The Second Man (13 page)

She peered closely, and made out a man in a leather jacket, arms crossed over his chest, watching them. “Who is that man?” she asked Max.

“Where?” he said, his voice steely cold.

She raised her hand and pointed, but there was no one there. She blinked and shook her head. “I’m seeing things. And I sound like my mother.”

“I’ll get out and look,” he said, his hand on the door handle.

“No. Let’s go. Sorry, it was nothing,” Jill said.

“Okay.” Slowly Max backed the car out and turned toward the highway. Jill glanced in the side mirror nervously but saw only the moonlight in the trees.

Carly Hart Stewart showed up at Jill’s door the following morning at eight a.m. with bagels, presents, and enough enthusiasm to launch an Internet start-up.

“Carly! But where’s Hamilton, and the nanny, and dear baby Julia?” Jill hugged her, bags and all, and took some of the things from her.

“Ham hasn’t made it to California yet, he had to make a detour to Toronto. Nanny and Julia are both sleeping at the hotel. I told them we’d be back there for lunch.” She ran a critical eye down Jill’s body, from her hair to her bare feet. “Girlfriend, what have you done to yourself? You are glowing, absolutely radiant!”

“I, ah, I’ve been resting.” Max had left at dawn. She had considered going back to sleep for an hour, but she was glad now that she had made herself get up and shower and straighten the house. Although what she did last night besides sleep was obviously written all over her face. “It’s spring break, remember? I’ve been sleeping in.”

“Umm, and who have you been sleeping in with these days?”

They settled at the kitchen table, bags piled beside them. Carly unwrapped the bagels as Jill poured steaming water into her mother’s teapot. “Well, since we last talked I have a lot to tell you.”

“So talk. I’m so screwed up as to time zones, I was going to bring In-N-Out hamburgers, but they’re not opened yet.” She spread a healthy scoop of cream cheese over her bagel and chomped down on it. “Start with your love life. What’s going on there?”

“Okay. But I think it’s better if you listen for a minute, and then ask questions at the end,” Jill said in her teacher voice.

“Okay,” Carly said around chewing. “Shoot.”

Jill grimaced, thinking how Max would make that into a joke. “As to my personal life, you know I haven’t seen anyone seriously the last couple of years. . .”

“Wait, is that a love bite on your neck?”

Jill slapped her hand over her neck. “Carly, pay attention.” She took a breath. “Andrew showed up a second time a couple of nights ago, right after I discovered that my house was burglarized, and . . .” She eyed Carly, whose face was frozen, her mouth full, her eyes huge.

“And Max Kallstrom came to see me after we talked on the phone last week. He explained everything about what happened to him when he disappeared fifteen years ago.” Jill cleared her throat. “And we’ve been out together. A few times.”

Carly blinked and swallowed. She pushed her plate away. “What has your life turned into, a reality show?” She grabbed Jill’s hand. “Okay, well, as long as it’s Max who gave you that hickey, I’m in for this story any way you want to tell it. Just don’t leave out a single thing.”

An hour and two pots of tea later, Jill was hoarse from talking. “Why don’t we take a break and go out on the patio. I need to water the plants.”

Carly followed, still shaking her head at the dramatic past week Jill had endured. She pointed at the dead vase of roses sitting on the corner of the patio. “What’s with those?”

“Andrew brought those. They were gorgeous. But I couldn’t stand to look at them after a day or two.”

Carly nodded. “I can’t believe all this.”  

“Which? The Andrew brought me roses part? That my house was burglarized? Or the shock of shocks that Max has walked back into my life?”

“All of it!” She squinted and settled into one of the loungers, turning her alabaster skin to the sun. “I still don’t understand why Andrew came to see you, though.”

“He said he wanted to apologize.” Jill was uneasy keeping the news of Ben Pierce’s murder, or a possible classmate being a murder suspect, from Carly, but she was determined to follow Dave Hart’s advice. “And I think he sincerely wants to preempt the drama of running into each other at the reunion.”

