One Grave Less

Italian suits and shoes and wore them well. His office, by contrast, was simply utilitarian. It was furnished with faux leather and chrome chairs, a metal desk, and a long maple-wood conference table. On the sand-colored walls he had hung his diplomas, awards, and a few photographs of him shaking hands with various politicians. He also had framed a few newspaper clippings of high-profile cases he had worked on.
    Izzy Wallace, one of Diane’s crime scene crew, was with Garnett. They were going over a case that Izzy worked last week. They stood as Diane and David entered.
    “The two of you have long faces,” said Izzy.
    “We just came from the hospital,” said Diane.
    “I hope Miss Brooks hasn’t taken a turn for the worst,” said Garnett, frowning.
    “We don’t know,” said Diane.
    Izzy and David pulled up a couple more chairs and they all sat down. Diane described the reception she and David had received.
    “Neither of us knows what that’s about,” Diane said. “We were hoping you would find out.”
    “I will be speaking with them this afternoon,” said Garnett. “That’s very peculiar. They actually barred you from seeing their daughter?”
    “Yes,” said Diane. She paused a moment. “You may be able to get more out of speaking with Simone’s father and brother—alone.”
    “Gotcha. It’s like that, is it?” said Garnett. “I’ll take Detective Warrick with me to speak with the wife and I’ll talk to the men.”
    Diane and David went on to tell them about the calls Thormond had received, and the false e-mails about Diane, and the calls made to Frank about her partying while he was away.
    “You mean it wasn’t really from you?” said Izzy. “And here I thought I got lucky.” He grinned at Diane.
    “Not you too?” said Diane.
    “Me, as well,” said Garnett. “If it helps, I knew right away someone had hacked your e-mail.” He turned to David. “Can you trace those?”
    “Maybe,” he said. “We’ll see.”
    “Don’t worry about this,” Izzy said to Diane. “We’ll get to the bottom of it. Most people know it’s not you.”
    “I had a contributor come see me about soliciting her husband. Not all people understand how e-mails can be hijacked,” said Diane.
    She and David reluctantly told him about the news story on Gregory Lincoln. They had debated it on the way over. Given their preferences, the two of them would rather handle the whole thing themselves. But they needed help, so they had to be forthcoming.
    “Could there be any truth to it?” asked Garnett. “About the Lincoln fellow?”
    Both Diane and David shook their heads. “Not Gregory,” Diane said.
    “You should see his wife,” said David. “Look up the most beautiful woman in the world and you’ll find a picture of Marguerite. She’s also very nice, very intelligent, and very witty. On top of that, she can cook and ride a horse.”
    “You sound a little infatuated,” said Garnett, grinning at David.
    “To meet Marguerite is to fall in love with her, even if slightly,” David said, completely deadpan.
    Diane cocked an eyebrow at him.
    “Gotta meet this woman,” muttered Izzy. “Can she shoot a gun?”
    “Marguerite is nonviolent,” said David. “Unless she is in a courtroom, and then her weapons are her sharp wit and keen brain.”
    Diane and Izzy smiled at each other.
    “We are going to contact Gregory and ask him what this is about,” said Diane. “He might have some information. He keeps in touch with all of us, and he may know what Simone—”
    Diane stopped when Garnett’s phone rang. Garnett answered it, listened a moment, then said, “Yes, they are here. I’ll tell them, Andie.”
    Diane realized she hadn’t turned her cell phone back on after they left the hospital. Neither had David.
    “That was Andie,” said Garnett, leaning forward, resting his arms on the desk. “You have a visitor waiting for you. A Gregory Lincoln from London.”

Chapter 16
    It had been a little over three years since Diane last saw Gregory Lincoln, though she had corresponded with him by e-mail and telephone regularly. He didn’t look much older than she remembered, a little grayer maybe. He was dressed casually in a sea green chambray shirt, tan chinos, and brown sports coat.
    He grinned broadly and stood up when he saw her. He was being entertained by Andie. The two of them were drinking tea in the comfortable country cottage sitting area of Andie’s office. Gregory gave Diane a long hug and