Silent Run - Barbara Freethy [97]
Dylan typed in, Because I’m using his computer. But it’s really me. I remember you from high school. You were Andy’s girlfriend. He paused, glancing over at Catherine. “What else can I tell her to make her believe me?”
“Tell her that I still remember the ugly orange corsage Andy gave her for the prom.”
Dylan did as Catherine suggested and hit send. They sat in silence, waiting for a reply. It came in less than a minute.
Give me your phone number. I’ll call you.”
Catherine recited her phone number for him as he typed. He let out a breath when the message was sent. He hoped Adele would call. She was being very careful, and why not? Her ex-husband had been killed. She was smart to be cautious.
Within minutes the phone rang. Catherine drew in a breath and then picked it up. “Hello?” She held the receiver away from her ear so Dylan could hear.
“Catherine—this is Adele,” she said in a brisk, no-nonsense voice.
“Thanks for calling me,” Catherine said. “I just recently learned about Andy’s death. I’m so sorry.”
“It was terrible. I was always afraid something like that would happen to him. I warned him that he was playing with danger, but that’s the way he liked to live, you know. I certainly couldn’t change him.” Her voice was edged with bitterness. “I don’t know why I thought I could.”
“I remember how stubborn he was,” Catherine murmured.
“Yes. Now, you said something about Jessica in your e-mail?”
“I also recently learned that Jessica was living in San Francisco near Andy, and . . . well, she disappeared the day after he died. I’m trying to find her. I wonder if you know where she is now.”
There was a long pause on the other end of the phone. “I know this much, Catherine: Jessica was in a lot of trouble. She asked Andy to make her some fake IDs for her and her baby. Two days later Andy was dead.”
“I’m so sorry, Adele.”
“Me, too. I don’t know what happened to Jessica after that. I always liked her, but not as much as Andy did. He had a soft spot for her. I know he helped her over the years, not just a few months ago. Several years ago she actually stayed with us for a couple of nights. She was using a different name then—Sarah, I think it was. She said she’d gotten into some bad trouble, and she couldn’t trust anyone. She looked horrible at the time, terrified of her own shadow. I think Andy helped set her up with a job, and then I didn’t see her again. To be honest, Andy and I were fighting, and I didn’t really care what he was doing. I just wanted to get on with my life. I wasted too many years trying to turn him into a law-abiding citizen. I couldn’t do it anymore.” Her
voice caught. “But I miss him. I still miss him.”
“You loved him. I loved him, too.”
“Well, life goes on. That’s what Andy always used to tell me when I had a problem. Is that all you wanted?”
“Can you think of anyone else Jessica might have run to after Andy died—if she still needed help?” Catherine asked.
“I don’t know what was up with the man she had the baby with. Aside from him, I would have thought you, maybe. She talked about you sometimes, but she said she was afraid to bring trouble in her wake. I guess she thought Andy with his superhero talents could fend off any danger. But she was wrong. He wasn’t a superhero; he was just a nut.” Adele paused and then added, “Oh, wait—Andy kept in touch sometimes with Teresa. She became a female boxer, even opened her own gym somewhere. Andy was quite impressed. I remember that he told her he was going to draw a female superhero character after her.”
“Do you know where the gym is?”
“I can’t remember. I think it was somewhere in LA. I have to go, Catherine. I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t really want to get involved in anything having to do with Jessica or any of the rest of you.”
“I understand,” Catherine said. “Thanks for calling me back.” Catherine hung up the phone and let out a sigh. “I guess Teresa is our next best bet.”
“Can’t be too many female boxers with the name Teresa,” Dylan said, excited about the new lead.