Deceived by Stella Barcelona Page B

eyes made me wonder. She was a post-graduate history student, she’s studying spies of World War II, and the rest is a guess, given your family history. You can either confirm that she was looking at your grandfather’s treason case now, or not. I’ll know exactly the subject of her research, when Professor Landrum returns my call in the morning. Once I know, Joe will know, and if we have to go the long way around to figure this out, well,” she shrugged, “that’s going to make you look like you were hiding something. I don’t think that’s a position you want to be in, is it?”
    He frowned. “Your questions can really wear a person out.”
    She shrugged. “But I’m correct. Right?”
    “On all fronts. I wasn’t hiding anything, though. I was answering Joe’s question, as he asked it,” Brandon said, “and I’ll call Joe now and tell him, so no one really thinks that I was trying to conceal anything.”
    “He was going home when I talked to him earlier.”
    Brandon shrugged. “I have his duty number. He’ll get the message in the morning, if he isn’t sleeping with his cell by his bed.” Brandon pressed a few buttons on the display on his car’s dash, directing the phone to dial the fourth most recent number. The car’s speakers relayed the rings, then Joe’s voice directed the caller to leave a message. “Joe. It’s Brandon. Nothing urgent. Only an update. I put some feelers out on the streets, as I said I would. I also thought you might want to know about Lisa’s research project, because Taylor is asking me about it. It involves my family history, and also Taylor Bartholomew’s family history.”
    Taylor hadn’t thought about it that way, but Brandon was right. If Lisa was looking into the Morrissey treason case, she was also looking into the history of HBW Shipbuilding Enterprises. Anything involving HBW history involved Bartholomew family history.
    Brandon continued with his message to Joe, “That’s why Lisa came to see me in the first place. She didn’t come for legal advice. She was researching spies of World War II, and, in particular, my grandfather’s treason case. Call me when you get this message. Or call Taylor. She thought that you might be interested in this.” He broke the connection. “Satisfied?”
    “Yes,” she said, “You really wanted Joe to hear that from you rather than me, right?”
    He nodded. “After Joe interviewed me, I couldn’t seem to stop thinking what-the-hell-if. What if her murder could have been related to her research? It’s a long shot, but given my family history, I can’t get it out of my mind. So, I sure as hell didn’t want Joe to think I was hiding something, as you insinuated. I might not worry much about the NOPD, but I also do not play games with homicide detectives.”
    With the touch of one button he made another phone call. “Hello, Esme. Is Michael sleeping?”
    “Soundly. He finished a bottle a half hour ago and now he’s out. I think that gives us another two and a half or three hours.”
    “Call me if you need me.”
    Brandon pulled the key out of the ignition, and reached into the backseat for his laptop case. “Look. I really feel bad about what happened at Marvin’s house.”
    “Don’t,” she said, taking in the serious set of his jaw and the apologetic look in his eyes. “I can handle it.”
    He gave her a glance that said that he wasn’t so sure, then said, “If you’re still interested in Lisa’s research, come into the house with me.”
    “You must really feel bad to be this nice.”
    He shook his head. “I do feel bad, but that isn’t why I’m inviting you in. I want to show you how easy it would have been for Joe to figure out what Lisa was researching, if Joe had been interested.”
    “Ah,” she said, “so you’re still trying to teach me a lesson.”
    He shrugged, but didn’t deny it. Taylor was curious, so she followed Brandon into Lisa’s house, which looked as it had in the afternoon. As