Killing Ways

41

Ren Googled Vincent Farraday’s songs, looking for tiny needles and sharps disposal.

Nothing.

Children, though. Children. It could be one of his daughters, Robin or Chloe.

Ren called Richmond from the Sherman field office.

‘Richmond, it’s Ren Bryce here from Safe Streets in Denver. I watched the tapes — thank you. What can you tell me about Robin and Chloe Farraday?’

‘Robin Farraday emigrated to London four years ago, got married over there, has a three-year-old daughter. She calls me up every now and then to see if I have any update on her mother. She seems like a real honorable young lady. She was heartbroken about what happened to her mother, even though she was treated badly by her, but she’s still her mother — that’s the way she looks at it.’

‘And Chloe Farraday?’ said Ren. ‘I saw in the video that she was the wild one.’

‘She was,’ said Richmond, ‘and that’s pretty much my last update on her. I’ve no idea. She was back in Denison last year, put a call into Denison PD about some stolen property she wanted to get back from her father. A whole lot of nothing. I don’t know where she came from or where she went back to. Let me put a call in to my buddy in Denison PD. I’ll get back to you.’

‘Thanks,’ said Ren. ‘I appreciate it.’

Ren stuck her head back into the interview room to Joe two hours later.

‘Do you want to come into the conference room?’ she said.

‘Sure,’ he said, standing up, stretching his legs.

‘It’s not very comfortable, I know,’ said Ren. ‘I’m really sorry about that. It’s not normally like this.’

‘Nah, I get it,’ said Joe.

Hmm.

They sat at the conference-room table. Joe Lucchesi seemed to fill every space he entered.

He put down the photo of Kurt Vine. ‘I’m not buying this loser as Rawlins’ accomplice, first of all.’

‘Why not?’ said Ren.

‘Are you?’ said Joe.

Not so much. ‘I’m keeping an open mind on it for now.’

‘I can’t see how a fat gamer sitting on his fat ass half the time could be of any use to a guy like Rawlins.’

‘You mentioned a girl he used in Ireland — she was heavy-set, vulnerable, insecure,’ said Ren. ‘Is this just more of the same?’

Joe paused. ‘Well... she was willing to go out, be active on his behalf...’

‘Kurt Vine went out too — he brought that lady to the hospital—’

‘But he stumbled across that scene,’ said Joe. ‘And what was in it for him? Nothing.’

‘We don’t know that.’

‘Then he was just doing a kindness, meaning he’s hardly the type to be out raping and murdering women.’

‘Maybe he was targeting Amanda Petrie. And remember, Rawlins has been changing his approach here to fuck with us.’

Joe’s face was set.

‘Did you read about the ten thousand dollars wired into Vine’s account?’ said Ren.

Joe nodded. ‘Yeah... I can’t make a call on that until I know more.’

‘I understand that.’ She paused. ‘I’m not saying Vine was his accomplice for the commission of the rapes and murders, but for another reason. And not just as a fall-guy. See, I don’t think Duke Rawlins thought he would need a fall guy when he started out. I think that was part of an evolving plan. I think it goes beyond Vine having that remote property. There are other remote properties in Colorado. Rawlins could have broken into one, he could have rented one anonymously or gotten his accomplice — if he has one — to rent one. Kurt Vine’s photographs are about abandonment. Duke Rawlins’ life is about abandonment. It could just be that. Or something else that made Kurt Vine his target?’

‘Well, even if this loser, Vine, was his accomplice, he’s dead now, and he will be replaced. I don’t think it makes much of a difference. Duke Rawlins will always have an accomplice.’

Pcccchhhhh! Shot down.

Joe checked the time. ‘I’m running late,’ he said.

‘I’ll take you where you need to be,’ said Ren. ‘That’s not a problem.’

‘Really? That would be great. Would you mind swinging by the hotel? My kids will be waiting. The nanny has the night off — Shaun is taking care of Grace.’

He wouldn’t call her the nanny if he was sleeping with her.

‘Sure,’ said Ren.

Why am I thinking about who he’s sleeping with?

They drove through the evening traffic.

‘Duke Rawlins saw it as a mistake not to have killed Anna when he had the chance,’ said Joe.

Whoa — what have you been thinking?

‘He wanted me to feel the pain of being responsible for her death. She didn’t die, but she was attacked, she was traumatized. I’m still responsible. I didn’t protect her from him.’

‘That’s not true,’ said Ren. ‘From what I read, it was complicated.’ She turned to him. ‘Why did you think that he was able to... leave that behind, leave things unfinished... that he didn’t come back after Ireland?’

‘He would have had a hard time getting close to her,’ said Joe. ‘You were right before. We were all hyper-vigilant. Anna was depressed. She barely went outside the door, she just about managed to work from home. She became a recluse, almost. If she went outside, she risked having panic attacks...’

Hmm. Depressed does not equal hyper-vigilant in my experience.

‘But you still went to work,’ said Ren. ‘She was alone...’

‘He just wouldn’t have had the balls,’ said Joe. ‘He’s a sick fuck, but he wanted to be a free sick fuck.’

‘Maybe something else stopped him from coming back to kill Anna,’ said Ren.

‘Like what?’ said Joe.

Stop talking, stop talking.

‘Grace,’ said Ren. ‘Maybe Anna’s pregnancy changed something.’

‘Like, he didn’t want to kill a pregnant woman?’ said Joe.

‘Maybe pregnancy repels a man who hates his mama.’ Or maybe he wanted her to carry her baby to term, so he could wait, wait to take them both away? Your wife and your child. Then, when Anna died, he needed you to develop that bond with Grace, and take her from you when she was older? He just wants to keep causing you more pain? Take away your little girl. Your little Anna. The only physical link left.

