Liar

“I wonder if he was also trying to take you out of harm’s way for a while.”

“What do you mean?”

“Maybe by sending you on the road, making it difficult for people to find you after his death, your father saved your life.”

He was thinking that over when his cell phone rang.

“It’s Rachel,” he said, “but she said I should ask you to pull over before I give you the phone.”

“Oh, brother. Once a cop-” I said lightly.

“She sounds upset,” he said.

31

I had just started up Highway 18, so I pulled over and took the phone from Travis.

“Rachel? Is Mary all right?”

“Mary’s fine. Her house is fine, too, although there was a fire.”

“A fire! Her house caught on fire?”

“No, the Karma

“The…” I couldn’t say it.

“Jack and I went over there to pick it up, there was already a fire truck on the scene.”

“Not my Karma

“I’m so sorry, Irene. I know you loved that little car. I know you’ve had it for a long time-”

“Since college,” I said blankly. “Since college.”

“Can you forgive me?”

“Forgive you?”

“If I had gone straight over there, after I talked to you-”

“Oh, Rachel. Don’t do that to yourself. I’m the one who left it there. What happened?”

“Molotov cocktail.”

“We must be rushing him. The bomb on Travis’s camper was much more sophisticated.”

“Let Travis drive-you’re upset.”

“Steer a van up mountain roads with one hand? Not if you aren’t used to it. But now he’s wondering what has happened. Explain it to him, will you?”

I handed the phone to Travis and started up Waterman Canyon. He spoke briefly with Rachel, hung up, then said, “I’m sorry, Irene.”

“Just a car,” I said, which was such total bullshit, I’m surprised he didn’t call me on it. But he fell silent, which is what I needed.

I was grateful for the mountain roads; they required my absolute concentration. The sun was setting, and by the time we reached Mr. Bre

“Irene!” Travis rushed over to me.

“Some water, please,” I said between dry heaves. “Bottle in the van fridge.”

He brought it to me. I rinsed my mouth out. “Is it because of your car?”

“No.”

“The curving road?”

“No.”

“The altitude?”

“No. The mountains,” I said.

“The mountains?”

“I’m-I’m afraid of the mountains.”

He stopped asking questions.

“I was taken to a place not far from here once,” I said. “Against my will. Locked me in a little dark room. Spent three days beating the shit out me. Haven’t been to the mountains since. And if you ever want to see me go nuts, lock me inside any confined space.”

He reached over, took my hand. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You had enough on your mind. Besides, I have to try to get over this sooner or later.” I laughed. “Frank is going to be so pissed.”

“At me? I won’t blame him.”

“No, me. He owns property up here. I always make him go without me.”

I stood up, took a little bit of time to get myself back together, or what I hoped would pass for together. It was an act, of course, but sometimes you have to make do with an act.

There was a dignity about Ezekiel Bre

Bre

When he first saw my cousin, his smile became much warmer. “Travis!” he said in his deep voice, embracing him with an arm around the shoulder.

“Thank you for allowing us to come to your home on such short notice, Mr. Bre

“What has happened to your hand?!” he asked.

“Oh-that’s a long story,” Travis said, then added, “I’m so glad to see you!

The hand on Travis’s shoulder gave it another squeeze. “An extremely difficult time for you, I know. I am so very sorry.”

“My dad-your friendship was so important to him. He was grateful for all you did to help him over the years.”

“That was my pleasure. And his friendship was equally important to me,” Bre

He showed us into a spacious living room, where a small fire burned in a brick fireplace. Large windows and sliding-glass doors looked out on the lake below. It was too dark to see much more than the outline of the shore, but in daylight, it would be a beautiful view. Travis was watching me nervously. “I’m okay,” I said softly.

We declined the offer of a drink. With nothing more than a raised eyebrow, Mr. Bre

“I want her here,” Travis said, reading the look. “She may hear anything you have to say to me.”

“Whatever you wish, of course,” Bre

“When my father warned me about being bothered by the family,” Travis interrupted, “was he referring to the Kellys?”

“No,” Bre

Travis studied the lawyer for a moment, then said, “I am willing to explain why I want Irene to be here, but I don’t want to upset you-”

“My boy, I am old, but I am healthy, and working in law has strengthened my nerves remarkably. Say what you have to say.”

“Irene is helping me to discover who murdered my mother. She needs to hear everything. And she’ll have some questions of her own.”

But Bre

“Yes.” Travis seemed unable for a moment to go on, and said, “Irene- will you please tell him?”

Bre

“I was there when she married him again,” he said. “I was their witness. They were both very happy, despite the circumstances-Arthur was in the hospital, of course. But I must say, Travis, that your mother’s presence gave him strength.” He paused, then said, “Once, when she had left the room for a few moments, your father spoke of you and your mother coming back into his life, and of-of forgiveness. He said, ”Zeke, never doubt that I will die a happy man.“”

His voice caught on this last and he stopped speaking for a moment while he pulled out a handkerchief, ostensibly to wipe his glasses. He took a few minutes to do this, then said, “She never wanted his money, of course, but he made sure that she would be provided for. When she learned of it, I think her first thought was of you, because she asked me to make a new will for her.”

“Tell me that she signed it,” I said.

He looked surprised, then said, “Why, yes, she did.”

“Oh, thank God!” I said. They both looked at me as if I had lost my mind. “Please call Detective McCain of the LAPD for me,” I said. “Although he’ll probably tell you that I couldn’t have known about the new will.”