Twenty-Five Years Ago Today (25 page)

"It's a mystery to me," Alex said.

"Maybe you can clear this up," Eric said. "We
understand you and Diana had an affair."

"That's ridiculous."

"Raquel D'Angelo told us Diana confided in
her. She's willing to talk to the police. Another of your former
students, Yvonne Harper, seems convinced also." Eric fastened Alex
with his steady gaze. "You can tell us, or the cops. Either way,
it's coming out."

"I don't know what you're talking about. This
is insane."

Eric motioned to Kris. "Let's call the
lieutenant."

Alex stilled except for his rapidly blinking
eyes. In the deep hazel pools flecked with gold, desperation
shimmered. "Please, wait. This is a private matter. That's why I
denied it. I assure you, this situation is not relevant to Diana's
death."

"Why don't you let us decide?" Eric
asked.

"How will the information be used? In another
newspaper story? Would you ruin my career?"

"If you didn't kill Diana, then the
information won't go past these walls," Kris said.

"But if you don't talk, you'll get a visit
from the police," Eric said.

Alex nodded. "I was twenty-three years old. I
met Diana my first year teaching. She had a crush on me, as a lot
of girls did. I'm not being conceited. Most girls are intrigued by
a young, single teacher.

"After her father died, Diana was a different
person. I wanted to draw her out, so I encouraged Diana with her
art. She borrowed my mythology books and brought in her sketches.
Then she asked if she could come see my grandparents' pictures from
Greece. A warning bell went off in my mind, but I was flattered
that I was the only one who put a smile on her face."

"So you let her come over," Kris said.

"Several times. We kept it secret, and Diana
told her mother she was out with friends. Even though it was
innocent, it wouldn't look good if people knew a teacher and
student were close. Then Diana said she was in love with me.

"If I told you it came as a shock, I'd be
lying. I knew it was wrong, but we slept together. Then I got
nervous about the risk, and told Diana we had to end it. If people
found out, my career would be over."

Eric folded his arms. "That's for sure."

"Diana asked if we could pick up our
relationship after she graduated, but I was paranoid what people
would say. Think what you will of me, but she was the only student
whom I’ve ever gotten involved with romantically."

"Tell us about the painting," Kris said. "Did
you see her again?"

"A few weeks before she was murdered, I ran
into her in a coffee shop. I didn't know whether to say hello, or
get out of there as fast as I could. For the rest of her senior
year, Diana had ignored me. She had even dropped out of the History
Club."

"But she included you in her yearbook, didn't
she?" Kris asked. "Aren't you Mr. T?"

"The kids do that months in advance. I'm sure
it was too late to change what she'd written." Alex rubbed his
eyes. He seemed older than on her last visit, the weariness visible
in his slumped shoulders. "At the coffee shop, Diana came right
over. She looked terrible, even thinner than she was in high
school, but she was happy to see me. I was getting married later
that year, and she congratulated me. That was it."

"And the painting?"

"She left it on my doorstep with a note that
said to consider it an engagement present. I never had the
opportunity to thank her. When you noticed it on the wall, it
seemed simpler to say she'd given it to me earlier." Alex turned to
Eric. "Until Diana walked out of the coffee shop, I hadn't realized
how guilty I'd felt. That's why I still have her gift on my wall.
I'll always have a special place for her in my heart."

A faint nagging prickled in the back of
Kris's mind. Irene had told her that Diana's last painting was
missing. Alex received this one shortly before she died.

"What about MacDougall's Pharmacy?" Eric
asked. "Why did you harass her there?"

"I did no such thing."

"Someone matching your description was seen
giving her a hard time."

Alex shook his head. "I never went to that
pharmacy. I told you, I only saw her in the coffee shop."

"Are you sure you didn't run into her when
you were taking that education class at Fremont State?" Eric
persisted. "You didn't notice her dropping off her boyfriend at his
apartment, or driving by the school?"

"No. Where are you getting this?"

"Maybe you didn't want Diana to damage your
reputation. How do we know there weren't other girls?"

"How do you know Diana didn't have other
affairs? She told me another man had hurt her far worse than I did.
Maybe you should find out who she was talking about." Sunlight
shone through the window, catching Alex's blond hair, making him
look more like a Greek god than ever.

