Page 30 of Dirty Looks

Martinez opened his mouth to tell her that we couldn’t accept it, but she launched into a tribute.

“To my darling Evie,” she said, sniffling and wiping her eyes on her apron again. “Poor, sweet girl.” She raised her glass and her voice rang like bells throughout the kitchen as she gave an Irish toast. “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal. Love leaves a memory no one can steal. Sláinte.” She drained theglass, and I watched in fascination as she picked up Martinez’s glass and drained it too.

“Uhh,” Martinez said, and I could almost hear the wheels turning in his head, wondering if it was worth asking any more questions. I guessed he figured it was since she was still standing on two feet.

“What did Mr. Lidle say when you called to tell him his dinner party was off?”

She snorted indelicately. “I left a message with Geoffrey.” She pursed her lips tightly. “Apparently Mr. Lidle was in averyimportant meeting and wasn’t to be disturbed.” She picked up my glass and drank. “The things me poor Katherine has put up with through the years would turn yer hair blue.”

“Mrs. Ryan. Molly,” I said. “Can you tell me what Evie was wearing when you last saw her?”

She sat her glass down with a thunk and stared at me with watery green eyes that had probably been bright and vibrant when she was young.

“Her clothes?” she asked. And I knew she knew why I was asking. “She was wearing her pajamas. I’d set them out for her meself after she’d had her shower. They were pink pants with white flowers on them and a white shirt with pink trim on the collar and sleeves. There was a pink kitten on the front of the shirt with soft fur. They were her favorite pajamas.”

“What about a locket?” I asked.

The air seemed to go out of Molly Ryan. She looked old and tired, and her hands shook slightly as she toyed with her glass.

“Aye,” she said. “A gift from her father a couple of years ago. I believe he gave all his girls one. Evie always wore it. She never took it off. Never.”

“Detective Martinez,” Plank said, sticking his head in the kitchen door. “Can I see you for a minute?”

“Officer Walters,” Martinez said. “Why don’t you drive Molly back to her cottage so she can get some rest.”

“No time for rest,” she said, her voice regaining its strength. She waved Walters away like she was afraid he was going to toss her over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. “I’ve got meals to prep for the week. The house will be teeming with people once the news about Evie reaches everyone. Bless her soul. Sit over there, young Walters, and you can chop carrots for the chicken potpie. Make sure you wash up first.”

Walters looked like a deer caught in headlights, but he went to the sink to wash up.

“If you remember anything that might help us find out what happened to Evie,” Martinez said, “I’d like for you to give me a call. This is my cell number.” He handed her a card, and when she went to take it from him he didn’t let go. “Even if you remember secrets, Molly. Someone took Evie from this house and murdered her. Who could have done something like that?”

Molly’s hand trembled and Martinez let go of the card. “I don’t know who would do such a thing,” she said softly. “She’s resting with the angels now.” She put the card in her apron pocket and turned away.

Martinez and I left Walters to babysitting duty, and we followed Plank out of the kitchen and into a side room I hadn’t noticed on the way through the house the first time. A grand piano sat in the middle of the room on top of a rug in muted shades of red. There was a harp in the corner and a small dais I could only assume was used for musical performances.

“This place is weird,” I said, looking around. “It’s like it’s not even lived in.”

“You have no idea how weird,” Plank said. “Did you know there are hidden hallways throughout the entire house? Chen found one by accident.”

“Let me guess,” Martinez said. “There’s an entrance right into the room where Evie Lidle was staying.”

“Bingo,” Plank said. “Chen noticed one of the built-in bookcases had hinges and when she pulled it opened right up.”

“Molly told us about the staff passageways,” Martinez said.

“It’s funny Astrid didn’t bring it up though,” I said. “Seems like something the house manager would volunteer.”

“What did you find on the security footage?”

Plank’s cheeks flushed with irritation. “There is no security footage. At least not that I can access. The security cameras are all digital. Everything goes into a cloud, and you can access up to twelve months of video through a monitoring service. But everything for the last three days has been wiped clean.”

“Ever since Evie arrived,” I said.

“Call in Derby from IT,” Martinez said. “Maybe he can work his magic. And let’s get a warrant for the monitoring company. Maybe they keep storage in a hard drive that we can access.”

“Yes, sir,” Plank said. “Lieutenant Daniels and her team are upstairs.”

“Good,” Martinez said and then handed Plank the list of staff members. “Let’s start hunting down the staff. Especially Alan Goble. He’s head of security. Set up a meeting with him ASAP. I want to know if anyone didn’t show up for work who was supposed to. And get alibis for everyone yesterday between four and midnight. Doc and I are going down to the stables.”

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