Shallow Graves

sister.“
    Lindqvist looked very uncomfortable. “Yes.“
    “And when George made a pass at her?“
    “I didn’t say that.“
    “Sure you did. What did Sinead do?“
    “She threw him out. He was no match for her Irish temper.“
    “What did Sinead tell you. Erica?“
    “About George?“
    “No. About what she ‘needed to talk out’?“
    Lindqvist looked even more uncomfortable, the eyes flitting again. “I’m not sure I can tell you that.“
    “I’m not sure you can get your half-million if you don’t.“
    “So.“ The frosty look turned frigid. “You turn out to be a bastard after all.“
    When you’re holding the high cards, you don’t have to answer things like that
    “All right.“ Lindqvist dropped the attitude, twisting her hands in her lap. “Sinead had a tough time of it when she was younger.“
    “What kind of tough time?“
    Lindqvist told me.

- 26 -

    George Yulin was gone by the time I got back downstairs, so I had to trouble Erica Lindqvist again to find and write out the address I needed. She added the telephone number, but I decided to drive over without calling first.

    “The hell do you want here?“
    Oz Puriefoy looked at me from inside the front door of a wooden two-decker in Jamaica Plain. Given the open door behind him, I figured he lived on the first floor. I also could hear the tape from Sinead’s moving day on a speaker system somewhere inside.
    I said, “You two taking some time off?“
    “We aren’t on any schedule, man. What do you want?“
    “I’d like to talk with your roommate.“
    “I think she’s about had her fill of that.“
    “She can talk to me, or she can talk to the guy who came to see you.“
    “What guy?“
    “At your studio. Leather coat and toothpick?“
    Puriefoy swallowed once and swung the door wide.

    “Like, I don’t see why I have to talk to you anymore, awright?“
    Fagan wore green stirrup pants, a little hole near the left knee. The striped cotton sweater she wore on top was too big, baggy at the waist, elbows, and wrists. Her cocklebur hah was matted here and there. With no makeup, she looked so young.
    “Sinead, there are some things I need to know about Mau Tim that I don’t think you’ve told me.“
    “So what makes you think I know anything to tell you now, huh?“
    I waited a minute, hoping to let the silence soften her. Puriefoy had left us alone in a small room off the kitchen, the place being larger inside than it looked from the street. Fagan slumped in one of three beanbag chairs. I’d pulled a straight-back in from the kitchen and tried not to look down at her too much.
    “You were her best friend, Sinead.“
    “So what makes you think I’d tell if I did know?“
    A little progress. “I just came from Erica Lindqvist.“
    Fagan pouted. “So?“
    “She told me what happened between you and your stepfather.“
    “That fucking bitch!“
    The last word rose to a nerve-curdling shriek.
    “Sinead—“
    “The fuck right does she have to tell you shit?“
    Puriefoy’s head appeared in the doorway. “Hey, babe. Everything cool?“
    “No, it isn’t fucking cool, Oz. Get out of my face, awright?“
    Puriefoy showed her both palms. “Okay, okay. Yell your heads off. The Haitians upstairs, I’m sure they understand how two white folks got to let loose from time to time.“
    Fagan ran the forearm of the sweater over her eyes. “Oz, just go away for a while, please?“
    Puriefoy looked from her to me to her. “Okay. I’ll go get us some ice cream for later. Rocky Road?“
    I thought it sounded appropriate, but Fagan just nodded in a “whatever“ way and dropped her head.
    She waited until the apartment door closed. Then she waited a little longer, picking at the fabric of her pants near the knee hole. “Erica shouldn’t have told you that shit.“
    “She didn’t tell me much. Just enough to know I ought to hear it from you.“
    “Why?“ The face came up, tears welling at each corner of her eyes. I suddenly remembered how truly young Sinead Fagan was, a woman’s body wrapped around a teenager’s mind and emotions.
    “Because you told Mau Tim about it, too.“
    I didn’t know that for sure until Fagan dropped her head again and said, “So what?“
    I let out a breath. “Sinead, look. I’m sorry I had to interrupt your shoot, and I’m sorry I made you go through finding the body again. But I’m grasping at straws here, trying to make sense of what happened. What could have happened.“
    A shake