Blood Rubies by Jane K. Cleland Page B

“Sorry, but the house is off-limits for now.”
    I swallowed hard and looked down at the gray wood floor. “I can’t wait.”
    â€œYou two go on ahead,” Ellis said to the detective.
    â€œThere’s an outside faucet around the side,” Ana said, “near the—”
    She broke off as a tall man with salt-and-pepper hair and bushy eyebrows came around the corner, walking briskly, a stack of folded-up newspapers and magazines tucked under his arm. He looked about sixty. He wore khakis, a black flannel shirt with the cuffs rolled up, and casual tie-up shoes.
    Ana shouted, “Dad!” and ran to hug him, a big one, filled with love and caring. He hugged her with his left arm, then, after a few seconds, dropped the publications so he could use both. I felt a stab of envy. My dad died a decade ago, but I still missed him every day. Ana stepped back.
    â€œI was so worried. Where have you been?”
    â€œWhy were you worried, hon? I was at the library catching up on my reading.” He picked up the magazines and newspapers. Jason’s newsletter was on the top, his photo smiling out into the world. I recognized the paper on the bottom, The Wall Street Journal. Stefan noticed me and Ellis and the detective. He looked at Ana. “Why is there an ambulance here? Are you all right? What’s going on?”
    â€œOh, Dad! It’s awful. Jason is dead.”
    â€œMr. Yartsin?” Ellis asked, stepping forward.
    â€œYes … I’m Stefan Yartsin, and you are?”
    â€œPolice Chief Ellis Hunter.” He walked down the steps to join the pair on the pathway, extending his hand for a shake. “I’m hoping you can help me.”
    Stefan patted Ana’s shoulder and squeezed her arm. “Of course.”
    â€œWe’re at the very beginning of an investigation into a sudden death, with no time to lose. Anything you can do to help us understand the timeline would be invaluable. Do you live in Rocky Point?”
    â€œNo, no. I’m here to celebrate Ana’s new TV show and attend Heather’s wedding. I live in Detroit.”
    â€œWhen did you arrive?”
    â€œToday—about three thirty.”
    Detective Brownley was taking notes.
    â€œWhat did you do when you got here?”
    â€œAna’s car wasn’t here, but I rang the bell anyway, just in case. There was no answer. I got her spare key from the fake rock and came inside.”
    â€œWere there any cars here?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWas anyone inside?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWhat did you do next?”
    â€œAna sent me photos of the house just after she bought it, so I knew where the guest room was located. I brought my suitcase inside.” He shrugged. “I left for the library. I’m a day trader, so I spend a lot of time keeping up with the news. I’ve been there ever since.”
    â€œWhat time did you leave for the library?”
    â€œI don’t know. I didn’t look. I couldn’t have been inside more than ten, fifteen minutes, though.”
    Evidently, Jason died sometime between three forty-five, when Stefan left for the library, and five thirty, when Ana and I arrived.
    â€œWhat did you do in that ten or fifteen minutes?” Ellis asked.
    Stefan scratched his cheek. “You’re really putting my memory to the test here. I did a lot of nothing stuff, you know, the things you do when you reach a destination. I washed off the travel dust, not a shower, only hands and face. I got Ana’s Spring Egg snow globe out and unpacked it. I placed it in the center of the coffee table where it would be safe and she’d see it first thing. I hung up some clothes, just a few. A pair of slacks. A couple of shirts. I’m a travel-light sort of guy. That’s it.”
    â€œWhere’s the spare key?” Ellis asked.
    â€œI put it back in the rock when I left.”
    Ellis turned to Ana. “Which rock?”
    She