The Stars Shine Down

chapter Thirty-four
He was hired by your wife! Philip was stunned. Lara? Could Lara have done such a terrible thing? What reason would she have?

"I don't understand why you practice every day. You're not giving a concert now..."

"You don't have to go. I want a husband. Not a part-time...It's not as though you were some kind of traveling salesman..."

"She accused me of stealing the diamond bracelet you gave her...She would do anything to hold on to you..."

And Ellerbee: "Are you thinking of cutting back on your concerts?...I had a talk with Lara."

Lara.

At 1 Police Plaza a meeting was in progress with the district attorney, the police commissioner, and Lieutenant Mancini.

The district attorney was saying, "We're not dealing here with Jane Doe. The lady has a lot of clout. How much solid evidence do you have, Lieutenant?"

Mancini said, "I checked with personnel at Cameron Enterprises. Jesse Shaw was hired at the request of Lara Cameron. I asked them if she had ever personally hired anyone on the construction crew before. The answer was 'no.' "

"What else?"

"There was a rumor that a construction boss named Bill Whitman was bragging to his buddies that he had something on Lara Cameron that was going to make him a rich man. Shortly after that he was killed by a crane operated by Jesse Shaw. Shaw had been pulled off his job in Chicago to go to New York. After the accident he went right back to Chicago. There's no question but that it was a hit. Incidentally, his airline ticket was paid for by Cameron Enterprises."

"What about the attack on Adler?"

"Same MO. Shaw flew in from Chicago two days before the attack and left the next day. If he hadn't gotten greedy and decided to pick up a little extra money by pawning the watch, instead of throwing it away, we never would have caught him."

The police commissioner asked, "What about motive? Why would she do that to her husband?"

"I talked to some of the servants. Lara Cameron was crazy about her husband. The only thing they ever quarreled about was his going away on concert tours. She wanted him to stay home."

"And now he's staying home."

"Exactly."

The district attorney asked, "What's her story? Does she deny it?"

"We haven't confronted her yet. We wanted to talk to you first to see if we have a case."

"You say that Philip Adler can identify Shaw?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"Why don't you send one of your men over to question Lara Cameron? See what she has to say."

Lara was in a meeting with Howard Keller when the intercom buzzed. "There's a Lieutenant Mancini here to see you."

Lara frowned. "What about?"

"He didn't say."

"Send him in."

Lieutenant Mancini was treading on delicate ground. Without hard evidence, it was going to be difficult to get anything out of Lara Cameron. But I've got to give it a try, he thought. He had not expected to see Howard Keller there.

"Good afternoon, Lieutenant."

"Afternoon."

"You've met Howard Keller."

"I certainly have. Best pitching arm in Chicago."

"What can I do for you?" Lara asked.

This was the tricky part. First establish that she knew Jesse Shaw and then lead her on from there.

"We've arrested the man who attacked your husband." He was watching her face.

"You have? What...?"

Howard Keller interrupted. "How did you catch him?"

"He pawned a watch that Miss Cameron gave her husband." Mancini looked at Lara again. "The man's name is Jesse Shaw."

There was not the faintest change of expression. She's good, Mancini thought. The lady is really good.

"Do you know him?"

Lara frowned. "No. Should I?"

That's her first slip, Mancini thought. I've got her.

"He worked on the construction crew of one of your buildings in Chicago. He also worked for you on a project in Queens. He was operating a crane that killed a man."

He pretended to consult his notebook. "A Bill Whitman. The medical examiner put it down as an accident."

Lara swallowed. "Yes..."

Before she could go on, Keller spoke up. "Look, Lieutenant, we have hundreds of people working for this company. You can't expect us to know them all."

"You don't know Jesse Shaw?"

"No. And I'm sure Miss Cameron..."

"I'd rather hear it from her, if you don't mind."

Lara said, "I've never heard of the man."

"He was paid fifty thousand dollars to attack your husband."

"I...I can't believe it!" Her face was suddenly drained of color.

Now I'm getting to her, Mancini thought. "You don't know anything about it?"

Lara was staring at him, her eyes suddenly blazing. "Are you suggesting...? How dare you! If someone put him up to that, I want to know who it was!"

"So does your husband, Miss Cameron."

"You discussed this with Philip?"

"Yes. I..."

A moment later Lara was flying out of the office.

When Lara reached the penthouse, Philip was in the bedroom packing, clumsily because of his crippled hand.

"Philip...what are you doing?"

He turned to face her, and it was as though he were seeing her for the first time. "I'm leaving."

"Why? You can't believe that...that terrible story?"

"No more lies, Lara."

"But I'm not lying. You've got to listen to me. I had nothing to do with what happened to you. I wouldn't hurt you for anything in the world. I love you, Philip."

He turned to face her. "The police say that the man worked for you. That he was paid fifty thousand dollars to...to do what he did."

She shook her head. "I don't know anything about it. I only know that I had nothing to do with it. Do you believe me?"

