"Sarah?"
"I don't know. Could be she set me up. She knew I was going to see her old man that night. But I haven't seen her since she took off. I've always figured it was a Linwood thing and I was just a handy outsider to blame it on." His dark eyes fell on Garvin. "For a while I wondered if it was you."
"What changed your mind?"
A grin started, died. "You're a little too eager to cut my balls off."
Garvin didn't smile back, didn't even try. "What do you want?"
"Take me to Sarah." He gazed up at the sky a moment, sucking in a deep breath; then he looked back at Garvin. "I read the piece in the paper. I know I could find her on my own. That's what she wants. But I want to go together, you and me. I was set up once. It's not happening again."
Garvin nodded. "Then let's go."
* * *
Chapter Fifteen
The moment Cynthia Linwood burst into her gallery, Annie knew she was in one of her snits. She marched right up to her desk and thumped it with her perfectly manicured nails. Not one hair was out of place. "How could you let Sarah do that interview?"
"It was her idea," Annie said calmly. "I have no control over her."
"You should have stopped her. That woman's determined to bring ruin to what's left of her family just because she didn't live the life she felt she deserved to live. I've no patience with her. She's a rich woman. It's not like she's from the projects."
"If she felt trapped in her life—"
Cynthia sneered, her way, Annie decided, of coping with fear. "She never had to lift a finger to feed herself. So far as I'm concerned, she's ungrateful. Thomas was never as rotten to her as she'd have everyone believe. Her own cowardice and snobbery held her back—and not forever, did it? She managed to do what she wanted to do in the end. Gambling, a sordid affair, now this outrageous high drama of her return home. In fact, Sarah always did what she wanted to do."
"You don't like her," Annie said.
Tears sprang to Cynthia's eyes, and some of the anger went out of her. "I don't know her well enough to like or dislike her. I suppose I sound meanspirited—"
"Angry, I'd say."
"I am angry. When he saw that article, John—" She took in a sharp breath, her anger bubbling just under the surface, mixing uneasily with her concern for her husband. "Seeing Sarah again has been a terrible strain on him. The article didn't help. She could have called, could have warned us. After he tried to see to her welfare—" She broke off, too agitated to go on.
"I could have warned you too. I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault. Maybe it's not anybody's fault." She dabbed at the corners of her eyes with her fingertips; Annie thought of slipping her tissue but decided she'd better not. Cynthia Linwood wasn't a woman who'd want attention called to her tears. "It comes as a surprise to people, but John and I really do love each other. And I'm very protective of him. He's gone through so much. It's been such an ordeal. He's finally come to the point where he can think about the present again, never mind the future. He's been so haunted by the past. I don't know if you can understand."
"I've never lost anyone to murder. Is there something you want me to do?"
Her shoulders slumped. "No, there's nothing. I just came in to yell at you and make myself feel better. We're all just going to have to learn to live with Sarah back in our lives. Have the police had any luck finding whoever broke into your apartment?"
Annie shook her head. Otto stirred under her feet at all the commotion, but he didn't get up, probably just as well, given his appearance.
Cynthia's mouth curved, the result not exactly a smile. "Maybe we'll be lucky this time, and it won't have anything to do with the rest of this mess."
"If I hear anything, I'll let you know."
"Yes. That would be nice." There was a trace of bitterness in her tone.
After Cynthia left, Otto got up and paced, fidgety and uncomfortable. Annie assumed either his head hurt or he'd picked up on her frustration. Before she could decide to call it quits and close up shop early, Zoe sent her part-timer over, as a favor, with instructions for Annie and Otto to go home, put their feet up, and bathe in lavender. Annie was only too glad to comply. Otto seemed likewise delighted, although she doubted lavender would do much for him.