Spiral

wasn’t meant sarcastically, but I could see Tranh took it as such anyway.
    Then he said, ”The Colonel is anxious to speak with you.”
    * * *

    ”Lieutenant,” said the garbled voice, ”I believe you’ve met my wife, Cassandra.”
    ”Several times, sir.”
    As Duy Tranh moved to the couch in the den, I watched Nicolas Helides slouching in a monogrammed, terry-cloth robe on one of the red leather chairs. His legs under the hem of the cloth looked thin, pale, and veined. Behind the chair stood Cassandra Helides in the same kind of placket shirt I’d seen on Cornel Radescu earlier at courtside. Her hands were under the Skipper’s robe at the collar, kneading his neck and shoulder muscles.
    She said, ”Mr. Cuddy was at the tennis club today,” and then leaned down to kiss the top of her husband’s left ear before looking back up at me. ”Did you learn anything there that surprised you?”
    I wasn’t liking the challenging leer on her face. ”Not really.”
    Cassandra nodded. ”I didn’t think you would.” She kissed her husband once more, then said, ”Well, I’ll leave you to business. Mr. Cuddy, feel free to come see me if you need anything else.”
    ”Thank you.”
    When Cassandra Helides walked out from behind the Skipper’s chair, I couldn’t see she was wearing anything but the shirt, which reached a third of the way down her thighs. I didn’t turn as she went by me and out the door to the corridor.
    Nicolas Helides rolled his shoulders a little, as if drawing the last satisfying sensation from his wife’s massage. ‘Cassie needs to do that, you know.”
    ”Do what, sir?”
    A tired expression began to cross his features until it got to the paralyzed side and stopped. ”Lieutenant, I had a stroke, but I’ve no reason to think your perceptions are impaired.”
    I looked at Duy Tranh, who now was smiling in a bemused sort of way.
    The Skipper said, ”It’s all right for you to find Cassie attractive. I certainly do.”
    ”Colonel-”
    ”The vamping and flirting is her way of reasserting her beauty, her desirability, since I can’t offer her any… tangible confirmation on that score anymore.”
    ”Yes, sir.”
    A nod, as though we’d gotten an awkward item off his agenda. ”Well, what have you found out?”
    I summarized my talks with the people at the Held house.
    Helides heard me out before saying, ”Beyond Kalil Biggs having made more than one video of Veronica, you haven’t found much.”
    ”Just that your party guests’ alibis are pretty vague.”
    ”Which the police already established.” A change in tone, even through the stroke damage to his voice. ”What about Cornel Radescu?”
    I glanced at Duy Tranh, but now he was studying the rug. ”Lieutenant?”
    ”Sorry, I-”
    ”Is there a reason you keep checking with Duy before answering some of my questions?”
    ”I don’t think so, Colonel.”
    ”Then continue your report please. To me.”
    ”Yes, sir. I wasn’t able to ask Radescu all the questions I had for him.”
    ”Why not?”
    ”We were interrupted.”
    The tired expression again crossed half his face before, ”I understand.”
    I waited, and he did, too.
    Finally, I said, ”Dr. Forbes was very insightful regarding David.”
    ”Henry is paid well to be so. I take it you’re ready to speak with my son now?”
    ”I am.”
    Nicolas Helides turned his head toward Tranh. ”Duy, if you would, please?”
    ”Certainly, Colonel.”

    As Duy Tranh led me down a first-floor corridor, I said, ”How was Veronica as a student?”
    He stiffened in front of me, then stopped. ”Ungifted. And difficult, as I already have mentioned.”
    ”Except I don’t recall your mentioning that you were tutoring her.”
    ”Perhaps because you never asked.”
    Tranh began walking again.
    I fell in behind him. ”No problems between Veronica and you?”
    ”None beyond her boredom with any subject not rooted in popular music. And my frustration in trying to provide her the sort of education the Colonel afforded me.”
    ”So you could sort of thank him, indirectly.”
    ”As I have expressed to him many times, in both word and deed.” Tranh stopped at a closed door. ”This is David’s suite, Mr. Cuddy.”
    We’d reached a part of the house near the pool. I didn’t hear anything from the other side of the door.
    ”Are you sure he’s in there?”
    ”Yes. I checked the kitchen when I thought I was letting you in that way. He hasn’t eaten yet.”
    ”How can you be