Bloodlines by Jan Burke Page B

O'Connor answered truthfully.
    "But I'd swear I saw it, Conn. I woke up in a eucalyptus grove, a wind-break, probably. A dairy on the other side of the road. And I saw a farmer burying a car."
    "Well, I've always been a city boy, so I couldn't tell you why farmers do what they do in the wee hours of the night or any other time. So let's talk about before the farm."
    "You don't believe me."
    "I believe you, Jack. I do."
    Jack fell silent.
    "Who did this to you, Jack?"
    He frowned, winced at the pull on his stitches, and said, "Big guy at a party. Never saw him before. Thought I was making time with his floozy and coldcocked me. One punch. Wasn't expecting it."
    "How big a man?"
    "Three inches shorter than the Titanic, if you stood them back to back."
    "Hair?"
    "Blond. Crewcut. Blue eyes, I think. But that might have been the dame. I'm a little confused about him." He put a hand to his head. "Someone else joined the fun, but I didn't get a good look at him. He was behind me most of the time."
    He fell silent again.
    O'Connor waited a bit, then tried again. "You were wearing your good suit when you ended up in the marsh. Or what was left of your good suit--"
    "Where is it?"
    "The ER nurses showed it to me, and told me they'll bring the remains of it up here once it's dry. If I had any fear that you could get out of that bed and put it on, I'd have them burn it. So--you were wearing your good suit. Where'd you go last night?"
    "Lillian's place. Katy's birthday."
    O'Connor couldn't hide his disbelief. "Katy's birthday party? Lillian invited you?"
    "No. Katy did."
    He was wearing down, but fighting it, O'Connor thought.
    "Conn, something was eating at her. Really bothering her."
    "Bothering Katy?"
    "Yes..." Jack's thoughts seemed to drift, then he looked back at O'Connor. "She kept saying she wanted to talk to me, but she obviously didn't want the family to hear what she had to say. You know she's never serious about much of anything, but tonight ...I mean, last night... she was troubled."
    "If you're worried about her, I'll call her tomorrow. Maybe she'll come and visit you."
    "Go by their place tonight."
    "Tonight? Jack, it's almost midnight."
    "She's a night owl."
    "And I suppose Todd Ducane won't mind my calling on his wife in the dead of night?"
    "Guess again."
    "What are you saying?"
    "He has a mistress. He's home maybe three nights a week."
    "First of all, maybe that's what's troubling Katy. And second, what if I happen to luck into one of the three nights?"
    "Katy doesn't care. I offered to pound him so flat she could use him as rug."
    "This being when you yourself hadn't been made into a carpet."
    Jack ignored him. "She told me not to bother. She doesn't want him. She's known about this for months. Old news."
    "Okay, to everyone but me, I guess. All the same, maybe Todd will be a dog in the manger and still not take to my showing up on his doorstep at midnight. People have been shot for less."
    "He drives an old heap, it will be parked in the drive."
    "Not the garage?"
    "No. He likes to irritate the neighbors. Hopes it will get him a gift from Lillian."
    "I think I understand. Lillian owns the house, right?"
    "Right."
    "And his parents won't buy him a new car, so he figures he'll embarrass Lillian into coughing up the dough for something worthy of the neighborhood."
    "Yes."
    "Why did she marry the Toad?"
    "Ask her."
    "When I see her tonight."
    "Yes."
    "And who's going to keep an eye on you? I don't want to risk having someone come in here and finish what they started."
    "I'll be fine. See Katy. Go over and find out if she's okay."
    "Why don't I just call her from the pay phone downstairs?"
    "You'll wake the baby and everyone else."
    O'Connor sighed. "It's that important to you?"
    "Please."
    "I'm on my way," he said, grabbing his coat and hat. He paused as he reached the door. "Jack, where are your hat and coat?"
    "I don't know. Lillian's? I'm not sure."
    "I'll make a note to ask her about it before Hastings gives it away to