Free Remember Me by Mary Higgins Clark

thank you for sharing this with us. I’ll walk you out.”
    They had reached the door of the sunporch when Anne Carpenter called after them. “Mr. Coogan.”
    Both Nat and Graham Carpenter turned.
    â€œJust one thing. I know my daughter’s body was in terrible condition because of the length of time it was in the water and the marine life attacking it . . .”
    â€œI’m afraid that’s true,” Nat agreed.
    â€œAnne, dear, why torture yourself,” her husband protested.
    â€œNo, hear me out. Mr. Coogan, were the fingers of my daughter’s right hand intact, or missing?”
    Nat hesitated. “One hand was badly mutilated. The other was not. I believe it was the right hand that was in bad shape, but I’d want to check the autopsy pictures. Why do you ask?”
    â€œBecause my daughter always wore a very valuable emerald on the ring finger of her right hand. From the day my mother gave it to her, Vivian never took it off. We asked Scott about it because it was a family piece and we wanted it back if it had been found. But he toldus in so many words that her hand was mutilated and the ring missing.”
    â€œI’ll call you within the hour,” Nat said.
    Back in his office, Nat studied the autopsy pictures for long minutes before he called the Carpenters.
    All ten fingertips were missing. On the left hand the wedding band was on the ring finger. But it was the ring finger of the right hand that was a mess. Between the knuckle and hand it had been eaten to the bone. What had attracted the scavengers to it? Nat wondered.
    There was no sign of the emerald ring.
    When he called the Carpenters, Nat was careful not to jump to conclusions. He told Graham Carpenter that his daughter’s right hand had suffered massive trauma and the ring was missing.
    â€œDo you know if it was a loose or tight fit?” he asked.
    â€œIt had become tight,” Carpenter said. Then he paused before asking, “What are you saying?”
    â€œI’m not saying anything, Mr. Carpenter. It is simply one more circumstance to consider. I’ll stay in touch.”
    As he hung up, Nat thought about what he had just learned. Could this be the smoking gun? he wondered. I’d bet the ranch that Covey ripped the ring off and then swam away from that poor kid. If the finger was bruised, there was blood near the surface, and that drew the scavengers.

August 6th
20
    â€œE laine owes me one,” Adam muttered as he looked through the window of the keeping room and watched a car turn in from the driveway. They’d taken a picnic basket to the beach while Hildy, the cleaning woman Elaine had sent, went through the house. At two o’clock they went up for the appointment Adam had made with Scott Covey.
    Adam showered and changed to shorts and a tee shirt. Menley was still in her bathing suit and cover-up when they heard Covey’s car drive up.
    â€œI’m glad he’s here,” she told Adam. “While you’re busy, I’ll grab a nap with Hannah. I want to be sharp when I meet all your old buddies.”
    Elaine was having a buffet supper in their honor at her home and had invited some of the people Adam had grown up with during summers at the Cape.
    He caught her around the waist. “When they tell you how fortunate you are, be sure to agree.”
    â€œPuh . . . leeze.”
    The doorbell rang. Menley glanced at the stove. There was no way she could grab Hannah’s bottle and be out of the kitchen before Scott Covey came in. She was curious about meeting the man with whom she felt so much empathy, but she also wanted to stay outof the way in case Adam for any reason decided not to represent him. Curiosity won out, however; she decided to wait.
    Adam strode to the door. His greeting for Scott Covey was cordial but reserved.
    Menley stared at the visitor. No wonder Vivian Carpenter fell for him, she thought immediately.
    Scott