the place, you’d think all her neighbors were stone-deaf. But if you look closer at everything he or she did, you’ll see that the perp was quiet, deliberately going from room to room breaking things without making much noise.”
A chill went up Diane’s spine.
The ride to the airport was unexpectedly calming. Diane hated Atlanta traffic, even as a passenger. It was either moving really fast en masse, or at a dead standstill waiting for a wreck to be cleared. It was fast and crowded today, but sitting talking to Frank in the confines of his car was a comfort.
“It will probably be easier than you think to get this mess with your mother sorted out,” said Frank. “I’ll do what I can from this end. I have some contacts in Alabama, and I’ll ask them to take a look at their files.”
“I really do appreciate this, Frank. I’m glad you know about this kind of stuff.”
He reached over and squeezed her hand. “Me too,” he said.
Diane watched the landscape passing by for a moment-the houses, apartments, businesses, all the places where people clustered-all the places where they hurt each other.
“You know, sometimes I think about getting out of the crime business again. I get so tired seeing the work of evil people, but lately it’s like. . ” She paused again, looking at the distant horizon. “Like it wouldn’t do any good. The evil’s spilled over into my life-following me to funerals, following my family. There are just too many criminals in the world.”
“I know what you mean,” Frank said. “Most of the people I deal with are just greedy, but they have no conscience whatsoever about screwing up someone’s life, stealing money from people who need it the most. And even when I catch the bad guys, I usually can’t restore what’s been taken. I had a case of identity theft not long ago. Caught the guy, but the victim killed himself because he thought everything he had was gone. The tragedy was, I got back his money, just not soon enough. It turned out the same guy had scammed him before.” Frank shook his head. “The perp’s attitude was that the guy was just too stupid to learn and was better off dead. I would like to have arrested the guy for murder.”
“At least you could put him in jail for a while.”
“We have a good ADA. In the past, juries have wanted to let white-collar criminals off-they can always afford good lawyers. But this ADA’s really good at making the jury walk in the victim’s shoes. They end up feeling like if they let him go, their life savings are next.” Frank put his hand on the back of Diane’s neck. “How’s the arm feel?”
“Sore as hell.”
Frank had helped her change the bandage the evening before. It was healing well, but still red and sore- looking. She hated the perp every time she moved her arm.
“You know,” she said, “all in all, despite the crime, I like my life. I love the museum, the people who work for me; I like solving puzzles. I’m really enjoying working on Caver Doe’s bones.”
“Yeah, I like the museum too-I even think Mike’s a good guy.”
Diane laughed. “You know, he’s always been appropriate with me.”
“I don’t doubt it, but there is nothing like that secret love for an unattainable woman.”
“You sound like you speak from experience.” Diane looked over at Frank and could see his smile spread across his face.
“When I was nineteen, home from college for the summer, this couple moved in next door. She was just the most beautiful woman I had ever seen-long black hair, green eyes, long legs. It was love at first sight. The hardest part was keeping my brothers from finding out how I felt. I’d never have heard the end of it.”
Frank turned the car onto the road leading to the airport terminal. “I can’t even remember what the husband looked like, but I remember her. I mowed their lawn, did chores, anything, just to catch a glimpse of her. It was a wonderful summer.” He drove up to the dropoff area. “I have to let you out and go to work. I hope that’s all right.”
“I’ll be fine.” She leaned over and gave him a kiss. “So unattainable women inspire desire in young males. Is that what you are saying?”
“More or less.”
Diane started to get out of the car. Suddenly she turned back to Frank. “She didn’t remain unattainable, did she?”
Frank didn’t say anything. He only gave her an amused smile that made his eyes glitter.
“I’ve got to hear about this when I get back.”
“Have a good trip. Give me a call this evening.”
Diane retrieved her bag from the backseat and headed inside the Atlanta airport. She dreaded this trip.
Chapter 20
Had she been feeling better and had more time, Diane would have driven the five hours from Rosewood to Birmingham. But she didn’t have the time, nor could she face the traffic through Atlanta or driving for that many hours.
The flight was not a lot better. It was short, but turbulent. The five-year-old sitting behind her kicked her seat the whole way. She turned around once to say something to the mother, but saw that she was young, alone and barely holding herself together. Diane smiled at her and said nothing. By the time the plane set down at the Birmingham airport, Diane was nauseated.
From the air, downtown Birmingham reminded Diane of one of those 1950s photographs of any steel-mill city, though the furnaces were gone now, along with all the enterprises connected with them. Everything about Birmingham was downsized and laid-back compared to Atlanta. The airport was postage stamp-size compared to the Atlanta airport, and not nearly as hectic. Diane had heard it said in Georgia that Birmingham was 120 miles and fifty years away from Atlanta. Alabamians said that the road to hell ran through Atlanta. Truth on both sides, she thought. For her personally, it was like a trip back in time.
She collected her bag from the overhead compartment and walked with the other passengers down the long passageway past security to where she hoped to see Susan waiting for her. She searched the crowd for her face.
“Diane. Over here.”
Susan stood in back of the waiting crowd, waving her arm. She looked just as Diane remembered her- conservative tailored dress, shoulder-length brown hair parted on the side with the ends turned under. A contrast in every way to Diane’s slacks, blazer and short-cut hair.
Diane walked around the escalators taking passengers to the luggage pickup and over to her sister. The hug was perfunctory, their cheeks barely touching. Diane felt awkward. She wondered if Susan dreaded the arguments that would come as much as she did.
“Susan, I hope you didn’t have to wait long. We were late taking off.”
“No. I had to be here anyway to bring the kids to the airport. We sent them to stay with Gerald’s sister until this is cleared up.”
Diane was disappointed. “I’m sorry I missed them.”
Susan’s mouth stretched into what she probably thought was a smile. “They wanted to see you too. Especially Kayla. She’ll be starting college next fall.” Susan fished an envelope from her purse. “She wrote you a letter and wanted me to give it to you. She was hoping maybe next summer to get a job at the museum.”
Diane smiled, glad to have something she could offer, glad her niece wanted to work at the museum. “Sure. There are several jobs she’d like. Is she wanting a museum career?”
“No, she wants to be an archaeologist. Gerald and I are trying to talk her into something more useful, but kids can be so impractical.” Susan turned toward the escalators. “Baggage claim is downstairs.”
“I have everything in here,” Diane said, holding up her duffel bag.
“Is that all? We need you to stay awhile and help us with this.”
Susan continued talking as they walked out of the airport terminal and crossed the street to short-term parking. “I’m glad to get out of there. I just don’t like being in the airport longer than I have to. There’s all kinds of people in there that I don’t like near me.”
