When Detectives Sanchez and O’Malley joined the supper line in the Satori dining room, they found themselves next to Kate Swift and her friend Tom Scott. “How’s it going?” Kate asked.
“It’s going,” Laura answered.
“That bad, huh?” Kate laughed. “You look like you need a drink. Let me buy you one.”
“Good idea,” Laura said and turned to O’Malley. “Sarge, save me a place wherever you sit. I’m going to have a glass of wine with Marshal Kate.”
“Tom,” Kate said, “when you go through the line would you get extra food for Detective Sanchez and me?”
“Your servant, Marshal.” Tom smiled and made a bowing motion.
Kate and Laura walked off, bought wine at the bar, and settled in the Adirondacks on the deck. There was no wind, and the temperature was in the low seventies. The ocean glistened in the evening light.
“My face gave me away?” Laura asked.
“I’m good at reading people,” Kate said. “It helped me as a detective on the Fresno P.D.”
“That’s where you were before you joined the US Marshal’s office?”
“Yes. Following in the very large footsteps of my dad, who retired as Deputy Chief.”
“Was that good or bad?”
“Mostly good. It was my dad who encouraged me to become a Taekwondo Dan.”
“What’s a Dan?”
“I hold a blackbelt plus ten years of experience.”
“Impressive.” Laura sipped her drink. “What was bad about following in your dad’s footsteps?”
“Just the fact that it’s hard being Superman’s daughter. Everyone’s always watching you.” Kate studied her wine glass. “I think that was one of the issues when I first met Tom. He had recently lost his wife, Fiona, and I felt like I was following in the footsteps of Superwoman.”
“So, you and Tom met before this workshop?”
“Yes. We met at a political event and hit it off. We went out for coffee, and everything seemed to work, but I cut it off.”
“Why?”
Kate looked out at the ocean and then back at Laura. “Because I felt this was going to be a capital ‘R’ relationship and neither one of us was quite ready. Tom because he hadn’t finished grieving for Fiona. Me because I needed to get enough therapy to convince myself I was worthy of someone like Tom.”
“He seems like a good guy.”
“Tom is.” Kate sipped her wine. “I woke up this morning and told myself how lucky I am that Tom likes me. He’s a lot of good things but above all, he’s not a player.”
“What do you mean, exactly?”
“He doesn’t play games.”
“How can you be sure?”
“I trust my instincts but, to be safe, I asked one our workshop leaders, Cheryl, about him.”
“Cheryl Taylor?”
“Yes. Cheryl Taylor has been at Satori since the beginning and has known Tom almost that long. She was Fiona’s friend when Fiona met Tom. Cheryl said that in her experience there were two categories of men -- the good men which includes a select few and the other men which are the vast majority. She said that her late husband, Richard, and David, our workshop leader, and Tom were good men.”
“Interesting,” Laura said. “I wonder where she placed Malcolm Eastwick.”
“I didn’t ask her. You interviewed her. What did she say about Malcolm?”
“She had a lot to say but nothing very helpful. She characterized Malcolm as ‘Puer Aeternus,’ the eternal boy.”
“From what everyone says about him, he was a player.”
“I’d agree,” Laura said, before falling silent.
“You think he was killed.”
“Yes. But I don’t have any proof.”
“But your gut tells you that.” Kate studied her new friend. “Why?”
“There’s $1 million missing from the Satori accounts.”
“No shit? That’s a lot of money.” Kate got up from her chair. “I think that calls for more wine. I’ll buy you a refill.” She walked inside to the bar.
Kate came back, handed Laura a glass of wine, and sat down. “How can I help you?”
“I’m not sure. We’re going to stay over tonight, interview the Satori board, and then head back tomorrow.” Laura drank half her glass. “If I find anything new, I’ll let you know.”
“Good.” A fog bank had formed to the west, creating a gloomy vibe.
“Changing the subject, you feel hopeful about your relationship with Tom?”
“Yes. I feel like we’re both ready.” Kate grinned. “I’m excited. It reminds me of when I was ten years old, and my parents bought me a new pony to ride.”
Laura laughed. “Perhaps not a metaphor you want to share in mixed company.”
Kate blushed. “Perhaps not.”