Part 34 (1/2)
”I'm on a s.h.i.+p.”
”Even better.”
She sighed. ”I met Mr. Vanderhorn once. Here. My folks weren't home.”
”Did he suspect Nick was his firebug?”
”We didn't discuss Nick or arson, but of course not. What a ridiculous thing to say, or even to ask. Why are you asking? You're a SEAL. You're not law enforcement.”
Grit pretended he hadn't just been asked a question by a superior. ”When did Vanderhorn come down here?”
”About a week before he died.”
So, June of last year. Same time Nick was l.u.s.ting after Rose Cameron. ”Do you know Trent Stevens?”
”Who?”
”Portia Martinez?”
”No. Go, okay? Say hi to Sean for me. He's very charming. I must remember that not all his friends are.”
Grit laughed. Diana Martini darted inside.
Interesting. When it came to Cameron & Martini, the sisters-Diana and Rose-were mustn't-touch and, Jasper Vanderhorn had looked into Nick Martini's background, despite their friends.h.i.+p.
Grit called Elijah on the way back to Beverly Hills. ”I'll be quick. I think it's illegal to talk on a cell phone in California while driving. Did Sean and Nick sign a contract or take a blood oath not to sleep with each other's sisters?”
”Why?”
”You notice anything going on between Nick and Rose?”
Elijah sighed. ”They're fighting it.”
”Ask Jo if the task force has looked into Nick's travels and considered if he could be an arsonist, one of Lowell's killers for hire.”
”Grit.”
”All this California sun is getting to me. You're Special Forces. You wouldn't understand the appeal of Coronado.”
”Are you nostalgic, Grit?” Elijah didn't wait for an answer. ”If my sister is in danger from Nick Martini-if there's even a shred of a possibility-I want to know.”
”Heroes with scars worry me.”
”That describes you and me, too, Grit.”
”I worry me. You don't worry me now that you've got Jo.”
”We're both solid. Nick is, too. None of us has targeted innocent people.”
”Derek Cutshaw and Rob Feehan weren't innocent.”
Good point, Grit thought, and disconnected.
He was back in Sean's driveway when Charlie Neal called with a similar theory about Jasper Vanderhorn suspecting Nick Martini, but Charlie didn't really believe it, either. ”We're running down blind alleys and into brick walls,” the vice president's son said.
Grit didn't even bother correcting Charlie's use of we. Let the kid be a part of something.
”How are your sisters?” Grit asked.
”We're all going to Black Falls for the winter fest weekend at the lodge. Marissa in particular can't wait to be back there. She's signing up for cross-country ski lessons and a sleigh ride. I hope the sap will be running so I can make maple syrup. Did you know it takes about forty gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup?”
”That's a lot of sap.”
”Real maple syrup and tupelo honey have a lot in common.” Charlie hesitated. ”Marissa won't tell me anything. I think the Secret Service got to her. You're not reporting back to them every time I call, are you?”
”That's not my job.”
”Because my calls are innocent. Totally. I'm not making any progress. I can tell Marissa's upset. I think she still has feelings for Stevens. Did you notice? Could you tell?”
”I met her for about seventeen seconds three months ago.”
”Are you getting transferred to San Diego?”
Grit was almost used to the pinball machine that was Charlie Neal's mind. ”No.”
”But you like it there.”
”What difference does that make? Anything else you want to tell me?”
”I wish I could do more to help.”
”You'll have your chance to do your own thing before you know it. Right now think about that maple sap.”
Grit hung up and went inside. The Vermonters were pacing.
Beth shoved her hands through her hair. ”I can't stand this anymore. I'm booking my flight back to Vermont. I don't care if it's twenty degrees and a hundred-fifty miles to the nearest Saks.”
”Forty-two degrees today,” Hannah said. ”I checked.”
”Spring weather,” Beth said.
Which right there was why he'd never fit in there, Grit thought. He could be subtle if he had to be, but that wasn't now. ”Are you worried about Rose being with Nick?”
Both women glanced at Sean. It was his question to answer. ”Nick's a lot of things,” Sean said, ”but he's not an arsonist.”
”Did Jasper Vanderhorn suspect Nick was his serial arsonist?”