he did. We were at their house a few weeks ago. Our cousins were in town. Gary got a phone call. He left the table. When he came back, he looked upset. He looked guilty, if you ask me.”
“I need to ask you a tough question,” I said. “Do you think Lillian knew, and if she did, would she have gone a bit crazy and tried to hurt Gary?”
“I can’t picture her hurting anyone. She couldn’t even stand it when their dog got hurt. I had to help her get him to the vet.”
“I’m glad you told me, Marian. I know it wasn’t easy for you to come here. Now I know what I need to investigate. You did the right thing.”
“Please, don’t tell Jack that I told you. He’s such a private person and so protective of his family.”
“I understand. I’ll keep this meeting just between us.”
I walked her to the front of the building and waved as she drove off. So Jack had blackmailed Gary. I needed to know a lot more about Jack.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
My morning schedule was already shot when Catherine buzzed me. “There’s a man here who says he’s Carlos’s cousin.”
“What’s his name, and what does he want?”
“He says his name is Franco, and he’s here to do something with your car. He’s in the parking lot.”
I called Carlos on his cell phones. Neither answered, so I tried the satellite phone in his car. He answered that one on the second ring.
“Who is your cousin Franco, and what does he want with my car?” I asked.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. I sent Franco over to put a new tire on your SUV. He takes care of all the cars in the family.”
“You didn’t have to do that. Is he really your cousin?”
“Well, not exactly. He’s my brother’s wife’s cousin. I told him to go over your car while he’s there. Make sure that no one has done anything else to it besidesthe tire. And don’t try to pay him. It’ll hurt his feelings. Just give him the keys, and he’ll do his thing.”
I went out to the parking lot where a skinny kid was leaning against a truck that said Franco’s Auto Service. I guessed this must be Franco.
“Hi, Franco, I’m Mary. Here are my keys. It’s the red Explorer by the door. Thanks for coming over.”
“Are you kidding? It’s my pleasure. I’d do anything for Carlos. He said you were a great looking chick. He wasn’t exaggerating. Say, while I’m here, do you handle divorces?”
“Why, do you want one?”
“I’m thinking about it. My old lady’s getting on my nerves. I’ll let you know.”
He strode over to my car, opened the hood, and began taking things apart. I went back inside and prayed the car would start later.
Back in my office again, I reread the notes I had made during Marian’s visit. I hadn’t even finished the first page when Catherine approached my desk.
“There’s a lady in the waiting room who says she’s your mother. She looks just like you, only older, so I guess she really is your mother.”
I couldn’t believe it. I had put off telling Mother that I was in a new office, in a new relationship, and without Frank’s two-karat engagement ring. I ran a comb through my hair, and raced into the waiting room. It was Mother all right and she looked furious.
“Come on back and see my new space,” I said as I hugged her.
She didn’t return the hug and followed me into the office. I closed the door. Mother never raises her voice. She knows how to snarl without screaming.
“When were you going to tell me that you left Frank’s firm? I had to find out from the receptionist when I called there and they said they didn’t know how to reach you. I called Jonathan. It seems both your brothers knew all about your complete change of work and boyfriends, but you couldn’t bother telling me.”
The phone rang and Catherine suppressed a laugh. “Now your father is on the phone. He doesn’t sound too happy.”
My father does know how to yell, and he was proving that point as Catherine put him through.
“Mary, this is your father.
“I need to ask you a tough question,” I said. “Do you think Lillian knew, and if she did, would she have gone a bit crazy and tried to hurt Gary?”
“I can’t picture her hurting anyone. She couldn’t even stand it when their dog got hurt. I had to help her get him to the vet.”
“I’m glad you told me, Marian. I know it wasn’t easy for you to come here. Now I know what I need to investigate. You did the right thing.”
“Please, don’t tell Jack that I told you. He’s such a private person and so protective of his family.”
“I understand. I’ll keep this meeting just between us.”
I walked her to the front of the building and waved as she drove off. So Jack had blackmailed Gary. I needed to know a lot more about Jack.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
My morning schedule was already shot when Catherine buzzed me. “There’s a man here who says he’s Carlos’s cousin.”
“What’s his name, and what does he want?”
“He says his name is Franco, and he’s here to do something with your car. He’s in the parking lot.”
I called Carlos on his cell phones. Neither answered, so I tried the satellite phone in his car. He answered that one on the second ring.
“Who is your cousin Franco, and what does he want with my car?” I asked.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. I sent Franco over to put a new tire on your SUV. He takes care of all the cars in the family.”
“You didn’t have to do that. Is he really your cousin?”
“Well, not exactly. He’s my brother’s wife’s cousin. I told him to go over your car while he’s there. Make sure that no one has done anything else to it besidesthe tire. And don’t try to pay him. It’ll hurt his feelings. Just give him the keys, and he’ll do his thing.”
I went out to the parking lot where a skinny kid was leaning against a truck that said Franco’s Auto Service. I guessed this must be Franco.
“Hi, Franco, I’m Mary. Here are my keys. It’s the red Explorer by the door. Thanks for coming over.”
“Are you kidding? It’s my pleasure. I’d do anything for Carlos. He said you were a great looking chick. He wasn’t exaggerating. Say, while I’m here, do you handle divorces?”
“Why, do you want one?”
“I’m thinking about it. My old lady’s getting on my nerves. I’ll let you know.”
He strode over to my car, opened the hood, and began taking things apart. I went back inside and prayed the car would start later.
Back in my office again, I reread the notes I had made during Marian’s visit. I hadn’t even finished the first page when Catherine approached my desk.
“There’s a lady in the waiting room who says she’s your mother. She looks just like you, only older, so I guess she really is your mother.”
I couldn’t believe it. I had put off telling Mother that I was in a new office, in a new relationship, and without Frank’s two-karat engagement ring. I ran a comb through my hair, and raced into the waiting room. It was Mother all right and she looked furious.
“Come on back and see my new space,” I said as I hugged her.
She didn’t return the hug and followed me into the office. I closed the door. Mother never raises her voice. She knows how to snarl without screaming.
“When were you going to tell me that you left Frank’s firm? I had to find out from the receptionist when I called there and they said they didn’t know how to reach you. I called Jonathan. It seems both your brothers knew all about your complete change of work and boyfriends, but you couldn’t bother telling me.”
The phone rang and Catherine suppressed a laugh. “Now your father is on the phone. He doesn’t sound too happy.”
My father does know how to yell, and he was proving that point as Catherine put him through.
“Mary, this is your father.