“Why not?”
“My father died there when I was twelve.”
“What happened?”
“He fell down the stairs and broke his neck.”
“An accident?”
“So they believe, yes.”
Rice looked startled. “So it wasn’t an accident?”
“Anything is possible.”
“Then your mother…?”
Waller placed a large hand on Rice’s narrow shoulder and squeezed a little. “I didn’t say my mother, did I? She was sweet and good. Such an act would’ve been unthinkable to the purity of her soul.”
“Yes, I’m sure. Yes, I understand.”
The orbital ridges around Waller’s eyes seemed to deepen. “Do you understand, Alan?” He removed his hand and pulled a note from his pocket. “I see that a young American woman is leasing the villa next to mine.”
“We just found that out. However, I doubt she poses a threat.”
“No, no, Alan. We don’t know what she poses yet, do we? The proximity alone is enough, is it not, to raise questions?”
“You’re right. I will find out all that I can. So will you visit this Roussillon? Is it far?”
“Nothing in Provence is really that far.”
“Then you will go?”
“Perhaps I will.”
“Just don’t become a victim of some accident yourself.”
“Please do not concern yourself for me. My father was careles
s and weak. His son is not.”
CHAPTER
13
YOU TALKED to her, didn’t you?” asked Frank.
Shaw looked up from the papers he was studying. “Who?”
“Don’t play stupid. Katie!”
“How’d you know?”
“Because your head has been in your ass the last few days. If I’d known you’d be like this I never would’ve given you the damn number. So how did she sound?”
“Fine.”
“What’d you two talk about?”