He stared at her, silent.

Lara stood there for a long moment, then turned and blindly walked out of the room.

Philip spent a sleepless night at a downtown hotel. Visions of Lara kept coming to his mind. "I'm interested in knowing more about the foundation. Perhaps we could get together and discuss it..."

"Are you married?...Tell me about yourself..."

"When I listen to your Scarlatti, I'm in Naples..."

"I dream a dream of bricks and concrete and steel, and make it come true..."

"I came to Amsterdam to see you..."

"Would you like me to go with you to Milan...?"

"You're going to spoil me, lady..." "I intend to..."

And Lara's warmth, compassion, and caring. Could I have been that wrong about her?

When Philip arrived at police headquarters, Lieutenant Mancini was waiting for him. He led Philip into a small auditorium with a raised platform at the far end.

"All we need is for you to identify him in the lineup."

So they can tie him in with Lara, Philip thought.

There were six men in the lineup, all roughly the same build and age. Jesse Shaw was in the middle. When Philip saw him, his head began to pound suddenly. He could hear his voice saying, "Give me your wallet." He could feel the terrible pain of the knife slashing across his wrist. Could Lara have done that to me? "You're the only man I've ever loved."

Lieutenant Mancini was speaking. "Take a good look, Mr. Adler."

"I'm going to be working at home from now on. Philip needs me..."

"Mr. Adler..."

"We're going to get you the best doctors in the world..." She had been there for him every moment, nurturing him, caring for him. "If Mohammed won't go to the mountain..."

"Would you point him out to me?"

"I married you because I was wildly head over heels in love with you. I still am. If we never make love again, it will be fine with me. All I want is for you to hold me and love me..." And she had meant it.

And then the last scene in the apartment. "I had nothing to do with what happened to you. I wouldn't hurt you for anything in the world..."

"Mr. Adler..."

The police must have made a mistake, Philip thought. By God, I believe her. She couldn't have done it!

Mancini was speaking again. "Which one is he?"

And Philip turned to him and said, "I don't know."

"What?"

"I don't see him."

"You told us you got a good look at him."

"That's right."

"Then tell me which one he is."

"I can't," Philip said. "He's not up there."

Lieutenant Mancini's face was grim. "You're sure about that?"

Philip stood up. "I'm positive."

"Then I guess that's all, Mr. Adler. Thanks a lot for your cooperation."

I've got to find Lara, Philip thought. I've got to find Lara.

She was seated at her desk, staring out the window. Philip had not believed her. That was what hurt so terribly. And Paul Martin. Of course, he was behind it. But why did he do it? "Do you remember what I said about your husband taking care of you? He doesn't seem to be doing a very good job. Someone should have a talk with him!" Was it because he loved her? Or was it an act of vengeance because he hated her?

Howard Keller walked in. His face looked white and drawn. "I just got off the phone. We lost Cameron Towers, Lara. Both Southern Insurance and Mutual Overseas Investment are pulling out because we can't meet our completion date. There's no way we can handle our mortgage payments. We almost made it, didn't we? The biggest skyscraper in the world. I'm...I'm sorry. I know how much it meant to you."

Lara turned to face him, and Keller was shocked by her appearance. Her face was pale, and there were black circles under her eyes. She seemed dazed, as though the energy had been drained from her.

"Lara...did you hear what I said? We've lost Cameron Towers."

When she spoke, her voice was unnaturally calm. "I heard you. Don't worry, Howard. We'll borrow on some of the other buildings and pay everything off."

She was frightening him. "Lara, there's nothing more to borrow on. You're going to have to file for bankruptcy and..."

"Howard...?"

"Yes?'

"Can a woman love a man too much?"

"What?"

Her voice was dead. "Philip has left me."

It suddenly explained a lot. "I...I'm sorry, Lara."

She had a strange smile on her face. "It's funny, isn't it? I'm losing everything at once. First Philip, now my buildings. Do you know what it is, Howard? It's the Fates. They're against me. You can't fight the Fates, can you?"

He had never seen her in such pain. It tore at him. "Lara..."

"They're not through with me yet. I have to fly to Reno this afternoon. There's a grand jury hearing. If..."

The intercom buzzed. "There's a Lieutenant Mancini here."

"Send him in."

Howard Keller looked at Lara quizzically. "Mancini? What does he want?"

Lara took a deep breath. "He's here to arrest me, Howard."

"Arrest you? What are you talking about?"

Her voice was very quiet. "They think I arranged the attack on Philip."

"That's ridiculous! They can't..."

The door opened, and Lieutenant Mancini walked in. He stood there, looking at the two of them for a moment, then moved forward.

"I have a warrant here for your arrest."

Howard Keller's face was pale. He moved in front of Lara protectively and said hoarsely, "You can't do that. She hasn't done anything."

"You're right, Mr. Keller. I'm not arresting her. The warrant is for you."