Greek god. Kris moved closer to the
painting.

Alex had said that the scene depicted Apollo
and Daphne, but this girl clung to a silver bow between her leafy
fingers. A bow, symbol of the Roman goddess, Diana.

It wasn't Daphne after all.

A dozen thoughts swam in Kris's mind,
skimming past each other in a dark ocean. She grasped onto the
windowsill, panic swelling through her chest.

Five minutes later, Kris strode toward the
parking lot, Eric hurrying to keep pace. He caught up and touched
her hand. She quickened her steps, forcing him to let go. They
passed a dormitory with ivy lacing the red brick and icicles
jutting from the rain gutter.

"What's wrong?" Eric asked. "Why did you rush
out?"

"You were getting hostile," she said, her
voice hollow. "We don't know if Alex killed Diana."

"Even if he didn't, he broke every code of
ethics. It makes me sick to think of him taking advantage of an
impressionable girl. Teachers are supposed to be role models. I
don't care what Thaddeus says, Diana wasn't the last. I feel like
punching him."

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind taking a swing at
you, either."

Eric didn't hold her hand for the rest of the
walk.

They drove to Kris's apartment in silence.
Eric parked outside the recessed front entrance of her building.
"You’re really upset because I was too rough on the guy?"

Kris closed her eyes. "Sorry. I'm just
frustrated. I don't know what to think."

"How about we get dinner and forget about
it?"

"I'm tired. I want to lie down."

Eric hesitated, and pecked her cheek. "Okay.
Sure you're all right?"

She unfastened her seatbelt. "I'm fine. Just
sleepy."

"I'll call you later and see how you're
doing."

As he pulled away from the curb, Kris yearned
to race after him and stop the car.

But she couldn't.

Lieutenant Frank had left a message on the
answering machine. Kris listened to his words in the kitchen. "I
went back through the old records. Mae Schaffer did call us about a
guy bothering Diana. The notes say we talked to employees, and no
one saw anything. We let it go because it was a dead end. I'm sure
it still is, but call me if you have questions."

Since leaving Alex's office, Kris had prayed
that Mae conjured up the man, a trick of her ailing mind.

This message clinched it.

Mae's stalker was real.

And Kris knew who it was.

***

Irene crouched beside a cabinet, piling photo
albums onto the living room floor. Kris waited in a wicker chair,
stroking Puzzles. She tried to ignore the odor bathing the ferret’s
wiggling body.

Irene stood and gestured toward the stack.
"This is all of them. Take the one you want. Can I ask why you need
it?"

"I just wanted to look at Diana more
carefully, and see if I noticed anything in her expression." Kris
steered the subject away from her lie. "I think Puzzles is getting
tired of me."

Her face shuttered, Irene accepted the
squirming ferret from Kris's outstretched arms. "You haven’t told
me what happened with Alex Thaddeus. Did you talk to him? Did he
... did he and Diana ..."

Discreetly, Kris wiped her hands on the shawl
covering the chair. "I’m running late, so I'll fill you in this
weekend. Could I ask you something, though?"

"Of course."

"Eric mentioned that a few days before Diana
was killed, you had an argument. Can you tell me about that?"

"You think it's important?" Irene released
Puzzles onto the floor. He scurried under the couch folds.

"I'm just curious."

"I've felt terrible about that for years, but
she'd been so snappy. Now I know she was stressed out because Jared
was stalking her. I didn't know that then. How could I know?"

"You couldn't," Kris said. "When you say she
was snappy, can you be more specific? Was it to you, or the whole
family?"

"Me, mainly, but the week before, she'd
walked out of a family dinner with Cheryl and Michael. Nobody had
said anything to upset her. She just pushed back her chair and
stormed out. Later in the week, she snapped at me when I was
talking about the new baby. Cheryl was pregnant then, but wound up
having a miscarriage."

"What about Eric? Did Diana still babysit
him?"

"That was another problem. Diana babysat on
the days that Cheryl subbed, a few times per week. Diana went over
on those mornings so Cheryl wouldn't have to rush around. Then
Diana changed her mind and wanted Eric dropped off at our
house."

