One Grave Less

his head. “Is it the same prostitution nonsense? Do you know who is behind the rumors?”
    “Apparently I’m the prostitute—no, that’s not right. It seems I don’t charge. I solicit men through e-mails and we party at my fiancé’s house when he’s not at home. And both David and I were involved in drug trafficking while we were in South America.”
    “That’s preposterous. Do you have any idea what this is all about?” he asked.
    “David has a notion,” said Diane.
    The two of them told Gregory about the attack at the museum, about finding Simone, about her parents’ reaction this morning. When they finished, Gregory sat openmouthed.
    “I’m glad I came early. We will have to get to the bottom of this,” he said. “If the two of you were dealing in drugs, then so was I.” He shook his head. “Is there anyone else from among our associates to whom this is happening?”
    “None of the people I’ve gotten in touch with are having any problems,” said David. “I haven’t spoken with everyone yet.”
    “There is a more disturbing aspect to it,” said Diane. She told him what Simone had said before she lapsed into unconsciousness.
    “‘It was one of us,’ ” whispered Gregory. “That could mean many things, none of them good.”
    They discussed all the possibilities that occurred to them, but when everything else was eliminated, they were left with the massacre. That was the biggest event in all their lives.
    “I’m going to have to think on this,” said Gregory. “For so long I’ve been trying to put it out of my mind.”
    “I’ve been going over the days leading up to the massacre,” said David, “trying to remember anything I overheard, or saw, anything that could have a different meaning from what I placed on it at the time. But . . . nothing. I’m just drawing a blank here.”
    “Maybe if we go over those days, something will jog our memory.” Gregory looked over at Diane. “Would that be all right with you?”
    Diane nodded.
    Andie poked her head in. “I know you don’t want to be disturbed, but I have two things. First, I contacted Frank, and it is okay for you to invite Mr. Lincoln to stay at the house.” She grinned. “See what a good assistant I am? I anticipated that you would want Mr. Lincoln to stay with you, but you would need to ask Frank. Now it’s all taken care of.”
    Diane smiled. “Indeed you are a good assistant, Andie. Thanks. What’s the other thing?”
    “Garnett is on the phone and would like to speak with you.”

Chapter 17
    Diane reached for the phone on the end table beside the sofa. Garnett and Janice Warrick had been on their way to interview the Brooks when she and David headed back to the museum to meet Gregory. She was eager to hear what Garnett had discovered. David put down his food and leaned forward, his forearms resting on his knees.
    “Garnett,” she said into the phone.
    “We spoke with the family,” he said. “Interesting. Controlling doesn’t begin to describe the mother. She tried to stop me from having separate interviews with the father and brother. I thought for a moment Janice was going to handcuff her. Bottom line is they got a call from someone who said he was a friend of Simone at the detective agency where she works. The caller told them that Simone was working on something at your request and that it had to do with covering up things you and David were involved in during your time in South America.”
    “That’s not true,” said Diane. She felt her face flush, felt the need to defend herself when no defense should be needed. “Damn. What is this about?”
    “Mrs. Brooks was adamant about blaming you for her daughter’s condition,” said Garnett.
    “What is her condition?” asked Diane.
    “She’s in a coma. The doctors have no idea when or if she will come out of it.”
    “Poor Simone,” whispered Diane.
    “The brother, Pieter, said he didn’t believe the caller. For one thing, his sister wouldn’t go along with any kind of cover-up. His father agreed. And second, Pieter likes you and David.”
    “Did they have any idea what Simone was investigating?”
    “Pieter told me Simone had finally opened some of her dead fiancé’s effects a couple of months ago. Apparently it would have been their anniversary had he lived. He was killed in that massacre your . . .”
    He didn’t say your daughter . Most everyone still tiptoed around Diane about Ariel. She was glad they did. She only talked about