Mae frowned at that and looked like she was about to speak when Johansson returned and said they had a call for her in their makeshift command station. Mae straightened up as though her general were right in front of her and hurried off.
Meanwhile, the sketch was complete. The image compiled by their witness and the police certainly gave credence to the idea of a desirable lover. The guy was close to the victim’s age, with blond hair and flawless skin that the victim’s coworker was obsessed with. “It was perfect, I tell you. Not a mark,” the witness told Justin. “Just like that woman you were with.”
Identifying the man was in the hands of the police now. Justin glanced at the time and saw it was later than he’d expected. They’d have to find Tessa soon and get dinner. Seeing as she hadn’t called, he could only hope she hadn’t committed any other acts against national security.
One of the officers directed Justin to the office they’d set up their equipment in. There, he found Mae engaged in conversation with someone on a screen—but not the stern general he’d expected from her stories.
“Because I’m here on business!” Mae exclaimed.
“And that doesn’t warrant a call?” The speaker was one of those older women who were described as “handsome.” Her dark blond hair was wound up into a high bun that showed a face with taut, smoothed skin that suggested a recent face-lift. She had a heavier brow than Mae and lacked the high cheekbones, but the woman’s eyes were the same shade of greenish blue that he’d come to admire.
“I’m just busy, that’s all. This isn’t a good time.”
“It’s never a good time, Maj.” The name sounded like “my” to Justin’s ears. “It hasn’t been for three years apparently.”
“Mother, please. Now isn’t the time.” Justin knew Mae well enough now to recognize the signs of when she was fighting to keep control.
“Are you working all night?” her mother asked insistently. “Surely you have to eat. Come over tonight, and I’ll gather your brother and sister. Bring your associates.” The woman’s eyes suddenly flicked to Justin, and he flinched. He thought he’d been standing out of the camera’s range. “Is that one of them?”
Mae spun around in surprise, exasperation crossing her features. “Yes. Mother, this is Dr. Justin March. Justin, this is Astrid Koskinen.”
With nowhere to escape, Justin stepped forward and went into action. “Mrs. Koskinen, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I can see where Mae gets her stunning looks.”
Astrid didn’t even blink. “Dr. March, do you and my daughter have dinner plans?”
He faltered. “Well, I…” A glance at Mae told him what the correct answer to give was, but he was too slow.
“That’s what I thought,” said Astrid triumphantly. “Both of you come over at seven.”
“He’s a plebeian,” Mae said bluntly.
“Yes, I can see that, Maj.”
“And we have someone else with us.” Mae paused for what had to be dramatic impact. “A provincial.”
Her mother wouldn’t be dissuaded. “Bring whoever you want, if that’s what it takes to get you here. Besides, you know how open-minded we are.”
“No, I didn’t know that, actually.”
“See you soon.” Astrid’s face disappeared, and Mae kicked the desk.
“Goddamn it,” she growled.
“I’m sorry,” said Justin. “I didn’t think fast enough to—”
“No, no.” Mae waved off his protests. “It’s not you. It’s all her. And whatever friend she has around here who recognized me and tattled that I was in town. My ego’s set to automatically send her calls to voice mail, but she tricked me by going through the police.”
“I’m sorry,” he repeated. He actually meant it. Sure, there was some perverse part of him that wanted to see where she’d grown up, but after hearing her stories on Saturday, he didn’t want to subject Mae to a return to that place. “Maybe we can get out of it. Say something came up.”
She sighed. “No. That’ll make things worse. I’m just going to have to suck this up.” She walked out of the office with a forlorn look on her face, though she paused to give Justin a humorless smile. “On the bright side, if there’s anything about me you don’t know yet, it’ll probably come out tonight.”
He gave her a small smile in return, little knowing how true her words would be.
CHAPTER 27
KOSKINEN DECORUM