X (Kinsey Millhone 24)

I said, “I don’t know how you do this.”

She smiled. “Shall I tell you the secret? You don’t do anything else. That’s why most grandparents enjoy the hell out of kids. They’re not always thinking ahead to something more important. Try to read or talk on the phone or undertake any task that requires focus and this bunch will be all over you. Sit with ’em like I do and they can’t wait to get away from you.

“The other secret is coordinated nap and bedtimes. I see parents whose kids are up running around until eleven o’clock at night. I have a friend who claims her three-year-old doesn’t ‘feel’ like going to bed before midnight. I’m looking at her like she has two heads. The kid doesn’t feel like it? My kids are in bed by eight o’clock, no ifs, ands, or buts. Kids need at least eight hours of shut-eye. Otherwise they’re whiny and out of sorts. Me too, for that matter.”

“You’re going to end up with five kids under the age of five?”

“Oh. I guess so,” she said, as though the thought had just occurred to her. “In all honesty, I wouldn’t mind adding one more just to round out the number to an even six. Neil isn’t keen on the idea, but he may change his mind. Have a seat. You want a soft-boiled egg?”

“Maybe later,” I said. “You look wonderful.”

“Thanks. I can barely walk without wetting myself, but I’ll accept the compliment in the spirit with which it was given. Is that for the kids?” she asked, indicating the bag that held my toy store finds.

“Of course.”

I offered her the sack and let her peek inside.

She said, “Perfect.”

Once the children had finished lunch, I gave Peter and Meg each a bottle of bubbles, first fishing out the submerged wands and giving a demonstration. Both were absorbed by the slipstream of bubbles floating above their heads. Abigail laughed one of those helpless belly laughs and then sat down on her butt. Shortly afterward, she started crying and Vera declared it was nap time. Bonnie hustled the three upstairs.

Even as well-behaved as the children were, the ensuing quiet was wonderful.

Vera said, “Ah, grown-up time. Tell me what’s going on.”

I filled her in on my search of the Clipper estate, my subsequent dealings with Cheney Phillips’s mother at Montebello Luxury Properties, and the conversation I’d had with Detective Nash about the stolen painting that had been ransomed back to the owner in return for twenty-five thousand in marked bills.

My narrative included, but was not limited to, my round-trip to Beverly Hills where I’d spotted “Hallie Bettancourt,” now known to me by her real name, which was Teddy Xanakis.

“Teddy Xanakis? You gotta be shitting me!”

“I thought you might know her.”

“I can’t say I ‘know’ her, but I sure know who she is. She and Ari Xanakis were the darlings of Montebello the minute they hit town. He donated megabucks to all the trendy charities, and she served on the boards of everything. Perfect combination. He was generous and she was smart and well-organized. She could also fund-raise with the best of them.

“They bought a big house where they entertained often and lavishly. The Montebello matrons were fawning over them. Don’t tell anyone I said that. Montebello matrons think they’re much too cool and sophisticated to fawn over anyone. They all claimed they genuinely liked the pair. ‘So down-to-earth and unpretentious, so bighearted and sincere.’”

“I knew you’d have the lowdown.”

“Oh, do I ever,” she said. “When the two of them finally split, the Montebello matrons couldn’t back away fast enough. If the case went to court, nobody wanted to be called as a character witness. That’s a no-win situation any way you look at it. You alienate him or you alienate her and you don’t know which one will end up on top. I think they finally reached a settlement after a horrific two years of trying to outdo each other. Meanwhile, the donations dropped to zero, so no more invitations for her. The only friend she has left is this redhead named Kim who used to be high society like Teddy until her husband went to prison for embezzlement.”

“I’ve met Kim. She’s now working for Montebello Luxury Properties.”

“She has to work? Well, the poor thing, though she’s better off than Teddy, who has no marketable skills.”

“Is Kim’s husband at USP Lompoc by any chance?”

“I don’t know where they sent him, but that’s a good guess. Meanwhile, Teddy left for Los Angeles and Ari took up with a wealthy widow. Actually, his taking up with the widow was what caused the split in the first place. His behavior was an embarrassment. The widow was half his age and a bombshell to boot. How’s that for original?”