Part 33

After shivering in the outer ring of the mourners around Iris's grave, it is a relief to be indoors. The Munck residence is located in a wealthy neighborhood and with its Scandinavian interior design, it speaks of money. A fire in the double-sided fireplace warms Andy who stands to the side, watching Miranda exchange niceties with some of the other guests.

"Are you a friend of my wife's?" A pleasant baritone voice asks in German, making Andy jump. She turns, clinging to her cup of coffee. Of course. Iris's husband. For a startling second, Andy's mind is blank, but then she manages a smile. "Herr Munck." Moving over to English, Andy continues. "I'm so sorry for your loss. And no, I didn't have the pleasure of knowing your wife, but my friend over there did." She motions to where Miranda stands, noticing her slight alarm.

"I see?" Munck looks at Miranda who now is walking toward them.

"You must be Mikael," Miranda says easily in German. "I'm Moira Parker. I'm so sorry for your loss. I had hoped to one day make your acquaintance under much more pleasant circumstances."

"Moira Parker?" Mikael blinks as he takes in her person, his gaze stopping at her briefcase. "I'm sorry, but I don't think Anneliese ever mentioned you."

"Our contact was sporadic, at best, but when we spoke, it was like no time had passed at all. Guess that can be the case when you've known each other for so many years."

"You were childhood friends?" Mikael goes rigid and there's a light in his eyes that wasn't there before. This is amazing."

Andy can't figure out what this means. She keeps her focus on the nuances and undertones of what is being said, not wanting to miss a thing.

"How so?" Miranda asks gently.

"My Anneliese was a very private woman. The kindest, most gentle person I've ever met, but…secretive. To learn of a childhood friend…I have so many questions!" Mikael gestures to a door to the left of the fireplace. "Can I persuade you to join me in the library? Just for a moment. I've greeted all the guests and, to be honest, I need a little break." He did look exhausted and the blue semi-circles under his eyes spoke of sleepless nights and tears.

"But of course. Is it all right if my partner joins us?"

"Certainly." Mikael motions for them to follow him. As they enter the library, Andy is impressed with the foot-to-ceiling bookshelves that line all the walls, even framing the windows. "Please. Have a seat."

A set of four armchairs sit in front of the fireplace, which you can enjoy from this side too. Andy sits down to Miranda's left. This puts her directly in front of Mikael Munck.

"Where did you meet Anneliese? Was it already in the US?" Mikael kindly provides Miranda with a clue about what Iris may already have told her husband.

"Yes. In a small village on the East Coast. We weren't neighbors, but saw each other often," Miranda says softly. "We went to church without families and any picnic, or church outing. And to school of course. I'm a year older than Anneliese, but she was very intelligent if you took the time to know her. She was shy already back then."

"Oh, my poor darling. Yes, she was. I had to ask her our four times before she said yes, twelve years ago. She always used to say I wore her down. I suppose that's right. It's just…after I met her, there couldn't be anyone else." Mikael wipes at the corners of his eyes. "When did she leave for Europe?"

Andy holds her breath, wondering what Miranda would say. "Last time I saw her, we spoke of our futures and what we'd end up doing." Speaking easily, Miranda's tone tells Andy that there is some truth to what she's saying. "I think Anneliese left the US when she was barely of age. She was set on finding a new life. Supporting herself, working toward a career before anything else."

"That's what I thought when I met het. She owned a set of art galleries and visited one with my daughter, Camille. Camille's mother and I divorced when she was only two and after that it's been the two of us until we met Anneliese. I think Camille fell in love with her at the exact same moment I did. And once Anneliese dared to trust me, the feelings were returned. She and Camille were inseparable." Mikael reaches for a pack of tissues in his pocket and wipes his nose and eyes. "What was she like as a young girl?"

"As you say, shy. Painfully so, at times. Her father could be very strict, and I know that frightened her."

"This correlates with how she was as a grown woman. I always wondered if there was an authoritative person in her past. Even some trauma. I suppose I may have been a coward for not asking, but it was as if she had this invisible wall around her. She gave so much of herself in other ways, it felt disrespectful and presumptuous to ask for more."

"I'm so sorry you lost her through this horrible accident, Mikael," Andy said softly.

His face changes as his mouth turned into a grimace. "Accident," he growled. "I could have lived with it being an accident."

Andy flinched. "I'm sorry. Wasn't it an accident?"

"The police say it was, but it's a ridiculous assumption and I finally reached out to my friend in Geneva who is a forensic expert. I demanded he'd examine her body before the funeral and he did so two days ago. He claims there is no way her seat belt could have strangled her the way it did without it being manipulated." Mikael lowers his voice into a whisper." She was murdered, and my friend is going to help me force the local police to finally start investigating."

"Father." Camille steps into the room. She's tall, her hair a golden blond, perfectly coiffed. "Please, not today."

"But Camille, you know it's true. Your mother deserves justice." Mikael's' eyes fill with tears.

"I know but come out to our guests. They want to talk to you, be of what comfort they can." Camille tugs at his hand.

"All right, darling. Of course." Mikael wipes at his eyes with his wrinkled tissue and then tosses it into a bin. "Thank you, Moira, for talking to me. And you, Andy. I'm glad at least one of Anneliese's friends cared enough about her to come all this way." He squares his shoulders and walks back to his guests.

