Her entire body seemed to deflate as she did so.
"Craig was a fighter. He would be ashamed if I, if we, didn't do the same."
Drake flicked his gaze to Ava. Back to Alice.
Nodded.
"Make no mistake," Alice said. "This isn't about dragging Bargain Mart through the mud. They didn't kill my husband, but I'll be damned if they're going to cash in on his death."
"So you want to seek a settlement offer?" Ava asked.
"I do, but it's not about a payday," Alice said. "I don't want their blood money.
"Craig always talked about how he would like to sponsor a scholarship in the forestry department at the university someday if he had the money. Could we do something like that?"
"Certainly," Drake said. No pause. No doubt in his voice.
He had never done something like that before. Felt reasonably sure he could figure it out.
"Good," Alice said. Fell silent.
For several long moments, nobody said a word.
"Okay," Drake said. "We will circle back with Bargain Mart. Relay what we know and what your wishes are. Obviously any offers or responses they make we will run by you before doing anything."
Alice nodded. Sandra did as well. Neither spoke.
"Do you have any questions for us?" Ava asked.
"Just one," Alice said. Voice barely audible. "How long before this goes away?"
Drake thought back to his own walk down this path. How it had taken him three years to finally put everything away after his parents died.
He knew the answer was probably longer than she wanted to hear.
Couldn't bring himself to actually say it.
"Obviously we can't speak for Bargain Mart, but I can tell you we'll contact them this afternoon."
Alice nodded. Thanked them both quietly. Looped her scarf back around her neck. Rose to leave.
Beside her, Sandra shrugged her coat back on. Mouthed a silent thank you.
Drake and Ava walked them as far as the door. Stood and stared out the glass. Watched them disappear down the street.
"Well?" Ava asked. Kept her eyes aimed outside.
Without thinking, Drake relayed what was in his mind. "I know how she feels. There comes a certain point when you just want the damn thing to be over with."
Ava slid her gaze to him. Studied his profile as he stared out the glass. "And then what happens?"
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Drake and Ava waited until Greg got there. Counted seconds until he showed up. Told him if anything came in for them to just take a message.
They wouldn't be gone long.
Once more Drake considered running home to change. Once more opted against it.
Where they were going didn't exactly have a dress code. Even if it did, he felt reasonably certain that he would fall somewhere on the high end of it.
Ava, per usual, was woefully overdressed for the occasion.
The mid-day traffic was light. The morning crowd had already gotten where they were going. The work crowd had not yet departed for lunch.
Drake worked his truck due west through the town. Pulled into the Bargain Mart lot less than ten minutes after leaving the clinic.
Didn’t see more than a couple handfuls of cars the entire way.
The mood was tense, but not hostile, as they approached the store. Neither one was entirely sure how things were going to play out.
Both hoped Jenks and Bargain Mart would simply do the right thing.
Both knew it wouldn’t be near that easy.
The same pair of girls was working the front as they entered. Both still looked thoroughly bored. Still stood in front of cash registers with no customers.
Big Hair saw them first. Rolled her eyes. Kept talking.
Pregnant looked over her shoulder. Nodded. Motioned towards the rear of the store.
It was their second time through in as many days. Wasn't hard to determine where they were going.
Drake nodded to the girl. Cut a path straight for the rear of the store. Forced himself to walk a step slower than usual to accommodate Ava's booted foot.
Kept reminding himself that Jenks was not the one to blame. He was just a low-level store manager. There was no way he had purchased any life insurance policies.
Remembered the sight of color draining from Jenks' face. The obvious way he wasn't quite being on the level with them.
Promised himself that whatever composure he had would go out the window if Jenks continued to lie to them.
A plump middle-aged woman was leaning against the frame of Jenks' office as they approached. Talking animatedly. Waving her hands about.
Judging by the look on her face and the tone of her voice, the news was good.
She paused at the sound of Ava's boot scratching against the tile floor. Turned and openly apprised them. Shifted back to Jenks and told him she would be back in a little while.
Drake nodded to the woman as she left. She returned the gesture, though her good humor from a few moments before was gone.
Drake and Ava waited until the woman returned to her office. Left the door open behind her.
Drake smirked at the obvious attempt to listen in. Knocked on the door frame.
Inside the room, Jenks sat at his desk. He stared straight ahead, almost as if he was waiting for them.
To be blunt, he looked like shit.
Sweat stains under the arms. Bags under his eyes. Tie loosened at the collar.
