The Lost Years by Clark Mary Higgins

Author:Clark, Mary Higgins [Clark, Mary Higgins]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781451668865
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Published: 2012-04-02T22:00:00+00:00

36

As soon as Willy, Alvirah, and Father Aiden were in the car on the way home from dinner, Alvirah played back the message Lillian had left on Richard’s cell phone. The shock and disbelief she had felt on hearing it was also the reaction of the two men. There was no question in the mind of any of them that when Lillian said she had decided to accept Richard’s offer, she was referring to the Vatican letter.

“It sounds to me as if she’s had other offers,” Willy observed, “if Richard is willing to pay two million dollars for it.”

“My guess is that any offers would have to be anywhere from one million on up,” Alvirah said. “I wouldn’t have thought Richard had that kind of money. Being a college professor isn’t exactly like being on Wall Street.”

“He was brought up on Park Avenue,” Father Aiden said. “I know that his grandfather was a very successful businessman. My question is, what would Richard do with the parchment?”

“My guess is that he might want to see it returned to the Vatican Library,” Alvirah said hopefully.

“That would be a noble thing, but the fact is Richard has denied ever having seen the parchment. Now we know he is not only aware that Lillian has it, but he has actually been trying to buy it,” Father Aiden pointed out. “So that means Richard’s motives are suspect. I’m sure he knows collectors who would pay a fortune to get their hands on that parchment just for the thrill of owning it.”

Alvirah sadly admitted to herself that what Father O’Brien had said made plenty of sense. “Those two detectives made appointments to meet with Richard and Charles and Albert and Greg tomorrow,” she said. “That will keep them pretty busy. I wouldn’t like to have them cross-examining me if I had anything to hide.”

“They don’t cross-examine anyone,” Willy pointed out. “That only happens in a trial. But I guess they will try to pin them down.” Then he added, “How about that missing caregiver? Alvirah, did we ever meet her?”

“Rory? I think once last year, but she was on her way upstairs with Kathleen. I didn’t get much of an impression of her.”

“She was at Kathleen’s side in the funeral parlor and throughout the day of the funeral,” Father Aiden said. “She was certainly very attentive to her.”

“Maybe she forgot she had that dinner and took off,” Willy suggested. “Mariah told the cops she was paying her for the week, but that it would be Friday at the earliest before Kathleen could be released to go home. Rory wouldn’t be the first one to forget a dinner date. Maybe she just decided to go away for a couple of days. My bet is that she’ll show up by Friday.”

“I don’t think it’s all that simple,” Alvirah said. “Even if she went away, why isn’t she answering her cell phone?”

They were all silent for the next fifteen minutes until they reached the E-ZPass toll plaza at the George Washington Bridge leading into Manhattan.

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