Page 100 of High Society

Even though Baljit’s joke was tasteless and totally on point for her, Simon wonders if she might be right about Liisa. Maybe there are only four of them left now? And if so, will it end there?

CHAPTER 50

Holly hasn’t eaten all day, but whatever appetite she brought with her to the restaurant vanishes the moment she spots Aaron sitting at their usual table on the far side of the deck. She can tell from his light-blue blazer, his favorite jacket, that Aaron must have assumed she meant tonight to be a date night. She didn’t. Holly only chose this spot because it’s a safe and public venue.

Aaron stands up and pulls back her chair as she approaches. She forces an over-the-shoulder smile as she allows him to slide the chair back under her.

“This is an unexpected treat,” he says as he sits down beside her.

“It’s a nice night,” she says, but the starry sky and the lit boats and yachts dotting the water hardly even register with her. She wonders if she is going to be able to fake her way through enough small talk to get him off his guard.

“How do you feel about white?” Aaron says, offering her the wine list.

She holds up a palm. “I trust you.” But nothing could be further from the truth.

“I feel empowered,” he says with a chuckle, as he puts on his reading glasses and consults the list. “I know just the one.”

With glasses on and a full head of salt-and-pepper hair, Aaron is still handsome in the professorial way that had originally drawn her to him. But all she feels now is queasiness in his company.

As if sensing her underlying emotion, Aaron lowers the list to the table and stares at her apologetically. “I am sorry, Holl. I really am.”

“Oh? What for?”

“Hurting you.”

It takes all her restraint to keep her tone in check. “When did you hurt me, Aaron?”

“Last time you came over. I was awful. After everything you’d been through with Liisa. Not to mention the others in the group. What you needed was a sympathetic ear, not a condescending lecture from a pompous ass like me. I was tired. And Graham has this crazy idea that… It doesn’t matter.” He shows her a contrite smile. “Any chance you’d be willing to give me a do-over?”

Aaron sounds so sincere that any other time Holly might have been moved to forgiveness. Not tonight. “Remind me, Aaron. When was the last time you worked with Liisa?”

“When she was my student. Must’ve been fifteen years ago. Maybe twenty.”

“And you haven’t seen her since?”

He shrugs. “Not that I can recall, no.”

“Not even a phone call?”

“No, no phone calls.” His smile fades, replaced by a look of suspicion. “What am I missing here?”

“It’s probably nothing.” Holly buries her face in her menu.

He gently pushes it down. “It doesn’t sound like nothing.”

“Liisa is missing,” she says matter-of-factly.

He cocks his head. “As in missing her appointments?”

“She has been listed by Newport Police as a missing person.” She meets his bewildered stare. “And because of that, the police got access to her phone records.”

Aaron nods. “Were they able to track her through GPS or whatever?”

“Her last known location was in Monterey. Where she grew up. But her phone has gone dark. And they don’t know where she is now.”

“And you think this is somehow related to the deaths in the group?”

She ignores the question. “The police also got access to her calling history.”