AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He sat back and laughed.
I said, “You didn’t tell them Barlett had been murdered.”
“Wouldn’ta changed anything, either they know him or they don’t.”
He stood, stretched, winced. “Go home, that’s what I’m doing.”
—
We left the station together, entered the staff lot and drifted apart as we headed to our cars.
I was ten yards away when he called out my name.
I pivoted, saw him standing by his back bumper, waving his phone, and jogged back.
“That was Cifuentes. He reached the orange grove manager and she said Barlett had a visitor a few weeks ago, three, four, probably but she’s not sure exactly when. She didn’t see the driver, just the car. Wanna guess?”
I said, “Black compact.”
“Parked in front of Barlett’s cabin. She has no idea if anything negative went on and Barlett wouldn’ta told her, they didn’t have that kind of relationship.”
“How long did the visit last?”
“No idea, she just saw the car and thought it was unusual because during the five years Barlett had been living there, she’d never knownhim to have a visitor. She also can’t say when it left because her exit from the grove takes her in the opposite direction.”
I said, “The bad guy visits Barlett but leaves him alive. Then he murders Meagin and Gio and comes back because Barlett could I.D. him.”
“That’s what I’m thinking. Some bastard with a grudge who also knew Barlett.”
I said, “Maybe it was Barlett who told him where to find Meagin.”
“Talk about snitches ending up in ditches,” he said. “I’m still going home but tomorrow the kids and I are gonna do a wider canvass of Gio’s and Meagin’s neighborhoods, see if anyone else saw the car, maybe some nervous security-conscious type noticed more details.”
“Fear, the great motivator.”
“Pays my salary.”
“Sometimes mine, as well.”
CHAPTER
30
I phoned Robin from the road, gave her my ETA, asked if I should pick up something for dinner.
She said, “Perfect timing, I defrosted steaks, you can get your grill on and make me that tequila Manhattan you came up with a few weeks ago. My contribution will be coleslaw, two gorgeous artichokes I scored this morning, braised carrots with that za’atar thing you like, and sautéed mushrooms.”
“Sounds labor-intensive for you.”
“Not if you do the steaks and the booze. I’m also in charge of the treats for the other woman in your life, talk about saintly.”
—
After dinner, we shifted outdoors and lounged on the front terrace looking at trees and night sky and listening to the occasional hoots of owls preparing to dine. Blanche curled between us, recumbent but wide awake and hoping for more tidbits.
Robin obliged by crumbling bits of a chewy thing that claims to help dogs develop strong joints. Whether or not it’s true, Blanche loves them. Then again, she’s not picky. As bulldog flews vibrated, the two of us tuned in to the quiet and made our way slowly through secondañejoManhattans. The key, according to a barkeep I know, is chocolate bitters.
Years of treating patients has made me tolerant of silence but Robin’s naturally quiet nature gave her the edge and, as usual, I was the first to speak.
