Part 25 (1/2)

”I've been putting in some pretty long hours. Like I said, I meant to call but the time just slipped away.”

”That happens sometimes.” Gwen wasn't much for small talk. And looking at her now, there was something in her face that made Elizabeth wary.

”You don't usually come by the office. Is there something in particular on your mind?”

Gwen set her gla.s.s down on the table. ”Actually there is.” She ran a finger over the moisture on the outside of the gla.s.s, making abstract designs in the condensation. ”Jim and I were having dinner out at The Ranch House. On my way to the ladies' room, I ran into Lisa Doyle.”

Elizabeth's lips curved in a smile that wasn't. ”I'm sure she sends her best.”

”Actually, I think she'd like to cut out your heart with a dull-edged knife.”

”She already did that. Tell her she'll have to think of something else.”

Gwen didn't smile. ”Lisa says you're sleeping with Zachary Harcourt.”

Elizabeth's hand shook as she reached for her gla.s.s, picked it up, and took a long drink of diet soda. ”I don't think who I'm sleeping with is any of Lisa's business.”

”It wouldn't be my business either if you weren't my best friend.”

It was true. They rarely kept secrets from each other and this secret was a ten on the Richter scale. ”Zach and I are working on a case together.”

”Really. What kind of case?”

”Zach is heavily involved in Teen Vision. Most people don't know it, but he's actually the person who founded the place.”

A sleek red eyebrow arched up. ”I thought it was Carson's project.”

”Apparently attaching Carson's name makes it easier for them to raise money. At any rate, Zach's helping one of the kids in the program. I'm trying to help the boy's sister. We thought working together might get better results.”

”So it's just business. You aren't really involved with him.”

Elizabeth glanced away. It was impossible to lie to Gwen. ”We're seeing each other. Just on weekends, or whenever he's in town.”

Gwen's eyes widened. ”Oh, my G.o.d, then it's true. You're sleeping with Zachary Harcourt!”

Elizabeth shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant when that wasn't the least how she felt. ”We're both adults. We can do whatever we want.”

”Have you lost your mind?”

Elizabeth swallowed. The astonished look on Gwen's face reminded her that she had once felt exactly the same. Memories rushed back of the man Zach had been when she was in high schoolwild, reckless, uncaring. Women meant nothing to him. He liked them easy and only for a night or two. He lived up to his high school nickname in a very predatory way.

”I mean, I can understand the attraction,” Gwen went on, ”any woman couldbut that just makes getting involved with him even worse.”

”It's not as bad as all that,” Elizabeth defended, trying to shake off the memories, trying to convince herself. ”It's purely a physical thing. Neither of us is looking for a long-term relations.h.i.+p.”

Gwen leaned toward her across the table. ”Who are trying to kid, Liz? Zach or yourself? This is your best friend you're talking to. I've known you for years and we both know you aren't the kind of woman who goes in for casual s.e.x.”

Elizabeth glanced away. She didn't want to have this conversation. She didn't want to hear her own thoughts put into words. ”For the most part, no, but this is different. It's been a long time since I've been s.e.xually attracted to a manand never the way I'm attracted to Zach. I wanted to know what it felt likejust this once. There's nothing wrong with that.”

”Not there isn't. But in this case, there are other things to consider.”

”Like what?”

”Like the fact that Zach's a loner and always will be. He was when we were kids and he still is. Lisa can handle a guy like that. s.e.x means nothing to her. You aren't that way.”

No, she was nothing like Lisa. She had said those same words to Zach, but he had convinced her it didn't matter.

”I really like him, Gwen. He's nothing like he was back then. He cares about those boys at Teen Vision. When I'm with him, I feel like he cares about me.”

”Maybe he does,” Gwen said gently. ”Maybe he cares a great deal. But in the end, he'll leave. That's the way he's always been, the way he always will be.”

Elizabeth glanced away, her throat suddenly tight. ”I know you're right. It could never work between us. But I'm not ready to give him up. Not yet. I wish I could, but I can't.”

Gwen reached over and squeezed her hand. ”The guy's a hunk, no question. Just don't let him in too deep. Don't let him break your heart.”

Elizabeth made no reply. She had a very bad feeling it was already too late.

On his way into San Pico, Zach stopped by the little cantina, La Fiesta, at the edge of town on the off-chance Mariano Nunez might be there with some of his friends. For once luck was with him. The old man was on his way out as Zach walked in.

”Se”or Harcourt,” the overseer said with a friendly smile. ”I did not expect to see you again so soon.”

”I stopped on the chance you might be here. I've got a couple more questions I was hoping you might answer. How 'bout I buy you a beer?”

The old man's smile widened and Zach noticed one of his bottom teeth was missing. ”Gracias, se”or. It is still hot outside.”

Zach ordered a couple of Dos Equis and they sat down at one of the battered wooden tables at the back of the bar. The smell of green peppers and roasting meat drifted out from the kitchen at the back of the room.

”I thought maybe you could tell me a little more about the Espinoza family.”

While Zach sipped his beer, Mariano talked easily about his friends, answering Zach's questions. Speaking partly in Spanish, he told Zach that Juan's wife had borne him a number of children over the years. Six, as he recalled, but none had arrived after the couple had moved into the old gray house.

”My father mentioned something about Se”ora Espinoza losing a child,” Zach said, getting to the subject he had come to discuss. ”Do you remember anything about that?”

Mariano frowned, the lines in his weathered face etching more deeply into his nut-brown skin. ”Sis, I remember. She was carrying their seventh child when Juan got one of the overseer's jobs and moved his family into the house.”

”What happened?”

Mariano shook his head, moving the long gray hair around his ears. ”She got sick or something. She lost the child and they moved away a few months later. I was sorry to see them go.”

”Do you recall what year it happened?”

”The family moved away in the fall of nineteen seventy-two. I remember because I had to help find a replacement for Juan. It was not an easy thing to do.”

Zach took a swig of his beer and set the icy bottle back down on the table. He couldn't help wondering if Se”ora Espinoza had seen the ghost Maria claimed to have seen, if perhaps she had received the same dire warning and paid it no heed.

He shoved back his chair and came to his feet. ”Thank you, Mariano. You've been a big help.”