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“I understand,” I told her, feeling oddly the same way.
“I’m sorry, I’ll be right back. I’m going to the ladies’ room.” Lillian let me go and hustled from the office, wiping her eyes.
I realized she’d left me alone with Neil’s computer, which could contain evidence of his embezzlement or whoever he was working with. She had just been on it, so I might not need to reenter a passcode.
I closed the door, hurried to the desk, and got busy.
Chapter Nineteen
I left Runstan ahead of my father and brother, who were still in with Stan. I looked around the lot and the Hyundai was gone. I scanned the surrounding area, but it was nowhere in sight.
I went to my car, my thoughts churning. Inside the pocket of my jean jacket was a thumb drive filled with Lemaire’s email and as many of his files as I could copy. I hadn’t had time to read them, but they had to help me get to the bottom of his murder, if itwasmurder.
I reached my car, got in, and headed out of the parking lot, making a call. “Patrick?”
“Yo, I heard you’re seeing Maya tonight. Can I be best man?”
I smiled, having forgotten. “No, but I got a license plate I need you to look up.”
“Okay, but we love that girl. You better treat her right. Wait, my wife wants to talk to you. I’m going to give her the phone.”
Argh. “No, Patrick—”
“TJ, this is Teresa,” said a woman, her voice even more gravelly than Patrick’s. “You’re taking out my favorite niece. She’s my baby girl, this one. You better treat her right.”
“I will.”
“I don’t want her reaching for her wallet. She’s gonna say she’s a feminist, but you better don’t let her pay.”
“I won’t.”
“You hurt this girl, you answer to me. Goodbye.” I heard some muffled talking, then Patrick said, “Okay, you heard from the boss.”
“I sure did. Now can I tell you the plate number?” I read it off my hand. “It’s a black Hyundai Elantra, maybe three years old.”
“You in the market?”
“No, it’s for a case.”
“Another wife foolin’ around?”
“It’s confidential.”
“Lemme get back to you. I have to talk to my buddy.”
“I need it ASAP.”
“On it. And you better pick up that tab.”
“I’m not a monster,” I told him, and we both hung up.
I headed to the Devlin & Devlin office, checking the rearview mirror for the Hyundai. In time, I decided that I wasn’t being followed. I worried that John might have been, but there was nothing I could do about that until he got back to the office. I kept the radio on for any update on Lemaire, but it was all national politics. The death of a random accountant had become yesterday’s news. Seeing Lillian’s anguish this morning had put a face on the loss for me. I tried to shake it but couldn’t.
I snapped off the radio.
•••
I entered the office to find Gabby in reception, fresh and crisp in her navy blazer with jeans. “Hey, lady.”
