The Wedding Guest (Alex Delaware #34) - Jonathan Kellerman Page 0,48
his shoulder, placed her other hand on his knee.
Garrett’s expression was that of a kid who’d been given an expensive violin and had no idea how to play it.
Baby began stroking the top of his hand. He lowered his attention to his lap. Crossed his legs protectively.
Milo said, “Sorry you’re not feeling well, Mrs. Burdette.”
“Oh, it’s nothing,” she said. “A little tummy upset when I woke up. I told Gar he didn’t need to come home but he’s my super sweetie and insisted. Thank you, honey.”
Garrett shrugged. “Easy day.”
“That’s because you’re so smart.” She kissed his cheek. “I’m actually feeling better, honey. Maybe we can go out and find a food truck or something? I could really go for a street taco.”
“Sure.”
“Awesome.” She smiled at us. “You’re probably thinking this chick is nuts—bipolar or something. The last time you saw me I was like a total bitchzilla.”
“No, you weren’t,” said Garrett.
“Not in the least,” said Milo. “What a terrible thing to go through.”
“It was,” said Baby Burdette, “it really was. But I didn’t show my best side.” She shuddered, like a puppy shedding water. “But that’s all in the past, the future’s what counts. And the present. Our present is awesome, I’ve got the best guy.”
Garrett mumbled, “Thanks, Baby.”
“I mean it, honey.” She sat up straight. “So. Are you guys here to give us the good news that you solved it? I keep thinking about that poor, poor, poor girl. I know when you talked to me it was like I didn’t care. Honestly, I probably didn’t, not then, I was so…I couldn’t focus. But now I can. And I keep thinking about her. Who is she?”
Her cheeks puffed and she exhaled.
Milo said, “Afraid we still don’t know.”
Both newlyweds stared at us.
“So why are you here?” said Garrett.
“You can’t find out anything?” said Baby.
Milo said, “Unfortunately, she had no I.D. and no one at the wedding seems to know her.”
“Can’t you just go on—I don’t know—a missing persons site or something?”
Milo smiled. “We have.”
“Oh. Sorry. Don’t mean to say you’re not doing your job, it’s just, how can someone be…like a ghost? Especially with computers.”
Garrett said, “If people want to get lost, it’s easy.”
His wife turned, seemed to study him. “What does that mean?”
“Computers go both ways,” he said. “People think the internet has opened up the world and that’s true to an extent. But it’s also closed it, because people can hide behind fictitious identities. Right, Lieutenant?”
Baby continued to look at him, baffled. “But can’t you just…hack them?”
“Sometimes. But there’s always a struggle between the hiders and finders.” To us: “My firm had a client with an employee who absconded with funds. She prepared for it by laying down a misleading cyber-trail. They still haven’t recovered the money.”
“You do stuff like that?” said Baby. “Detection?”
Garrett’s smile hovered between affection and condescension. “No, I just handle tax returns, Baby. The client is looking for the maximal write-off so I had to know the details.”
“Wow.”
“No big deal.”
“It’s a huge deal, honey. I’m so proud of you. So why are you here, guys?”
Milo said, “Follow-up. Looking to see if you’ve thought of anything.”
“I tried to think,” said Baby. “I really wanted to figure it out. But I couldn’t.”
We turned to Garrett.
He said, “If I had to guess, I’d say she was a crasher.”
Milo said, “Why’s that?”
“No one knows her.”
“Did you have any other crashers?”
“Not that I know.”
“Not that I know, either,” said Baby. “But that movie—the two guys who crash all the time? Owen Wilson—obviously, it happens.”
Garrett said, “Maybe it got out that we were going to have an awesome party and she figured she’d mooch but someone followed her.”
“Followed her,” said Milo.
“Well, yeah. We don’t know people like that.”
“For sure,” said Baby. “I like your theory, honey. Just a crazy thing. What do you think, Lieutenant?”
“It’s certainly possible.”
Looking satisfied, Baby Burdette ate corn chips.
Milo gave me a whenever-you’re-ready look. The dialogue we’d prepped.
I said, “So when are you guys going on your honeymoon?”
“We were gonna do it in a month, now we’re hoping for a couple of months,” said Baby. “It’s a little mixed up. I want to get a job but I don’t want to start something and then ask for time off. We’re still trying to figure it out.”
“What kind of job are you interested in?”
“Fashion marketing. That’s always been my passion.”
I said, “Speaking of fashion, the victim’s dress was Fendi.”