Page 50 of Mann Hunt
“He was definitely here before I arrived, which would have been about eight,” Robert interrupted. “I was running behind schedule. My driver was late in picking me up. Ian was just putting on his finishing touches before he helped me get ready. He always helped me. I’m not as flexible as I once was. There was a time I would never have allowed that. Therevealis part of the fun, like in a magic act.”
“Did Ian seem…distracted by anything?” Declan asked.
“Not that I remember,” Sheldon answered. “He rarely brought any problems to our soirées. They’re a place to escape our troubles. If anyone started to complain about things, Ian was the first to tell them to leave their problems at the doorstep. The night was for pretty people doing pretty things.”
Robert interrupted, “That’s not exactly true. Don’t you remember?”
“Remember what?” Sheldon asked.
“Ian was all fussed about a property of his that someone wanted to buy. Ian needed the money, or so he said, but he had an emotional attachment to thebuilding that was standing in the way.” Robert redirected his focus to Declan. “The interesting thing about being in a wheelchair is that people often forget you’re there. You become a piece of furniture, and no one bothers to hold their tongue when they perceive you as nothing more than an ottoman next to them.”
“Oh, Robert, you’re always overreacting.”
“Sheldon, if you didn’t want me to tell them what I heard, why did you invite me?”
Sheldon sat back, looking mildly annoyed. He began to stroke the cat with more vigour.
Declan intervened. “Did Ian say anything else?”
Robert replied, “He was strangely upset by the whole thing. Imagine, anyone being attached toanybuilding in this town. I did ask if he was being strong-armed into doing something and he immediately changed the subject, flattering me on my dress and the new wig I’d bought.”
He turned to Charlie. “It was a beautiful shag cut,a là1970s Jane Fonda, not that her name would necessarily mean anything to you. You are so young… It would look fabulous on you, though. You have the figure for it.”
Charlie smiled.
“Ian said he should take my picture,” Robert continued. “You know, do a real photo shoot. He was always talking about how much he missed being a photographer.”
Robert turned his attention to Charlie. “You know, he wasthego-to photographer when he was still in London,” he said, putting his hand on Charlie’s knee.
As Robert spoke, Declan kept an eye on Sheldon, who gave the impression of someone used to the limelight who was being upstaged. He stroked the cateven harder. The cat gave Sheldon a swat with its clawed paw.
“Ow. You little bitch,” he snapped, pushing it off his lap onto the floor. A small trickle of blood ran down his hand. Sheldon pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and held it to the wound. “You feed and care for the children, and this is how they show their gratitude.”
The cat wandered over to Charlie and hopped up beside him, where it settled in, staring at Sheldon.
Declan decided to refocus the conversation. “Were the usual guests all here that night?”
“All but one,” Sheldon said, excited to be back into the conversation. “He was off with his wife in Cancún.”
“So, how many guests did you have?”
“I don’t know… There would have been me, Ian and Robert…” He started counting on his fingers, then continued in silence until he reached, “Twelve. Yes, twelve guests.”
Declan continued his questioning. “Did anything out of the ordinary happen? Any arguments break out, especially involving Ian?”
“No. It was one big happy party,” Sheldon said.
“It was a delightful evening,” Robert added.
“And what time did Ian leave?” Declan asked.
Sheldon pondered the question for a moment before answering. “Well, he was usually the first in and first out. It would have been about…one in the morning.”
“That’s the last we saw of him before he disappeared,” Robert added.
“Do you think something’s happened to him?” Declan asked.
Robert was the first to answer. “Of course I do. There is no possible way that he would leave without saying goodbye to Katherine. He loved that woman. They hada good marriage, albeit unusual by most people’s standards, and I’m sure there was no one else in his life. He would have said something to me about that. He told me everything.”
