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“I talked to Henry a little while ago.”
“What’s going on?” He stuck his briefcase in the mudroom, where it would stay until he left for the hospital. He didn’t work from home, ever.
“I found hair that matches the victim’s younger sister, who, I just found out, murdered her mother last Friday.”
Waiting to let the information sink in, Will studied the backs of his hands. “The bodies were found on Friday, and the mother is consequently murdered the same day. I wonder.”
“I didn’t even think of that part. But I don’t think Henry was impressed. They need to do DNA on the hair I found. It could be the sister’s hair.”
“We already talk like we’re in business together,” he said, chuckling.
“Okay, enough, let’s eat. Then we can walk off the tacos.”
After they ate, Will kept his promise, as tired as he was. “You still up for a walk?”
“I’d love one,” she said.
The air was balmy that night, the best of summer at the beach. They held hands and stayed close to the surf where the sand was compressed and easy to walk on. Talking about the evidence, they had gone almost a mile before they realized it.
“Yikes, such an interesting conversation, and we’re almost to the beach where they found the bodies.”
They turned around and headed back home, Laura asking Will questions about how he gathers evidence during an autopsy. They were about halfway home when she saw a familiar figure coming toward them, but she abruptly went up the beach access road.
“That’s my sister.”
“Who? Lisa?”
“Right. I’m sure of it. What time is it?”
“Almost eleven,” Will said, looking at his watch. “Maybe she got off the beach because she was afraid when she saw us coming toward her. It’s late for a woman to be out alone.”
“I’ll ask her. Jeez, it’s late for us, too. But this is nice. I like being out with you.”
“We’ll do it again,” Will said.
Across the street, Dan stood in front of the mirror, tucking his shirt in. He didn’t feel like it was necessary to get dressed up for his date with Rene Johnson, but when she asked him to pick her up, he was afraid that might mean he had to meet the father. On the cusp of cancelling, he would force himself to go just because he knew he’d never survive thatbeing alonebull crap he’d fed to Pam, and would end up begging her to let him in, or embarrassing himself by calling Lily again.
Driving through town with the windows down, he felt young and carefree. The usual jitters when getting to know a woman accompanied him. They wouldn’t jump into bed first thing, which meant they were going to get to know one another. She was Jack’s niece, like Pam had said.
The house was on the right, a small bungalow common on Long Island. Shingles and shutters set it apart, giving it a beachy vibe five miles from the beach. The driveway was steeper than most, making it necessary to give the car a little extra gas to climb up. Then he saw a man looking out the window, grimacing at the noise the car made.
Dan got out of the car, dreading the encounter. Maybe he should have asked how old Rene was. Her mother was older than Jack, so she had to be at least thirty, right? He tried to do the math in his head.
“My neighbors are probably calling the cops right now to issue a noise violation.”
“Sorry, sir,” Dan said, thinking,Fuck off, old man.
Waiting for something, Dan wanted to return to his car when Rene finally appeared. Tonight, she looked beautiful, dressed for a summer night out on the town.
“Dad, let him in, for God’s sake. Sorry, Dan.”
She pushed the door open, and he walked into the living room. It was possibly the smallest living room he’d ever been in. There was something wrong with the scene; there wasn’t any art or mementos around, looking more like a hotel room than a home where four people lived together. Beverly Johnson walked in from the back of the house, hand outstretched to shake.
“You know my mom. This is my dad, Ralph Johnson.”
“How do you do, sir,” Dan said, holding out his hand.
Ralph looked at it and finally took it to shake, but not happily. Carrying a purse and what looked suspiciously like an overnight bag, Rene opened the screen door again.
