Smoke and Mirrors

108

Kurt Klein stood in the living room beside a tall balding man wearing an expensive-looking suit, horn-rimmed eyeglasses, and a yellow and blue paisley silk bow tie. The man smiled when he saw Billy Lyons.

“Billy?” he said, crossing to shake hands. “I didn’t know you were representing Mrs. Gardner.”

Shaking the man’s hand vigorously, Billy said, “Jerry, I can’t believe after all these years with me thinking you knew everything, you’re admitting there’s something you don’t know.”

Jerry laughed and turned to Leigh.

“Jerry Cunningham, may I introduce my client, Leigh Gardner.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Gardner. My condolences,” he said, taking her offered hand in his.

“For whom?” she asked.

Jerry’s smile faltered. “Your ex-husband. I understood he was killed.”

“He and Sherry Adams, who worked for me. Nice to meet you, Mr. Cunningham.”

Winter was looking at Klein when Leigh spoke. He saw the industrialist’s eyes turn away, but the German’s smile stayed perfectly focused.

“And these gentlemen are Winter Massey, who I’ve known longer than I like to admit, and Bradley Barnett, the sheriff around here. Him, I’ve only known since Ole Miss. We were fraternity brothers,” Billy said jovially.

Jerry shook each of their hands as they were introduced. “And this is my client, Kurt Klein,” he said, stepping back as Kurt approached, hand outstretched.

“Mrs. Gardner. So nice to finally meet you.” He took her hand, held it for a second, and said, “My condolences in the matter of both of your recent tragic losses.”

Winter half expected her to say something like, “You’ve done enough already,” but she chose to let it go. What she said was, “Thank you,” and she smiled as she said it.

Kurt indicated that they should take seats in front of the roaring fireplace, which was a natural gas fire licking steel logs that appeared to be real.

“These are the bearer bonds,” Kurt said, pointing at an envelope on the table. “Ten instruments each worth five hundred thousand U.S. dollars.”

Billy took the bonds out, inspected them, and nodded his approval.

Signing the papers took two minutes. Once notarized and signed by Leigh, along with Winter and Brad, who served as witnesses, they stood and prepared to leave.

Leigh handed Brad the envelope. “If you’ll see this is put in a safe place.”

“Safest place there is,” Brad said.

As they were leaving, Kurt said, “Mr. Massey, might I have a word with you in private?”

Winter followed Kurt across the living room to the windows.

“About that other matter. We have discovered by interviewing Albert White that Mulvane did hire Beals to shoot Mrs. Gardner and to kill her children, which luckily he never had a chance to do. He also had a man named Tug Murphy, his private security agent, kill Beals and Jacob Gardner. I could not hold Mulvane, and he was seen leaving with two suitcases an hour ago in the company of Mr. Murphy.”

There was a bright flash on the horizon. Winter assumed it was lightning, since a cold front was moving in.

“Albert White told my man Finch that Tug Murphy shot Mr. Gardner as he was driving. Perhaps you should have someone with the necessary forensic knowledge check that out. I don’t believe Mr. White lied, since he admitted his own involvement in the matter.”

“And where is Mr. White now?”

“We had no authority to hold him, and he left after making a full taped confession. I was told that he seemed genuinely remorseful. He shouldn’t be hard for the authorities to find. His recorded confession will be delivered to the sheriff’s office in the morning.”

Winter stared into Kurt’s eyes for several seconds and said, “I’m glad your man was able to obtain a confession.”

“He is very good at these things,” Kurt said, smiling. “I won’t keep you.”

I won’t hold my breath until Mulvane, White, and Murphy turn up. He shook Kurt Klein’s hand and said, “Glad it all fell into place so perfectly. I expected no less from you.”

In the hallway outside Klein’s suite, Leigh called Cyn’s number, and she answered, “Mama?”

Winter and Brad stood next to Leigh, Winter’s head against Leigh’s so he could hear.

“Okay, darling,” Leigh said. “The papers are signed. Tell the people who have you I want to speak to them.”

There was a pause and a man’s voice came on. “Okay?”

“I signed the papers. Let my daughter go.”

“I know you did. I’ll let her out in five minutes.”

“Where?”

“A public place. She’ll call you when I’m gone.”

“If you aren’t telling the truth, I can cancel the deal.”

Winter nodded.

“If she doesn’t call me back in six minutes, I’ll do what I said. And if you harmed her…”

“Nobody’s done shit to your brat,” he said. “And, lady, you’re welcome to her.”

They were outside the casino six minutes later when Cyn called.

“He let me out at the Blue amp; White,” Cynthia said. “Dr. Barnett is here.”

“Let me speak to him,” Leigh said. “Your father is with her at the Blue amp; White,” she told Brad.

Brad took the phone from her.

“Dad? Is Cyn all right?”

“She’s fine. A little shook up. She told me she was kidnapped?”

“She was. Does she need to go to the hospital?”

“I don’t think so. She says she just wants to go home.”

“Take her home. We’re on our way.”