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When Ed got back into the car, he said, “I need something to cheer me up. How about lunch? Bobbi and Jacks?”
    “Sounds good but, I think I’d better go home, see how Mariel’s doing, and see what I can find out about Drew Fisher. The way things are now, Brenda’s still the main suspect and I don’t know how much time we have to clear her.”
    Ed pulled into my driveway, put the car in park, and pulled a plastic bag from inside his blazer. I leaned closer to look at it. At first, it appeared empty. Ed said, “These are hairs from Brenda’s brush.” He looked down at his lap. “I didn’t want to have to use it. Sheila and Brenda don’t know I took it.” He looked at me and shook the bag. “I read that hair can reveal which drugs someone took. This could prove Brenda was drugged.”
    Ed seemed so desperate I didn’t want to disappoint him but he had to know. “I’m sorry, Ed. It takes days or even a week or two for drugs to show up in hair. Samples from this morning wouldn’t test positive yet. Also hair from a brush might show someone was roofied, but it wouldn’t show when.” The police can say any drug found was from weeks ago or even after the day that… you know.”
    Ed returned the bag to his pocket. “We’re at a dead end. They’re going to arrest Brenda, aren’t they?”
    “Maybe, but they don’t have enough evidence yet. Let me see what I can do. We should be able to get a grip on this if we can just find a corner to grab. I’ll retrace Brenda’s steps from Friday and see if anything pops. Can you email me a photo of her?”
    Ed nodded, “Yeah, I’ve got some she sent me but I’d really like to locate that murder weapon.”
    “So would I. It might go a long way towards finding the killer.” I realized I shouldn’t give Ed false hope so I added, “Or it may just be another dead end.”
    “But we won’t know until we find it. I’ll set up a search.”
    “The Coast Guard already looked for it.”
    “Sure, within the time and distance their protocols specify, but what if they had the spot wrong or the current took it.” Ed shook his head. “No, we need to widen the search.” His mood seemed to improve when he said, “I’ll set it up.”
    “Isn’t it too deep to search the inlet?”
    “Nah, most places it’s only about 12, maybe 14 feet. Go have some lunch and wait for my call.”

CHAPTER SIX  

    When I entered my house, it seemed empty. I walked through the great room to the pool patio and found Mariel standing there in her two-piece, facing the pool with dumbbells in her hands. When I opened the sliding door, she turned at the sound.
    “Max.” She put her weights down on the pavers and met me halfway. She reached up and kissed me in a way that made me wonder why I ever left the house.
    She stepped back and looked at me. “This is the second time this week you’re wearing your cargo shorts. Keep it up and you’ll have to buy more underwear. Come change into your swimsuit. I’ll shower and then you can tell me about Brenda while we walk on the beach.”
    “Let me tell you about her now. She’s still the main suspect.”
    “Oh, Max.”
    I told Mariel how Ed and I spent the morning and she asked, “So, now what?”
    “Ed wants to search the water but I’ve got time for some lunch first.”
    She looked disappointed, “I understand. Do what you need to. I’ll finish my workout and hang out by the pool.” I kissed her and went inside to make my lunch. Last night, I made one of my favorite dishes, chicken-less soy cutlets covered with quinoa cooked in broccoli cheese soup. I made extra on purpose. While Mariel exercised out by the pool, I put a quinoa covered cutlet in the microwave and thought about retracing Brenda’s steps. I could start at the yacht club where Brenda first met Fisher but it seemed more likely I’d find something by looking closer to Fisher’s time of death. I knew he had his last meal at the Hidden Harbor, a riverfront restaurant on Ponce