David Bell - Never Come Back

“Hold it a minute,” Dan said. “This guy, this criminal… your mom?”

“Pretty wild, isn’t it?” Neal said.

“You knew this?” Dan ignored Neal and looked directly at me.

“No,” I said. “I just found all this out today. I asked Neal to dig into these people a little more. I wanted to know what I was dealing with.”

“Jesus,” Dan said again.

Neal said, “You’re hoping that these people—one or both of them—killed your mom. If they killed her, then your brother is off the hook. Right?”

“Doesn’t it make more sense?” I asked. “Look at them and look at Ronnie.”

“What’s the motive?” Neal asked. “People don’t off people for no reason. Unless they’re in love with them or something.”

“Money,” I said. “This Yarbrough woman showed up and got in the will. My mom is dead and Ronnie is accused. She gets a big cut of what my mom had.”

“Pretty slick,” Neal said.

“I think I’m missing a few steps,” Dan said. He looked at Neal. “How did you find these things out? Couldn’t Elizabeth or I have found them on the Internet?”

“Not really, chief,” Neal said. “I mean, you can pay for some background-check stuff online, but it’s second-rate. And the Teach here is a poor grad student. She doesn’t want to go through all that expense.” He wiped his nose. “Besides, you have to know how to interpret the data. That’s what my old man does. He took a look at this and helped me analyze it.”

“Your old man?” Dan asked. “Is he a cop?”

“Not even close,” Neal said.

“Dan,” I said. “It’s okay.”

“Then tell me how this woman could convince your mother to let her into her will. What did she tell her?”

“It’s a long story,” I said. “It’s—”

“Yes,” Neal said, cutting in. “A very long story. And we don’t have much time.”

“Why is that?” Dan asked.

Neal held up his phone. “I have a full tank of gas and directions to her house. Since Elizabeth likes to party and it’s Saturday night, she might be going out. I think we need to get to Reston Point as soon as possible, before she decides it’s time to hightail it out of there.”

“Wait a minute,” Dan said. “You’re not really going to go up there and confront this woman, are you?”

I didn’t answer. I didn’t have to. He knew what I was thinking.

Neal jangled his car keys.

“Hold it,” Dan said. “Don’t you think you should call the police? If there’s reason to think this woman harmed your mother, then the police need to know.”

Neal shook his head. “Not happening, chief. Not that way. You have to understand people like this, which you probably don’t since you’re a professor type. People like this spook easily. Hell, they can tell when a cop gets within five miles of them. She’ll run off. She’ll turn ghost and run. And even if the cops find her, she isn’t going to tell them anything. I think Teach here needs to go.”

“Dan,” I said, “the police already know all of this. I just talked to them today. I told them about both of these people.”

“And what did they say?” Dan asked. “Did they suggest you go find them?”

“They acted like they’d look into it, but I can tell they won’t. They think they know who did it already. Ronnie. That’s it for them.”

Neal stood up. “Besides, this woman could really be Teach’s—what, half sister? Is that what she is?”

“She could be dangerous,” Dan said. “You think she might be working with this guy, this Gordon guy. What if they are in it together?”

“I know what I’ll do,” I said. “I’m the executor of the will. She’s eager to get her share, right? If I have to, I’ll just tell her that’s what I’m there for.”

“Works for me,” Neal said. He pointed to my bare feet. “You better put shoes on. It’s getting chilly out.”

“I’m going too,” Dan said.

His words didn’t surprise me. I knew he’d insist on coming along and making sure nothing happened to me. I appreciated it.

“Look,” I said. “I just—” I turned to Neal. “Do you mind waiting in the car?” I asked. “I’ll be right there.”

“Sure,” he said. “I’ll get it warmed up, pick out the CDs, all that stuff.”

When he was gone and the front door closed behind him, I turned to Dan. I couldn’t tell him the truth about why I didn’t want him to come. The truth was, it just didn’t seem like the kind of place for Dan to go. I knew Neal could take care of himself if he needed to, but I wasn’t sure Dan could. It wouldn’t be for lack of trying. I knew he’d lay down his life for me if the situation called for it.

But that was just it. His focus would be on me. Helping me. Protecting me. Catering to me. I didn’t need that. I didn’t need all that pressure. I had a job to do, and I wanted to concentrate on that.

“I need you to stay here,” I said.

“Who is this guy?” Dan asked. “He just shows up. He’s doing all this Sam Spade stuff. Who is he?”

“He’s a student of mine,” I said. “And he works doing this type of thing.”

“What type of thing? Stalking?”

“I don’t really know what he does, but I asked for his help. And he provided it. The police haven’t done it. I needed someone to step in.”

“Why don’t you want me to go?” Dan asked.

I stepped closer to him. I raised my right hand and brushed it along his cheek. He had shaved that morning, and his skin felt smooth and new. “I need you to do me a favor,” I said.

He didn’t return my affection. He averted his eyes. I saw a vein twitch in his neck. I knew he was mad. Once I was gone, he’d gear up for an epic sulk, which is why I gave him a job to do.

“I need you to go to St. Vincent’s for me,” I said. “Go there and find Paul. He’s expecting me to show up and see Ronnie. They’re going to be moving him to a regular room soon if everything is okay. Just go there and tell Paul that something came up. Don’t tell him any details so he doesn’t worry. But let him know I’m fine and see if he needs anything.”

Dan’s eyes moved back to mine, but he didn’t speak.

“Do you mind?” I said. “I’ll call you when I know something.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“I am. It has to be this way. I’ll be fine. Really.”

He reached out and took my hand in his. “Do me a favor,” he said. “Keep in touch. Text me as much as you can so I know you’re okay. Or have Encyclopedia Brown out there do it for you.”

“I will,” I said.

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll go see your uncle.”

“Thank you.”

We stood close to each other for a long moment. I leaned up and kissed him.

He didn’t let go of my hand. I squeezed his hand back. Hard. I liked the feel of it in mine.

“I have to go,” I said. “I’ll talk to you later.”

“How far is it?” I asked.

Neal sat behind the wheel of a surprisingly new Lexus SUV. It didn’t seem to match his dirty hair and army jacket, but I didn’t point that out. It made me wonder about the kind of clients his father represented.

“You’ve never been there?” he asked.

“Never.”

“Aren’t you from Dover?”

“I am. But what would I go to Reston Point for? What’s there?”

“Jesus,” he said. “They’ve got Murray’s, the best steak place in the state. They’ve got Fieldstone Farms, where they raise turkeys and serve them in their own restaurant. You never went there for Thanksgiving?”

“We never went anywhere for Thanksgiving.”

“You should go this year,” Neal said. “Get your boyfriend to take you, unless it’s too… what would he call it? Beaujolais?”