A Trace of Murder

“The Burlingames are having a hot tub put in. But the Moroccan tile they ordered is on hold so the whole project is delayed.”

“I’m having the same problem,” Keri said. Lupe didn’t laugh.

After several minutes, they reached a side entrance to the main house, which led into a large, airy kitchen. Keri could hear male voices nearby. Lupe directed her around the corner to what looked to be the breakfast room. Detective Brody was standing, facing in her direction, speaking to a man with his back to her.

The man seemed to sense her arrival and turned around before Lupe had the chance to announce her. Keri, in full investigative mode, focused on his eyes as he took her in. They were brown and warm, with just a hint of redness around the rims. He either had bad allergies or he’d been crying recently. He forced an awkward smile to his face, seemingly trapped between the expected responsibility to be a good host and the anxiety of the situation.

He was a nice-looking man, not quite attractive but with an open, friendly face that gave him an eager, boyish quality. Despite his sport coat, Keri could tell he was in good shape. He wasn’t overtly muscular but had the lean wiry frame of an endurance athlete, maybe a marathoner or a triathlete. He was of average height, maybe five foot ten, and about 170 pounds. His short-cropped brown hair had the first, tiniest hints of gray.

“Detective Locke, thank you for coming,” he said, walking forward and extending his hand. “I’ve just been speaking to your colleague.”

“Keri,” Frank Brody said, nodding curtly. “We haven’t gotten into any details yet. I wanted to wait until you arrived.”

It was subtle dig about her lateness masked by what seemed like professional courtesy. Keri, pretending not to notice, kept her focus on the doctor.

“Nice to meet you, Dr. Burlingame. I’m sorry it’s under such difficult circumstances. If you don’t mind, why don’t we get started right away? In a missing persons case, every minute is crucial.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Keri saw Brody scowl, clearly annoyed that she had taken over. She didn’t really give a shit.

“Of course,” Burlingame said. “Where should we begin?”

“You gave us a rough outline of the timeline over the phone. But I’d like you to walk us through it in more detail if you could. Why don’t you start with the last time you saw your wife?”

Okay, it was yesterday morning and we were in the bedroom—”

Keri jumped in.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but can you take us there? I’d like to be in the room as you describe the events that occurred there.”

“Yes, of course. Should Lupe come as well?”

“We’ll speak to her separately,” Keri said. Jeremy Burlingame nodded and led the way up the stairs to the bedroom. Keri continued to watch him closely. Her interruption a moment earlier was only in part for the reason she gave.

She also wanted to gauge how a well-regarded, powerful doctor reacted to being repeatedly ordered around by a female. At least so far, it didn’t seem to faze him. He appeared willing to do or say whatever she asked of him if it would help.

As they walked she peppered him with additional questions.

“Under normal circumstances, where would your wife be right now?”

“Here in the house, I imagine, preparing for tonight’s fundraiser.”

“What fundraiser is that?” Keri asked, feigning ignorance.

“We have a foundation that funds reconstructive surgery, mostly for children with facial irregularities, but sometimes for adults recovering from burns or accidents. Kendra runs the foundation and holds two major galas a year. One was scheduled for tonight at the Peninsula Hotel.”

“Is her car here at the house?” Brody asked as they started up a long flight of stairs.

“I honestly don’t know. I can’t believe it didn’t occur to me to check. Let me ask Lupe.”

He took out his cell phone and used what appeared to be a walkie-talkie function.

“Lupe, do you know if Kendra’s car is in the garage?” The response was almost immediate.

“No, Dr. Burlingame. I checked when you called earlier. It’s not there. Also, I noticed one of her small travel bags was missing from her closet when I was hanging some clothes.”

Burlingame looked perplexed.

“That’s odd,” he said.

“What is?” Keri asked.

“I just don’t see why she would have had reason to take a travel bag anywhere. She has a duffel that she uses when she goes to the gym and she uses a garment bag if she plans to change into a gown at a gala location. She only uses the travel bags as carry-ons when we’re actually traveling.”

After climbing the flight of stairs and going down a long hallway, they reached the master bedroom. Brody, winded from the long trip, put his hands on his hips, stuck his chest out, and breathed in heavily.

Keri took the room in. It was enormous, bigger than her entire houseboat all by itself. The four-poster king bed was made. A willowy, sheer canopy surrounded it, making it look like a square cloud. The large balcony, with its door wide open, faced west, offering a view of the Pacific Ocean.

A massive flat-screen TV, easily seventy-five inches, hung on one wall. The other walls were tastefully decorated with paintings and photos of the happy couple. Keri walked over to look at one.

They seemed to be on vacation, somewhere warm with an ocean in the background. Jeremy wore an untucked, wrinkle-free button-down pink shirt with fitted plaid shorts. He had on sunglasses and his smile was slightly goofy and forced, that of a man uncomfortable having his picture taken.

Kendra Burlingame wore a turquoise sundress with stacked, block-heeled cage sandals that looped around her ankles. Her tanned skin popped against the dress. Her black hair was tied in a loose ponytail and her sunglasses rested on her head. She wore a broad smile, as if she’d just been laughing and had only barely managed to contain it. She was as tall as her husband, with long legs and aquamarine eyes that matched the water behind her. She was leaning into him and his arm was casually wrapped around her trim waist. She was stunningly beautiful.

“So the last time you saw your wife was when?” she asked. Her back was to Burlingame but she could see his reflection in the glass frame.

“In here,” he said, his worried face hiding nothing from what she could tell. “It was yesterday morning. I had to leave early to go to San Diego to supervise a complicated procedure. She was still in bed when I kissed her goodbye. It was probably around six forty-five.”

“Was she awake when you left?” Brody asked.

“Yes. She had the TV on. She was watching the local news to see what the weather would be like for tonight’s gala.”

“And that’s the last time you saw her, yesterday morning?” Keri asked again.

“Yes, Detective,” he said, sounding slightly annoyed for the first time. “I’ve answered that question several times now. May I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

“I know we have to go through everything methodically here. But in the meantime, can you please have your people check the GPS in Kendra’s phone and car? Maybe that will help locate her.”

Keri had been waiting for him to ask this question. Of course, Hillman had ordered the techs back at the station to begin that process the moment they got the case. But she’d been holding that detail back for this very moment. She wanted to gauge his response to her answer.

“It’s a good idea, Dr. Burlingame,” she said, “which is why we’ve already done it.”

“And what did you find?” Burlingame asked hopefully.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? How could there be nothing?”