“Did he forget that he almost killed you?”

“That’s a tiny bit unfair, Carly. He tried to kill himself, remember?”

“He had a gun and was cracked-out on drugs. You could have been dead.” Carly crossed her arms over her chest. “But let’s move on. How are you feeling about Max? You’re smiling and sparkling, but how’s your gut sense about this? Do you believe him, about the amnesia thing? That that’s the reason he didn’t contact you?”

“Yes. I do.” She met Carly’s blue eyes. “Do you think what he said is plausible?”

“It sounds pretty lame. I mean, amnesia? Really?”

“It’s not uncommon with traumatic injuries, from what I’ve read on the Internet,” Jill replied quickly. “I poked around and did some research after Max told me his story. People often lose their memory after blood loss or a head injury. And he was almost killed in that accident.”

“But why did he wait fifteen years to contact anyone from here? He knew he was in California when it happened. It seems to me once he was over the worst of it, which was before you married Andrew, by the way, he would have hopped on a plane and tried to re-connect. Is he saying he didn’t consider there were people here who cared about him and wanted to know how he was?”

Carly’s doubt deflated Jill’s mood a degrees. “Why don’t you wait and ask him that. He said he didn’t know about me, so I’m not sure he thought there was much point to coming back to California. And his parents never gave him my letters. It took him two or three years to be able to walk okay, and after that, I think he moved on. Went to school and got his masters, and got married. He has a daughter. She’s seven.”

“What? You’re sleeping with a married man?”

“No, Max is divorced. I don’t sleep with married men.”

“Good. I’m a married lady and I hate women who do that kind of crap. So where’s the ex?”

“She and Max’s daughter, Olivia, live somewhere outside of Paris. She’s remarried.”

“Does he see the daughter much?”

“He says he does. I think that’s why he’s living in France.” Jill turned off the hose. The bed of flowers was a wreck, but at least the ice plant and the palm trees on the slope were hanging in there. “Max thinks he met Hamilton, by the way.” She recounted the story. “Isn’t that wild? We would have known more about Max a couple of years ago, except Ham’s the only one from school who wouldn’t have recognized him.”

Carly stared off into the distance. “Ham never mentioned Max’s name to me. And I’m sure he would have. I told him all about what happened with you two, although maybe he doesn’t remember that. He seems to blank out a lot when I talk to him about college.” Carly leaned back and closed her eyes. “God, this sunshine is heaven. It goes right to my bones, which I worry will be permanently frozen by cold and damp ten months a year.”

“How is England? Are you still loving it, aside from the temperature?” Jill sat beside her.

“London’s an impressive, big ‘little’ city, if you know what I mean. Easy to get around in. Full of stuff to do, and architecture to marvel at, and the flowers! Flowers are everywhere in the parks, hanging in front of shops, on even the poorest stoops.” She opened her eyes and frowned at Jill’s garden. “You wouldn’t make it in England. They require flowers to actually have blooms in the UK.”

“Don’t pick on me. You know how summers are here. How’s Ham doing with his work?”

Carly closed her eyes again. “He’s spending a lot of time in Asia, Japan in particular. When he’s home he sleeps and locks himself in his study.”

“What’s going on, Carly? Are you two having trouble?”

“No.”

“Are you lying to me?” Jill asked.

After a long pause, Carly sat up. “Yes. Actually, I think Ham is having an affair. And I think he wants a divorce.”

“Oh no!” Jill reached out and put her hand on Carly’s arm. “Has he said that? Why would he want a divorce?”

“I don’t think he’s in love with me anymore.” Her voice shattered.

“Carly! Why? You have to tell me more than that. What’s happened? Do you fight all the time?”

Her friend, always so strong and confident, hung her head. “No. But he’s very distant. Uninterested, even in Julia. I was hoping he and I could get some intimate time together on this trip. Get out to the beach, go for a drive. Be together and catch up. But now, he’s not even here.” Her face was a picture of misery. “I’m going to be one of those statistics. Married at twenty-five. Divorced and a single mother a decade later.”