‘What are you thinking?’ said Joe.

‘Nothing,’ said Ren.

‘You need to tell me if you have a theory,’ said Joe.

‘I don’t. I’m... processing. I presume you’ve taken steps to keep your family safe.’

Joe had drifted somewhere deep and dark. He zoned back in. ‘Camille is not just a nanny. She’s... trained.’

Jesus Christ.

‘And Shaun’s big enough and bold enough,’ said Joe. ‘He boxes.’

‘Oh, so do I,’ said Ren. ‘Maybe we could spar some time.’

Joe raised his eyebrows.

‘What?’ said Ren. ‘He’d be too embarrassed to fight an old lady? I’d beat the shit out of him without thinking twice.’

Joe laughed.

Wow. He laughs.

‘Shaun’s a good kid,’ said Joe. ‘He turned out well. It was touch and go for a while. He’s been through a lot. He went off the rails in his teens when we came back from Ireland. He was drinking, in with the wrong crowd, we were arguing all the time. Then he just got his shit together. When we lost Anna... it was like a switch went on in his brain. Something changed in him. And Grace was a big part of that. He was crazy about her, this little baby who only had us, and he saw life in a different way, I guess.’

‘I’m sure you were a big part of him getting his shit together too,’ said Ren.

‘I don’t know,’ said Joe. ‘Do you have kids?’

‘I love kids, but no,’ said Ren. ‘I just get to observe.’ And make judgments.

Shaun Lucchesi stood up when he saw Ren and Joe coming. He was dark-haired, broad, handsome, all-American, like his dad.

‘Shaun, this is Ren Bryce from the FBI,’ said Joe.

Shaun shot a glance at his dad, then back at Ren. ‘Hi,’ he said, shaking her hand firmly, sullen and abrupt.

Could use manners.

‘Hi, Ren!’ said Grace.

‘Hello there, Grace,’ said Ren. ‘Are you having fun in Denver?’

She nodded. ‘Yes! Camille and me’ve been to lots of places. Shaun’s taking me to the movies tonight.’

‘Good for you,’ said Ren. How adorable: twenty-six-year-old taking his little sister out.

Shaun picked Grace up and hugged her.

Oh, I think your big brother adores you.

‘OK, let’s go get something to eat,’ said Joe. ‘Ren would you like to—’

‘We’re going to eat by the movie theater,’ said Shaun, setting Grace down gently.

‘I thought maybe we could all eat together,’ said Joe.

‘Nah — you two go ahead,’ said Shaun.

You two. What the heck is he getting at?

Joe looked embarrassed. He bent down and kissed Grace on the head. ‘Love you, sweetheart. You have fun. Popcorn only for her, Shaun. No candy. Sorry, sweetheart.’

She flung her arms around his legs. ‘Love you, love you, love you, Daddy.’

Joe beamed. ‘Love you way more.’

‘I’d love to stay for dinner,’ said Ren, ‘but I’m going to have to get back home. You guys eat together, I’ll see you tomorrow at the office.’

‘Are you sure?’ said Joe.

‘Absolutely.’

She had a sudden flash of Grace Lucchesi. Camille. And the black shadow of Duke Rawlins behind them. Why did Joe take them along? It’s nuts.

Ren left them, tired and drained. Janine had sent her a text.

Think we’ll give Devin some time to rest...

Ren texted back: OK. I’ll go see Annie and Wonderdog Misty instead. J

Annie was thrilled to see her, and Ren quickly felt at home, and cozy, and loved. Misty nearly passed out with the excitement. Ren sat with Annie, drinking tea and chatting about her travels.

The doorbell rang.

‘Let me get that,’ said Ren. ‘You stay where you are.’

It was Devin’s ten-year-old brother holding a squishy package wrapped in white plastic.

Ren opened the door. ‘Hey, there, Jack. Come in. How’s Devin doing?’

‘Hey, Ren. Mom saw your car, told me to come over. She says she’s sorry she’s too tired. Devin’s doing just fine, thank you!’ He beamed the family smile — wide, and extra curled up at the edges.

‘That’s good to hear,’ said Ren.

He held out the package. ‘Mom said to give you this, and that she’s really sorry.’

Ren frowned. ‘About what?’

‘Thanks!’ said Jack. ‘Bye!’ He turned and ran.

‘Thanks, Jack!’ said Ren. ‘Tell your mom thanks.’

She opened the package. She recognized her black Marmot rain jacket. It was folded up with an envelope on top. She put the envelope aside, and shook out the jacket. It was shredded in three places.

What happened here?

She opened the envelope. It was a $100 store voucher for REI.

What the what?

Ren called Devin’s mom. ‘It’s Ren, Liz — what’s this voucher about?’

‘Oh, hi, Ren. Did Jack not explain? Devin was wearing your jacket the day of the accident — the one she borrowed a while back. That’s a good jacket, Ren. I hope you can replace it.’

‘Liz, you shouldn’t have. Poor Dev. I hope she wasn’t worrying about my jacket in the middle of all this. I can’t accept this.’

‘I’m afraid you have no choice,’ said Liz. ‘Do you have any word on the driver?’

‘No,’ said Ren. ‘Nothing. Unfortunately, there are a lot of kids joyriding, and fleeing the scenes of accidents...’

‘It’s terrible,’ said Liz. She paused. ‘I just want to say thank you for everything you do for Devin. She loves you. You’re the big sister she never had.’

Ren laughed. ‘Well, we have been mistaken for sisters at the park a few times, which I take as a huge compliment. Really, it’s just the long dark hair...’

A shiver ran down Ren’s spine. Oh. My. God. This wasn’t an accident at all. This was deliberate. She was wearing my jacket. Someone thought Devin was me.