chilly, and Jeff draped his jacket across Robin’s shoulders.
“I hope we don’t find Chesterfield sprawled on the rocks where they found Lily Dowd’s body,” Robin said.
“That would be very creepy.”
Robin hummed The X-Files theme, and Jeff laughed.
“I can see that you’re not taking Chesterfield’s disappearing act seriously,” he said.
“I just don’t trust him. Regina didn’t like him. She wouldn’t say it, but I’m sure she thought he poisoned the chocolates that killed Sophie Randall. And his phony upper-class Brit act wears on you after a while.”
They walked down the cliff to the spot where Lily Dowd’s body had been found, but Chesterfield’s body wasn’t sprawled on the rocks. After walking south for fifteen minutes more, Jeff and Robin walked back toward the house. Robin stopped when they reached the spot where a flight of weatherworn wooden stairs led to the beach. She looked down.
“That’s interesting,” she said.
“What is?”
“There was a speedboat moored at the dock down there. It’s gone now.”
“That is interesting. And so is that,” Jeff said, pointing to a door in the side of the mansion.
Robin walked over and opened it. Jeff flipped a light switch. They were in a mudroom stocked with items you would use at the beach or on a boat. There was also an ascending flight of stairs.
“Let’s see where this goes,” Robin said.
Jeff followed Robin up. There was a door at the top. Robin opened it and found herself in a short concrete corridor that led to the side of the stage in the theater. She walked around the dolly that had been used to bring the sarcophagus to the stage and looked out. Chesterfield’s assistants were sitting in the front-row seats.
Jeff looked at them. Then he smiled. “What do you say, ladies? Mystery solved?”
“We can’t answer that question,” one of the women said.
“Right. The nondisclosure agreement,” Robin said. “I don’t know how he got out of the coffin, but I’m willing to bet that your boss left by that door, went down to the dock, and hightailed it in the speedboat. I have no idea where he went next. Do you?”
The women looked at one another.
“Come on. This has nothing to do with the illusion.”
The women huddled. Then one of them said, “Honestly, we don’t have any idea. We really expected Mr. Chesterfield to be at the back of the theater.”
“Okay, I believe you. Jeff and I are going to tell the others what we found. Why don’t you join us?”
Jeff and Robin found Claire and several of the other guests in the living room. Robin told them their theory about the speedboat.
“Between everyone, we’ve searched the house and grounds,” Claire said. “There are still many places Bobby could hide, but I’m fairly confident that he’s not here, which makes your theory very plausible.”
“What do you want us to do, Claire?” Horace Dobson asked.
“I think Bobby is playing one of his games, and I, for one, am not in the mood to humor him. So I’m going home, and I suggest you do too.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Robin said, taking Jeff’s arm. “Shall we?”
“We shall.”
Claire turned to Miriam Ross. “If my husband shows up, don’t tell me.”
Then she and David Turner followed Robin and Jeff outside.
Auggie Montenegro smiled at Dobson. “Looks like your client took it on the lam.”
Then he turned to Miriam. “Unlike Claire, if Lord Bobby reappears, I am definitely interested in hearing about it. There might even be a finder’s fee for any information.” Auggie winked at Ross. Then he led his date toward the door.
“You get in touch, right away, if Bobby shows up,” Dobson told Ross before he left.
When the door closed, Miriam dropped onto a couch and held her head in her hands. She couldn’t believe Bobby would run out on her. Not after all the promises he’d made. He would show up. She was sure of it. Ross took a deep breath and got to her feet. The waitstaff was standing around, watching her.
“Let’s get this place cleaned up. I want it looking spotless when Mr. Chesterfield returns.”
Ross hoped that her tone carried more certainty than she felt.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“No further questions,” Robin said.
“I don’t have any either,” Deputy District Attorney Amy Arnold said. “Can Officer Mayfield be excused?”
“Miss Lockwood?” Judge Irving Knolls asked.
“That’s fine with me.”
“Any more witnesses?” the judge asked.
“No, Your Honor,” Robin said as the officer headed for the door to the courtroom.
“Your motion to suppress presents a fascinating legal issue, Miss Lockwood,” Judge Knolls said, “and this is definitely a close question.