Elizabeth Basque - Medium Mysteries 02 - Silver Lake by Elizabeth Basque Page A

and I waited and Mack hovered, studying two pieces of artwork that were side by side. They were abstracts, and Mack tilted his head sideways, frowning at them.
    The receptionist returned and opened the door that led from the outer office to her world, and the business world of Garrett Mackenzie. “Mr. Mackenzie can see you now. If you’ll follow me, please?” She held the door for us and as she closed it, Mack whisked through it.
    There were several employees working in a large, open space that was surrounded by several doors and conference rooms. The receptionist walked confidently to one of the doors, knocked briefly and opened it for us. She stepped aside.
    Garrett sat behind a large dark office desk piled with papers and files. He was on the phone but waved us in.
    Mack remained behind me, but I could feel his vibes. He hadn’t seen his son in four years. I glanced back at him; his face was set like cold stone, but his eyes revealed the love he felt for his son.
    Garrett hung up the phone and rose, although he didn’t seem too thrilled to see Julie and me. “Close the door, please,” he said simply.
    We did, and he gestured for us to sit. He sat back down behind his massive desk. He rested his elbows on the hardwood, and put his fingers together like so many steeples.
    I thought it best to let him begin the conversation; I didn’t want to appear too eager or pushy, even though I had come unannounced.
    Finally, he looked up at me. “How did you know about the pepper tree?” he asked, but before I had a chance to answer, he shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. You’ll come up with some plausible answer, and I still won’t believe you.”
    “ Garrett,” I began, “I understand that me coming to you is unusual, and that you might not believe I am who I am, or what I have to tell you.”
    “ All of that is beside the point, too, Miss Ocean.”
    “ Please, call me Pauline. And this is Julie.”
    Mack was way up in the corner at the far end of the room. About as far away as he could get without leaving the office altogether.
    “Pauline, then. All right, you’ve gotten me to agree to see you. Tell me what you want to say. I’ll listen to you, this once. Then if I see you again, I should warn you I might file harassment charges against you. Are we clear?”
    “ Perfectly,” I said, looking into his dark eyes. “Well, I hope you take me seriously. There are three things I need to tell you. And, in return, or should I say as a favor to me, I’d like to ask you some questions about your father’s demise. His death. As you know, I don’t think he died a natural death. I’m sure of it, and if I can, I’d like to find out the truth.”
    “ Shoot.” He leaned back in his leather swivel chair and put his feet up on the desk. “If you give me something important, I may answer some of your questions.”
    “ You’re not going to like any of it,” I cautioned. Julie stayed quiet, but I was glad she was with me. I could use the moral support. I continued, “The first thing is this.” I shifted in my seat. I really didn’t want to hurt Garrett. “The bracelet your fiancée wears. It’s one of a kind. There isn’t another in the world like it.”
    “ So?” he asked. “I’m not surprised. Lana told me it’s a family heirloom, and that she loves it.”
    “ Family heirloom,” Julie muttered. I elbowed her.
    “ I suppose it could be,” I told Garrett. “The thing is, the bracelet was originally given to your father’s widow, Bella.”
    Garrett laughed. “You must be joking. The two have never met.”
    “You sure about that?” I asked him.
    “ I haven’t seen Bella since my father died. And I don’t want to.” His lips turned down, and his face reddened a bit. “I’m quite sure I would know if Lana ever knew or met Bella. Lana knows how I feel about her.”
    “ I’ll say the same thing: Are you sure about that? It’s got an inscription on the inside. It says ‘Bella Mackenzie.’ Have