Kerri was sitting on one of the barstools.“That’s a strong history, I get it.”
“But there comes a point…” Liddypulled out a barstool too; looked at it; turned away and paced.
“They stayed more or less in touch for years,then resumed big time when Carl discovered they had research in common and hehad an in to something exciting – again – through a rich relative. By then Carlhad serious hang ups ‘cause his father lost everything in investments.” Liddystopped pacing; turned. “Win win for Carl! Who better to have back in his lifethan his forever boat boy - ol’ Yessir, nossir, three bags full sir!”
Kerri frowned at her ballpoint. “Wait - whydid Carl need anyone else for the research?”
“Because two could get it done faster. Theygot the grant but there’s a time limit.”
Kerri’s phone buzzed and she answered; listened.At the other end a man’s voice, and the words Nicki and her friendsays Carl something something. Oddly, Kerri didn’t move away with herphone, as if she wanted Liddy to hear.
Disconnecting, she made quick apologies andannounced she had to go. “Your grade A intel,” she said, pleased. “It’s led toa friend of a friend who definitely saw Sasha in Finn’s biochem class. Sheaudited briefly, hated it and left, but seems to have made Finn’s acquaintance.”Kerri started for the door. “The friend of a friend’s being interviewed now. Thisis so good - Nicki alone being a drunk angry ex wouldn’t have been enough.”
Liddy walked with her, looking apprehensive.“Is Carl going to come charging over here full of accusations?”
“No, we’ll still keep you out of the loop.”Kerri checked something in her phone. “You’ve got my number, make sure you’vegot me on speed dial,” she said as she reached for the doorknob. “For anything- either call me directly, or needless to say if it’s a bigger emergency, call9-1-1.”
Liddy looked away, newly troubled. Kerrisaid, “Don’t worry, your name won’t even come up. As long as we haveyour statement…”
“It’s not that.”
Liddy’s hand went to her brow. “I’mstarting to worry about the early symptoms of paranoia because, the whole timewe’ve been talking I’ve been trying to figure how Beth knew about that fightingcouple across the street. I could swear I never told her.”
“Call her,” Kerri said simply. “She looked tiredand pressured – so ambush her, ask how she knew. If she starts going uh, uhinstead of being direct, that will tell you something.”
Unconsciously, Liddy looked back to thetelescope. “I keep hearing what you said about best friends turning out to be notfriends at all…” She turned back to Kerri. “Is there anyone you everfeel you can trust totally?”
For the first time, Kerri Blasco lookedreally tired. “Not a question you should ask a cop,” she said, but herexpression softened. “The thing about best friends? People you trust?” She shrugged.“Even people who presumably care about you can sometimes goof up, speak out of turn,spill something inadvertently you wouldn’t want them to. Just be careful. Aboveall, trust your instincts.”
She pointed to the slide bolt and keypad.“Lock up tight.” She gave Liddy’s arm a squeeze, and left.
43
Snap went the bolt, punchpunch went the keys in the keypad. Then Liddy rested her head against the door,staring down at the door knob.
The wheels were turning.
Worried about the early symptoms ofparanoia.
“Did I really say that?” she whispered toherself, though the room behind her suddenly echoed with emptiness and no onewas there. “I’ve been so tired…”
She turned, glanced over for a troubledsecond at the telescope, and went back to the studio. It pulled her. It was hersmall safe place where she could at least try to think, and she wanted to seethe painting again.
The still-wet paint had drooped, elongatingthe crying girl’s features, making the eyes even more piteous, turning them andthe silently pleading mouth down at their corners. A horizontal smear thatalmost looked like shoulders had started to appear. The mouth seemed almostready to cry out.
Are hallucinations catching?
Slowly, Liddy sank down to the window seat.
There was no running away from thispainting. Its lurid colors had never, not for a second, stopped flashing inLiddy’s mind; they had flared and frightened under every word she’d exchanged withKerri in the kitchen, at the door. Even now, as Liddy stared, the sagging blue eyesseemed to plead to her, above the now nearly dry pigment of Help Me.
Too many worries churned.
Had the police gone back to Carl yet? Questionedhim given this new intel as Kerri called it? Maybe not, she was working alone –although that was her partner who called, wasn’t it? – but they’d need time tobuild a new case, dig deeper. Were they now interviewing Nicki’s friend of afriend – yes, that’s where Kerri had run off to. But accomplishing what? Auditsdid not exist as documents. Would a judge issue a warrant based on somestudent’s hearsay and an angry ex with a drinking habit? Liddy didn’t know muchabout the law, just had heard of brick walls without number called circumstantialblocking requests for judges’ warrants. Cops knew that; anyone knew that.
What now?
Liddy looked up to the painting. “I’m sosorry,” she breathed to it, feeling helpless tears sting. She turned and staredout at the dusk, the darker fire escape a few feet to the right. She blinked;imagined Carl lunging up and crashing through the window screaming, “Bitch - youput the cops on me after all I’ve done for you two?”
She shuddered and turned back, huggingherself, rubbing goose bumps on her arms.
Carl crashing through the window – great –now she was having fear dreams awake. Her heart thudded. What to do? Sittinghere alone was unbearable, just making worse the other worry that keptbuilding.
How had Beth known about the fightingcouple?
Liddy got her phone from her pocket; staredstupidly at it. Ambush her, just ask how she knew, Kerri said - but she wassuch a direct person, she’d made it sound so easy. Liddy wasn’t direct; she fearedhurting, offending, alienating…someone she loved would stop loving her, it wasa childish old fear she’d never shaken. So she sat, like a scared, witless dummyas her mind fumbled for words - until finally, the tightening
