bought it and was showin’ it off at the museum.”
Like a kid with a rare baseball card, Liza thought. She suddenly remembered Chris Dalen’s comment on his big haul—how it looked like a schematic for a tiled bathroom floor.
“Course, it’s bigger and probably better lookin’ in real life,” Patrick helpfully added.
I hope so, Liza thought as she and the guys left the store.
Detective disappointment kept both males in the SUV quiet all the way home to Maiden’s Bay. No sooner did they pull into the driveway than Mrs. Halvorsen came hurrying over.
Well, I guess she could use the company, Liza thought.
“I don’t even know why I’m here,” Mrs. H. confessed when she came in the door. Kevin had taken Rusty outside, and Michael was upstairs taking the antihistamine that allowed him to be near the dog without sneezing his head off.
“I’m afraid we didn’t learn very much,” Liza said. “The man at the store wasn’t really a friend of your brother’s. He says he wasn’t in touch with him even before Chris was arrested.”
Coming back down the stairs, Michael tried to make a joke. “I’d say that guy wasn’t the type to send cards out to anyone at Christmas, either.” He came over and took Mrs. Halvorsen’s hands. “Hi, Mrs. H. How are you holding up?”
“I’ve had better days,” the older woman admitted. “I’m glad you came up.”
“It was sort of a spur of the moment thing,” Michael said. “I don’t even have a place to stay. I don’t suppose your spare room—?”
He broke off as the tears began to flow.
“Of all the insensitive—” Kevin, who had just reentered with Rusty, immediately started to fume. “Didn’t you realize who was going to be in that room? Why she had you redo it?”
That’s a pretty high horse he’s gotten on, for somebody who didn’t have a clue two days ago, Liza thought.
“I’m sorry.” Michael looked appalled as he apologized. “I didn’t think—”
“It’s always about you, isn’t it?” Kevin demanded. “Barging in on people, walking out on your wife.” Michael looked about ready to haul off and punch Kevin, which was probably what Kevin was looking for. It would give him the chance to wipe the floor with Liza’s semi-estranged husband.
Liza was almost ready to step in and say that Michael could stay with her. A disastrous move—that would really tick Kevin off. But Mrs. H. stepped between the two men, taking each by the arm.
“After Chris had his first heart attack, I hoped that he finally might get out of that place . . . that he might come home.” Then she turned to Michael. “Of course you can stay.”
As if to underscore the happy moment, the phone rang.
“I swear to God, I’m going to pull that wire out,” Liza growled, picking up the handset.
“Liza, dear.” Michelle’s voice came over the line as a smooth purr. “I just had a brief chat with your friend Ava. She tells me you’re looking into this matter after all. Does that make you a crank or a publicity hound?”
“It makes me the friend of a neighbor who’s having trouble.” Liza glanced around at the other people in the room. “In fact, Mrs. H. is right here with me, along with Kevin and Michael.”
“Excellent!” Michelle said. “Put on the speakerphone. I’ve got Buck Foreman tied in, too, for some professional input.”
Buck Foreman was the investigator of choice for Markson Associates. He’d had a good career as a cop destroyed by bad publicity. Michelle had tried to help him, and that business bond had become personal. Buck’s willingness to help out with Liza’s sometimes fumbling investigations was proof of how strong that relationship was.
“Liza.” Buck’s voice came out as about one tone north of a growl. “Anything that’s not already in the media? We’ve got all that.”
“Did they talk about Vinnie Tanino? A guy who works for Fat Frankie Basso?” Liza asked.
Buck actually laughed. “Vinnie Tanlines is involved in
Like a kid with a rare baseball card, Liza thought. She suddenly remembered Chris Dalen’s comment on his big haul—how it looked like a schematic for a tiled bathroom floor.
“Course, it’s bigger and probably better lookin’ in real life,” Patrick helpfully added.
I hope so, Liza thought as she and the guys left the store.
Detective disappointment kept both males in the SUV quiet all the way home to Maiden’s Bay. No sooner did they pull into the driveway than Mrs. Halvorsen came hurrying over.
Well, I guess she could use the company, Liza thought.
“I don’t even know why I’m here,” Mrs. H. confessed when she came in the door. Kevin had taken Rusty outside, and Michael was upstairs taking the antihistamine that allowed him to be near the dog without sneezing his head off.
“I’m afraid we didn’t learn very much,” Liza said. “The man at the store wasn’t really a friend of your brother’s. He says he wasn’t in touch with him even before Chris was arrested.”
Coming back down the stairs, Michael tried to make a joke. “I’d say that guy wasn’t the type to send cards out to anyone at Christmas, either.” He came over and took Mrs. Halvorsen’s hands. “Hi, Mrs. H. How are you holding up?”
“I’ve had better days,” the older woman admitted. “I’m glad you came up.”
“It was sort of a spur of the moment thing,” Michael said. “I don’t even have a place to stay. I don’t suppose your spare room—?”
He broke off as the tears began to flow.
“Of all the insensitive—” Kevin, who had just reentered with Rusty, immediately started to fume. “Didn’t you realize who was going to be in that room? Why she had you redo it?”
That’s a pretty high horse he’s gotten on, for somebody who didn’t have a clue two days ago, Liza thought.
“I’m sorry.” Michael looked appalled as he apologized. “I didn’t think—”
“It’s always about you, isn’t it?” Kevin demanded. “Barging in on people, walking out on your wife.” Michael looked about ready to haul off and punch Kevin, which was probably what Kevin was looking for. It would give him the chance to wipe the floor with Liza’s semi-estranged husband.
Liza was almost ready to step in and say that Michael could stay with her. A disastrous move—that would really tick Kevin off. But Mrs. H. stepped between the two men, taking each by the arm.
“After Chris had his first heart attack, I hoped that he finally might get out of that place . . . that he might come home.” Then she turned to Michael. “Of course you can stay.”
As if to underscore the happy moment, the phone rang.
“I swear to God, I’m going to pull that wire out,” Liza growled, picking up the handset.
“Liza, dear.” Michelle’s voice came over the line as a smooth purr. “I just had a brief chat with your friend Ava. She tells me you’re looking into this matter after all. Does that make you a crank or a publicity hound?”
“It makes me the friend of a neighbor who’s having trouble.” Liza glanced around at the other people in the room. “In fact, Mrs. H. is right here with me, along with Kevin and Michael.”
“Excellent!” Michelle said. “Put on the speakerphone. I’ve got Buck Foreman tied in, too, for some professional input.”
Buck Foreman was the investigator of choice for Markson Associates. He’d had a good career as a cop destroyed by bad publicity. Michelle had tried to help him, and that business bond had become personal. Buck’s willingness to help out with Liza’s sometimes fumbling investigations was proof of how strong that relationship was.
“Liza.” Buck’s voice came out as about one tone north of a growl. “Anything that’s not already in the media? We’ve got all that.”
“Did they talk about Vinnie Tanino? A guy who works for Fat Frankie Basso?” Liza asked.
Buck actually laughed. “Vinnie Tanlines is involved in
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