Jill hugged her friend. “Don’t jump to conclusions. You need to talk to him. Maybe get some counseling. Surely he’s feeling stressed if you are. You need to confront him.”

“I know. But I’m not as good at that as you are. You know he has no family at all. He only had one Uncle when he came to London, but that guy died. So it’s just me and our baby. I’m not sure Hamilton knows how to be a member of a family. He lives to work, I think.”

“Why did you say you think he’s cheating on you?”

“A couple of months ago I found a cell phone I didn’t recognize stuck in a zip compartment in his luggage. I asked him about it, and he blew me off, said it was one he used for work, but I think he might have it so he can call another woman on it.”

Jill rolled her eyes. “Did you check the activity?”

“It was password protected.”

“Lots of people have more than one phone, Carly. That’s not much evidence for you to jump to that conclusion he’s having an affair.”

“I know. We need to go to counseling, but when I brought it up he said our problems were because I expected too much from him.” Carly wiped at her eyes and then plastered a huge, fake smile on her face. “But enough about me. Tell me more about Max. Is he still gorgeous, with those big-gun arms to die for? Does he still kill in bed?”

“He’s a pretty amazing in all ways.” Jill’s face grew warm, but she her heart was aching over Carly’s revelations. “I can’t wait for you to see him. Let’s have dinner tonight, okay? When is Hamilton expected in? Tomorrow?”

“That’s what he said. We’ll see if he shows up.” Carly pulled out her cell and scanned the email. “Nothing from him, but there’s a message from Marissa Pierce. She’s sent out the final agenda for the reunion.”

“Cocktails Friday, dinner dance and films of various class functions on Saturday,” Jill rattled off. “Which should be a riot, Dr. Millard was in charge of compiling them. And Sunday, presentation of the class gift, a mass of remembrance, and a picnic.”

Carly grinned. “For someone who didn’t want to go to the reunion, you’ve certainly memorized the agenda.”

“I am. It’s because I’ve been obsessing that I don’t have any clothes for any of those things. Except maybe the picnic.”

Both women looked down at Jill’s jeans.

“You’re not wearing those,” Carly said.

“No?”

“No. Come on, let’s go open that package I brought you. It’s a dress from Paris. Your color, baby pink.”

Jill walked to the screen door and pulled it open. She heard her phone vibrate on the coffee table. “I’ll try it on right now. And then let’s go shopping. I made hair and nail appointments for tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. But I need to grab my phone, first.” She pointed at Carly’s face. “And you need some sunscreen or you’re going to get burned, Miss English Rose.”

“I know. I’m done here.” Carly got up from the lounger and followed Jill inside, but took a detour to the bathroom.

Jill grabbed her cell. The caller ID said private.

Maybe it’s Andrew. I can get that money back to him today if it is
. “Hello?” Jill said.

“It’s Dave. Is Carly there with you?”

“Yes. Is everything alright?”

“I’ve found out some new information I need you to have. Can I come by now?”

“Sure. But, what about Carly?”

“It’s time to share things with her. Carly knows how to keep her mouth shut.”

“Oh. Okay, great. Can I call Max and ask him to come over too?” Her heart felt as if it was located in her throat. She put her hand on her neck and swallowed hard.

“No, don’t do that. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

He disconnected.

Jill stared numbly at the phone for a moment, registering that she had missed a call from Professor Millard last night, and two from Max this morning. She put the cell on the table and took a deep breath.

She tried not to worry about why Dave Hart did not want her to tell Max what was going on. But as she sat on the edge of the sofa, doubt filled her heart.

Chapter 13

“I found out why the feds are focusing their hunt for Ben Pierce’s killer on your college class. A ring was found at a crime scene in France. It was badly damaged in the fire set to cover Ben’s murder. They were able to establish it was from St. John Vianney College, and your graduating class.”

