twenty-three

David had received the call as soon as he’d arrived home. He said the police wanted to see both me and Adam. I promised I’d drive back downtown. Groaning, I splashed some water on my face at the bathroom sink, slipped on a pair of flats, grabbed my coat and purse, and headed back out. When I arrived at Montgomery Street, I used my key card to drive down to C-level where David had told me they’d be waiting. On the west side of the building, near the empty slot of a tandem parking area, were an unmarked car, a black-and-white police vehicle, and a coroner’s van. Adam and David stood side by side next to two uniformed men, while two other people in coveralls bundled up a man-sized package and loaded it into the van. Adam walked over to open my door.

“I didn’t want them to call you. I don’t think you should be here. This is pretty bad.”

“I’ll be fine.” I wasn’t so sure of that, but it seemed like the thing to say. “How did this happen?”

“They believe he was run over with his own car. It must have happened when he left the office around six o’clock. They’ll tow his car and have Forensics go over it.”

“How could that happen? Did someone overpower him and take his car keys?”

“Probably someone he trusted,” David said. “The police think he might have suffered a blow to the head before being run over, but they’re not sure yet. He must have been unconscious when this happened to him. Poor bastard. At least I hope he was unconscious.”

“Are you telling me he was lying down here on C-level when we came back from the restaurant? One floor beneath us?”

David nodded in response. “Someone working late found him. Sometime soon after we left. His car was reversed into the parking spot. It hid his body, so no one passing by would notice it. The man who found him was opening his trunk and happened to look over. Saw him lying behind the back wheels.”

The blood must have drained from my face. “Are you okay?” Adam looked concerned.

I swallowed hard and nodded. “This is just so horrible and brutal.”

Sergeant Sullivan approached. “I’m sorry we had to ask you to come down tonight, but I think it’s better if we talk now rather than at the office tomorrow.” Sullivan didn’t look any too happy to be hauled out at this hour either. “Ms. Bonatti, is there anything you can tell me about this?”

“Sorry, no. I know Ira was working in the office today. I didn’t see him leave. I was away on an errand for a few hours, then I came back.”

“And you parked on B-level when you returned?”

“Yes. It was later in the day and there were empty spots there. After that, I was in David’s office.”

“What time did you leave the building tonight?”

“Well, we—David and Adam and I—walked up to North Beach for dinner. We got back to the building about …” I looked to Adam for confirmation.

“Sometime around eight, or quarter past,” Adam answered. “We signed in and out and took the elevator down one level to B. We chatted for a bit, said good night, and we all drove off.” I blushed, remembering the kiss that Adam and I had shared.

Each of us answered a few more questions about our movements during the day, and then the sergeant told us we were free to go home.

Adam stepped closer. “Julia, I’m following you home.”

“There’s really no need, Adam. You don’t have to do that.”

“Uh uh, don’t argue. I just want to make sure you get there safely.”

“But where do you live? I never thought to ask you.”

“In the Marina. I’ve got an apartment there. It’s no trouble, Julia. I’ll cut through the Presidio and I’ll be home in no time.”

True to his word, he followed me out of the garage and all the way back to 30th Avenue. I pulled up to the curb in front of my house and climbed out. Adam found a parking space across the street. He walked me up the stairs to my door and waited while I unlocked it.

In the darkened doorway I couldn’t see the expression in his eyes, but he touched my cheek, then slowly leaned toward me and kissed me again. My knees turned to jelly and heat ran up my spine as I returned the kiss. We said nothing, both of us intensely aware of where this was going. Neither of us sure we wanted to go there just yet.

“Good night, Julia.” Adam smiled, then turned and walked to the bottom of the stairs. “And call me if you’re worried or if you need anything, okay?”

“Adam, wait!”

He turned back. “What is it?”

“What’s your birth date?”

Silence for a moment, and then he laughed. “August 5, 1976.”

“And the city and time?”

“Uh … I think it was around five p.m. In St. Paul.”

I smiled. “Good night.”

“But you have to tell me what you find, okay?” He waved once, slid into the driver’s seat, and started the engine. I stepped through my darkened doorway, still trying to recover from one of the hottest kisses I could ever remember. It really had been too long. I pushed aside my vision of dragging Adam through the doorway and ripping his clothes off before we even got to the top of the stairway. Ice cubes in the bath water. That’s what I needed.

As I started to shut the front door, I shivered and turned quickly. I was certain I caught a glimpse of a shadow by the telephone pole on the other side of the street. I hurried inside, shut the door, and turned the lock. Very carefully, I eased back the side of the curtain on the inside of the door and scanned the street. The shadow was gone. Nerves again, I thought. I double checked that the bolt was on and climbed the stairs, shedding my clothes, and crawled under the comforter. Wizard was still the only man in my bed.