Swan Dive

considered it. ”Then how did you know who Marsh was when the cops first contacted you?”
    ”I didn’t. Till the drugs came into it. Then I knew who they meant.”
    ”How?”
    ”Teri was into trading, you know? Like, what’s the word for it, one thing for another?”
    ”Barter?”
    ”Yeah, barter. Right. She didn’t have any kind of health plan, obviously, and she wasn’t about to go to this butcher Niño knew, so there was this doctor she used to... do things for in exchange for his treating her. Well, I knew she was seeing a guy she got drugs from, cocaine, and when the cops asked me about Marsh, I just matched him up.”
    ”She ever talk about him? The drug supplier, I mean?”
    ”No. She really didn’t do that. At least not with me.
    I thought about the next question I wanted to ask, because I was afraid that it might end her cooperation. ”Reena, you said before that Teri approached you because you looked kind. She must have confided in somebody about some things.”
    ”Maybe her sister. Teri never told me her name, always just ‘my sister.’ The family lives in Epton, near Lawrence .” Reena stopped, then said, ”I don’t think you understand how it was between Teri and me.
    ”I guess I thought you were lovers.”
    Reena’s eyes clouded over, but she spoke past them. ”I loved her, but she came to me for the same reason clients came to her. To get something they were missing in the rest of their lives. I wish to God I knew what it was.”
    ”Does Teri’s sister still live at home?”
    ”You mean in Epton?”
    ”Yes.”
    ”No, I don’t think so. She’s younger than Teri... than Teri was. But she’ll be there today, anyway. The funeral was scheduled for this morning.” Reena glanced up to a clock, and the tears began to come. ”It started... ten minutes ago... I couldn’t go... they’ve been through so much already. It didn’t seem fair... to add me to it.”
    ”It takes a pretty strong person to do something like that.”
    ”Oh yeah,” she said, rallying a little. ”That’s what I’ve always been. Strong, tough even. Well, I’ll tell you, you know some people are tougher than they look?”
    ”Yes.”
    ”Well, I’m the opposite. I look tougher than I am.” I left her wiping a cuff across her eyes.

I was unsteady getting up from the flowers and caught my balance by using her stone.
    Too much to drink last night?
    ”No. Too much Terdell.”
    As the morning sun skipped over the waves in the harbor below us, I brought her up to date on what had happened.
    So what do you think?
    ”I think I have a sackful of people who knew either Marsh or Teri but so far no connection between them.”
    How do you mean?
    ”Well, whoever hit me on Monday knew I’d be a good candidate for the frame. That means that somebody trying to kill Angel would have to know about me and Marsh.”
    What if just Marsh was the target?
    ”Then Ten’s side of this is a blind alley. And I’m left with looking for motives for killing Marsh. I think his lawyer Felicia bought drugs from him, his partner Stansfield cashed a quarter-million in key-man insurance, and his wife Hanna believed she’d get both life-policy proceeds and the house.”
    The nurse’s father hated Marsh, right?
    ”Yes, but Kelley seemed pretty quick to yield to his daughter’s will when I was with him. Also, she alibis him for Monday night.”
    The drug pushers are rough enough.
    ”The problem there is that J.J. would be better off if Marsh had stayed alive. And none of the cops seem interested in anything but themselves or nailing me.” What about this Niño guy?
    ”Harder to figure. No indication that he even knew Marsh. Niño may have a nose for the stuff himself, or just be looking for indirect compensation for losing Teri. Or...”
    Or?
    ”I don’t know. Maybe he really cared for her. Her lover certainly did. And would have had the physical strength to send Marsh out the window.”
    And shoot the woman she loved in the bargain? ”You’re right. Doesn’t figure that way.”
    If Marsh didn’t meet Teri through her manager, then maybe you should find out how they did get together. ”I’ve been trying to.”
    What are you going to do next?
    ”First, try to talk with Teri’s sister.”
    Couldn’t that wait?
    ”I don’t even know her name or where she lives. If I’m going to see her, today at the family’s house is the best bet.”
    You said first?
    ”What?”
    You said first you were going to talk with the