Chapter Three #3
“I’m adopted. So is my sister, Akiko. Both of us grew up in foster care. Akiko was abandoned as an infant. Nearly three weeks ago Akiko got a call from Mrs. Sherman.” She explained the call and what followed, hiding nothing. “I’m protective. I didn’t want Akiko going alone.”
“I can understand that,” Glenda murmured.
“Why was he with you?” Brian demanded, pointing at Sam.
“Because he’s my boyfriend,” Kit said, the word easier to say every time she uttered it. “And he’s a good listener. I wanted to be there for Akiko. Sam wanted to be there for me.”
Sam nodded his agreement. “The meeting was scheduled for yesterday because Mrs. Sherman had been out of town for two weeks. We were wondering if you knew where she went.”
Glenda’s lips pursed. “I don’t know.”
Lie. Glenda knew, but she didn’t want to tell them. Not yet, anyway. Kit considered arguing but then silently took her phone from her pocket and found a recent photo of her and Akiko. They were standing on Akiko’s fishing boat, a monster tuna hanging between them.
She needed to earn this woman’s trust.
“This is my sister.”
Glenda’s eyes widened. “Oh,” she whispered brokenly. “Oh my.”
“We understand that there’s a strong resemblance,” Kit said, “between Akiko and Mrs. Sherman when she was that age.”
Glenda closed her eyes. “Yes.”
“Do you know why?” Kit asked, holding her breath.
“I’d only be guessing. But my guess would be what you’re thinking. That Mary was her mother.”
“But you don’t know for sure,” Baz pressed.
Glenda opened her eyes, her grief nearly tangible. “No. Mary was my best friend. We met years ago, when Brian and her twins were in the same preschool class. We told each other many secrets, but that was never something she shared.”
“I’m so sorry you lost your best friend,” Kit said. “My sister is my best friend. I need to know if she’s in danger.”
“I’d say so,” Brian said. “Someone shot you.”
Kit gave him a rueful nod. “True. But they shot me, not her. And they could have shot her. They had ample opportunity.”
“Mrs. Baker, do you know where Mary went for two weeks?” Sam asked gently.
Glenda’s shoulders sagged. “I told the two detectives that I didn’t know.
But they didn’t show me a photo of your sister.
She went to LA. I don’t know exactly where she went or why, and that’s the truth.
But she was upset, I do know that. She was upset and worried and had been for the past three months.
” She hesitated. “This was her third trip to LA. I took care of her dog, so I know the dates.” She took out her phone and scrolled through her calendar.
“She was only gone for a week the first two times. October sixteenth to the twentieth and November thirteenth to the seventeenth.”
Sam tilted his head. “We didn’t hear or see a dog yesterday when we were at her house.”
“Because Pochi is still here. Mary was supposed to pick him up last night, but she never showed up. I called her cell and it went to voicemail each time. I was worried sick, so I finally drove over there and saw the police cars. One of the neighbors told me that she was dead. I was…stunned. I called Leo but he didn’t answer.
” She hesitated again. “Leo and I aren’t on good terms.”
“Because?” Sam asked.
“Because he’s an asshole. He accused her of having an affair. He assumed that’s why she went out of town. But Mary would never cheat. That’s not who she was.”
“Is that why he’s been staying at a hotel?” Baz asked.
“Yes. He left about three weeks ago. I say good riddance. He wasn’t much of a husband anyway.”
Kit’s brows went up. Now they were getting somewhere. “Was he abusive?”
“Emotionally. He never hit her.”
“Would have damaged his precious million-dollar hands,” Brian said with contempt.
Clearly Leo Sherman was not a fan fave.
Glenda sighed. “Leo is a surgeon. He’s got a very healthy ego and he expected Mary to bolster it every day. She never really minded because she believed he was the best, but lately she was…” She drifted off, frowning at her son as if he could better describe her friend.
“Frazzled,” Brian said. “Mary was always so together. She had lists and plans and spreadsheets. But lately she’d forget things. Like Pochi. She’d drop him off for a few days and forget to pick him up. She never forgot things like that before.”
“When did this start?” Sam asked.
“Three months ago,” Brian said, “around the time the trips to LA started.”
“And Leo lost his mind,” Glenda added. “If dinner wasn’t ready when he got home from work, he’d yell at her.
If she forgot to pick up his dry cleaning, he’d blow up.
I ended up doing some of that stuff for her.
We kept the marital problems from the girls—Raisa and Dahlia.
At least, I think we did. It was important to Mary that the girls believe everything was perfect at home. ”
“So they probably wouldn’t know where she went in LA, either,” Kit said.
“I don’t think so,” Glenda answered. “Mary called me on Friday night to let me know she was back and asked if I’d keep Pochi till Saturday night as she had meetings on Saturday. I guess one of those was with you.”
“Did she often have meetings on Saturday?” Baz asked.
“No. She kept a strict Monday through Friday schedule with her accounting business. Tax season was always crazy, of course. She’d hire a housekeeper from January through April to make sure Leo was fed and the house was clean.