"Come on in," he said. Voice weary. Not the slightest bit of surprise at seeing them on his doorstep.
Drake motioned Ava through. Closed the door behind them. Settled himself down opposite Jenks.
"Good morning," Drake said.
"Good morning," Jenks replied. Almost begrudgingly. "I was going to call you this afternoon."
The implication was clear. He was asking why the hell they were here, without actually asking why the hell they were here.
"Good," Drake said. "We spoke to Mrs. Galt over the weekend too. This way we both have information to share."
Jenks swallowed hard. A lump shifted vertically down his throat.
"Okay," he said. "I spoke to our corporate headquarters. As I told you, we have no insurance policies for our employees. Not anything beyond the regularly offered term plans for full-time employees anyway."
Drake remained silent. No reaction whatsoever.
Beside him, Ava smirked. "So you've never heard the phrase Dead Peasants?"
Jenks face remained impassive. "No. Should I?"
"It's the common name assigned to what Bargain Mart, and other corporations like it, are doing," Ava said. "Buy up life insurance policies on low-level employees, pay nominal premiums, cash in when they cash out."
Jenks swallowed again. Wiped a hand over the thin sheen of sweat that encased his face. "Never heard of it."
Drake's eyes narrowed a bit. It didn't take a trained interrogator to see that Jenks was cracking.
An idea formed in the back of his idea.
"How about Bronson Irwin? Or Edgar Carpenter? Ever heard of them?"
A flicker of recognition flashed behind Jenks's eyes. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desk.
"The names sound vaguely familiar."
"They, like Galt, were also former employees of Bargain Mart. They, like Galt, also passed away this past week."
Drake watched as the words settled on Jenks. More sweating. More swallowing.
"Though, from what we're able to tell, the circumstances around their deaths were a little less..." Drake turned to Ava. "What word did use for them?"
"Natural," Ava said. Not a moment's pause. "Definitely not of quite-so-natural causes."
Jenks' right hand stared to tremble. Slightly at first. Quickly grew in intensity.
He instinctively pulled back from the desk. Folded his hands in his lap.
"That's awful," Jenks said. "But I'm sure it's just a coincidence. This isn't a very large town. I'm sure most of it has worked for Ba
rgain Mart at one point or another."
"Fifteen hundred," Drake said. "The greater Missoula area was almost seventy thousand people. That's what? Two percent?"
"And three of them die in a little over a week?" Ava added.
Jenks leaned back in his chair. Did his best to draw his face tight. Stared back at them. Said nothing.
Drake waved a hand out towards the store. "This is the second time we've been through in three days. Neither time has there been another customer in the store."
A cloud of defensiveness flashed over Jenks's face.
"So? We've seen slow times before."
"And did a few former employees happen to keel over then too?" Ava asked. "Nice little cash infusion?"
Jenks eyes grew large. He pushed himself forward and rested his elbows on the desk again.
"How dare you insinuate such a thing? Bargain Mart has been a major employer of this community for decades now!"
Drake leaned in across from Jenks. Matched his pose, with elbows resting on the desk.
In the small space, their heads were less than two feet apart.
Drake stared directly into his eyes. Peered at him as if he were a quarterback on the opposite side of the line.
"We have no interest in dragging the Bargain Mart name through the mud. We're here about Alice Galt. That money is hers, not yours.
"We'll give you one day to call whoever you need to. If we don't like what we hear, we will take this to court."
"And if we do, I have a feeling you nor your company will like the results," Ava said.
Drake remained frozen in place as Ava rose behind him. Opened the door. Shuffled outside.
He kept his eyes fixed on Jenks. Pushed himself up from the table.
Silently retreated from the room.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Settlement.
Montgomery rolled the word around his head.
The mere presence of it felt foreign in his body. A sour taste he would spit out if he could.
One at a time he glared over at Shaw and McMillan. Not to portray any displeasure with them.
So his audience got the point.
"You go back and tell these bloody slags that there will be no settlement," Montgomery said. Measured words. Cold rage. British profanity.
There was no way of knowing for sure if the comment hit its mark.
On the screen in front of them, Thomas Jenks looked the same as always. Like a sorry piece of shit.
Trying to determine if he was better or worse off than he had been two minutes before was an exercise in futility.
"And to stop sniffing around where they don't belong," Montgomery said. "The man died. Deal with it."
Jenks remained silent in front of them. Fidgeted uncontrollably. Looked like he was trying to wrestle forth the nerve to say something.
