Drawn in Blood (36 page)

As soon as Wal ace saw the drunken state Ben was in, he rushed forward, trying to head his friend off before he caused a scene.

“Ben, wait.” He grabbed his arm. “You can’t go in there in this condition…”

“I’ve got to see Phil,” Ben slurred, shaking off Wal ace’s grasp, “before it’s too late.” He was up the stairs and inside the funeral home before Wal ace could stop him.

“Phil!”
he bel owed, shoving his way into the room. “I need to talk to you. I need to explain. You’re my friend. I have to make you understand.”

“Ben, for the love of God.” Matthew clenched the sleeve of Ben’s rumpled jacket, blocking his path as Ben struggled to get past. “This is a wake. Phil’s wake. It’s not the time for you to bare your soul at the top of your lungs.”

Ben gazed at Matthew as if he were some nebulous object. “I can’t talk to you now,” he announced. “I have to find Phil.”

“Phil!”
he shouted again, oblivious to the sea of shocked faces staring in his direction. “Remember the cockroach races in col ege? The al -night cram sessions that got me a C

in accounting? I was flunking the course. I would’ve failed. You made sure I passed. I won’t fail you either. I’m here. I’l fix things. You have to let me fix things…” By this time, Leo had crossed over and reached them. He met Matthew’s frazzled stare and grabbed Ben’s other arm. “Come on, Ben,” Leo said in a soothing tone. “There are a lot of people visiting Phil right now. Let’s sit down somewhere and wait.”

“But I have to…”

“You wil —soon,” Matthew assured him, fol owing Leo’s lead by speaking in a low, calming voice, while helping Leo guide Ben into the director’s office. “You’l talk to him in just a few minutes.” He glanced back over his shoulder at Sloane, as if asking for her assistance in righting the situation.

Sloane stepped forward immediately. “Please forgive Ben’s unfortunate outburst,” she said respectful y, addressing Phil’s family, but making certain the rest of the guests heard her as wel . “You know how close he and Phil were, ever since col ege. He’s taking Phil’s death very hard. I know he meant no disrespect. I apologize on his behalf.” As Sloane was speaking, Wal ace hurried into the room, accompanied by a young Asian woman. His gaze darted around, trying to see where Ben had gone. He visibly relaxed when he saw Matthew and Leo leading him into the office.

“Thank you, Sloane.” He quietly addressed her as soon as she’d finished issuing her apology, and the activity in the room had started to normalize. “I tried to stop Ben in the parking lot. He shoved right past me. He’s even worse off than I realized.”

Sloane was only half-listening to Wal ace’s words. She was staring at the young woman Wal ace was escorting—a woman who’d now come over to stand by his side.

She was the spitting image of the woman in the photo Lucy had given her—older, but a dead-ringer for Meili.

At first Sloane thought it actual y
was
Meili. Then she recognized the subtle differences in features and face shape. But, dear Lord, they could be sisters.

Wal ace noted the expression on Sloane’s face, and took it to be curiosity.

“Forgive me. You two haven’t met,” he said. “Sloane Burbank, this is Cindy Liu. Cindy, this is Matthew’s daughter, Sloane. We’ve al known her since she was born.”

“It’s a pleasure.” Cindy shook Sloane’s hand. “And please accept my sympathies over Phil Leary’s death. Wal ace has told me how close he and his friends are—your father included. This is a tragic loss.”

“Thank you so much.” Sloane had recovered herself by now. She was dying to ask Cindy if she had a relative named Meili. But now was not the time. Clearly, she and Wal ace were an item. Sloane would find another opportunity—soon—to find out what she wanted to know.

For now, she placed a comforting hand on Wal ace’s arm, offering her compassion and support. “I’m so sorry. You know that Phil wil always be remembered, honored, and loved.” She stepped aside as her mother walked over, giving Wal ace a warm hug and some kind words.

The timing couldn’t be better.

“Would you excuse me?” Sloane asked, glancing from Wal ace to Cindy. “I want to go inside and see if my father and Leo need some help.”

“Of course.” Wal ace nodded his understanding, then turned to introduce Rosalyn to Cindy.

Sloane slipped away and headed back over to Derek.

“Everything okay?” he asked as she reached his side.

“I’m not sure,” Sloane murmured. “Would you mind staying out here and keeping an eye on Wal ace and his lady friend? I’m going to see if my dad and Leo need help with Ben.

Afterward, you and I have to talk.”

Derek shot her a quizzical look, but held off asking questions. “Not a problem. I’l be here if you need me.”

“Thanks.” Sloane crossed the room and went into the office.