"He's right." Camille speaks with tense, pale lips. "Mother wasn't hit by the avalanche. A car behind her car slammed into hers, pushing her car into the one before her, but it was not a high-impact collision. And yet the seatbelt was found looped around her neck and…it was too late."

Miranda nods slowly. "Can you think of anyone wanting to harm her?"

"My mother had no enemies." Camille's eyes harden. "But I think she had a stalker."

Andy forces herself not to let her reaction show, but she sees Miranda's hands jerk. "Did Anneliese say something about that also?"

Camille sits down and it is as if she has waited to talk about the matter of her mother's death to someone. Perhaps it is easier for her, as Andy and Miranda are strangers. "She didn't. And if she knew about it, she wouldn't have. My mother kept many secrets, far more than my father ever knew."

"But you know." Miranda's voice is softer yet.

"I made it my business to know." Setting her jaw in a clear challenge, Camille looks firmly at both of them. "Before we met Anneliese, it was just my father and me. I love him and he did his best for me, but I missed my mother…or, perhaps I should say, I missed what she could have been." She sighed. "You know when you do a jigsaw puzzle and you're missing just one piece, the one that will make everything make sense and fit perfectly. That was Anneliese. She fit perfectly with my father and even more, I think, with me. I made it my business from the age of eight to protect her."

Andy's heartache for the eight-year-old, and for the young girl sitting in front of them. She could relate about the part of parents not being what you need and wish. In her case, they lived in Cincinnati, alive and well, but not ready to accept her sexual orientation or career choice. Andy wasn't sure what hurt the most, some days. Now she saw her pain mirrored and emphasized in Camille's eyes.

"What did you find out that led you to believe she was stalked?" Miranda asked, leaning forward.

Camille seemed relieved. Most likely because neither of them scoffed at her words.

"Her art here in Montreux was vandalized at one point. Nothing was stolen, but her office was ransacked. After that, she became what Father thought was paranoid. She bought stuff to protect herself with. You know. Pepper spray. Alarm for her keychain that could scream bloody murder if you pulled the pin. She upgraded the house alarm and insisted we should always park our respective cars in the garage, etc." I figured, if she's this startled, she must have a reason. Yes, my mother had an aura of being frail, but she was no fool. On the contrary."

"And where was she going when the avalanche hit?" Miranda locks her gaze on Camille.

"Mother was on her way home from a client. She called as she was leaving and she was unusually angry…or irritated, maybe that's a better word. After driving all the way up into the alps, bringing him the paintings to choose from as he wanted to do that in his home to get it right, he wasn't there. She couldn't reach him on the phone and eventually decided to drive back home."

"And then the 'accident' happened?"

"Yes." Now the tears spill over for Camille. Andy can't take it and rounds Miranda's chair and crouches next to Camille.

"Thank you for telling us. We believe you. We believe your father. Just so you know." She gently strokes Camille's arm.

"Thank you. Both Father and I have felt as if we're going crazy. Especially since the police ruled it an accident so quickly. Which is insane as there was a witness that told the press they'd heard a rifle go off just before the avalanche. And the fact that the person who hit Mother with his car was nowhere to be found. The police spoke of how common it is for people to be so shocked after an accident that they simply walk home. In the middle of nowhere in the Alps, where an avalanche just happened."

"Ridiculous," Miranda says. "I agree with Andr—Andy. Your mother's death is highly suspicious. And while there might be a new investigation, please, take it all seriously. Keep up your mother's safety measures and don't go anywhere alone as she did. That's my best advice."

Camilla gapes. "Who are you two? I mean, who are you really?"

"I did grow up near your mother. We are as eager as you to solve why and how she died. I can't tell you more than that, I'm sorry." Miranda shakes her head.

Camille stands. "All right. So, you've told us a few things but also created more questions. More secrets. Will I ever find out the whole truth about Mother?" She looks so forlorn and hurt, Andy wants to hug her.

Miranda is quiet for a few beats but then clears her throat. "If I feel the danger is over and the time's right, I'll return and speak with you and your father and answer as many questions as I can. This will entail the two of you keeping an open mind, but if this is what you truly want…I'll try to accommodate."

Camille nods slowly and then extends her hand. "Thank you for coming, Moira. Andy." She shakes Andy's hand as well. "I suppose it's my time to tell you to be safe as well."

"We'll do our best," Miranda says and then make her way out of the library and through the throng of mourners. They say goodbye to Mikael as they pass him on their way toward the hallway. There, she pulls on her coat and gloves before turning to Andy. "Now we just have to make sure we shake the men in the BMW. I wouldn't be surprised if they're circling the blocks here."

Andy follows Miranda out the door, the crisp air from the mountains filling her lungs instantly, making her gasp. "And if they catch up with us?"

"A BMW against our rental car? Let's hope we can outsmart them because we sure can't outrun them. You ready to keep driving, or should I?"

Andy pulls out the keys and is just about to hand them over when she detects fine tremors in Miranda's hand. "I'll drive. I need you on the map. You're far better at that than I am."

Miranda grips her briefcase harder. "All right. Shotgun it is."

xxxxx

Continued in part 34