Gun Games - Faye Kellerman [78]
“Heddy!”
“It’s what she is, Mom.” A pause. “Personally, I’ve never had any problems with her.” Heddy shrugged. “But then again, I’ve never had anything that she’s wanted.”
Chapter Twenty-four
After Heddy and Georgette Kramer left the station house, Marge recapped the interview for Oliver. She said, “It’s possible that Gregory and Myra knew each other, but we haven’t found any real connection between them.”
Oliver said, “But you told me that Myra was depressed after Gregory died.”
“Yes, that’s true, but who wouldn’t be sad.”
“I’m just thinking it may be a case of overidentification.”
“A copycat suicide?” Marge paused. “Sure, it could be.”
Oliver said, “Where’d Myra get hold of a stolen gun?”
“Maybe the same place that Gregory did.” Neither detective spoke. Then Marge said, “We need to talk to Saul Hinton again. Heddy told him about Myra’s depression. He didn’t say a word to us about that when we talked to him.”
“Yeah, he didn’t say much to us, period. I don’t think he likes the police.”
“For sure, but I wonder if he acted on Heddy’s tip. And if he didn’t, maybe he’s feeling guilty. And if he feels guilty enough, that might make him more loquacious. I want to ask him about where kids in the school might get stolen guns. Do you mind going down to B and W with me again?”
“You want to just pop in?”
“No,” Marge said, “we won’t get anywhere with that. I’ll call up Hinton and try to arrange it for sometime next week.”
“Sounds good,” Oliver said. “Don’t expect much.”
Marge said, “I never do and that’s why I’m so rarely disappointed.”
Yasmine never called him. Their chief form of communication had always been texting. So Gabe was nervous when he picked up his cell. He asked if she was okay and she burst into tears. He started to panic. “Are you in trouble?”
She was sniffing a lot. “No.”
“Tell me what’s wrong.”
“I dunno.”
Gabe paused, confused. “Can you give me a hint?”
“I got a cold, I got my period, and I look like a blob.” Yasmine’s voice broke. “And it’s yucky outside!” More tears.
Sheets of rain blasted his window: she got that much right. He heard her blow her nose. “I’m sorry.”
“And on top of everything, I’m all alone.”
Gabe felt his heart skip a beat. “For how long?”
“The entire night. My family’s at a cousin’s wedding in Santa Barbara.”
It was Sunday, four in the afternoon. He had nothing to do except practice and he’d already done that for four hours. “I’m coming over.”
“Don’t you dare! I’m bloated with a big red nose and I look terrible!”
“See you later.” He hung up while she was still protesting, grabbed a coat and an umbrella, and walked into the living room. A fire was roaring in the hearth, and both Rina and the Loo were reading while drinking red wine. It was TV domestic tranquility.
Rina looked up. Gabe was dressed in a bomber jacket and carrying an umbrella. She knew he frequently took long walks, but this was ridiculous. “You can’t possibly be thinking about going out.”
“Some friends called,” Gabe told her. “I’m meeting them at the mall.”
“I’ll take you,” Decker said.
“No really, I can walk.” Outside a gush of wind shoved a bucket of rain against the picture window. He smiled. “No biggie.”
“Gabriel, that’s absurd,” Rina said.
Decker said, “Which mall are you going to?”
Gabe paused, trying to think of the closest area to Yasmine’s house. He knew that Peter could tell he was winging it. “Parthenia.”
“That’s at least a mile away,” Decker said.
“Who are you meeting?” Rina wondered who the boy even knew. Of late, she’d stopped keeping track of his comings and goings.
“Some guys from the SC music department. One of them lives around here . . . his parents do.” He was sounding like a complete doofus. “He lives on campus but he’s visiting his parents for the weekend. So we decided to get together.”
Man, he was a shitty liar.
“He can’t pick you up?” Rina said.
“He’s already at the mall,” Gabe told her.
The Loo’s face was skeptical, but he got up and said, “C’mon. I’ll take you.” He got his keys and they made a beeline for Rina