I wondered if I’d end up in hot water with James if I kept asking questions. I should just tell Barney to talk to the FBI, but I didn’t know how he’d react to that suggestion. “What’s he doing back here in Philadelphia?”
Barney shrugged. “Said he was just visiting.”
“How did he seem to you?”
“What’re you getting at? He used to be a real jumpy kind of guy, with a gift of gab. But we’re both twenty-some years older now, and he’s more laid-back-like we all are, I guess. I know he’s got kids back in Ireland, too-he showed us pictures.”
So Nolan had remarried, after he left Arabella. His visit sounded completely innocent-or was he hoping to set up something more? I was so not prepared to deal with this kind of thing. “Did he say whether he’d seen his ex- wife?”
“Didn’t come up. Why all the questions, Nell?”
I had to decide which way to go, and I opted for the simple truth. “The FBI is looking at him for the electrical accident at Let’s Play, since he was connected to Arabella, and he may have terrorist ties.”
Barney stared at me for a moment, then laughed out loud. “You’ve gotta be kidding. Hey, we were all young then, and most of us had Irish relatives, so some of us were into that whole scene. But that’s a long way from doing anything violent, apart from handing over some cash now and then. Are you saying Nolan went back to Ireland and got into it there?”
“I don’t know. But the FBI apparently has reason to check it out. Do you know where he’s staying?”
“He didn’t say. We talked about getting together again, but we didn’t set a time. But I think you’re barking up the wrong tree here. The idea of Nolan being a terrorist… You might as well suspect me. It’s a sad turn of events when old pals can’t get together for a drink without being suspected of plotting the overthrow of something or other. And him, a man with kids? I can’t see him going after a kiddy museum.”
“Was he angry with Arabella?”
“How the hell would I know?”
Great, now I was making him angry. “Barney, I’m sorry if I’ve upset or insulted you in any way. I’ll admit I find it far-fetched, too, that a guy who hasn’t been in Philadelphia for decades would show up now and stir up trouble. But he is an electrician, and he did have some sort of terrorist ties, once upon a time. Wouldn’t you rather the FBI checked it out, before someone else gets hurt?”
Barney didn’t look convinced. “I guess. You want me to ask around, see if anyone knows where to find him? That way he can clear things up.”
“I don’t want to make trouble for anyone, including Nolan, but maybe he should know that the FBI would like a word with him. Again, I’m sorry if I’ve caused any hard feelings between us, and I appreciate the information you’ve given me. Are we okay?”
“Sure, no problem. You’ve done me a great service here, getting Felicity to help me out, and it’s the least I can do to thank you. I’m sure it’ll all be nothing, in the end.”
“Good. I’ll see you out. And I hope you’ll come back again.”
“Already planning to-Felicity said she had some ideas where to look next. You’ve got a whole lot of stuff here.”
“Don’t I know it!”
I escorted Barney to the front door and then headed back to my office, wrestling with an internal debate: should I call James and tell him what Barney had said about Nolan? Maybe I was worried about nothing. Maybe James had already confirmed that Nolan was in town. Maybe it really was Nolan whom Arabella and I had seen at the Market.
I decided to say nothing for the moment. I didn’t want James to know I was meddling in his business. Upstairs, half the offices were dark already-people tended to leave on the dot of five on Fridays, especially at this time of year when it was cold and dark out. Eric had left a neat stack of phone slips on my desk. The top one was from Arabella. Did I want to talk to her now? I checked my watch: nearly six. I didn’t have her home number, so I would call her office and leave a message, and clear my conscience.
I was surprised when she answered her phone. “Oh, Nell, thank you so much for calling me back. I really need to talk to you.”
“Now?”
“No, I can’t tonight. Is there any way you could come by my house tomorrow morning?”
On a Saturday? I considered turning her down but realized with embarrassment that I had no weekend plans. She sweetened the pot by promising breakfast, but she didn’t say anything more about why she needed to see me so urgently. Still, she wasn’t the hysterical type-although I could imagine that dealing with Hadley had pushed her over the edge-so I assumed she had a good reason for asking. Besides, driving into the city would take me no more than forty minutes, so what excuse did I have to say no? “Tell me how to get there.”
CHAPTER 22
As arranged, Saturday morning found me driving to the city. Arabella lived in a quiet neighborhood east of the Philadelphia Art Museum. She had probably bought it years ago when she first married, when the neighborhood had been a bit seedier-and more affordable-than it was now. The house itself, when I located it, proved to be small and charming, its trim newly painted, its brass knocker gleaming. I parked on the street, then approached the door and knocked. I heard the tap-tap of shoes on what must be bare wooden floors, and then Arabella opened the door.
“Oh, good, you found it. Nell, I’m so sorry to interrupt your weekend, but I thought this was important. Come on in. Can I get you some coffee?”
She led me down the narrow hall with a steep staircase along one side, to the living room at the back. I stopped on the threshold, because there was someone else there I thought I recognized: “You’re Nolan Treacy.”
The man had risen when I appeared, and now stepped forward to offer his hand. “I am. I hear my name’s been getting tossed about lately.”
“It’s come up,” I said cautiously.
Nolan raised both hands in protest. “I’m a respectable man with nothing to hide.”
Arabella interrupted. “The FBI got in touch with me the other day to ask if I knew where Nolan was. I hadn’t seen him since we split up, decades ago, but it turns out he’s been in town for the past few weeks. The FBI talked to some of his old friends, and they passed the word to him, and he got in touch with me late yesterday. I wanted you to hear what he had to say, Nell, since you’ve been so helpful to me. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to get us any closer to figuring out who messed with the exhibit, but I guess we can eliminate a few possibilities. Let me set the food out so we can eat. I’ll just be a minute.” Arabella bustled toward what had to be the kitchen. I stood in the doorway, unsure of what to do next. Nolan looked equally ill at ease.
“So,” I finally began, “you and Arabella were married?”
“We were, years ago. Nineteen eighty, it was. Caitlin was born in 1985, but we were already having problems by then. I returned to Ireland shortly after we split in 1990.”
I felt uncomfortable talking about such personal matters with a man I didn’t know. Heck, I barely knew Arabella. “What brought you back now? Have you been back to this country since you two split?”
“I haven’t. I had a lot of things to sort out, back home, and I guess my life kind of went on. Arabella divorced me after I left. I’ve remarried, and I’m a father again now.”
“Come help yourselves,” Arabella called out.
I got up and made my way to the dining room, relieved to be able to put off this conversation. Arabella had laid out a pretty spread of breakfast goodies, nicely arrayed on fine china. Was she showing off for Nolan? Given the way she was keeping as far away from him as possible, I guessed that there was no lingering affection on her part. I wondered about the whole story behind their split, but no way was I going to ask. I took a plate and filled it, and when we were all ready, we returned to the living room.
“I don’t mean to spoil this lovely food, Arabella, but can you tell me, why was it so urgent for you to speak with me in person?” I asked.
