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He studied her. “Iwouldbelieve that.” He quickly added, “Not because you don’t have options. I imagine you could have your pick of guys around here.”
She made a face. “Thing is, I don’t want the guys around here.”
“Which raises the question of why you don’t just move somewhere else. Chicago’s not that far away.”
“David and I were thinking of moving there. And then he died.”
“So you feel tied to this place?”
“In a way, I guess. He’s buried here. What he started to build is here.”
“Right.”
“You don’t believe me?” she said, her mouth creasing into a frown.
“No, Idobelieve you. Look at Decker. He doesn’t live here anymore, but he’s still tied to the place. Comes back to visit his family’s graves. Different people have different motivations. You want to stay here, you stay here. It’s your decision, no one else’s.”
She was about to say something but then took a quick sip of her drink instead. “You want to order? The salmon is really good, but I’m going for the tuna tartare.”
He glanced at the menu. “How’s the wagyu?”
“It’s great. We get it fresh every day.”
“We?”
She smiled. “I guess I didn’t tell you. I have an interest in this place too.”
“A lady with lots of interests. Makes the world go round.”
They ordered, and Mars looked around the place before resettling his gaze on Katz. “Lot of money in the parking lot and at these tables. Even saw a Maserati out there.”
“The Maserati belongs to that gentleman.” She pointed to a shortish man in his late sixties with thick gray hair. He wore a three-piece suit with no tie, crocodile skin loafers, and, despite the chilly weather, no socks. At his table were six other people. Four men and two women.
“Money man?”
“Yes. Duncan Marks.”
“Is he one of your partners?”
“No, not really. But he does a lot of projects around town. And wehavedone a couple deals together. But I’m a small fry compared to him.”
“Well, you’re a big fry where I’m concerned.”
She smiled at his statement. “How’s the investigation coming?”
“Decker’s interviewing Mitzi right about now. Checking alibis and stuff like that.”
“You mean for Susan Richards’s murder?”
“Yeah, among other things.”
“Getting back to my earlier thought. How come Decker is letting you hang out with me? Is he hoping you’ll learn some stuff so he can arrest me?” She said this last part in a cavalier way, but Mars could detect an undertone of apprehension.
“Like I said, I’m not law enforcement. I’m his friend. I don’t tell him what to do and he doesn’t tell me.”
“But you still want to help him.”
“Sure I do.” He spread his arms wide. “And if there’s anything you can tell me that will help, let me have it.”
