Buried Sins by Marta Perry Page B

where the safe-deposit box is.” He frowned a little. “And with some more information, I might also be able to trace any family he had. What did he tell you about them?”
    “Not much.” Almost nothing, in fact. Now that seemed suspicious, but at the time, it hadn’t surprised her. After all, she didn’t see much of her family, so why would she expect something else from him?
    “What exactly?” He sounded remarkably patient, and he pulled a small notebook and pen from his pocket, setting it on the place mat in front of him.
    She took a breath, trying to remember anything Tony had mentioned. Trying not to look at those strong, capable hands that seemed to hold her future.
    “He was named for his father, I know he said that. Anthony Patrick Gibson. He mentioned a married sister once. I helped him pick out a piece of jewelry for her birthday.”
    Zach scribbled some unreadable notes in a minuscule hand. “Any idea where in Philadelphia? City or suburbs?”
    She shook her head slowly. Incredible, that she knew so little about the man she’d married. “I suppose it would all have been in his PDA, but that was in the car with him. I had the impression they lived in the suburbs, maybe on the Main Line.”
    Nothing definite, she realized now. Tony had managed to convey, just by how he looked and acted, that he’d come from money. Society, the kind of people who learned which fork to use before they learned their ABCs.
    Zach raised his eyebrows. “Money?”
    “I guess that’s what I thought.” That was what Tony had thought about her, wasn’t it? That Unger House, the grandfather who’d been a judge, the great-grandfather who’d served in the state senate, had automatically conveyed an aura of wealth and privilege.
    “Look, we just didn’t talk about our families all that much. I suppose, if I’d thought about it, that it was odd I didn’t know more, but we were going to see them when we came east. I’d have found out all about them then.” She blinked, realization dawning. “But there was an address—there must have been, because the police said they’d notified his family. I don’t know how I could have forgotten that.”
    She’d been numb—that was the only explanation. She’d gotten through those days in a fog of misery, not thinking much beyond the next step she had to take.
    “Well, that gives us a place to start, anyway. I’ll make some calls and see what I can come up with.”
    She looked at him, wondering what was really going on behind that spare, taciturn expression. “I…I don’t know. Maybe I should just let it drop. I mean, without anything else to go on, how much can I expect to learn?”
    He put his hand over hers where it lay on the table, startling her. “Let me tell you what just happened. You’ve been stewing about that letter since the mail came this morning, working yourself up until you had to tell someone about it. And then you told me, and saying it out loud relieved some of the pressure. So now you’re thinking that it’s not so bad after all.”
    “Are you setting up as a psychiatrist on the side?” She couldn’t help the edge to her voice, because he’d nailed it. That was exactly how she’d felt—that pressure to tell someone, that feeling that she couldn’t carry it another minute by herself. And then the release, as if by saying the words, she’d convinced herself it wasn’t so bad.
    “Normal human nature,” he said. His fingers tightened around hers. “Don’t kid yourself, Caroline. There’s something going on here. Something—” he paused, as if wanting to be sure he had the right word “—something malicious about all this. I think we need to find out what’s behind it. We, not you.”
    His gaze was steady on hers. Questioning: Will you let me help you? Will you trust me that much?
    She bit her lip. She didn’t trust, not easily, and certainly not a cop. But she was running out of options, and Zach Burkhalter was the best choice she