Michael McGarrity - Hermit_s Peak

"Join me in the conservatory," Alida said as she led the way through the room.

Never having seen a conservatory before, Kerney followed along curiously. It turned out to be a sun room used for dining that took full advantage of the morning light. The round gate leg table centered in the middle of the room was antique oak with matching high ladder back chairs. On an exposed adobe wall hung a nineteenth-century sampler made by Marjorie Higgins, age ten. Below an elaborate alphabet and numbers, young Marjorie had embroidered a three-story Georgian mansion surrounded by lush grounds.

"Would you care for some coffee or tea?" Alicia asked as she sat.

"No thank you," Kerney repUed, joining her at the table. He made Bingham to be somewhere in her early forties. Dressed in a, gray-striped cashmere sweater and designer blue jeans, she had perfect teeth, wide set brown eyes, and short, light brown hair that covered her ears.

"I shouldn't like to rush you, but please ask your questions straight away. I have a very busy morning ahead of me."

"Emmet Griffin said you might know why Luiza left her position."

Alicia Bingham smiled.

"I'm afraid during Luiza's time with us I was frantically engaged in so many different projects, I didn't give her very much attention."

"She gave you no reason for leaving?"

"Homesickness certainly was an issue for her. I don't believe she realized that she would be viewed by the local Hispanics more as an Indian than a Latina."

"She felt shunned?"

"I would say so. The locals pride themselves on their Spanish heritage. Many view Mexicans with disdain."

"She made these feelings dear to you?"

"Yes. Luiza spoke passable English. She attended a Baptist missionary school in Chiapas for several years. I was sorry to lose her. She was a very capable housekeeper."

"Did she complain of any inappropriate attention from your male employees?"

"The men flitted around her for a time until I put a stop to it. She was quite an exotic-looking creature."

"She made no complaints about anyone specifically?"

Alicia shook her head.

"She simply asked me to keep the men from interrupting her at work."

"Was she more agreeable to their attentions on her free time?"

"Insofar as I could tell, no. She rarely left the ranch when I was here."

"You don't live here full-time?"

"Heavens, no. My ex-husband and I own and operate a special effects studio in Los Angeles. I divide my time between here and California."

"So, you can't say for certain what Luiza did during your absences."

"Griffin would have advised me of any concerns or issues. There were none as far as I know."

"Did Luiza leave suddenly?"

"Yes, but that's not uncommon with immigrant workers. They tend to come and go without much warning."

"Did she have a green card?"

"Yes. I follow the immigration rules carefully. Chief Kerney. As an Englishwoman, I certainly do not wish to violate any American laws that would jeopardize my permanent resident status."

"You have documentation?"

"In my files."

"Did Luiza leave any personal belongings behind?"

"As a matter of fact, she did. A box of clothing, most of which I had passed along to her. We were almost the same size. I still have them stored in the garage. I expected that she would write to have the box sent along by post, but I never heard from her."

"I'd like to see it."

"Of course."

"And the immigration forms for Luiza, if it's no bother."

"I'll get them for you." Alida rose, left the room, and returned with a slim folder.

Kerney read through it quickly. It looked to be in order.

"May I borrow this for a day or two?"

"Yes."

"If you don't think it too personal, may I ask what brought you to New Mexico?"

Alida smiled.

"When I was a young girl, I had a darling great-uncle who was in his nineties. He was my absolute favorite member of the family. He was the youngest son of a minor peer who struck out for America early in the century. Quite a few of the lads without hopes of inheriting did so during the waning years of the empire. He came to New Mexico and worked on a cattle ranch before World War I. He told such glorious stories of his adventures, I just knew someday I would have to live here."

"And now here you are," Kerney noted.

"Exactly. And loving it. Now, Chief Kerney, you must tell me something. What is this interest you have in Luiza?"

"She may have been raped and murdered."

"May have been?"

"Yes. We're still trying to identify a victim."

Alicia nodded.

"Is this about the skeleton that was found last weekend?"

"Yes."

Alida's expression turned serious.

"I do hope your assumption about Luiza is wrong. It's chilling just to think about it."

"Do you have a photograph of Luiza?"

"No, I don't think so." Alicia held up a finger.

"On second thought, perhaps I do. Not a photograph, actually.

Come along with me."

She led Kerney out of the conservatory, through the living room, and into a media room equipped with comfortable chairs for a dozen people, a large-screen television, and expensive video camera equipment.

"We videotape our horses as part of the training program," she said, opening a cabinet. Inside were dozens of cassettes neatly stacked on shelves.

"Sometimes Luiza would watch. I believe there are one or two tapes that show her dearly."

She searched through the cassettes, pulled one out, put it in a playback machine, and turned on the TV "Yes, this is the one," Alicia said, as she fast-forwarded through a dressage exercise with a gray gelding.

"That's Highland Boy. He'll compete in the next summer Olympics."

She pressed the remote control and the motion returned to normal speed.

Luiza quickly came into view as the rider finished up with Highland Boy and turned him toward the paddock gate.

Alicia froze the frame.

"Quite a lovely face."

Kerney nodded in agreement. Luiza had long jet-black hair, thick eyelashes, and delicate, almost Eurasian features.

From the neck down her figure was full, with a tiny waist and wide, inviting hips.

"May I borrow the tape?"

"Surely." She popped it out of the machine and handed it to Kerney.

"Griffin told me that you asked him about the Barela grazing rights to the Fergurson property."

"I did."

"Are you both a policeman and a rancher?"

"In a small way. I understand you may be interested in buying the property."

"I would love to protect this side of the valley from the encroachment of subdivisions and summer homes.

I'm sure Great-Uncle Howard would approve."

"I'm sure he would," Kerney said as he stood.

"Let me show you where Luiza's possessions are stored/"Alicia said as she checked her wristwatch.

"And then I must fly away."

She escorted Kerney to the garage, pointed out the box, and left him to search though its contents. He took it off the shelf, placed it on the hood of a green Jaguar sedan, and cut the packing tape with his pocketknife.

Inside there was nothing but clothes. He checked all the pockets and found only a hairpin and a crumpled chewing gum wrapper.

Disappointed, he closed the box, put it away, and looked around the three bay garage. It was finished, insulated, heated, and at least twice the size of his apartment.

Along with the Jaguar, Bingham owned a top of the line Range Rover and a four-wheel-drive pickup truck, all in cherry condition.

He walked to his vehicle and saw Alida Bingham leading a fine-looking saddled mare into a training paddock.

She waved to him cheerily, closed the gate, mounted the mare, and guided the horse over a series of fences and a water jump. She rode beautifully.

Emmet Griffin wandered out of the horse barn, threw a foot up on the fence, and watched his boss put the mare through her paces. Kerney joined him.