“Do ye think it’s that? Do ye think Darcy killed her own da, that she’s the Monster? That she has Shelagh?” Elias asked after we dropped off Birk and were again in Elias’s taxi.
The ride to Birk’s hadn’t been nearly as talkative. Birk was bothered that he hadn’t remembered Ritchie John, and he’d been thoughtful and silent for almost the entire thirty-minute drive.
“But why?” I said to Elias.
“That’s the question, isn’t it? She certainly didnae behave as if she was a killer, but who knows?”
“Mort did say that the coat and hat weren’t exactly like the ones he’d seen on television, but it’s all strange. Even he didn’t want us to jump to the conclusion that it was Darcy.”
“But of course we did.”
“Of course.” I paused. “It would be a gruesome turn of events. What am I saying? It’s already a gruesome turn of events. And who was in Ritchie’s flat—the time Mort stopped by? I wish my mind would quit conjuring Findlay Sweet’s face.”
“Aye, and his ex-wife is such a delightful lass.”
I sat up straight. “What?”
“His ex is lovely.”
I shook my head. “How do you know his ex-wife?”
“Lass, ye ken her too. Well, in a manner.”
“I do? I mean, I found her picture online and thought she looked familiar, but I couldn’t place her.”
“She’s a server at Vanessa’s, Edwin’s lady love’s establishment.”
“Wha—Oh! Of course she is. We know her as Jolie, not Jessica. Maybe a nickname. She is the sweetest of all the servers.”
“Aye.”
“How did you figure this out?”
Elias nodded knowingly. “Aggie has been spending some hours researching on her laptop. After ye told us aboot Findlay, she wanted tae know everything she could know aboot him. She found his ex-wife and showed me the picture. She couldnae place her right off either, said she just looked familiar. Ye, Aggie, and I had all been oot to dinner a week or so ago. Jolie was our server.”
“Yes, she was.” I was embarrassed I hadn’t been able to identify her quickly. But to be fair, the picture I’d found on the internet was a ten-years-younger version with curly, windblown hair. Jolie didn’t necessarily look much older now, but she always had her hair pulled back in an efficient ponytail. And Tom didn’t recognize her; because of his previous schedule, he hadn’t gone out to as many dinners as the rest of us had.
“It’s late, but we missed lunch,” I said. “You hungry?”
“Aye.”
We didn’t know if Jolie would be at work, but at least we’d be able to enjoy some good food and maybe say hello to Vanessa.
Vanessa had come to Edinburgh from Ireland, bringing the food of her homeland with her. Her restaurant, located in Old Town, wasn’t far from Grassmarket. Elias pulled the cab onto the long driveway that would take us to a parking lot behind the building.
During the summer Vanessa would set up some tables and chairs just outside the restaurant’s back door. A sturdy blue awning kept diners safe from any light rain. Anything heavy and the rear patio would have to be closed. I’d only eaten outside one of the many times I’d been to the restaurant.
We spied Vanessa’s car as Elias parked and we headed for the back door.
“Two?” a young woman asked as we went inside. It was crowded, but there were a few seats left, and we didn’t know the greeter.
“Hi, is Vanessa in?” I asked.
She smiled. “Can I tell her who’s asking?”
“Delaney, Elias!” Vanessa dodged her way around a couple tables. “They’re friends of Edwin’s.” Vanessa put her hand on the greeter’s arm. “It’s fine. I’ll take care of them. Susan is the newest member of our team.”
Vanessa’s long gray ponytail always fell perfectly down her back. Her bright eyes only seemed to get brighter the busier she became. I’d—we’d all—become very fond of her.
Once introductions were made, Vanessa led us to a table in a quiet corner. We were there to get lunch, but I felt a little guilty about our ulterior motive.
“Stew?” Vanessa said.
“How did you know?” I asked.
“It’s your favorite, and it’s cold outside. Elias?”
“The same, please.”
“Very good.” But Vanessa saw through our charade. She didn’t turn to go and place the order with the kitchen but looked at us with tight eyebrows. “What’s up?”
I smiled. “Do you have a minute to sit?”
Vanessa pulled out a chair and sat. “Edwin all right?”
“Oh, yes!” I said. “This has nothing to do with Edwin.”
Visibly relieved, she said, “Tell me, then.”
“Vanessa, how well do you know your server Jolie?”
“Oh. Not well, but well enough to think she’s good at her job. Why? Did she do something?”
“I don’t think so, but she used to be married to someone I’ve recently met, and I’d really like to ask her some questions about that time. It’s weird, I know, but I want your permission to talk to her.”
Vanessa smiled. “You don’t need my permission, but if she doesn’t want to talk to you, there’s nothing I can do about it. Who was she married to? As far as I was aware, she’s happily single.”
I told Vanessa about Findlay Sweet. Vanessa knew all the people in my world, including Tom. She was intrigued by the past story of his time as a fisherman and smiled when I told her that Tom had spilled Findlay’s misbehaving beans to Jolie—back when she was Jessica.
“I’ll grab her. She’s here, in the break room, not scheduled to be working for half an hour or so, but I’ll see if she agrees to talk to you. Do you really want stew?” Vanessa stood.
“Please.”
“I’ll have her bring it.”
“We’ll tip her well,” Elias said.
It had been discussed and decided upon; Vanessa wouldn’t feed us free of charge. I’d wanted to enjoy the food in her restaurant, but at first she hadn’t wanted to charge Edwin’s closest friends. We’d decided that it made sense that Edwin ate without paying, but not the rest of us. Vanessa had been agreeable, but I was sure that she still sometimes comped drinks or desserts.
