Page 81 of In Plain Sight

Mrs. Cain came into the office, carrying a tray of coffee. She raised her eyebrows at the sight of the whiskey glass but said nothing as she placed the tray on the desk. She straightened and gave her husband an inquiring glance. “Are you all right?”

“Della…. They know about Cheryl and me.”

Mrs. Cain’s back became rigid. “I see.” She narrowed her gaze. “Yousworeto me no one knew about it.”

“And no one did.”

“Then who told them?”

Dan cleared his throat. “Cheryl did.”

Her mouth fell open.

“You stayed with your husband,” Gary remarked.

Mrs. Cain gave a casual shrug. “I didn’t want a divorce. Why should I? Ilikebeing the wife of a senator.” She straightened. “And now I’ll leave you to your questions. Doubtless you have more of them.” Then her shoulders slumped a little. “I thought we’d heard the last of her when she turned up in that tunnel.” She walked out of the door.

Senator Cain stared at the closed door. “You’ll have to forgive Della. I was thirty-five when Cheryl and I first… got together, and Della was convinced it was nothing more than an early midlife crisis. She let me have what she thought would be a momentary dalliance, except it wasn’t. Cheryl captivated me. She went to a place in my heart I hadn’t even known existed.” He blinked, then coughed. “I don’t see why anyone has to know. It was a long time ago. And it has nothing to do with her death.”

Gary had to agree. He didn’t doubt for a second the senator loved Cheryl—Gary could hear it in his voice, see it in his face. He turned to Dan to see if Senator Cain’s words had made the same impression.

Dan was staring at the pocket doors, which were closed.

“Dan?”

No reaction.

“Is something wrong, Mr. Porter?” the senator asked.

Dan blinked, and he looked for all the world as if he was coming out of a dreamlike state. “When we were here last week, you said Al did you proud.”

Senator Cain nodded. “Yes. He was the carpenter who made those doors.”

“How did you find him?”

“I didn’t. A friend did.”

Gary stilled. “James Sebring.”

The senator frowned. “Who?”

“James Sebring. He was a carpenter whose coworkers called him Al as a joke, only it stuck. He died two years ago.”

Senator Cain’s breathing hitched. “Seriously? He couldn’t have been that old.”

“His death was declared an accident,” Gary informed him. “But we have our suspicions it was murder.”

The senator’s jaw dropped. “But why would anyone want to murder a carpenter?” He swallowed.

Dan was still staring at the doors.

“What is it that so fascinates you about them?”

Gary was starting to get the feeling something was going on, something he needed to know about.

Then Dan shivered. “Sorry. I must have zoned out.” He gave the senator his full attention. “You should have told us the truth, Senator.”

“I know, but surely you can understand why I didn’t.”