The Sleeping Beauty Killer

48

Laurie nearly tripped over a soccer ball when she opened her front door. She started to pick it up but then saw all the other signs of Timmy’s presence scattered along the hallway floor: his trumpet case, video game cartridges, and enough sports equipment to teach a PE Class. Until Manhattan high-rises came with attached garages, this was the necessary decor, and it suited her just fine.

“How are my guys?”

Leo and Timmy were next to each other on the sofa watching the family’s favorite detective show, Bosch. An empty pizza box was sandwiched between two crumb-filled plates on the coffee table. This was Timmy’s version of paradise.

“You started without me?” The three of them were supposed to be binge-watching together.

Timmy hit the pause button. “We tried waiting, but the pizza smelled so good.”

“We just started,” Leo said. “Go change clothes. I’ll reheat some pizza while Timmy rewinds.”

She was on her second slice, engrossed in the show, when her cell phone buzzed on the end table. She stole a glance at the screen, hoping it was Alex. It was Casey. She decided to let it go to voice mail. She could return the call tomorrow from the Raleigh country house, where they’d be interviewing James and Andrew Raleigh. Casey and her family would be filmed last.

Instead of a new message alert on the screen, her phone buzzed again, and then a third time. Casey was hitting redial.

“Turn that off,” her father said. “It’s way past office hours.”

“I remember Mom trying to tell you the same thing for years,” Laurie said as she carried her phone to the kitchen.

Casey sounded excited on the other end of the line, skipping any kind of greeting. “I was just talking to Angela and my mom about the show. We think it would be wise not to mention the picture frame that was missing from the house.”

Laurie quietly sighed. The last thing she needed was editorial notes from the show’s participants. “I’m a little confused, Casey. I thought you believed the missing picture of Hunter with the President was the most compelling proof that someone else was in the house that night.”

“It is, and that’s why you shouldn’t describe the picture in any kind of detail. We were thinking you could say that something was missing-or maybe even that a picture was missing-without saying it was a photograph of Hunter and the President.”

“Okay, and why would we do that?” She immediately regretted asking, but curiosity had gotten the best of her.

“It’s like the way the police hold back one fact so they can test people who come forward with information. I assume your show will bring in potential tipsters. To separate the real ones from the crackpots, we could find out if they know anything about the picture. See what I mean?”

What Laurie could see was that Casey and her family had been watching too many cop shows. “Let me think it over. We’ll probably ask you about it when we film, but just so you know, we always edit the interviews later. Hey, while I’ve got you on the phone, tell me more about Mark Templeton. How long had he known Hunter?”

“Since freshman year at Yale. They were in the same residential college. Hunter was sort of a big deal on campus because of his family name. Mark was a financial-aid student, a bit out of his element at an Ivy. Hunter took Mark under his wing. That’s how he was.”

“And was that always the dynamic of their friendship?”

“That’s a fair statement. Hunter was a big personality. Mark was in his shadow to some extent. That’s what made me think it was even remotely possible that Mark might have been stealing from the foundation. Maybe over the years, he became resentful and felt like he was deserving in some sense.”

Laurie had been wondering the same thing. “When the President decided to honor the Raleigh Foundation, did Mark also get invited to the White House?”

“No. Hunter was only allowed to bring one other person.”

Laurie asked who he had chosen as his guest, even though she was certain she already knew the answer.

“He took me.” Casey paused as she realized the reason for Laurie’s question. “Oh my gosh, is Mark the one? Did you find more proof?”

Laurie wasn’t sure what to think at this point, but she was certain of one thing: she already missed talking about these issues with Alex.