Lucy smiled and almost laughed. When had Max given her the impression that she wasn’t reasonable? Maybe almost walking out yesterday to interview Detective Katella alone … but that was one time.
“All I care about is the truth,” Max said. “I don’t much care how I get it, either, as long as I trust the information. Your brother has a long and distinguished career and I have a sense that he’s extremely honest. I think he’s the best person to find the answers we need.” She paused, just a beat. When Lucy didn’t say anything, Max added, “He holds back. During the call, I could see that he wanted to say things, but refrained. He’d be easy to beat in poker.”
“And why is this bad? If people took a minute to think before speaking, most conflicts would be avoided.”
“I suppose I could learn that lesson, but in my business when I make people angry, I tend to get the truth.”
The waiter came over and Max ordered two appetizers and a second glass of wine. “I’m famished,” she told Lucy, “but I’ll share and give you time to look at the menu.”
“I know what I want,” Lucy said. She ordered and Max was surprised that Lucy added a glass of wine. When she said, “Any red wine is fine,” Max interrupted.
“Bring her a glass of the Trefethen cab.”
“Ordering for me?”
“The house wine is fine here, but trust me.”
“I don’t drink very much.”
“All the more reason to enjoy good wine when you do.”
Max waved off the waiter and finished her own glass of chardonnay. She generally preferred a lighter white, but they offered one of her favorite chardonnays by the glass.
“So, is everything okay with you and your brother?” Max asked.
“Yes.”
Again Lucy offered nothing else. Answer the question and get out. She would be a lousy interview.
So Max got down to business. “I spoke to Andrew. My producer put in the FOIA request and Andrew will expedite it. Probably cutting a few corners, but he’ll have the files ready for us tomorrow.”
“You,” Lucy said. “I can’t—I mean, what you choose to share with me after you review the files is fine, but for now I think it would be safer for you and Andrew to go through the employee records. If we end up with a viable suspect, I don’t want to jeopardize a conviction because of a warrant issue.”
“What do you plan to do?”
“I’m going to talk to my sister. Carina.”
“About?”
“It’s personal.”
The waiter came back with the two wines, and Lucy sipped the cabernet that Max had ordered. She took a second sip. “Okay, this is delicious.”
Max smiled. “I know wine.”
“After you and Andrew go through the files, I want to touch base with Katella—see how far he’s gotten. And if you have names—we should run the names by him as well. Then I’ll contact Santa Barbara and see if I can get information without making a formal request.”
“Does your boss know what you’re doing?”
“No,” Lucy said. Again, nothing more.
“On ‘vacation’?”
“I called in sick. I don’t have any more vacation time—I used it all for my honeymoon.”
“Where did you go?” Max asked.
“Vail, Colorado.”
“I love skiing.”
“No snow in October and I’m not very good on the slopes.”
“So you’re really a newlywed.”
“I suppose we are.” Lucy averted her eyes and smiled at something only she knew about. How could Max get her to open up? Even about something as little as this? Usually women loved to talk about themselves, their boyfriends or husbands. Why couldn’t Lucy just bite at Max’s hook?
“Your husband is very … intense.”
Lucy laughed. It sounded genuine. Max wondered if she got Lucy drunk—or at least tipsy, since she admitted to not being much of a drinker, if she could get Lucy to talk. At this point, any information would be a win. “You had two strikes against you when we walked in. Sean isn’t always so intense.”
“I was doing my job.”
“We’re private people.”
“I respect that.”
“Do you?”
“I’m not going to apologize for wanting to know who I deal with.” Max waited until the waiter brought out the appetizers. “Help yourself,” she told Lucy.
They both dished up the small appetizer plates. Max immediately took a bite of the crab specialty, then asked, “Where did you stay in Vail?”
“Sean bought a cabin outside Vail.”
“For the trip?”
“It was my wedding present, he said.” Lucy smiled. It was clear to Max that she and Sean were close—not only based on seeing them together on Thursday, but how she talked about him. Yes they were married, they were newlyweds, but Max had been around enough married people to know that true love was rare.
Or maybe that was Max’s own life clouding her judgment.
She said, “Private security must pay well.”
“It can,” Lucy said. And again, nothing more.
“How did you meet?”
“Why do I sound like I’m being interviewed?”
“I’m curious. Just in general, a curious person. I already promised your husband I wouldn’t write anything about either of you without your express permission.”
Lucy sipped her wine. “And you know that information is power.”
“Why so evasive?”
“Just making an observation.” She took another bite of the crab cakes. “You already know that two of my brothers work with Sean at RCK. Jack works out of Sacramento; Patrick and Sean opened the East Coast office a couple of years ago in Georgetown.”
“But you don’t still live there.”
“When I graduated from the FBI Academy, I was assigned to San Antonio. Sean came with me. He can work from anywhere.”
“And Patrick? He runs the office now?”
“They have a team out there now.”
“So, it took more than one person to replace Sean? He must be good at what he does.”
“He is.”
Their dinner was served, and Max assessed Lucy as they ate. She was comfortable with not talking and she didn’t ask any of her own questions.
“Is there anything you want to know about me?” Max asked.
“Is this a game of you share then expect me to share?”
“No. I’m an open book.”
“That’s true. It was clear after I read your book about Karen Richardson’s disappearance.”
“How so?”
Lucy ate for a moment and Max wondered if she was framing her response in such a way that would give Max less insight into her. Damn, Max was giving herself a headache trying to figure out this woman.
“You’re very matter-of-fact,” Lucy said after a moment.
“I’m a reporter.”
“But you weren’t then, were you? You were a college student taking leave because your best friend disappeared. You were straightforward in your writing, but you were also jaded—you have a slanted way of looking at everything.”
“Everyone does,” Max said. “If someone tells you they’re not biased or unfair, they’re not being completely honest with you or themselves. Everyone slants their perception based on their background, their experiences.”
“In some ways. Experience is a benefit, though. I liked the book—even though the subject matter was tragic—because you had a raw honesty in how you wrote. You simply wanted answers.”
“I still do.”
Lucy nodded. “We’re not all that different then. I just chose law enforcement.”
“Why?”