“So by then, you were long gone?”

“It’s a nightmare. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

I winced, thinking it had probably been more of a nightmare for the surgeon. Sophie pointed at her paper and shook it at me.

“Wendy, how did Kerns have your number?”

“I don’t know.” She paused. “Vítor and I had exchanged numbers. I figured if I ever wanted a little tuck or lift, he was the man to do it.”

“Why did he need yours?”

“He told me he gave talks all over the US to women of a certain age who might want to visit his clinic. He was so funny and personable, I knew the submarine officers’ spouses’ group in Connecticut would love to have him speak at our annual benefit. I asked him to have his office call me once he knew his schedule the next spring so we could arrange a presentation.”

Sophie was rolling her eyes, but I ignored her. “No idea how Kerns got your number from him?”

“Maybe he took the doctor’s phone when he went into the room. I entered my number in Vítor’s phone while I was sitting with him in the lounge, so of course my fingerprints must have been on it. I hope it is gone. Kerns told me that when he saw Vítor’s body, he stepped inside to see if he was still alive. When he realized he wasn’t, he left. He was afraid he might become a suspect. But maybe when he was in the room he grabbed Vítor’s phone. I mean, if the doctor had called him or put an appointment on his schedule, or had Kerns in his contacts for some reason...”

“Or maybe he killed him.”

“I know.”

“Did you try to call Kerns later? Anytime since?”

“Of course I did. But whenever I try, I get a message saying he’s not accepting calls. He probably ditched his phone.”

“Maybe he told you to leave because he didn’t want the police to know he was with the doctor that night, too.”

“I thought of that. But surely somebody saw all of us together. Wouldn’t they report we were together in the lounge?”

“But you weren’t registered. Maybe he wasn’t, either. And if nobody had your names or knew who either of you were...”

“Can you see why I need you to find Kerns for me?”

“So you can turn him in?”

“If I go to the authorities, I want to be able to tell them where to find him. He and Vítor have some kind of history. They seemed to know each other. And me? I was just some woman Vítor met in the bar. If they have Kerns, it’s doubtful they’ll be interested in me.”

My head was whirling, and I wanted to shout at her and tell her everything she was doing was wrong. But my sister always believed she knew best, and if I said everything I wanted to, she would simply hang up. I struggled to keep my tone as even as possible.