She didn’t often travel for her job. A few training seminars, but rarely overnight. ”
“How do you know she was in LA if she was so secretive?” Kit asked.
“I wasn’t supposed to know. She came here to pick up Pochi after the trip in October and I saw a receipt from a restaurant in LA.
” Glenda smiled sadly. “The accountant in her could never throw away a receipt. I asked her about it. She snatched that receipt right out of my hand. Begged me not to tell. She ripped it into tiny pieces. She was scared, but she wouldn’t tell me why. ”
“Where did she tell Leo that she was going?” Baz asked.
“To a training class. She was a terrible liar. He checked on her, found there was no class. I suppose I might have been suspicious, too, but I knew Mary Sherman. She was no cheater. Leo should have known her better, too.”
“Do you think Leo would have had her killed?” Kit asked.
Glenda gasped. “No. Never.”
Sam’s brow had creased into a thoughtful frown. “Was Mary planning a trip to Germany?”
Germany? Oh. The books on Mary’s coffee table. Kit had seen them, too.
“Raisa and Dahlia were. It’s their graduation present. They wanted Mary to go with them. Leo was always too busy, but Mary was considering it.” Glenda swallowed hard. “I guess she’ll never get to go now.”
“I’m sorry,” Kit said softly.
“Do either of her daughters have boyfriends?” Sam asked.
Glenda’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“I saw some shoes in her house yesterday. They were big, maybe thirteens. They weren’t Leo’s shoes. He’s a size ten at the most.”
Kit warmed with pride. My Sam’s no slouch.
My Sam. She liked the sound of that. Look at me, having feelings.
Brian shook his head. “I’m friends with both the twins. They’re not seeing anyone right now.”
“Thank you,” Sam said. “That’s helpful to rule them out.” He glanced at Kit. “Do you have what you need? Mrs. Baker is looking tired.”
So was Kit. It had to be the bullet wound. She didn’t like being tired in the middle of the day.
“Thank you for your time, Mrs. Baker,” Kit said, taking a notepad from her pocket. She wrote down her cell as well as Sam’s and Baz’s. “If you think of anything, can you call us?”
“I will, of course.” Glenda hesitated. “Will your sister do a DNA test?”
“We’re hoping to,” Kit said. “When we know for sure, and if Akiko is okay with it, we’ll let you know.”
“Thank you. Tell your sister that Mary was the best friend anyone could ever have. If they are related, your sister should consider herself blessed.”
Kit didn’t think Akiko felt blessed at the moment, but hopefully things would turn out so that she could be satisfied, at least. “Thank you. And thank you, Brian. You’ve both been a big help.”
Brian walked them to the street. “You’re gonna talk to Raisa and Dahlia, right?”
“We will,” Baz confirmed. “Why?”
“Because Dahlia just got a gun.”
Kit had to fight the urge to blink. “How do you know this?”
He winced. “Because I helped her find it. Some guy at school was selling it. She said that someone was following her.”
Kit wanted to lecture the kid but bit it back. Not the right time. Plus, he knew he’d done wrong.
“Did her mom know?” Sam asked.
“I don’t think so. Dahlia said she didn’t want to worry her mom because Mary had stuff on her mind.”
“What kind of stuff?” Kit asked.
“Just stuff. That’s the word Dahlia used. I know that she was genuinely scared—and Dahlia’s not afraid of much. She’s a black belt. Both of the twins are. They can take care of themselves. But Dahlia said a bullet wouldn’t care what color her belt was. Have I gotten her into trouble?”
Kit gave the kid a look that made him squirm. “She needs to register the gun, Brian. ASAP. And she can’t carry it around without a concealed carry permit.”
“I’ll tell her.”
Oh, so will I, Kit thought.
“What kind of gun?” Baz asked.
“Glock 43.”
“Thanks, Brian.” Kit waved as they got into the vehicle. “Take care of your mom.”
They said no more until Sam had driven away from the Bakers’ house.
“What next?” Baz asked.
“We figure out where Mary went in LA,” Kit said. “We’re going to be watching a lot of traffic cams.”
“Assign that to Connor,” Sam suggested. “He can do that from his bed and he’ll feel left out otherwise. Then we can use our time to pay a visit to Raisa and Dahlia. Leo said last night that they were staying with his sister.”
Kit nodded. “Maybe they know where their mother went.”
“Maybe,” Sam said, “but I’m more concerned that Dahlia felt like she was being followed. It might not be connected, but if it is, it could be a lead.”
Kit smiled at him. “Excellent point, Dr. Reeves.”
Sam looked pleased. “Thank you.”
Baz made a gagging sound from the back seat. “You guys. Stop it.”
“Shut up, Baz,” Sam said mildly, but he was smiling.
“Okay. But if you’re going to be all sappy and shit, can you at least get me some lunch?” Baz whined. “I forgot how hungry I get investigating.”
Sam headed for the freeway. “That we can do.”