steps she took after Blake left to speak with his staff. Everything she did after that, until the discovery of the fake books, was a bit fuzzy in her mind.
After Brookes made Addie repeat every detail that she could remember, at least twice, she closed her notepad. “This is all very interesting. Can you wait here for a moment? I’ll be right back.” Agent Brookes sidled up next to Marc and Simon, who were talking as two paramedics closed the black body bag on a gurney and wheeled it out the door.
The moment Brookes promised turned into five minutes. Ten. Fifteen. The group, now with the addition of Jerry, moved over to the center book table. Addie strained to hear what they were saying.
“I tend to agree with you, Jerry.” Marc raked his hand through his hair. “Given the fact that so many people have come and gone through the house over the last few months, it’ll be too hard to determine who left what fingerprints and when, but I also agree with Agent Brookes: We can’t let that stop us from looking at all the evidence. Who knows, we might get lucky and find some fresh prints.”
Jerry mumbled something Addie couldn’t make out at Marc’s directive, picked up his black lab case, and began dusting the window ledge for prints.
Marc glanced at Simon. “And you’re saying that based on your preliminary examination, Miss McAdams’s death appears to be the result of natural causes?”
“At this point, it appears so. There’s no evidence of any bodily wounds or a struggle, and as Jerry has determined, because the room was locked from the inside the only sign of forced entry was caused by the work of the handyman to allow Blake Edwards and Addie access to the room. I feel comfortable at this point making that assessment. However, it is preliminary pending a complete autopsy. At which time I’ll better be able to make a determination of the mechanism and manner of death.”
“Right.” Marc rubbed his neck. “Jerry, you finish processing the house. Keep an eye open for anything that looks out of place or someplace someone could have hidden these missing antiques. If we don’t find anything, then I’ll let the auction go ahead as planned tomorrow. But make sure Mr. Edwards is aware that until we get the final autopsy report back, this room will remain off-limits.”
“What?” Addie sputtered. She couldn’t believe Marc’s decision. In her mind, especially after she’d discovered the missing first editions and Blake’s tale of other missing pieces, the whole house and grounds should be treated as a crime scene at least until the books were found. What’s Marc thinking? Addie gripped the arms of the chair and shifted to stand, but stopped when Simon’s gaze darted toward her—his eyes clearly telegraphing a warning to stay put and keep quiet. Marc glanced over at her, adjusted his police utility belt, and headed directly for her, his arms across his chest, his silence as he stood over her a deafening roar.
She motioned to the chair opposite her, but he didn’t move. She struggled to her feet—her frayed nerves caused by the entire events of the morning and seeing him again after so long were the only force willing her legs to cooperate. “Marc, you look well. Time off seems to have agreed with you.” She pasted a grin on her face, praying it didn’t betray her warring emotions. “I wanted . . . no, I hoped we could talk for a few minutes.”
“Unless it’s got something to do with what happened here, we have nothing to say to each other at the moment.” His eyes narrowed, studying her face. “But I get the feeling that you thought this little reunion would give us time to play catch-up like old friends?”
“No.” Addie’s cheeks burned as if she’d just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “But I did think we could forgo all this formality and talk like we used to.”
“After I walk into a room and find you with a dead body? This shouldn’t surprise me, though. As it appears, nothing with you has changed in the last few months.” His gaze flitted over to Simon by the door and then back to her.
Addie winced at the curtness of his voice. “I have some information,” she said, trying to regroup her thoughts, “and I think it’s important.”
“I’m well aware of the additional information you have.”
“Oh, I was—”
Simon’s hand on her elbow stilled her thoughts and