Dead Past

precaution,” said Diane. She was inching out the doorway, trying to make a clean escape.
    “You mean you got something else stolen from you?” said Ruby. “It sounds to me like that museum is a dangerous place to work.”
    “Oh, no, it’s not, really. I can’t go into any of the details of what happened right now. You and Juliet have a good evening. I’ll talk with you tomorrow.”
    Diane didn’t want to talk about the code with them, either. She wanted to go home. When she finally got away, the security guard walked her down to the parking deck and to her car. She was glad to have him for an escort. She had an aversion to parking decks. They were always dark and usually devoid of people—a place with few witnesses. She was relieved to get in her car and drive home.
    Unfortunately, when she got to her apartment, Frank’s car was there. He had beaten her home. OK, this isn’t going to be fun, she thought as she got out of her car.

Chapter 53

    Frank opened the door when Diane knocked. She expected a scowl. Instead, his expression was one of amusement.
    “You know, I bet myself that you’d be gone when I came back, and damn if I didn’t win a bunch of money,” he said.
    “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t get Ruby Torkel on the phone and I thought it would be quicker if I just went to her hotel,” said Diane.
    She came in and crawled back in her space on the couch.
    “Can you stay the night?” she asked.
    “Sure. Someone’s got to try to keep track of you. Are you in for the evening?”
    “Yes. I’m here. I won’t be going out again.”
    “Good. Tell me what you found out,” he said.
    Diane gave him a history of the Glendale-Marsh Parrishes.
    “They sound like a pretty bad bunch,” she said. “I’m thinking that you were right. The disappearance of the Sebestyen family is connected with their Parrish relatives. Martin Parrish, of the Glendale-Marsh Parrishes, contacted Leo’s twin sister, Leontine, in New York and asked her about the treasure. They expected that she had information on where her brother hid it. Descendants in both branches of the Parrish family knew about the legend of the buried treasure and the secret instructions for finding it. The Glendale-Marsh Parrishes probably believed that their New York relatives had the secret information. When Quinn, a direct descendant of Leontine, came to Florida to look, it alerted his relatives there and they ended up killing him and his family to find the secret. I think young Juliet stumbled upon the aftermath.”
    Diane grabbed up the phone and called Jin.
    “What did you find out from the authorities in Indiana?” she asked when he answered.
    “Hello, Boss,” said Jin. “How you feeling?”
    “I’m fine, just hungry for information.”
    “They were very interested in what we have,” he said. “They weren’t quite as forthcoming with their info. I didn’t know how much you wanted me to tell them, so I kind of played it close to the vest.”
    “What did you find out?” she asked again.
    “If you believe what they told me, they don’t know anything beyond what was reported on TV and in the papers. They had completely hit the wall. When they learned that there might be a witness, they got excited. I told them she was a little girl at the time. I didn’t give them her name. They’re coming down to talk with us. I handed them off to Garnett, so I guess you’d better give him a heads-up so he’ll know what the heck these guys from Indiana are talking about.”
    “I’ll call him tomorrow. I think he has his hands full right now with Councilman Adler missing.”
    “So I guess everything is at a standstill again,” said Jin.
    “Until tomorrow,” said Diane. “All of you go home and get some rest.”
    She hung up the phone and turned to Frank. “At least we’ve made the Indiana cold case squad happy,” she said.
    “I’ll bet,” said Frank. “It’s early. Why don’t we have a quiet several hours of rest, maybe a little TV, and who knows what else? Maybe a little cold pizza.”
    “That sounds good to me,” she said, grinning at him.
    As soon as the words were out, the phone rang. “Don’t answer it,” he said.
    “I’d like not to, but . . .” She picked it up.
    “Diane, this is Cindy. I’m sorry to bother you. Is Frank there?”
    “Yes, Cindy. He’s right here,” said Diane.
    “Your ex,” she mouthed to Frank.
    He frowned and took the phone.
    “Is Kevin all right?” he asked. As he listened, his