Both her father and Leo glanced up when she entered. Ben was slumped in a chair, looking total y out of it.

“We can’t get through to him,” her father told Sloane in a low tone. “It’s like he doesn’t even hear our voices. He just keeps saying that Phil is outside, waiting to talk to him. I’m afraid that if we shove his nose in the truth, he’l start ranting and raving again. The last thing Phil’s family needs is another scene.” Sloane nodded. Stepping forward, she squatted down in front of Ben and took his hands in hers. “Hi, Ben.” He blinked. “Sloane,” he slurred her name in surprise. “Is it poker night? Are you here to join the game?”

“No, Ben. It’s not poker night. And we’re not at your apartment, or at Leo’s, Wal ace’s, or my dad’s.” She squeezed Ben’s fingers. “We’re in a funeral home. Underneath al that pain you’re feeling, you do know that, right?”

He looked around, as if noticing his surroundings for the first time. “A funeral home,” he repeated. “Yes, I know that. I drove here. I had to…for Phil.”

“That’s right—for Phil,” Sloane agreed, keeping her tone even and quiet. “His passing is a terrible loss. We al feel it. I know how much you loved him. And I know that you’re grieving. But please don’t tarnish his memory by expressing your grief through shouting. It won’t bring him back. And no amount of liquor wil make the pain go away. That’s why you’re with friends. We’re al here to help one another—to help you. We’re honoring Phil together.”

“Phil’s dead.” It was as if Sloane’s words of comfort had penetrated Ben’s alcohol-induced stupor. Tears fil ed his eyes. “Phil’s dead.”

“I know.” Sloane stood up, kissed Ben’s cheek. “I know he is.”

“Then you also know why.”

Dangerous territory. Sloane pondered her answer careful y.

Ben answered his own question before Sloane could speak. “Because I kil ed them. They’re dead. And they’re dead because of me. Everything…al of it…it’s my fault.”
Them?
Sloane turned to shoot her father a questioning look.

He seemed as bewildered as she was. So did Leo, who shrugged at Sloane in noncomprehension.

“I doubt he knows what he’s saying,” Leo muttered. “I’l take him home. It’l be fine now. Thanks for calming him down.”

“Leo—wait.” Sloane delayed him for a minute as her father went to help Ben to his feet. She kept her voice down so that only Leo could hear. But if there was anyone who’d know the lowdown on Meili’s look-alike, that someone would be Leo. “Are you acquainted with the woman who Wal ace brought with him? I think her name is Cindy Liu.”

“Sure,” Leo acknowledged. “That’s Wal ace’s architectural protégé, the one I’ve been col aborating with on design projects. She’s a natural.” Leo’s expression softened. “She’s also become more than a protégé to Wal ace. I think he’s fal en for her—hard. Not a surprise. He’s always had a thing for Asian women. And this one’s beautiful, smart, and talented. It’s good to see him alive again. I was real y afraid his soul had died with Sophie.”

Sloane’s investigative mind had already kicked into high gear. “You said she’s his protégé. How did that happen—did they meet at one of his gal eries?”

“No, actual y her uncle’s a longtime business associate of Wal ace’s. He’s a big wheel in Hong Kong—rich and influential. His name’s Johnny Liu. He and Wal ace worked on deals together back in Wal ace’s investment-banking days, when he did a fair amount of traveling to the Far East. I also think that Liu is an art connoisseur and that he buys paintings from Wal ace’s gal eries. Anyway, Liu asked Wal ace to help Cindy kick-start her own architectural firm here in New York. And the rest, as they say, is history.” Leo’s lips curved slightly.

“Or, in this case, history in the making.”

Sloane smiled back. “Thanks. I’m glad Wal ace is finding some happiness, too.” She moved aside as her father guided Ben over and transferred him to Leo, who took Ben’s arm and looped it around his neck in order to haul him out of the office.

“You sure you don’t need help?” Matthew asked.

“No. You stay here with your family. I’l drive Ben home and stay with him until I’m sure he’s okay on his own.” He half led, half carried Ben to the door.

“Tel Phil I’m sorry,” Ben begged Sloane and Matthew in a tear-clogged voice. “I’m so sorry.”

“He knows, Ben,” Sloane assured him. “And he’d want you to go home and get some rest.”

Ben was placid when he and Leo left. But he was also total y broken.

“I can’t help hurting for him,” Sloane admitted to her father.

“You’d have to be made of stone not to.” Switching gears, Matthew turned to his daughter. “You handled that real y wel . Talk about crisis negotiation. You’re every bit as good as the FBI claimed. I’m proud of you.”