It wasn’t long before Jolie was walking toward us, though without our order. She frowned, but not unhappily, just cautiously. Her gray-streaked hair was pulled back neatly, and she was tiny, but with wide shoulders that somehow made her seem young. My mind superimposed the younger picture I’d found on the internet over her present face. She hadn’t aged much.
Elias and I stood as we all shook hands.
“You want to talk to me about Findlay?” she said.
“Yes. Is that okay?” I said.
She sat down. “Why?”
I didn’t want to tell her everything. I wondered if keeping it simple would work. “I recently married Tom Shannon.”
It took her a moment to remember, but then a smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. “A sweet boy, he was. All grown now.” She looked at me. “I don’t know you, lass, but I get the sense that you and Tom will do well.”
“I hope so.”
Her eyes unfocused, as if she were thinking back to that time. “He was so nervous to talk to me, but he thought it was the right thing to do. It was, though the task shouldn’t have been the responsibility of such a young man. I should have been paying better attention. Anyway, what do you want to know about Findlay? Though I’m not sure I can tell you much.”
“You aren’t angry that Tom told you about Findlay’s behavior?” I said.
Jolie laughed once. “No. I was back then. I was angry at everyone, mostly Findlay. No, that’s not exactly true. Ultimately I was angry with myself for not seeing what was right there in front of me.” She shrugged. “In fact, it took me another marriage before I realized maybe I’m just not meant to be married. I think I pick the wrong ones.”
“Did you know that Findlay is a driver for a woman named Shelagh O’Conner?”
Her eyes opened wide with surprise. “The woman who was taken from her home? Really? I had no idea.”
“You didn’t know he worked for Shelagh?”
“No. And he’s not a good driver. He was in a terrible accident.”
“I know. Well, I don’t really know much, but I knew he was in a car accident. Do you know his brother, Winston? He also works for Shelagh, with her horses. Winston and Findlay are roommates.”
“Back when I was married to Findlay, he and his brother weren’t speaking. I don’t know Winston at all, but as far as I understood, he always worked with horses.”
“Did you know the man who was recently killed, Ritchie John? Or did Findlay know him?”
“Not to my knowledge. It was sad to hear about the murder, but the man’s name doesn’t ring a bell. Should it?”
I shook my head. “No, but maybe Findlay knew him through Winston?”
Jolie sighed. “No, I don’t remember knowing him at all, but as I mentioned, Findlay and Winston weren’t on good terms back then.”
“Do you know why?”
“I think it was just that Findlay was unfaithful and Winston was angry at him because of it. But that could just have been me projecting something. I truly don’t know.”
I bit my lip. I didn’t know what else I wanted to ask. I wanted Findlay to be guilty of something, but that wasn’t fair. I’d also wanted to appease my curiosity as to why I was sure I knew the woman in the picture I’d seen on the internet. Talking to her made another puzzle piece fit into place, but it felt like I was working on the wrong puzzle now. Jolie and Findlay hadn’t been together in a long time; a lifetime ago it now seemed.
Jolie sat up straighter. “I know Shelagh. Well, I knew her. Maybe eight years ago, she had a big event at her house. At the time I managed a catering company. She hired us. I had to spend a few days with her, going over detail after detail, time and time again. She was—is—very controlling. And strange. You knew about her past—from a long time ago?”
Elias and I nodded.
“Aye, well, I didn’t see Findlay anywhere around there back then. If I had, I probably would have declined the job. I’m over that well enough now, but back then I might have been more prickly. I would bet my night’s tips that she turns up soon and that she will have been behind her own disappearance. She’s a dramatic one, that’s for sure. She was probably bored.” Jolie shrugged. “I’m going to feel terrible for saying such things if she really is hurt or something. I’m sorry, but I just don’t think she’s in dire straits. It’s just my gut talking, and I hope I’m correct.”
“Any guesses as to where she’d hide?” I asked.
“She’d hide in plain sight. If she’s putting on an act, it’ll be right there in front of everyone. For what it’s worth, and I think this is why you’re really here, Findlay’s not evil really, though maybe a little mean. He was unfaithful, aye, but that was a long time ago. He was never abusive to me.” She paused. “You know, having spent that time with Shelagh, I saw her controlling, dramatic side a few times, but I also saw her philanthropic side. I can understand her hiring someone to be her driver who had gotten into trouble driving. She believes in second chances. You can’t blame her, aye? Considering her own need for a second chance or two.”
“That makes sense,” I said.
“Aye. Can I help ye with something else?” She put her hands on the table.
Another server deposited our bowls of stew in front of us. The scents rising to my nose made me at least temporarily forget about everything but the food.
“Thank you for talking to us,” I said to Jolie.
She stood but hesitated and then sat again. “I don’t know if you need this, but I think I know where Findlay’s living. He was there about three years ago, that I know for sure.” She jotted down an address on a paper napkin.
I looked at it and thought it was the same one Hamlet had given me, but I’d double-check. “Thank you.”
“Aye. Just so you have it.” She said before she quickly turned and got back to work.
“What do ye think?” Elias asked.
“I don’t know. She seemed honest. I was really hoping she’d tell us something about Findlay that would somehow lead us to Shelagh, but I’m beginning to think he’s not as bad a guy as I might have first thought. I wouldn’t be surprised if Shelagh did give Findlay the driving job because of her belief in second chances, though. Are you suspicious of something else?”
“Do ye think she hasnae really seen him over these last ten years, lass? Edinburgh is a big city, aye, but … it’s just hard tae believe.”
I thought that over as I ate my stew. I couldn’t figure out why she would lie. I hoped she wouldn’t.
“I don’t know, Elias, but no matter what, I need to figure out the next clue,” I said. “Any ideas?”
“I’ll think on it.”
We ate the rest of the meal in companionable silence.