Page 74 of Nobody's Fool

“You don’t live here, do you, Thomas?”

“No, I don’t.”

“So what were you doing here that night?”

He stiffens. “Are you serious?”

“I am.”

“My family lives here.”

“And what, you decided to join your security detail?”

“As a matter of fact, yes. I was here visiting and then the sensor went off. It’s been a while since someone trespassed.”

“And your normal reaction is physical assault and threatening murder?”

“You trespassed.” Thomas looks over at his father. Archie Belmond clears his throat, throws on an awkward smile, and says, “I think it’s time for everyone to leave so I can talk to Mr. Kierce alone. I just wanted everyone to meet you, so that you know that we stand as united in what we are about to discuss.”

I’m not sure what that means, but I don’t ask for clarification. Thefamily files out. First Talia, who hasn’t said a word, then Thomas. Before he leaves, he says, “I’m sorry about what happened. Truly.”

He sounds sincere, but I choose not to respond. I try to meet Anna’s—I know that sometimes I call her Victoria, but in my head, she’s always going to be Anna, I think—eye but for a while she seems to be avoiding mine. She is last out and before she closes the door behind her, she finally looks at me and gives me the slightest nod of approval.

Archie Belmond and I are alone now. It was interesting what Lenore Spikes had said about the man. I always suspect the rich will look different or act different and most of the time they do. Notspecialorbetter. It isn’t always something obvious like clothing or jewelry. Archie Belmond is wearing jeans and a blue pullover. Could have been Old Navy for all I knew. But still you can usually tell. Here I couldn’t. There were no giveaways in Archie’s looks or manner. He was comfortably nondescript.

“Thank you for coming to see me on such short notice,” he begins. “I also apologize for all the legalese. You met Lenore?”

“Yes.”

“So maybe you get it. She’s a stickler for these things.”

“I understand,” I say.

“I will try not to waste more of your time. I know you’ve spoken to Victoria. I know you think maybe you saw her in Spain while she was…” He stops, closes his eyes.

I consider correcting him here, that there was nothinkormaybe, that I did indeed see his daughter, but what would be the point?

“It’s been fourteen years since she came back. You know that, right?”

“I do, yes.”

“So let me be honest here—you’re not the first person to sign one of those agreements. We’ve hired dozens of investigators over theyears—the first ones while Vic was missing, of course. The FBI stayed on it. I’m not saying they didn’t. You have a child, right?”

“Yes,” I say.

“No one cares about your child like you do. You know that, right?”

“I do.”

“So we hired our own people. And then after, when we finally got Victoria back… she lost eleven years of her life. Just gone. Nothing. And I don’t know if I want those years back for her—I imagine not—but the person or people who did this to her never got caught. Never paid a price. And Talia and I, we can’t live with that.”

He had a glass of what looked like iced tea. “Did someone offer you a drink?”

“I’m fine,” I say.

“I understand you’re a decorated police officer,” Belmond continues.

“Used to be.”

---