“I’m confident they’ll obtain more information from her than I was able to get.”
“I really hate to think that she killed Amelia. I mean, she did go to the trouble of showing up at the hospital yesterday. I suppose that’s a mark in her favor. And she did call the local police to find out what happened at Trudy’s. If she was the killer, she would’ve just kept running, wouldn’t she?”
“Would she?” Derek’s gaze narrowed. “Perhaps she believed that coming back, showing concern, taking all those steps, would make her look innocent. I don’t buy that angle. Until she’s willing to tell us where she’s been, I have to assume the worst.”
We were silent for a full minute while he filled a small plate with a half dozen of his favorite English biscuits. Normally at this time of day, we might’ve been sipping a glass of wine and munching on cheese and crackers. But with my head injury, Derek had automatically switched to tea and biscuits. Just one more reason to love him. As he poured tea, I thought about Elizabeth and her lack of an alibi. Why wouldn’t the woman talk? What was she hiding? And why?
It was all too confusing and depressing to think about, so I changed the subject. “The good news is that Trudy is feeling better every day.” I picked up my teacup and took a cautious sip, then frowned. “My head is a little fuzzy still. I don’t suppose you’d like to get a pizza delivered and hang out at home tonight.”
“I would love to. It’s my favorite way to spend an evening.”
“Mine, too.” He led the way into the living room, and we sat together on the couch. After taking a bite of a biscuit, he remarked, “You didn’t even ask me how my day went with Noland Garrity.”
“Oh no.” My shoulders drooped. “I must have been so out of it, I forgot completely. How did it go?”
“I survived,” he said wryly. “But I’ve come to the realization that he has somehow obtained access to the caves from someone besides me.”
That got me sitting up straight. “What? No way. You’re the only one he’s allowed to go in there with.”
“Yes, and I thought I made that very clear. But he was quite eager to let me know that he didn’t have to kowtow to me. He has other means of access.”
“He’s lying.”
“I would’ve thought so, but there were items out of place since the last time I took him into the caves.”
I froze. “Out of place? Or missing altogether?”
“There were three silver candlesticks missing from the first cave. Originally they were standing on top of the large ormolu dresser.”
“I remember them.”
We both sipped our tea. It was a strong, dark blend and I marveled at the difference between this and the insipid tea bags I’d grown up with.
“I finally found them in the back cave,” he said. “Behind some of the rolled artwork.”
“On the floor?”
“Yes.”
“That’s just weird,” I said, resting my elbows on the table. “Did you ask Garrity if he moved them?”
“He insisted that he didn’t.”
“He must be lying,” I repeated. “Who else would move stuff around? The only person I can think of would be Robson. Or maybe Gabriel. Did you ask either of them?”
“I phoned Gabriel. He said he never would’ve given the fellow access, first of all, and second, he would never move anything. I didn’t have a chance to ask Robson when we saw him at the hospital today.”
“It wasn’t a good time to ask, anyway.”
“No.”
“Maybe it was one of Gabriel’s men.”
“Possibly.” Derek was frowning now and so was I. I didn’t like to think about people coming and going from those caves.
“Gabriel assured me he would talk to his entire security team. And he insisted that no one could breach the doors without him being aware of it. So who knows? I’ll discuss it with Robson when the time is right, and we’ll get to the bottom of it. In any case, Garrity will be gone within the week.”
“Thank God,” I groused. “Because I am really sick of Noland Garrity.”
“I’ll admit he does wear on a person.” Derek reached for another biscuit. “He was in rare form yesterday.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, sympathizing, but quickly added, “Do tell me everything he did and said. All the dirty little details.”
Derek smiled, but the emotion didn’t reach his eyes. “He tried to convince me that someone in Dharma has stolen something from the cave.”
My own eyes widened. “He’s right, sort of. I took the Jules Verne book, remember? And Trudy took her bird sculpture.”
“Both of those items were already gone when Garrity arrived, so he’s not referring to them.” Derek shifted on the couch, turning to face me more directly. “He’s insisting that one of the paintings is missing. The Renoir ‘facsimile,’ as he puts it.”