“I didn’t wake up until Naomi called with the news,” he said. “And then it was too late.”
I said goodnight and let them walk away. I wasn’t certain they were telling the truth, but I wasn’t going to get any closer without having to explain why I was asking. And besides, I had no way of confirming their alibis, anyway. Too bad I couldn’t ask for witness phone numbers like the police could
I considered just going straight to bed. It was nearly nine, and I was exhausted from not sleeping well the night before and all the events of today. But the longer I put off talking to the Perezes, the longer it would be until I could go home. I hoped they had more to offer than the two older sons had, though. It felt like I was circling around the truth and then always finding myself back at the beginning with nothing to show for all my time and effort. Not to mention my frustration.
Chapter 23
I made my way slowly in the dark back to the fence perimeter, and had to take two tries at what I thought was the break before I found the right opening in the fence. I had to duck to get through it.
I could see a figure in the backyard, apparently digging in the flower beds that ran along the house. Evening gardening made sense; I knew the heat of the summer sun could be brutal. At first I assumed it was Mr. Perez, but as I got closer, I could see he was too tall and too young to be the man I’d seen at the funeral just an hour ago. Who was he?
“Hello?” I called out. When he turned to face me, I waved. “I’m from Stephen Carter’s house.” I hoped he didn’t know all the wives by sight or he’d know I wasn’t one of them, and then I’d have a long explanation to give.
“Hello,” the man said.
I drew closer and in the light from the house I realized he was a white man with broad shoulders, though he wasn’t particularly tall. I guessed he was in his early fifties, with a full head of graying hair tied back in a ponytail. He looked nothing like the old man and the teenage girl who had come to the funeral, and I was suddenly unsure of his identity.
“I’m here to talk to the Perezes, if I you don’t think it’s too late,” I said.
“Go around to the front and knock on the door. They’re both still awake,” said the man. Then before I could ask his name, he took off his gloves and offered his hand. “John Edwards,” he said. “I was assigned as Hector’s home teacher.
“Linda Wallheim,” I said in return. A home teacher—that meant the Perezes were Mormons.
“Nice to meet you, Linda,” he said with a nod. “I help Hector out with the garden now and then, when I can fit it in with my other work schedule. Hector loves his garden so much and when he started to get older he really needed help to keep it up.”
I was absurdly pleased that Mr. Perez was being looked out for by the local Mormon ward. A man of his age needed someone to check in on him. “That’s very nice of you,” I said. I surveyed the well-kept beds around me. There were roses of all colors here. I remembered then that Joanna had roses in her room. The Perezes must be close family friends indeed. Could what Joseph had said be true—that Stephen had been courting their teenage daughter?
“Do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“I suppose,” he said, looking at the darkening sky.
“It’s about Maria Perez.” .
“Maria’s a very good girl. A loyal granddaughter. A good student,” he said.
I hadn’t meant for him to feel obliged to defend her. How could I put this? “Have you noticed the break in the fence back there?” I asked, motioning north to the perimeter.
“Of course. Stephen made it so that Joanna could come back and forth and visit Maria. You didn’t think Maria did it herself, did you?”
“No, no.” That wasn’t what I was getting at. “I was wondering whether Stephen ever visited.”
“Oh, well, I know he’s not officially a member of the ward anymore, but he’s always been a good neighbor to the Perezes. He comes down sometimes and chats with me to make sure Hector is being looked after.” He smiled gently and I had the feeling he really had gotten along with Stephen, despite the excommunication. He was talking about him in present tense, which I guessed meant he didn’t know about the funeral. I didn’t correct him. I was more concerned about Maria.
So I tried again. “Does Maria date?”
He tilted his head and looked at me oddly. “Not that I’ve noticed. Hector doesn’t approve of his granddaughter going out at her age.”
That sounded exactly like what a man of that generation would say. Poor Maria, if she wasn’t allowed to date at all. “Did you ever think that Hector—Mr. Perez—had cause to be angry at Stephen? Did he ever say anything to you about him doing anything improper?”