Abram brought in a bag of ice for Jake and water for both of them.
“These maps are territorial alignments during World War II. I research them in my free time.”
“I see. Sorry.”
“Put the ice on your face.”
It felt like he was being kicked again. Then it started to turn numb. But Abram didn’t waste time on sympathy.
“Jake, do you know why I was shocked? Why I was shocked when you suggested that I knew what happened to Charlotte?”
“No, I don’t know why you were shocked.” When he moved his mouth it hurt. But he had to say something.
“I was shocked because, when she died, Charlotte Ward and I were in love.”
Jake dropped the ice on the table and flecks of water splattered onto the map. He brushed them off and looked up. Abram’s expression didn’t change. He finally took off the red-brimmed hat and set it down on a green patch of Europe.
“Do you understand why I was upset? I was so upset that you could accuse me of hurting her. Of trying to harm her. This woman…”
He stopped and stared down at the covered table, tracing an attack route with the tip of his finger.
“Abram, I had no idea you loved her. Did she know?”
He laughed and then snorted.
“Of course she knew. We were having an affair.”
Jake picked the ice back up and pressed it against his cheek. It was better to be numb for news like this. The bag sweat down his arm and on the wooden table’s edge.
“You were having an affair?”
“For a year. We kept it secret, or at least tried to. But Sheryl knew. All the other ladies at bridge knew.”
“I just can’t believe that Charlotte…”
“She was a very delicate lover,” Abram started. Jake pressed the ice compact against his face. Hard. “Always very unselfish.”
“OK. I get the idea.”
“Sometimes, we even took photographs. Nothing in flagrante delicto, of course. Merely tasteful nudes. Black and white.”
“I see.” He saw it all too clearly.
“She had one outfit. A combination of fur and nylon that-”
“Abram, it’s OK.”
“If you like, I can even show you some shots-”
“Good lord-that’s fine. I believe you.”
They both looked back at the maps. The colors had faded out. Jake slowly recovered the ability to speak.
“If you were having a…relationship, then why didn’t you notice her when you were walking on the beach?”
“After dinner that night…” He paused to sigh. “After dinner that night, I went back to my room, and then I took my walk. By the time I returned, it had already happened.”
“But why didn’t you see her when you were on the beach?”
“Don’t you understand?”
“What?”
“I never walked on the beach before. I don’t like the sand in my shoes, or stepping on seashells.”
“Then why did I find you there the other night?”
“Because.” He sighed again. “I was going to see where she had died.”
They looked at the maps again, but all the countries in Europe weren’t enough of a distraction. Jake looked up first.
“I’m sorry I accused you of doing anything to harm Charlotte. It’s just that once I knew something suspicious had happened, I listened to Sheryl. And I saw you leaving Charlotte’s room.”
“Yes. Your photographer disturbed us during a particularly frisky-”
“Enough. I really don’t want to hear it.”
Abram changed direction.
“Why do you think there’s anything suspicious about Charlotte’s death?”
“The walker. She never could have gone anywhere without it, but they didn’t find it on the beach.”
“Of course. I thought of that too. But I kept my mouth shut.”
“Why?”
“Why? Do you want to go to the bathroom?”
“What? What do you mean?”
“Go ahead. You’ll find a mirror in the bathroom. Look at the bruises on your face, and you can see why I didn’t tell anyone.”
“Were you really that afraid?”
“They kept Charlotte off her medication. They killed her. If they were willing to do that, they could do worse. I know that we’re dealing with something bigger than us…”
“But Abram, who is behind this?”
“I don’t know. I think two people do know.”
“Who?”
“Charlotte is one of them.”
Or was.
“Who is the other one?”
“I have to think that Sheryl knows why this is happening.”
“Her?”
“She banned Charlotte from bridge. Bridge grudges run deep.”
Jake pressed the ice a little harder. After all this, he was back where he’d started. Murder over a bridge game. And Abram believed it too.
“Do you feel safe now?”
“I keep a low profile. I’m used to it.”
“I see.”
Abram took Jake’s water glass and refilled it. He didn’t realize he’d finished it. It tasted clean, since he still had the trace of saltwater on his lips.
“Your bruises don’t look that bad.”
“Good.”
“I understand, you know.”
“Understand what?”
“If you quit looking into this. I know that I should move on. I lost a wife before this. I’ve lost a lot of friends. Charlotte and I weren’t young adults.”
Abram flicked his hand in the air, like he was shooing away a fly. Jake took the ice pack off. Numb. He dropped his free fist on the table.
“How can you say that? How can you say that you loved her, and then say that?”
Abram nodded and whispered back.
“I’m sorry you got hurt over this.”
“I don’t care. We’ll get this figured out.”
“Good. We have to.”
“Then what do we do now?”
He kept his notebook open and listened. Abram had a way of waiting before he spoke.
“The way I see it, there are two things we can do. We can find out what happened from two people. Sheryl and Charlotte.”
“Well, let’s start with Sheryl.”
“I believe Sheryl knows something. She knows everything that happens here. Even if she wasn’t directly involved, she’s connected. And she had a grudge against Charlotte.”
“Why does she have a grudge? Charlotte said it was because she’d gotten too good at bridge. Is that it?”
“Are you a fool?” Abram shook his head. “Obviously it was about me.”
“You?”
“Sheryl wanted me for herself. When she finally found out about Charlotte, she punished her.”
“Then why didn’t Charlotte realize that was the reason?”
Abram closed his eyes and sighed.
“She was so naïve. She never knew Sheryl wanted me. And I couldn’t tell her.”
Jake wrote it all down.
“So Sheryl punished Charlotte. And to retaliate, Charlotte started investigating her and the Saving Tomorrow Initiative?”
“Exactly. And that made things worse. Regardless, Sheryl knows everything that happens in this community.”
He could tell Abram was holding back. As Jake closed his eyes to think, he saw the bearded man with the red hands. The man from the commercial. He opened his eyes quickly and Abram continued.
“The only problem is that Sheryl is a wall. No one can get through to her, not even me anymore. She won’t tell you what’s for dinner, let alone what she knew about Charlotte. Or what she did.”
Unless she was talking to Gary Novak. Jake would have to confiscate Gary’s wedding ring the next time he saw him. It sent the wrong message. Jake reached out to Abram and, even though it hurt to stretch, patted him on the shoulder.
“I may have a way around that problem. Sheryl will talk for us.”
“Why?”
“I have absolutely no idea why. But she will.”
Abram rose and got Jake another glass of water. When he came back, he was yawning. Jake started to get up.
“It’s late. After nine.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m a night owl. I stay up until nine often.”
“I see.”
“Occasionally 9:15.”
He yawned again.
“I should go home.”