“He’s who he says he is, Snow White. He is the real dealio,” Simon said. “And I am appalled that you would think the worst.”
“Really?” she asked.
“No. I take that back. Cynicism seems to be in your nature.”
“That is not true. I’m a very positive person. What I don’t do is always take people at face value.”
“His son is strange,” Marco muttered.
“What do you mean?” Simon asked. “I didn’t think so. I found him delightful just like the Sansi-er…I mean, Alan.”
“I sat by him for some time tonight, and he’s not like his father. I get the feeling he wants to be his father, but he doesn’t feel real to me,” Marco replied. He snapped his fingers. “Like the mask. I think Eli Sansi wears a mask.”
“I kind of get a strange feeling from him. I guess he’s also writing a book, and then Iwao was offering to maybe publish the book, but Alan shut that down quickly, basically saying that their loyalty needed to remain with Inspiritus. That’s understandable, considering that Rich Higgins is his publisher and soon to be his son-in-law. But Iwao was determined to get Sansi’s business, at least the foreign rights to publish his stuff in Japan,” Nikki said. “Did Eli do something in particular that made you feel this way, Marco?”
“No. He… I don’t know. It is a feeling that I have. Like it is… What do you say? An intuition thing.” He rubbed his gut. “Right here. You know? I get this sense he has jealousy toward his father.”
“Oh come on.” Simon wrinkled up his nose and took a long sip off his brandy.
“No, no, really. I watched him watch his father tonight, and in his eyes I see a man with a jealous soul. Children can be jealous of their parents, and his father is a great man.”
Nikki ran some ideas by the boys of summer. “If Eli is jealous of his father and Sierra is one angry, resentful daughter, for reasons that could possibly be tied into Iwao Yamimoto, maybe we have a family affair on our hands. Maybe one of them did it? Or a couple of them? Or one planned it out and one executed it. This could not bode well for Sansi’s public relations. Could one of his family members be looking to actually sabotage their dad? Once this hits the press, you know what will happen. There will be speculations and accusations. Even Robinson himself asked me if the group was a cult.”
“That rat bastard.” Simon crossed his legs and stretched out onto the sofa. “Awfully cute rat bastard, but all the same, how dare he? We are not a bunch of Tom Cruises waiting to jump on Oprah’s couch declaring our devotion to our loved ones, although I’d do that for you.” He looked at Marco who smiled. “Maybe for you, too, Snow White.”
“To be so lucky,” Nikki replied.
“Yes, well, and Scotty didn’t beam us down from the Enterprise. We are the real deal.”
“I know. I know you’re the real deal, Si. Look, let’s take this a step further with the Sierra Sansi angle. She apparently knew Iwao, and she and this Jen, who looks to be his son, were more than friends from that photo I saw. They looked pretty cozy. I wish I could have understood Mizuki better. I know Robinson is tracking down an interpreter, but something tells me he won’t make me privy to what she tells him. And she may not tell him what she’s told me. Robinson can be intimidating and Mizuki may not want to talk with him around. Maybe we could find a private interpreter on our own.”
Simon studied her. “I don’t like the sound of any of this. I can see the brain going zoom, zoom, zooma zoom in there, and you just need to chill and let that detective do his job. Quit being a Nosy Nikki.”
Nikki ignored his comment and continued on, more for herself than for the two of them. She was fleshing thoughts out and they were coming out fast and furious and she had to tell someone. If she forgot her ramblings, maybe Simon and Marco would be able to prod her later. “I haven’t figured Hayden out. Although she kind of fits the normal mold. She’s polished and sophisticated, and from my conversations with her, pretty much in charge of a lot of her dad’s business and definitely his financial affairs. Lulu Sansi also appears pretty down to earth, but again, looks can be deceiving. What we don’t know is when the killing took place. We need to narrow that down. Where had Iwao said he was going when he got up from the table and who did he say it to? My guess is Mizuki.”
“It is interesting,” Marco said. “I agree with you that maybe the Sansi family had skeletons to hide in their closet.”
“Marco,” Simon said in a tone that could only be interpreted as shame on you. “You’re encouraging her.”
“No. Think about it for a minute. Alan is rich and famous because he is this supposed spiritual genius. His one daughter seems to have many problems, and his son is a jealous man. Does that not make you think it is strange?” Marco’s face darkened.
Simon shook his head. “No. It doesn’t. You think about it. Each of us is our own individual and because of that we have choices. His children are not a reflection of who he is.”
This was kind of an ironic twist because Marco had been Alan Sansi’s staunch supporter when Simon had strayed, wanting nothing more than shopping sprees at Barneys and mimosas aplenty at breakfast. If Marco could see the real light here, why couldn’t Simon? Dysfunction junction resided at the Sansi family’s castle.
“Possible.” Marco shrugged.
“How about anyone else? Did you notice anyone who seemed kind of off, or who may have been missing for any period of time while we were on the train?”
Marco nodded. “Kurt Kensington. He’s a new member, too. He sat with me in one of the groups tonight. I could not understand who he is. Another hard man to figure out. I asked him what his business is, and all he said was that it was his own.”
“Stop it. Stop it already. You’re indulging her. Jeez Louise, don’t you see what is happening here? She’s slipped right into her Little Miss Detective mode. Stop it, both of you. No good can come of it,” Simon remarked.
This time they both ignored him.
“That is kind of strange,” Nikki replied. “Was he the guy that was hanging on Sierra for a while?” She remembered Juan Gonzales telling Alan and the group seated with her about it. It was shortly after that everyone had excused themselves from the table for various reasons, and Nikki had been left alone with Iwao and Mizuki. When had Iwao gotten up from her table and whom had he been seated with? Nikki could not remember. They’d all been moved so many times from table to table. When Alan had started off the evening, he’d said that people could move around freely and settle in where they felt comfortable with each rotation. She thought she’d met everyone that evening, but it would be Mizuki who would know when Iwao left the table and how long he’d been gone.
“Oh, I think that Kurt guy is so cute,” Simon said.
“He’s an ass,” Marco replied.
“I thought we were enlightened and didn’t make judgments.” Simon pouted.
If Nikki had had a glass of wine to suck down at that second, she would have either choked on it or swallowed it at once. She’d already finished off her brandy, and in conjunction with the Sleepytime tea and the late hour, she was growing tired. But the thing about Simon not being judgmental? That kind of jolted her. She’d watched his transformation since becoming an Alan Sansi member and he’d definitely mellowed, but judging others was one of his favorite pastimes. It usually drove Marco crazy.
Marco waved a hand. “We are. We really are, but I am telling you, Kurt Kensington was filled with ego.”
“That’s why he is here, then, and we are supposed to help him.”
“You two, stop. Look, Iwao Yamimoto died tonight. He was murdered! Okay? And between you and me and Ollie…” She glanced at the dog, and knew she probably shouldn’t share this with any of them, except for the dog, but decided to do so anyway. “Detective Robinson has asked me to keep my gut in check and see what I can learn about these people and who might have wanted to kill Iwao.”