They settled into a relaxed rhythm, the dinner laid out in the dining room, with a glass of champagne to celebrate. Kathleen’s mouth watered. Roast chicken, her favourite.
Midway through the meal, Rhonda glanced up. "So, where have you been the last couple of days? We tried calling. But your phone kept going to voicemail."
Kathleen paused, buttering a slice of bread with exaggerated care. "I was out of town. I needed some space to finish the paper."
"Out of town where?" her mother pressed, clearly curious.
Kathleen kept her voice neutral. "To a cabin in the country. A quiet place."
"Alone?"
Kathleen gave a vague smile and reached for her glass. "With a friend."
Rhonda raised a brow. "Anyone we know?"
"No," Kathleen said, still polite. "Not someone you’ve met."
Her mother let the topic drop, but not without a subtle narrowing of the eyes, the kind that suggested she hadn’t given up.
Kathleen sighed. She wished she could tell them about Veronica but she had no idea how they would take it.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Marise sat on the edge of the bed, one foot tucked under the other, staring out at the morning skyline. Her apartment was silent, disconcerting after the cabin, for there was always a hum of birdsong in the distance.
She thought about the theft of Kathleen’s work.
It wasn’t so much that someone had stolen her life research, it was more that someoneclosehad probably done it.
Her phone buzzed beside her and she reached over and checked the ID: Kathleen. She picked it up, immediately straightening. “Hey.”
“I saw Edith,” Kathleen said with a little hitch in her voice.
Marise went still. “How did it go?”
“We had a long talk about it. She said she didn’t do it,” a pause, “and I believed her.”
Marise relaxed. She hoped for Kathleen’s sake that her friend and mentor hadn’t betrayed her trust. “You’re sure?”
“I am. As she pointed out, I will know soon enough who it was when I lodge a complaint and if she’d done something like that, her reputation would be ruined. She offered to help. She’ll give a testimonial to support my patent claim and back me if it comes to a dispute.”
“Great. Coming from such an esteemed academic will lend a lot of weight to your argument and will protect your good name. How did she take it.”
“She was devastated. Angry that the crime had been committed, but disappointed that I could think she’d do something like that. I could tell it hit her hard.”
“I’m glad you talked to her,” Marise said. “You needed to know for your own peace of mind.”
“I did and I’m glad I was wrong.” Another pause. “Have you… found anything else?”
“Not yet,” Marise said. “But I’ve been thinking. Whoever did this, had access to the internal systems. I want to double-check the cleaning firm. It’s a long shot, but someone might’ve used them as a way in.”
“You think Com Co’s involved?”
“I think they might’ve been used. I’m going in to check.”
Kathleen hesitated. “Be careful. I don’t want you getting dragged into this.”
Marise gave a low laugh. “Too late for that.”
