Part 17 (1/2)

”No, it was almost boring there was so little of interest.”

”He was telling the truth about his parents dying in an avalanche?”

”Yes.”

”I'm only asking, you know. It's not like you're volunteering anything here.”

”It was just such a waste of time.” She turned her face toward me. ”Unless there's something in yours you haven't told me about.”

”No, but I've barely read it.”But I bet you have. I'd even be willing to bet that Linda had been studying it for several days, since she'd called on Sunday.

I turned back to the papers, flipped through the pages, skimming information, then stopped-and focused. The word, ”incarceration,” brought me to an immediate halt.

Ronald J. Sanders, alias Roger Sutter, alias Randolph Simms ... Pueblo Minimum Center, Pueblo, Colorado, currently serving a five-year sentence, convicted on racketeering charges, eligible for parole on ...

They were talking about Trevor's father, in prison, in Colorado. I thought quickly. No, I would not give Linda the satisfaction. I wouldn't admit to her that Trevor's father was a jailbird. Though Linda wouldn't say it, she certainly must have thought it-that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree-and perhaps Trevor, more rotten than his father, had taken it a step further.

”Do you want to stop somewhere?” Linda asked, ”or do you want to go back?”

”We should go back. Isn't Wolfgang waiting for you?”

”He won't be worried, believe me.” She drove around the block, heading toward the library. ”If nothing shows up in the report, nothing incriminating or suspicious, what are we going to do?” she asked.

”I don't know.”

”Do you think we should let the police know what's going on?”

”No. I haven't even read this thing yet. I need some time. And the only evidence we have so far is Kelly's letter, and that's no proof of anything.”

”True.... Make sure Trevor doesn't see you've got that.”

”Of course I won't.”

”Call me if there's anything, anything at all in the report. We have to be super careful. I don't want us tripping over any land mines.”

When I returned home I sought a good hiding place for the report. Later tonight, after Trevor went to bed, I'd read it in depth. I'd decided that my discovery didn't mean a thing, that if anything, having a father in prison had taught Trevor one thing and one thing only. Don't end up there. Look how diligently he went about his business, about his life. Of course he didn't want his father's mistakes to reflect on him. That's why he'd kept it a secret.

His family had kept it a secret from me also. I wondered if Trevor had coached them, or if they regularly forgot to mention Ronald Sander's imprisonment.

And I wondered why Trevor hadn't trusted me, his own wife, with this, then realized a moment later that the background check would have been totally unnecessary if I'd fully trusted him.

I hid the envelope in my darkroom. It was the one place Trevor rarely stepped foot in, and if I needed to, I could close the door and lock it and Trevor wouldn't question me about it. He'd a.s.sume I was developing pictures.

I placed the manila envelope in the midst of other envelopes containing actual prints. I didn't have time now to look at the doc.u.ments further. It was already five o'clock and Trevor could walk in soon and would expect to find me in the kitchen making dinner. I also needed to get my thoughts together and calm myself, so I wouldn't inadvertently say something that would give me away.

I took two packages of frozen shrimp out of the freezer and poured them into a metal bowl to soak in water, then filled a saucepan with water to heat for the redskin potatoes. I washed fresh asparagus and put that aside. What else? I poured myself a gla.s.s of wine, a small one, to steady my nerves.

By the time Trevor arrived, the dining room table was set, candles were burning, and music, a piano concerto by Bach, filled the rooms. At the last minute, I turned on the gas jets for the pa.s.s-through fireplace.

Trevor was smiling as he walked into the foyer, and his arm was behind his back, hiding something.

”You must have been a good girl,” he said, grinning mischievously. ”*Cause Santa stopped by the office today and dropped off an early Christmas present for you.”

”Santa did that?”

”Yes he did, and I'm wondering if the old elf's got a thing for you.” He held out two small boxes exquisitely wrapped in gold foil and ribbon, tiny gold bells attached.

”Well, if he has a thing for me, wouldn't he have brought the presents here?”

”Subterfuge. Won't look suspicious this way.”

”Should I open them now?”

He crossed his arms. ”Sure, open them now, because I have another surprise for you after that.”

I carefully unwrapped the smallest package. Inside was a lovely blue-velvet box. I flipped the lid to reveal astonis.h.i.+ngly brilliant diamond-encrusted earrings. ”Oh Trevor, they're absolutely beautiful, just gorgeous.”

”Uh huh, now open the other one before you start with the big wet kisses.”

I unwrapped it as slowly as the first. ”You know, it's still three weeks until Christmas and I don't have anything to give you back.”

”Not to worry. I've been known to barter in flesh.”

Again, it was a blue-velvet box, but larger than the first. Inside was an equally astounding and brilliant gold and diamond tennis bracelet, at least fifty diamonds running down its center.

”Wow,” I exclaimed. ”Santa must really love me.”

”Yeah, he really does.”

I looked at him, wanting to believe him. His face, so incredibly sincere-how could he possibly be lying? Why go to all this trouble to convince me?

We kissed and I hugged him tightly, pressing my cheek against his warm chest. Why couldn't all of this mess just go away? Why didn't I just drop it? But no, I couldn't drop anything. Someone had viciously murdered my sister, and that someone deserved to be caught and punished, whatever the reason for the crime ... and certainly before they might feel compelled to kill again.

Finished with dinner, I sat near Trevor at the end of the dining room table. I played with a stalk of asparagus, steering it with my fork around my plate like a swimming eel. Though full, I continued to nibble, because we were having such a nice time together. I reached for Trevor's hand.

He took mine in his and squeezed it, then reached for his winegla.s.s, sipping the last of his wine. ”You tell me when you're ready for my next surprise.”

”You're spoiling me, Trevor.”

”I know.”

”Okay, I'm ready. Go ahead.”

”Well,” he said, drawing it out. ”I've made arrangements for us to spend the weekend in Aspen, a mini ski vacation.”

”Really? You have the time? You can take a whole weekend off?”

”Yes and no ... just listen. First, we'll have luxurious accommodations, a private two-bedroom condo, adjacent to the slopes and a short walk into town. We'll be dining on steak and lobster and grilled calamari, chilled caviar. I know, you don't like caviar, but if you want it you can have it.”