Dave and Jill had told Carly the whole story about Ben Pierce’s murder, about Andrew and his proposition to her to spy for him, as well as the details Dave had found out surrounding Ben’s death.

Carly sat next to Jill on the sofa, and both women stared at Carly’s dad.

“But you left out the most important thing,” Carly said. “Who did Ben Pierce meet with? Surely someone knows.”

Dave blinked. “Both of my sources say no one knows the man’s name. And Ben’s ring was on his body, so they think the one they found must belong to the murderer.”

“And the murder happened in Paris, right?” Jill asked.
Where Max lives.
A coincidence that was feeling more and more sinister to her worried brain.

“Yes.” Dave clasped his hands together. “Ben was part of a team investigating a multi-national investment fraud case, and the conference was a cover for him to meet with representatives for several governments.”

“One thing I don’t understand is, why does Andrew think this classmate, whoever he is, would show up to the reunion?” Carly asked.

“He said he would be checking to see if anyone has been asking questions about Ben Pierce’s death,” Jill replied.

“That sounds farfetched,” Carly said.

“I agree,” Dave said. “What the ATF can’t nail down is why anyone would kill Ben. Unless the classmate Ben made contact with was somehow linked to the fraud investigation, they don’t see a motive for the guy to murder him.”

“The cops are sure it wasn’t random? Like a burglary or something?” Jill cleared her throat. “That happens sometimes, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, but the class ring is a big deal. Personal effects were missing from the hotel, too, although Ben’s wallet was found in the room, so it wasn’t an addict looking for cash.” Dave checked his wristwatch. “Look, I have to head out. You two know a whole lot more than any other civilians, so you need to be very careful with what you say, okay? I understand Ben’s family was only told he died in a fire.”

“So Marissa doesn’t know her brother was murdered.” Jill asked.

“No.”

“This class ring that was found,” Carly asked. “Couldn’t anyone just buy one?”

“The FBI checked with the class ring company, and they won’t sell a ring to anyone who can’t prove they are entitled to it.”

“Wow. I never knew that,” Carly said.

“Schools don’t like it when people fake a connection to their institution, and historically the ring manufacturers have been very strict.” Dave sat back and sighed. “At the risk of sounding like a broken record, let me also say I don’t want either of you telling Max, or anyone else, about Ben’s murder.”

“Dad, that’s ridiculous,” Carly argued. “How can Jill not share this with Max? Andrew implied Max might be involved. I think she should tell him that.”

“Are you comfortable trusting Max with that information?” Dave stared intently at Jill.

For a moment the room was silent.

“Are you asking me if I suspect him?”

Dave nodded.

“No, I don’t.” Jill inhaled. “I can’t vouch for his behavior the last fifteen years, but I’ve found him to be the same admirable guy I knew years ago. I mean he’s different in some ways than the boy I once knew, but I am, too. Everyone is. People change in many ways, but still have the same core morals of the person you first meet, right?”

“He’s not wearing a St. John’s ring, by any chance, is he?” Dave asked.

“No. And I don’t remember that he even bought one. But that doesn’t prove anything. I’m not wearing mine either, in fact I don’t even know where it is.” She cocked her head at Carly. “Do you know where yours is?”

“Ham wears his all the time, but I didn’t get one. I spent the money Dad gave me on shoes, as I remember.” Carly glanced at her father. “But you always have yours on. Right?”

Dave held up his right hand. “Notre Dame. Class of 1973.” The stone twinkled in the silver setting, an homage to the virgin mother’s holy blue robes. “Same setting as they’ve always had. Like St. John’s. Mine doesn’t have the graduating year, though. But yours do. Which is how they zeroed in on your class.”

“This is so gruesome to even be talking about.” Jill shivered. “To think someone we once knew might have turned out to be not only a crook, but a murderer.”

“In this big old world, some people take the wrong path.” Dave stood. “Okay, I need to head out. I’ll be in touch.” He kissed Carly and the two women walked with him to the front door.

