“And then Charlotte retaliated by investigating this group. That’s when the real trouble started.”
She didn’t seem interested in talking about it anymore. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his body. Her feet emerged from the sand, the grains slowly falling to the sides.
“I’m sorry you’re a part of this.”
“There’s a problem.”
“What?”
“The key.” She handed it back to him. “Once Charlotte’s daughter comes, she’ll have keys. She can change the locks, stay there, or do whatever she wants. If you use the key, you’ll have to do it before she arrives.”
“When is she supposed to get here?”
“A couple of days. Obviously you can’t go right away, since you almost got caught today. But you should have time.”
“Great.” He squeezed her upper arm. “That helps a lot.”
They sat on the beach a little longer and he held her to his chest. When she spoke, he felt her voice vibrating her back.
“How are you going to find out if Sheryl knows what happened?”
“I have an inside man.”
“Abram?”
“Better than Abram.”
“Who?”
“Gary Novak. Right now, he’s busy charming her. And hopefully he’ll learn something.”
“Gary?”
“That’s right.”
He felt her ribs shaking as she laughed.
“How does Gary Novak pull that off?”
“I don’t know what to tell you. He’s a natural Don Juan. And they are both romantics.”
She took his hand in hers. Someone’s grandson dropped a hot dog and seagulls dove for the bun. Instead of crying, the child laughed and clapped. Mel looked up.
“This is nice. Despite the circumstances.”
“Yeah. It is.”
“Can you tell me why I didn’t hear from you before all this?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why didn’t you call?”
“I’ve been really busy. Just putting this together. Between work and everything.”
“I can imagine, now that I know what’s happening.”
“And it wasn’t that long, was it?”
“A few days.”
“Right.”
He looked at her and shook his head.
“I just didn’t want to scare you off.”
She laughed.
“You know I like you, right?”
“Do you?”
“Yes.” She kissed him on the cheek.
“I just have a problem with taking charge. Putting myself out there, it’s scary. And with you…”
“With me what?”
“With someone like you, it just seems improbable.”
“Why?”
“Just look at you.”
She kissed him again and stopped.
“Deja vu. You’re vibrating again.”
He picked it up. It was deja vu.
“Hi Gary.”
“Jacob! I’m calling you on a cellular phone.”
“I know.”
“Where are you? Are you in Charlotte’s apartment?”
“I got caught too early. But I’m going soon.”
“Did you find anything?”
Mel leaned in and listened. He let her. She deserved it.
“I found some things,” Gary shouted. “I’m so tired of talking about light. It gets boring after a few times!”
“I’m sure. But what about with Charlotte?”
“What do you mean?”
“Did you find out anything about Sheryl and the Saving Tomorrow Initiative? Did she say anything else?”
“I didn’t ask directly.”
Jake heard a click.
“Are you there?”
He heard Gary yell to Sheryl.
“I’m just seeing when he will give me a ride back.”
“Gary?”
“I am sorry. I had to answer her. She made me a carrot cake.”
“A cake?”
“Yes. I’m taking it to go.”
“You can’t take Sheryl’s cake to go. What will Meryl say?”
“She wouldn’t want me wasting good food. And did you know carrots are good for your eyes?”
“Gary.”
“Your generation, it just throws away everything.”
“OK.” Mel laughed. “We’re off track.”
“I asked Sheryl what she was doing the night Charlotte died.”
“How did she react?”
“Well, I didn’t tell her it was the day Charlotte died. I just mentioned the day of the week.”
“Did she react?”
“She had forgotten. She had to look it up on her calendar, even though it happened so recently.”
Jake turned to Mel.
“If she actually didn’t remember, that definitely removes some suspicion. Even if she was lying, you’d think she’d have memorized her alibi.”
“And then,” Gary continued, “once she looked up the date, she yelled back to me that she’d been busy.”
“Doing what?”
“Bridge. It was one of the games that they didn’t let Charlotte play.”
“But if they were playing bridge, that means there were witnesses. All those people who could testify that Sheryl was with them. A clean alibi.”
“Jacob?”
“Yes?”
“I can tell you more, but please pick me up soon. She wants to show me vacation photographs and have me critique them.”
“OK, I will. Good work.”
Mel seemed confused. He closed the phone and put it in his pocket.
“What are you thinking?”
“I know Sheryl couldn’t do it,” she said. “I just know it. And if she had an alibi, then that proves it.”
“She could have hired someone.”
“I guess. But I just don’t think she would.”
