Santos knew he knew, too. He sighed and gestured for them both to follow. T.S. stood in the doorway and watched as they disappeared upstairs.
"I certainly didn't mean to interfere," Lilah told him. "But it's always wise to have representation on hand."
"Interfere?" T.S. pulled a chair close to her and took her hands in his. The bandage on his injured hand made him feel like he was wearing a baseball glove. "You are never an interference, Lilah. Never, ever think that you interfere in my—"
"Ahem." Herbert bowed politely and backed to the door. "I feel the need for a bit of fresh air. Please excuse me." He was gone in a flash.
"Terminally discreet," Lilah observed. She gave a merry, tinkling laugh. "Now do you want to know what you said to me last night?"
It was a dare he was not yet ready to confront. "No, no. That's quite all right. Though if it was good, I'm sure I meant it." He colored slightly. "But why does the name 'Albert' keep popping up in my head?"
Lilah shook her head and smiled. "Albert is an old friend of my husband's, Theodore. They went to Yale together, were both in banking and led pretty much parallel lives until Robert managed to get himself stabbed to death. You met Albert last night. He helped you to the car. But don't worry. He's just a friend."
"What was he doing at Worthington's party?" T.S. asked. "It seems a cut below him, if you know what I mean."
"I can't figure it out," Lilah admitted. "He spent our entire time together warning me not to invest."
"Warning you not to invest?"
"Yes. That was why he wanted to speak to me alone," Lilah explained.
T.S. had a sudden flash of memory and saw Lilah standing by a large potted palm, while a tuxedoed man hovered around her. "He was practically nibbling on your ear," T.S. pointed out with a lack of gentlemanly spirit. He couldn't help it. The memory had flooded back with sudden clarity and it hurt.
"No, Theodore." She kissed him lightly on one cheek. "Albert does not interest me in the least. He was bending my ear, not nibbling it. It was a very curious thing. Here he was investing tens of thousands of dollars in Worthington's play and all he could tell me was that it stank and not to put any money in and not to make the same mistake he was making."
"Let me get this straight," T.S. said. "Albert has invested tons of moolah in the play but seems desperate for you not to do the same?"
"Yes, I'd say that. Desperate."
"So why is he investing?" T.S. asked.
Lilah shrugged. "I honestly can't say. He never let me ask any questions. I was confused even more because I know he was just as conservative an investor as my late husband was. Probably more so. Robert used to joke about it."
Something didn't fit. That much was clear. T.S. sipped at a cold cup of cappuccino, hoping the caffeine might clear his thoughts.
"I'll tell Santos about it and see what he thinks. Worthington is guilty of more than we think," he decided. Lilah nodded and patted his knee. "Why would he slip me a mickey? If he had tried to knock Auntie Lil out, it would have made sense. She is, after all, the nosiest human being this side of Jimmy Durante."
"Except Worthington doesn't even know that Auntie Lil exists," Lilah pointed out. She shivered delicately. "There's something about him, Theodore. I just don't like that man. He kept saying 'Live and let live' as if it meant something profound. What did it mean? What does he have to do with Emily?"
"And what possible profit could he get out of drugging me?" T.S. added. "I know that we're missing something." He stared at her for a moment. "What do you know about mickies anyway?" he teased. "You sounded like an expert a minute ago."
"You can knock someone out by putting plain old eye drops in their drink," she said confidently. "Or any manner of drugs. Mr. Hermann told me." She continued to rub his hands with her thumbs.
If he had his way, they would sit like this forever, linked by Lilah's steady touch. He wanted to study her, quietly, without interruption. How had she known what he was thinking about Albert? He would never understand women, not ever. Especially since he had learned about them from Auntie Lil, who was not your usual female