Carly’s face showed the strain of the conversation. “I’ll be over with the baby on Saturday, Dad. We’ve got a lot going on with the reunion, but I’m staying on another week, so don’t worry about not getting your baby fix.”

“I won’t.” He hugged Jill.

“Thanks again, Dave, for all your help.”

“Sure thing. You ladies have fun shopping. And remember, keep this conversation between the three of us for now.”

“We will.” Jill shut the door and turned to Carly. “Wow.”

“Wow is right. What a drama!”

“You’re not mad I didn’t tell you about all this earlier?”

“No, of course not. Dad made it clear he told you not to say anything, so I’m glad you listened to him.” Carly hugged her. “How creepy is it that poor Ben Pierce was murdered! I never imagined anything like that would happen to someone we knew.”

“It’s horrible. And it’s also so weird that Andrew is involved in trying to solve the crime. He’s the only guy I know who was in prison, and now he’s an investigator.” Jill shook her head. “He has tried pretty hard to get me to doubt Max. He was always jealous of him. We didn’t talk about Max more than once or twice when we were married, but Andrew seemed to resent that I was involved with Max in college.”

“That doesn’t surprise me. Andrew had the hots for you back then.”

“What? I never noticed that. He kept his distance until well after we graduated.”

“I’m not surprised you didn’t pick up on Andrew’s infatuation. Max had your full attention, and he has always been a winner, and Andrew’s always been a loser. It’s no wonder Andrew was jealous. He hung around and waited for his chance.”

“You make him sound like a stalker.”

“Well?” Carly narrowed her eyes. “Were you telling my dad the whole truth about Max? You really do trust him completely?”

“Yes.” Jill touched her chest. “People can change their appearance and goals, even their basic outlook on life. But that thing that happens when an old friend comes back into your life, that recognition in your heart, that can’t be wrong, can it?”

“Sometimes we want something so badly we convince ourselves a lie is the truth.” Carly sighed.

Was Carly was talking about herself?
“I trust my instincts about Max.”

“And I trust you, so that’s settled.” Carly smiled. “Okay, now for the hard part. Even though there might be a psycho in our midst, we still need fabulous new clothes to show the girls we were in school with how awesome we are fifteen years later. It’s time to shop.”

“I’m ready.” Jill ran her hands through her hair. “I don’t know what to do with this mop. Do you think I should go shorter?”

“Maybe. And some highlights.” Carly smiled. “But you look so pretty. Like a woman in love. God, has it gone that far already with Max?”

The question brought color to Jill’s face. “We’re not kids any more. No one falls in love in a week, especially with someone who lives on another continent. I’m attracted to the guy, but I don’t think love is what’s going on there.”

“Love can overcome time and geography when it’s real.” Carly eyes filled with tears. “Come on, let’s go shopping.”

“Oh, Carly.” Jill touched her friend’s hand. “Is there more to tell about Hamilton?”

“No. I was thinking about you.”

“Come on, Carly. Spill.”

“I’ve got nothing more to say about that man of mine, other than the fact he’s still the man I love.” Carly grinned and wiped her eyes. “He’s so sweet with Julia, and with me when he is around. I should be content with that I guess.”

Jill knew her friend was done talking about her marriage for now. Pushing Carly never worked. “Good. He’s probably enjoying this visit to his past. I wonder if he’ll be shocked about what we all look like now.” She laughed and handed Carly her purse. “Do you think anyone will be unrecognizable?”

“We’ll figure out who people are.” She hugged Jill. “Though all anyone will be talking about is you and Max! Everyone loves a second chance at love story.” “Is that what it is?” Jill grinned. “We’ll see. But for now we need some party clothes.”

“This is shocking.” Carly followed her out into the garage. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you eager to go shopping.”

“See?” Jill opened the car door. “People do change, like I told your dad.”

“They don’t change that much,” Carly said. “We both need to remember that.”

