The Guilty

Chapter 18

It was the darkest point of the night immediately before the growing lightness in the eastern sky.

Robie rose from his bed in his comfortable guest room on the second floor of the Willows, slipped on his jeans, and padded out onto the rear upper-story verandah. There was a breeze that carried the salt air of the Gulf to the south and mixed it with that of the freshwater Pearl from the west. The comingled smells had been natural ones for Robie growing up. Indeed, he could hardly remember a morning here when he had not been greeted by that confluence of sea and river air.

Robie was a man well used to seeing everything around him, even if some things (and people) did their best to remain unseen. The slight movement to the left of the rear of the house immediately caught his attention. There was wildlife here, to be sure. But wildlife never walked upright on two feet.

It was a man.

Robie’s gun was under his pillow. He retrieved it, placed it in the back of his waistband, and clambered down the verandah column, alighting softly on the ground.

He squatted down, his eyes roaming from the point where he had last seen the movement and then to the left and right. He didn’t pick up on it again. And he heard no noise after that, neither feet running nor a car starting up.

He stood and tried to reconstruct what he had seen in his head.

Male. Six feet tall or maybe taller. Dark hair, dark clothing. Face partially obscured. About two hundred pounds.

It could have been Pete Clancy, who was around that size. He might have figured that Robie would be staying here after getting kicked out of Danby’s. It was a small town. Everyone knew everyone else’s business.

But had he come here on foot? Doubtful. It was a long walk from anywhere. But he’d heard no car start up. A bike? In the silence of the night he would have heard the wheels on the pebbled drive.

He hustled to the front of the house. His rental and the Volvo were parked there. He checked the Volvo. The doors were unlocked. He opened it and peered inside.

It had been searched. Things were strewn all over the place. He tidied up the mess and closed the door.

He looked at his car. It was still locked. It also had an alarm. He would have known if someone had tried to break in.

He turned to look back at the house. There was a light on in an upper window. He watched as she passed back and forth in front of it.

His stepmother was up early. Perhaps to check on Ty? Or was it something else? Did it have something to do with the guy in the bushes?

He reversed his path, clambered up the column to the second floor, and reentered his room. He checked his watch. Nearly five a.m. It would be an hour later in DC. He picked up his phone and made the call.

Blue Man said, “I was surprised you hadn’t communicated yet.”

Robie told him what he had learned thus far. “Is there any way you can get me more information on what the police know? Autopsy report on Clancy? Anything on Janet Chisum? Stuff they have on my father? Anything else at all?”

“That would of course breach all professional decorum. On top of that we do not operate domestically.”

“And I have two heads. Can you?”

“I’ll see what we can find out. In the meantime, keep your only head down and watch your back. The last thing I need is for you to get killed down there.”

“I recall you being the one who suggested that I come here.”

“Still, watch your six.”

“Jessica?” he asked.

“Still out.”

Robie put his phone down and listened as feet padded down the hall. He rose and opened his door in time to see Victoria open her bedroom door. Her room was next to his. She had on a bathrobe that ended mid-thigh. Her long legs were pale and her feet bare.

“Everything okay?” Robie asked.

“Ty was restless. Are you okay? It’s still pretty early.”

“Just adjusting to the time zone.” He thought of telling Victoria about the man in the bushes and that her car had been searched, but then decided against it. He needed to think that through a little more. And he didn’t want to alarm her unnecessarily.

She said, “Okay, I’m going to catch a little more sleep. I’ll see you later.”

He went back to his room and sat on the bed.

Victoria was right about one thing. It was still early. And he had time before the arraignment. He dressed, left the house, got in his car, and drove off.