Bram spoke to Michaeclass="underline" “Go make the message, Mike, then call Dad’s service and let them know the plan.”
“I should get this cleared with Pastor Collins,” Michael said.
“Fine. Call him up. I’m sure you won’t have any problems.”
Without protest, Michael left the room.
Bram looked at Decker. “My father was a very prominent man. I’m sure he’ll get a big crowd. Any way the police can help us direct traffic so we can make this thing as orderly as possible?”
“I’ll take care of it,” Decker said.
“Thank you,” Bram said. “Who wants to pick up Uncle Caleb from the airport?”
“I’ll do it,” Paul said. “Just get me the information.”
Again, nobody spoke.
“How’d the news get out so fast?” Paul demanded of Decker.
“Newspeople have lots of contacts.” Decker took out a notebook. “Somebody had a big mouth and leaked it. I’m sorry.”
Maggie came back in with the tea, handed it to the priest. He said, “You should lie down. You’re pale.”
“I’m fine,” she said weakly.
Bram said, “Then come sit with me.”
Maggie nestled deep into her brother’s arms.
Paul sat down, blinking hard. “Can someone tell me what’s going on?”
Decker took out a pad. “Your father’s car was discovered by a busboy in the alley behind Tracadero’s, around…eight-thirty tonight.” Decker said, “The Buick was parked at an off angle. He peeked inside and saw a homicide victim-”
“How…” Paul asked. “How did it-”
“I don’t know about the rest of you,” Maggie interrupted, “but I don’t want to hear details.”
“I don’t, either.” Luke turned to his twin. “It was bad?”
Bram just shook his head. Decker’s eyes moved between the twins. They not only looked alike, but sounded exactly alike. Soft, deep voices, similar inflections.
To Paul, Decker said, “If you’d like, Mr. Sparks, I can tell you more privately. But first, let me say this. We haven’t got a suspect or a motive right now. I’ve got men at the scene-”
“Does anyone know what Dad was doing at Tracadero’s?” Luke asked.
Bram said, “Lieutenant Decker and I were talking about that. I don’t have the faintest idea.”
“Me, either,” Michael said, reentering the room.
Paul stood, stared at the ceiling. It seemed to calm his tic. “Maybe it was somebody’s birthday. Somebody at the hospital.”
“Your brother Bram mentioned that as a possibility,” Decker said. “But I just found out that Dr. Sparks had dinner at the hospital.”
“That sounds like Dad.” Michael turned to Decker. “You should be questioning people at the hospital.”
Decker said, “I’ve got detectives at New Chris right now. We will be questioning hospital personnel extensively. Tonight, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow…as long as it takes until we’re satisfied.
“After I leave here, I’m going back to the crime scene. Right now, I have men canvassing the area, going door to door, questioning everyone around the area. All the necessary forensic professionals have been called in. I’m investigating every angle of this case. Which means…” Decker tapped a pencil on his notebook. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask all of you some questions.”
“Now?” Paul said. “It’s after eleven.”
“I know it’s late, Mr. Sparks. But these things tend to get solved quickly once we get leads. Best time to get leads is within twenty-four hours of the onset of the case. Information that you may think is trivial could turn out to be vital to us. I hope I won’t take up too much of your time. But we’re pushing hard on this. Help us out.”
“No objections,” Luke said.
Paul batted his eyes. “Me, either.”
“Eva, are you with us?” Bram asked.
She turned her head, eyes red and angry. Bram said, “Sit next to me.”
She did, sitting on his left side, her spine ramrod straight. Bram put his arm around her. She collapsed under his touch and leaned against her brother. It relaxed her coiled features.
Decker said, “My questions might upset you. I’m sorry if they do, but I have to ask them.” He turned to Paul. “Can I start with you?”
“Me?” Paul blinked furiously. “Why?”
“Because I also found out from my people that you called your father around seven-thirty. Can I ask you what it was about?”
Paul became crimson, his eyes a series of spasms. “It was private. Why is this important?”
Decker didn’t answer.
Paul said, “It has nothing to do with my father’s death. I don’t have to answer it.”
The room was quiet. Luke said, “Must be money.”
Paul shot his brother a deadly glance.
Luke said, “It’s no big deal, Paul. So you borrowed money from Dad. We all did from time to time.”
Nobody spoke.
Decker looked at Paul.
Paul’s eyes worked like strobe lights. “I called to ask him for a small loan-”
Michael let out a small laugh. Bram threw him a razor-sharp glance that shut him up.
Paul said, “Anything else?”
Decker said, “You asked him for money. What did he say?”
“He said, yes, of course. My father was a generous man.”
“Did you make the call from home?” Decker asked.
“From work. I work at Levy, Critchen, and Goldberg. I’m a stockbroker.”
“You were at work the entire evening, then?”
Paul’s eyes worked furiously. “No.” A meaningful pause. “After I made the call, I took a ride…by myself.”
“Must have been a long ride,” Decker said. “You made the call at seven-thirty. Your brother-in-law didn’t get hold of you until around ten-thirty.”
Silence.
Paul looked upward again. “Well, there goes any semblance of my privacy.”
“If you’d like, Mr. Sparks, I can ask you these questions one on one.”
Paul was quiet, his hand mowing through his pile of black curls. “Oh what the hell!” His smile was bitter. “I had words with my wife over asking my father for money. I was angry and didn’t feel like going home.”
More silence.
Paul said, “I had just asked my father for money about four months before. I didn’t feel like hitting on him again. My wife didn’t understand that.”
“What was the last loan about?” Decker asked.
Paul glared at Bram. “Why don’t you tell him. I know Dad tells you everything.”
Bram’s face was flat.
Paul blinked hard. “I had a margin call and didn’t have enough cash to cover it. Dad footed me a loan, one that I’m currently in the process of paying back rapidly because my stocks have since shot up. Tonight’s phone call had to do with the kids’ tuitions. You have no idea how expensive private schools can be. I didn’t want to do it, but my wife practically accused me of being a negligent and rotten father if I didn’t.”
Paul fell into the empty overstuffed chair.
“So those were my last words to my father. Asking him for money.” He dammed back tears. “Wonderful.”
Again, the house turned quiet.
Eva said, “Well, while we’re on the subject of loans, I guess you’re going to find out anyway. We borrowed…my husband and I…borrowed money about a year ago. My dad co-signed the loan. We’re also in the process of paying it back.”
Paul threw his sister a grateful look.
“Can I ask what the loan was for?” Decker said.
“My husband owns a chain of discount clothing stores.” Eva pronounced the word discount with disdain. “He took over the family business, thank you very much. Retail apparel took a dip. He had to close up some of the smaller boutiques and with the leases and mismanagement, he accrued some debt.” Her face grew tense as she talked. “I didn’t want to ask him. But my husband put me in a bind. Because he got caught in an interest crunch and had already taken out a second loan on the house to expand two years before. Rather than get stuck with exorbitant rates, David asked Dad to co-sign a secured loan based on his assets.”