“Facebook, I suppose,” Ida Belle said. “I read an article about how social media was breaking up marriages. People were locating their high school flames and leaving their spouses for them. The entire thing is rather depressing.”
Nolan nodded. “I hadn’t realized that kind of thing was going on. I’m afraid I’m not well versed on popular culture. But one night she left her laptop open and I was going to check the weather before going to bed. I saw the messages between the two of them.”
“Was it someone from her past?” Ida Belle asked.
Nolan frowned. “I don’t think so. At least, none of the messages reflected on the past. The man was, uh, a bit younger than Gail, and was in the military, currently serving overseas. So you see why I say it wasn’t a traditional sort of affair. I would have never believed that a person could develop feelings by simply talking online, but apparently I was wrong. The messages were quite explicit about the way they felt.”
“I don’t suppose she sent him money?” Ida Belle asked. “I’ve heard some of these situations are more about getting money out of the deal than having an actual relationship.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” Nolan said. “And one of his messages did suggest that she forward funds so that he could visit her on leave, but she replied that she couldn’t work that out because she had a joint bank account with her husband.” Nolan flushed. “He knew she was a married woman. What kind of excuse for a man is he?”
“A sorry one,” Gertie said. “What did he have to say when she couldn’t send the funds?”
“He got a little testy about it,” Nolan said, “but he couldn’t exactly force her. He was an ocean away, and if what you’re saying is true, he probably just moved on to the next target. Or maybe he’s always working several women at one time.”
“I think that’s probably the case,” Ida Belle said. “Was she still corresponding with him up until…”
“I don’t know,” Nolan said, looking miserable. “I think she realized that I might have seen the messages. She changed her password and never left her laptop signed in again.”
“You said you told Carter about it?” Gertie asked.
“Yes. And he took Gail’s laptop,” he said. “I didn’t want to tell him. It’s so embarrassing, but Carter asked me specifically who Gail had been in touch with recently. I didn’t want to lie. I know it’s probably not relevant, but I felt guilty keeping it from him.”
“I think you made the right decision,” I said. “Even if it turns out to be nothing, it’s better that you told him than not doing so and then worrying that you should have.”
“That’s what I thought,” Nolan said.
Ida Belle shook her head. “Well, I am so sorry you had to find that out. It certainly doesn’t help your mind, adding more clutter.”
“No,” Nolan said, looking incredibly sad. “I think, if you guys don’t mind, I’m going to lie down for a bit. I’m sorry about the lunch, Gertie. I promise I’ll eat something when I wake up. Please help yourself to anything you’d like. There’s more food here than I could eat in a month. It will go bad if someone doesn’t eat it.”
“Don’t you worry about lunch,” Gertie said. “Let me help you into the bedroom. You’re exhausted and need to reserve your strength for the things you don’t want help with.”
Nolan nodded and Gertie turned his wheelchair around and limped out of the kitchen. I waited until they had been gone for at least a minute and looked over at Ida Belle.
“I never saw that one coming,” I said. “I figured if she was having an affair, it was with someone in New Orleans.”
“That’s what I thought, too,” Ida Belle agreed. “That would have been the most efficient route given that she was there most of the week and Nolan was ensconced in Sinful.”
“Nolan did say she’d been spending nights in New Orleans recently,” I pointed out. “So maybe there was someone else locally.”
Ida Belle frowned. “I don’t know. It’s hard for me to imagine a woman of Gail’s character having one affair, much less two.”
“So what are you thinking?”
“I wonder if Gail’s relationship with the catfish continued after Nolan could no longer access her computer. What if the reason she was spending so much time in New Orleans was so she could talk to the other man?”
“The simplest explanation is usually the right one?” I nodded. “It would fit, except for the part where she was murdered.”
“What if Gail found out that he was a fraud and threatened to expose him?”
My eyes widened and I stared at Ida Belle. “Because we think he’s someone living in or with close ties to Sinful.”
Ida Belle nodded. “Which means Gail might have guessed who he really was.”
“Holy crap.”
Chapter 13