“But?”

A heavy sigh. “But I’m not only hurting for Ben. I’m real y worried about him. He’s drinking himself to death. And now ICE is coming after him for hiring il egals. I don’t know how much more he can take.”

Sloane absorbed that and gave her father a questioning look. “Why do you think Ben used the plural when he talked about everything being his fault? He kept saying
they’re
dead because of him. You don’t think he did something for Xiao Long we don’t know about, do you?”

Matthew shook his head emphatical y. “I know the world is upside down these days. But Ben is
not
a kil er. He’s many other things, clearly more than I knew about, but he wouldn’t hurt a fly. He’s just so loaded that he doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

“You’re probably right.” Sloane dropped the subject at that point. She could always pick it up again later, but right now she was nagged enough by her reaction to seeing Cindy Liu and absorbing Leo’s comments about Wal ace’s propensity for Asian women to pursue something entirely different with her father.

“Dad, have you met Cindy Liu?” she asked.

“Wal ace’s Cindy? Not in person, no. Why?”

“Do you know anything about her background?”

Matthew shrugged. “Only that she has some great educational and professional credentials, which I’m sure is why Wal ace agreed to sponsor her. I don’t know much about her personal life, except that she’s brought a little of the old Wal ace back, for which I’m grateful. Any reason why you’re interested in Cindy?”

“I just met her a few minutes ago. She so closely resembles another woman I’ve seen, it caught me off guard.” Sloane paused, then went ahead and tested her theory. “Dad, does the name Meili mean anything to you?”

Matthew looked startled. “Meili? That’s a name I didn’t expect to hear again.”

“Then you know her?” Now it was Sloane who was surprised.

“We met once. As for knowing her, for several years, she’s al Wal ace talked about.”

Wal ace.

Sloane’s theory was beginning to seem a lot less far-fetched.

“Were they romantical y involved?” she asked.

Matthew glanced uneasily at the door. “Can we have this conversation later? I feel uncomfortable isolating ourselves in the office when Phil’s wake is taking place right outside.

Actual y, I feel uncomfortable having this conversation at al —especial y with my daughter.”

“I’m sorry, Dad. We can’t delay this talk,” Sloane surprised her father by saying. “As for feeling uncomfortable, pretend I’m an agent, not your daughter. The information you give me might be crucial. So I need to know. Tel me everything you recal about Meili. After that, I promise we’l go right back in and rejoin the others.” Puzzled, Matthew drew a deep breath, mental y backtracking six years. “Yes, Wal ace and she were romantical y involved. After Sophie was born, Wal ace’s marriage went rapidly down the drain. His and Beatrice’s fidelity to each other went with it. Wal ace had a slew of affairs. Then when Sophie was almost two years old, Wal ace met Meili. He cal ed her his free-spirited angel—beautiful, lighthearted, fil ed with laughter, and refreshingly impulsive.”

“And was she?”

“I suppose. She was also half Wal ace’s age, so she saw life through very different eyes. But she was just what Wal ace needed at the time. So, if anything, her youth was part of her charm.”

“And how did you happen to meet her?”

“The same way Wal ace did. She tried to sel the group of us a painting. An early Rothberg, actual y. Not one of his more valuable ones, but stil , a Rothberg.”

“When did this happen?”

“July 2002. I remember because it was the first time since Cai Wen’s murder that Leo, Phil, and I took the risk of setting foot in Hong Kong. And we only went because we were negotiating a major deal with a Hong Kong gal ery owner who insisted on meeting al five of us in person. This young woman—Meili—spotted Wal ace during one of his solo visits to the gal ery and fol owed him back to our hotel. She brought the Rothberg with her. She was clearly desperate for money.”

“And?”

“And she ended up sel ing it elsewhere.”

Sloane’s eyes narrowed. “You lowbal ed her.”

“We tried to make a healthy profit. That’s what the art-dealing business is about.”

“I’m not naive, Dad. And it doesn’t matter whether or not I approve. I’m just trying to establish the facts.”

“The facts are, yes, we lowbal ed her. Wal ace was against the decision. After the deal fel through, he got in touch with her and took her to dinner. By the time we left Hong Kong, he was already head over heels in love. His feelings only got stronger each time he visited. Which was often. Wal ace did a lot of traveling in his previous life. Especial y to the Far East. So there was lots of opportunity for him to be with Meili. The rest of us ribbed the hel out of him. We were already cal ing him Casanova Johnson. This just gave us more ammunition. One night in August…” Matthew broke off, his neck turning red. He was visibly embarrassed by getting into this story with his daughter.