Everyone laughed and I suggested we all take a break.
During the dinner break, Derek ran to the corner café and brought back lattes and a panini to share.
When he walked back in with Inspector Lee, I tried my darnedest to appear serene and normal instead of showing how stunned I was to see her. I guess that was a mistake.
“What’s wrong with you?” Lee asked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“Nothing,” I said, three octaves too high. “What’s new with you, Inspector?”
I could see Derek rolling his eyes, but it was his fault for bringing the cops back with him.
Lee leaned against the table and crossed her ankles. “You wouldn’t know anything about the demise of a Mr. Soo, would you?”
“Why does that name sound familiar?” I asked. I could hear the BS in my own voice. Oh, when would I learn to lie effectively?
Lee scoffed. “Maybe because Naomi Fontaine mentioned his name two nights ago when you were standing right there.”
“Oh, yeah. Maybe.”
She watched my face as she said, “He’s dead.”
I blinked a few times, then said, “You’re kidding.”
“Jesus, Wainwright, don’t take it to Vegas.”
This wasn’t the first time I’d heard that warning, but it was still annoying that everyone I knew could tell when I was lying.
Lee pulled her notebook out of her pocket and flipped through it until she found a photo paper-clipped to a page. “You’ve got to be the world’s worst liar.”
“But that’s a good thing, don’t you think?” I said.
“Yeah, whatever.” She handed me the photo. “Here’s his picture. Look familiar?”
I took a quick glance, shuddered and looked away. Hell, yeah, he looked familiar. I’d just seen him the day before, lying dead under a bookshelf. Wincing, I forced myself to look at the photo again. “Yes, he’s the guy who stormed out of Layla’s office the first night I was here. The one I told you about.”
She slipped the photo back into her notebook. “We found a key in his pocket with a Bay Area Book Arts logo on it. Turns out it’s the key to Ms. Fontaine’s office.”
“Really?” I said. “I guess they knew each other pretty well.”
“That’s one theory.”
“Do you think the same person killed both of them?”
She folded her arms across her chest. “What do you think?”
“Seems more than likely.” I sipped my latte casually, praying I wouldn’t spill it down my shirt. “Can you tell if they were killed with the same gun?”
“Call me cuckoo, but I’m not gonna reveal that just yet.” She turned and strolled around the room, pausing at the large brass book press. She grabbed the handle and turned the screw an inch. “You’ve got some cool shit in here.”
“Yeah, we do.” I watched her warily as she made her way back to me.
She stuck her hands in her pockets. “One thing I will tell you is that I think Ms. Fontaine and Mr. Soo were trafficking in stolen or forged rare books.”
“Huh.” I smiled.
She nodded. “Yeah.”
“So,” I said, measuring her, “how’s my sting operation looking to you now?”
She laughed, then gave me a look that told me not to hold my breath. “I’ll have my people call your people.”
Alice came running into the room after the break and grabbed my arms. “You’ll never guess.”
“What’s up?” I asked.
“I’m overjoyed,” she said. “They let Gunther go.”
“Oh, good,” I said, feigning surprise. “So that must mean he’s innocent.”
“Yes, and he’s agreed to teach a class Saturday afternoon. But there’s more. I talked to a few of the board members and they’re absolutely thrilled about Gunther going to jail. I guess word got out and the ticket sales for the gala are up more than twenty percent.”
She did a happy little jig around me, and when she finally slowed down I had a few seconds to study her face. Fine lines around her eyes were carefully masked with a natural but thick matte foundation. And there were the tiniest little folds by her earlobes. She really did look older than I’d originally thought, and that realization chilled me straight down to the marrow.
“That’s great,” I managed to say with a smile, then reminded myself that just because she was trying to look younger didn’t mean she was a vicious killer.
“Thanks,” she said, catching her breath. “I know it’s crazy, but I guess the idea of cozying up to a possible felon has brought donations and requests pouring in from all over the city. It’s going to be a huge success.”
I had to bite my tongue to keep from commenting on her “cozying up to a felon” remark.