The Confidence Woman Read Free

she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
    â€œWe also found credit cards in their names in Evelyn Martin’s house.”
    Claire felt that Detective Amaral was gauging her reaction. “Did she steal their identities, too?” she asked.
    â€œApparently.”
    Claire knew that Evelyn’s body had been found in a wealthy neighborhood. “Did our good credit buy her a house on Tano Road?”
    â€œNo. She was renting. Tell me about your experience with the credit card fraud. Did you file a police report?”
    â€œYes, with Officer Susan Deutsch from the Albuquerque Police Department.”
    Amaral wrote down the policewoman’s name and listened carefully while Claire told him all about the theft.
    â€œDid you lend Evelyn a key when she visited you?”
    â€œYes,” Claire admitted.
    Amaral didn’t need to point out that Evelyn could have copied the key and entered her house at any time after her visit. Claire’s mind had made that leap already. “How long had she been living in Santa Fe?” she asked.
    â€œShe moved here a year ago January.”
    Claire, who felt that the walls of the slot canyon were closing in on her, pressed her hand against her forehead. “Evelyn lied when she visited me. She told me she was living in Denver and thinking about moving here.”
    â€œShe signed the lease on the house sixteen months ago. In an envelope along with the credit cards we found a list of personal property. Some of it was found in the house. Are you missing any personal property?”
    Claire had a few pieces of valuable family jewelry, but she either wore them daily or kept them in her safe-deposit box. “Not that I know of.”
    â€œThere is a book on the list. The Confidence-Man by Herman Melville.”
    Claire owned a signed first edition of The Confidence-Man. The few books with Melville’s signature were valuable. “I have a copy of that book. I hadn’t noticed it was missing, but it’s possible. It’s worth about ten thousand dollars.”
    â€œThat much for a book?” Amaral’s raised eyebrows contributed to his already startled expression.
    â€œThat much. Was the book in the house?”
    â€œWe didn’t find it there. You told me merchandise was charged to your credit card, but you didn’t say what it was.”
    â€œA large TV, an expensive stereo. Things I never would have bought for myself.”
    â€œAnything else?”
    â€œShe charged lingerie and underwear at Victoria’s Secret. The first sign I had that something was wrong was when I received a package in the mail from the store.”
    â€œWhat was in it?”
    â€œA silky black nightgown.”
    â€œWould you be willing to look at a photograph of the deceased?” Amaral asked. “The body is badly decomposed. It will not be a pleasant sight, but you might see something that will help our investigation.”
    â€œIf the body was decomposed, how were you able to identify her?”
    â€œDental records matched.”
    Claire took the photo, which showed a disturbing image of swollen and rotting flesh sprawled across a kitchen floor. The corner of a stove was visible. Evelyn wore a turquoise blue dress with ethnic embroidery. Her hair was bleached blond. While Claire studied the photo, Amaral studied her.
    â€œEvelyn’s hair was blond,” she said, returning the photo. “That’s all I can really identify. Have you discovered yet what killed her?” Claire was thinking a heart attack or possibly a stroke. Evelyn was young for either of those, but she had been overweight and out of shape when she visited Claire.
    â€œNot yet. The OMI needs to do some further testing.” Amaral stood up. “Thank you for your time. May I call you if we need to talk further?”
    â€œOf course,” Claire said.
    She felt numb as Amaral escorted her down the hall to the door. Telephones were ringing in the police