"Do you know why?"

Irene drew her frayed navy cardigan tighter
around her shoulders. "She said she was tired from work, and didn't
want to run all over town. Around Christmas, she cut back how often
she babysat. She wanted to go out with her friends."

"Did you think that was strange?"

"At the time. Diana loved Eric, and would've
watched him for free if Cheryl let her. Now I realize she was upset
about Jared. She must've thought she was putting Eric in danger.
Kris? Is something wrong?"

Kris bent to pick up a blue-flowered photo
album and leafed through it. "I'm fine."

"You'll keep me posted, won't you?"

"As soon as I know anything concrete."

***

An aide escorted Kris to Mae Schaffer's dim
room. Mae and her roommate lay propped up in elevated hospital
beds, watching a television suspended from the ceiling.

"She might be tired, but she'll be thrilled
to have company," the nurse told Kris.

Pink roses and Valentine's Day cards
decorated the roommate's side of the suite, but Mae had nothing in
the shadows except her wheelchair and ratty Tweety Bird slippers.
Mae lifted a spoonful of chocolate pudding to her lips, her eyes
not leaving Kris's face. The roommate goggled at Kris, then turned
back to the
All in the Family
rerun.

Kris sat on the edge of the hospital bed.
"Remember me, Mae? You told me about Diana, the girl from
MacDougall's Pharmacy?"

Mae grinned. "MacDougall's. They have the
best chocolate shakes. Are you taking me there?"

"No, but I can bring you a chocolate shake
next time. Would you like that?"

Mae bobbed her head.

"Do you remember me, Mae? Remember telling me
about the girl who helped you buy shampoo?"

"She's a nice girl. She has pretty brown
hair."

"You told me you saw a man bothering her in
the parking lot."

Blank look. "You smell like animal pee."

"I just visited a ferret," Kris said.

"A what?"

She opened the photo album. "Nothing. Do you
recognize anybody on this page, Mae? Besides Diana?"

Mae dropped her pudding, dark chocolate
oozing onto the clean white sheets. A dab trickled down her hooked
nose.

"What is it?" Kris asked.

"That looks like Clyde!"

"Clyde?"

"He lives next door." Mae pointed to a
picture of Michael in his wedding tuxedo. "I know he robs banks,
even though no one believes me. I call him Clyde, after Bonnie and
Clyde."

"But it's not Clyde, is it, even though it
resembles him? Have you seen this man anywhere?"

Mae smeared chocolate off her chin and licked
her finger. "I told you. I saw him bothering that poor girl who
they found dead in the woods."

Chapter 23

25 Years Ago Today

A $750,000 grant is allotted to provide 91
jobs in the 10-member town Greater Fremont Consortium.

K
ris huddled in her
dim bedroom. 8 p.m. So early, but she couldn't drag herself to her
feet.

Using the bow, the ancient symbol of her
namesake, Diana had put herself into her final painting. She'd fled
a handsome blond man who wanted her for a lover. Apollo, the god of
music. Apollo, the brother of Diana the goddess.

Michael, her golden-haired, musician
brother-in-law.

Michael Soares had held two jobs, including
Reynold's Appliance Store. Diana worked at the pharmacy. Both
stores were in Westwood Plaza. Maybe the proximity made Diana
uncomfortable. She could have quit so he'd leave her alone. The
same rationale could explain her change in babysitting routine.

But why wouldn't she tell Irene and Cheryl?
If Michael had harassed her at the bar, why did she blame
Jared?

There was a piece missing.

Kris curled sideways, hugging her knees.
Michael couldn't have murdered Diana. He had worked and gone home
to his wife. Unless he'd left the store early. Vince Rossi's alibi
had crumbled. Maybe the police made another mistake.

She sat up and met her haggard reflection in
the dark mirror. If she told Eric, he might never forgive her. It
could ruin his family. If her father had killed in cold blood,
would she want the truth?

No. It would hurt too much. He was her rock,
her role model, her confidante. Her dad. But if Eric told her,
changed her feelings, could she forgive him? Would she resent her
lover for shattering her illusion? Her life?