Jude registered the sound of Jeremiah coming downstairs just as he spotted Anton approaching the front door. He checked his watch. One minute ahead of schedule.
The three made themselves comfortable on the living room furniture, talking sports, until Mom’s voice reached them.
“Hello,” she called. She, too, had come through the back door. Only six minutes late, which showed how much she valued this gathering.
They stood to welcome her, and she arrived the way she arrived at all places—as if she was a queen and the activity could begin now that she had come. She was carrying a bottle of red wine and wearing a wool coat, an ivory sweater, tailored pants, and high heels. She approached Jeremiah first. “Good to see you, darling. Is it all right with you if I give you a small hug? I promise not to draw it out and make it awkward for you.”
“That’ll be fine.”
She hugged him. “Thank you.” Jude knew she was referring to more than the hug—she was thanking Jeremiah for inviting her back into his life.
Next, she came to Jude, and he registered her crisp perfume as she leaned in to hug him. Then she moved on to Anton, giving him double air kisses. “I brought wine! Who else would like some?”
No one, apparently. “I’ll get you a glass.” Jude was back with a glass and a wine opener in seconds. By that time, Mom had settled onto the couch, pushing her coat back so that it pooled around her.
Jeremiah eyed Mom suspiciously as she crossed her legs and took a long sip.
Jude bit back a smile. Since the amnesia, this brother was both familiar and slightly unfamiliar to him. But to Jeremiah, they were all completely unfamiliar. If you hadn’t built up experience with Mom you would find her to be a lot. Jeremiah was probably second-guessing his decision to include her.
“Have you already started discussing the help that we can provide?” Mom asked Jeremiah.
“No.”
“Oh, good. I’m glad I didn’t miss that. I’m all ears.”
“I’m trying to reconstruct the last two weeks of Alexis’s life,” Jeremiah said.
“Why’s that?” Mom asked.
“Because I discovered that’s what I was working on when I disappeared. Apparently, I doubted that her death was a suicide.”
Mom’s face blanched, though her posture remained straight. “The police—”
“—aren’t budging off of their suicide ruling until new evidence is uncovered. I’m hoping you can help me uncover new evidence. I need to . . . deal with this before I can move forward.”
“I’m in,” Jude said.
“Same,” Anton added.
“Yes,” Mom told Jeremiah, though there were a hundred questions in her eyes. “Absolutely. Anything for you.”
“Just so you’re all aware,” Jeremiah said, “Alexis had an affair with a man named Sabato Messina about a year and a half before she died. She was having another affair at the time of her death. I don’t know with whom. It may have been Messina again.”
His words froze Jude with shock. Mom and Anton also looked stunned.
“I’d hired a private detective and he compiled evidence on the affairs. I’m telling you about them because if we find out who she was in a relationship with when she died, that’ll give us a more complete picture.” Jeremiah spoke without emotion. “I’ve put together a list of the people she saw those last two weeks. I thought we’d divide the names between you three, then you can call each of them.” He outlined the types of questions they should ask.
“I’ll create a worksheet for the interviews,” Jude offered. “We can fill out one worksheet per person as we’re having conversations. That'll keep us on track and give us a consistent framework for organizing information.”
“Good.” Jeremiah slid a sheet of paper from beneath the calendar and read off the first name. “Naomi.”
“Naomi Nomura,” Fiona supplied. “She was Alexis’s friend and part-time assistant. I can give her a call.”
“Renee,” Jeremiah said.
Anton shifted forward in his seat. “She and I are both members of the country club. I'll speak with her.”
Jeremiah ran through several more names, including her personal trainer, Hank.
