn’t anger Mr. Green, make him jealous?”

“Jealous? There was no reason for either of them to be jealous.” Payton opened the door and got out. “And I don’t appreciate you insinuating otherwise.”

She slammed the door and ran across the street. Mamie was waiting. “What’s happening?” She kept her voice low. The house was full of gallery-goers.

Payton ducked into the pantry, dropping her backpack on the ceramic floor. “They think Aden killed Sean to keep him away from me.”

Mamie’s eyebrows lifted into an upside down vee.

“Do you know of any sort of relationship between Sean and Aden? Anything at all?”

Mamie looked Payton in the eye and shook her head. “They talked once in a while, at the yacht club meetings, that sort of thing.”

Payton picked up her bag. “I’ll be in my office a while.”

“I’ll bring you coffee in a few minutes.”

“Thanks,” Payton said, although right at that moment she really would have liked something a lot stronger than coffee. She smiled at a woman examining the painting of an Italian landscape and went in her office. She pushed the curtain aside. Espinoza and the others were still there.

She dialed Aden’s cell again. After seven rings an automated voice said, “The number you’ve dialed is out of service at this time.”

Payton squinted back tears. There was a gentle tap on the door and Mamie brought in a small tray that she set on the desk. “Are they still there?”

“Yes.” Payton tucked the phone back in her purse.

“Were you able to reach him?”

“His phone’s out of service.” Payton dropped into her chair.

Mamie’s look of polite regard almost caused Payton to blurt out all her troubles. It would be so easy. Mamie seemed like a good listener, more concerned for others than herself. Payton opened her mouth, then closed it again. Mamie had enough of her own worries right now.

“You can tell me, you know,” Mamie said, as though reading her mind. “I’m stronger than I look. And I can keep a secret.”

Payton laughed. It came out more as a chirp and both women laughed. Mamie dragged a chair close. “Tell me what’s worrying you.”

Payton laced her fingers before her on the desk. “I can’t help thinking Aden left town because he knew they were onto him.”

“What!”

“This morning there was a note on my kitchen table saying he’d been called away.”

“He is an ambassador, you remember. He’s often called away. He misses a lot of yacht club meetings.”

“I know. Are you sure you don’t know of a relationship between Sean and Aden? Maybe something that goes back a few years?”

“As far as I know, the only thing they have in common is sailing.”

“What about Wanderlust or another group?”

Mamie gave the question serious thought. “Sean stopped coming to Wanderlust about seven years ago. It was just after Aden started coming. Oh my, Aden had some wonderful tales. Trips to the Far East, Europe, and a city with a silly name. Uz-something.”

“You said Sean stopped coming soon after Aden started. Was there a confrontation, any kind of conflict between them that might’ve made him stop coming?”

“I don’t think so. It seemed like coincidence.” Mamie slid the coffee in front of Payton. She waited till Payton had taken a sip.

“How do you know how I like it?” Payton asked.

“I watched you at Wanderlust,” Mamie said shyly, then gestured at the tray that also held a plate of cookies. “I thought you might be hungry, too.”

“Thank you. You’re a good friend.”

All at once, Mamie began crying. Payton rose and put her arm around the wide shoulders. It was more than a minute before Mamie could speak. Her previous statement, “I’m a lot stronger than I look,” seemed ludicrous. Mamie was just what Payton had always thought, a wonderful, considerate woman, but weak in both mind and spirit. It was exemplified in her oh-so-rarely being able to make eye contact with anyone.

Gradually Mamie got herself under control. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened. This whole thing is such…”

“A mess.”

“Yes.” Mamie accepted a pat on the shoulder, gave Payton a weary smile and left.

“Mamie, wait. Why doesn’t Aden come to Wanderlust any more?”

“He said it wasn’t his cup of tea.”

Payton nodded. “I wouldn’t have thought so either.”

“If anyone knows of a connection between Sean and Aden, it’ll be Helen.”

Payton spun the chair so she could look out the window again. One of the official vehicles had gone. Probably gone to get the warrant to search her house.