The Tree of Death

from Los Angeles. Or had he sold at all?

It was my business to find out now. No one was going to destroy my museum for his own profit.

But how did this connect with Frank’s murder? Had one of the thieving bastardos had a falling out with him? If so-Tony? He seemed too stupid to pull it off, but maybe the stupidity, like Susana’s silliness, was only an act. Vic? Hard to believe, but I was learning more about Vic every day. Robert? Even harder; he was Frank’s brother. But, then, brother had been killing brother since the beginning of time.

And, of course, there was the big question: what to do about these artifacts? If I had thought I had a potentially ruinous situation on my hands an hour ago, it was infinitely worse now.

I stood up and began repacking the boxes. No one must know I’d found them. Not yet, at any rate. When I was done, I grabbed the flashlight, returned it to where it had been, and went upstairs. In my office I sat down to think, then got up and paced. I clasped my hands together, almost wringing them, and muttered aloud in Spanish, “What can I do? What am I going to do?”

“Elena?” It was Isabel’s voice, tentative and alarmed. She stood in the doorway, frowning. “Elena, are you all right?”

“No. No, I am not all right.”

She came inside, shutting the door. “Can I help in any way?”

“No one can help.”

“Is it that lieutenant? You’re afraid he thinks you killed Frank? But you shouldn’t worry. We all know you couldn’t have done it.”

I stared at her. I had actually forgotten Dave Kirk for a time.

Isabel’s frown deepened. “Elena, what is it?”

I took a deep breath. “Sit down. I’ve got something to tell you.”

She sat. I continued pacing and told her the whole story. As I spoke, her already sallow face went paler.

“I was afraid of something like that,” she said. “I’ve never trusted Frank. Why do you think I spend so much time here? I’ve watched him so carefully-and yet I didn’t see.”

“It never even occurred to me to watch him. And now that I’ve found out, no matter what I do, there will be a nasty scandal. People may even think we were all in on it, that the museum is nothing more than a front. The papers will put racial overtones on it.”

Isabel nodded.

“But I can’t just let them get away with it.”

“No.” Her eyes hardened.

“If I go to Carlos now, he’ll drag it all out into the open.

And a scandal before the Cinco de Mayo party is sure to ruin the museum. People will demand refunds on their tickets. The others who might show up at the door won’t. We’ll lose all our support.“

“I don’t think you should tell anyone yet,” Isabel said. “After the opening, that’s different.”

“It’ll still be a scandal.”

“Yes, but we will have collected fifty dollars a head from each person attending the Cinco de Mayo party.” Her eyes took on a hawklike fund-raiser’s gleam. “We need that money. Afterward, go to Carlos. Perhaps you can convince him to be discreet.”

I didn’t like it. I couldn’t see how I could go on until the opening, working beside those people, knowing what I did. But it made sense.

“It’s not likely they will remove the artifacts from the cellar before the opening,” Isabel went on. “There are too many people around. So you know the evidence will remain safe.”

“They could do it at night.”‘

“Did you give keys to the building to any of them?”

“No. I have both sets.”

“There, you see?”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“Of course I’m right. Somehow we will see this through. The museum will not suffer.”

Isabel’s face was earnest and drawn. Suddenly I had one of those odd sensations you get, as if you’re looking at a person you’ve never seen before, rather than a familiar friend. I said, “Isabel, what happened when you had your ‘few words’ with Frank the day he was killed?”

She started. “What words?”

“You said you were going to talk to him about something.”

“Oh, that. I only wanted to…to warn him about his appearance at the press preview. Frank could be so sloppy, you know.”

“And did you?”

“No. I… I couldn’t find him.”

“He was in the courtyard, with his plants.”

“Oh?”

“I told you he might be.”

“I guess I didn’t look.”

I watched her, saying nothing.

“Elena, what are you implying?”‘ Isabel’s hand went to her throat.

“I was just curious.”

Isabel’s eyes widened. “Elena, you don’t think I killed Frank?”

“Somebody did. And it was probably somebody connected with the museum.”

“But me?” Her hand remained where it was, clutching at the neck of her tennis dress.

Suddenly I felt ashamed. “I’m sorry, Isabel. I shouldn’t go around accusing people. But I don’t know what to think anymore. Look at Vic. He was one of my favorite people, and now my faith in him has been totally destroyed. After that, I can truthfully say that anybody could have killed Frank-Vic, you, Robert, Maria, Jesse, Tony, even Susana.”

“Susana?” Now Isabel looked truly shocked.

“She was in on the embezzlement, too.”

“But-Susana?”

I shrugged.

“I don’t think you should be speculating like this,” Isabel said.

“Why not?”

“It’s dangerous.” She shivered. “Murder. The killer might not stop with one.”

It sounded so dramatic, coming from the cool, practical Isabel, that I almost laughed.

She saw the amusement on my face. “It’s not funny, Elena. I, for one, am going to be very careful around here from now on. You should be too.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be careful.”

“It’s a serious thing, murder. You should leave it to the police.”

“I will. Although I think I have more to fear from the police than from the killer. Lieutenant Kirk really does suspect me.”

“Why, do you think?”

“Well, you have to admit that quarrel I had with Frank looks bad. I didn’t tell Kirk about it right away because I didn’t think it was important. Frank and I quarreled all the time. And now that Kirk’s caught on to how much we fought, he’s determined to prove I’m the murderer. From the very start, he just wouldn’t listen to me.”

“About what?”

“Well, first I suggested Frank’s killer had hidden in the museum all night.”

“Hidden here?”

“Sure. There are plenty of places. Then, when I realized someone had left after I did because the alarm lock was set differently when I came back the next morning, Kirk conveniently chose to ignore that. He claims it’s impossible because Frank’s keys were on the hook when I opened up.”

“Is it impossible?”

“Yes.”