“My god, you are twice as handsome as you were fifteen years ago.” Carly reached her arms around Max and gave him a warm hug.

“Thank you.” Max winked at Jill, who was standing behind Carly at the bar in the hotel lobby where the Stewarts were staying.

“You’re both gorgeous.” He released Carly and embraced Jill, kissing her softly on the mouth. When he drew back, he squinted. “Is your hair different?”

Both women laughed and Jill’s right hand nervously flew to her hair.

“Yes.” Carly answered. “Bravo for noticing, Max. She spent half a week’s salary on getting a new look while staying exactly the same. I think she was afraid people wouldn’t know who she was.”

“I would know her no matter how she altered her appearance.” Max smiled wider.

Jill blushed. “So what did you do with yourself today? Were your ears burning? Carly asked me a hundred questions about you.”

“I was on the phone most of the time, but I did have a couple of moments where I worried about what was being said about Jill’s prodigal lover returning to town.” He pulled her closer to him, his arm draped around her shoulders. “Did you tell your best friend I’m better than ever?”

“At what?” Carly demanded. “Jill was very light on details.”

“At everything. Especially my English. I bet you can’t even hear my Swedish accent now,
ja
?”

They all laughed and Jill relaxed a bit. She had been nervous about Carly’s reaction to Max, but so far it was what she had hoped. A few minutes later, they followed the hostess to a booth in the corner of the restaurant.

“Will Hamilton be joining us soon?” Max asked.

“That’s the plan.” Carly’s voice lost a degree of warmth. “He sent his apologies to you both, by the way, for his late arrival. He should be here shortly.”

Jill thought of the look on Carly’s face when her cell phone rang a couple of hours ago. They had been playing with baby Julia upstairs in Carly’s suite when Hamilton rang to say he had landed at LAX.

Carly’s mood had changed after she took the call from her husband, and the tension in her best friend’s face spoke volumes.

“Where is he flying in from?” Max asked. “London?”

“No, he was in Hong Kong,” Carly replied. “At least that’s where he said he was.” She narrowed her eyes at Max. “How are we girls ever supposed to know where our men really are now, though? With cell phones it’s hard to be sure, isn’t it?”

Max’s expression remained neutral, but Jill’s cheeks pinked. Carly was trying to drag them into the skirmish she was in the midst of with her husband.

“What looks good to everyone?” Jill picked up the menu. “I’m famished. Carly and I didn’t have lunch thanks to her ‘shop till you faint from hunger’ strategy, so let’s order appetizers while we’re waiting for Hamilton.”

“Excellent.” Max gestured for the waitress and they ordered food and more drinks.

Jill was enjoying her wine as Max regaled Carly with a story about driving in downtown Los Angeles when someone tapped her on the back.

“Hi, Jill!”

Jill turned toward the female voice and came face-to-face with a woman she did not recognize, holding hands with a man she did.

The redhead smiled broadly. “It’s me, Marissa Pierce,” she said, throwing an arm around Jill’s neck. “And I think you know this guy,” she said, pointing with her thumb at her date.

Jill and Andrew locked glances, neither one bit happy to discover the other in such close proximity. Anger flared in her as she thought of his visit to her mother’s, but she did not want to broach that subject in front of the group.

“Hello, Andrew,” she said coolly.

“Jill.”

He seemed slightly off-balance, but not worried enough to indicate he knew she had found out about the check.

“I bet you didn’t recognize me, Jill,” Marissa said with a giggle. “Most people haven’t.”

“Well, no, actually, I didn’t. But you look great.” Jill kissed her old classmate on the cheek, the awkward girl Marissa once was completely obliterated by the stunning woman standing by the table. She bore scant similarity to her old self, except for her unfortunately screechy voice. “I’m sorry I haven’t caught up with you on the phone before this, so it’s great to see you.”

“Oh, that’s okay.” Marissa smiled brightly. “I’ve been hard to get a hold of. Between running the reunion and getting reacquainted with Andrew, I’ve been busy, busy, busy!”