Montgomery watched the sniveling bastard squirm for as long as he could take it. Already he was starting to regret trying to save the Missoula store.
It was a tiny outpost.
Relations were strained with their two best handlers.
Someone at US Atlantic had let news of their involvement slip. People were starting to use words like lawsuit and Dead Peasants.
Settlement.
"Out with it already!" Montgomery barked.
"So it's true?" Jenks asked. Shoulders hunched inward. Hands in lap. Eyes glued down at them.
Montgomery opened his mouth to yell. Raised his backhand for emphasis.
Shit.
In his anger, he had made a mistake. He had let the little bastard know what was going on.
The air sucked out of the room. Neither Shaw nor McMillan made any outward display.
Still, it was obvious they had heard it too.
Montgomery backpedaled. "The existence of a policy is true. They are quite common. Used strictly to cover the expenses of finding new talent, training, relocation.
"But this business about multiple people falling off, or of us using the money to fund your store, is purely ludicrous."
Jenks sat pale-faced. Stared at the camera.
Eventually nodded.
"Okay. That's what I thought. Thank you."
For several seconds, Montgomery studied the man. Made a decision.
"Good. If they come by again, please inform them there will be no settlement. Nothing we have done is illegal."
Jenks nodded. Remained silent.
Montgomery signed off the call. Watched as the screen cast a royal blue pallor over the room.
Turned the camera off. Looked at his colleagues slowly, one at a time.
"He knows."
Shaw grunted softly. McMillan nodded.
Montgomery removed a cell-phone from the inside pocket of his jacket. Hit the second speed dial.
Chapter Forty
Drake sat in the front seat of the truck.
Smacked twice at the steering with the palm of his hand.
Made no effort to start the engine, let alone drive anywhere.
"What are you thinking?" Ava asked. Her arms were folded across her stomach. The inside of the truck was cold, but she didn't comment on it.
Seemed as preoccupied as Drake.
"Lots," Drake said. Kept his gaze aimed at the front of the store.
"Start at the beginning."
"The son of a bitch is lying," Drake said.
"Yes, he is."
"He knew all about the policies."
"I think I actually saw him put two-and-two together. You pointed out three murders, asked how their financials we're doing..."
"And he turned into Casper-the-scared-shitless-ghost," Drake said. Smacked the wheel again. "Apologies for the language."
Ava snorted. Said nothing.
Drake pulled his cell-phone from his bag. Scrolled to the first number listed in the call log. Pressed send. Turned it to speakerphone. Dropped it on the dashboard.
Sage answered on the third ring.
"Hey, what's up?"
"Hey," Drake said. Let his general disdain show in his voice. "Do you happen to know anybody over at the ME's office?"
"The medical examiner?" Sage asked. "No, sorry. After someone perishes here, we send them that way. The two sides don't really meet."
"Damn."
"Why? What's going on?"
"Bargain Mart's still giving us the runaround. I was hoping to go talk to the ME. Confirm a few suspicions."
"Sorry," Sage repeated. Paused for a moment. "You know who could probably get you in though is Kade."
Drake narrowed his eyes slightly. "The Fire Boys work closely with the ME?"
The Fire Boys was the forest fire fighting outfit Kade worked for. They were based in Lolo and spent half the year flying all over the country.
They were a bit pricier than other services in the area. Widely regarded as worth every cent.
"No," Sage said. "But he used to have an on-again off-again with a girl that now works the front desk for them. I bet he could introduce you."
"Bless you sweet woman," Drake said.
Signed off and right back on.
"Sometimes being friends with a manwhore pays dividends," Ava said.
Drake smirked. "Kade's not a manwhore. He just enjoys life."
"Mhmm," Ava said. Clearly not convinced.
Kade let the phone get clear to the fifth ring. Sounded groggy when he did pick up.
"Hullo?"
"I take it you went back to bed after the hike?" Drake said.
A low groan met his ears. "Yeah, I guess I did. Whoops. What's up?"
"Need a favor," Drake said. No sugar coating. No beating around the bush.
Not how the Zoo Crew did things.
"Name it," Kade said. Voice instantly a bit clearer.
"Sage tells me you know the front desk girl over at the Medical Examiner's office."
Kade remained silent for a moment. "Medical Examiner's office? I do. Hold on, it'll come to me."
Ava rolled her eyes.
Drake said no
thing.
"Tonya," Kade said. "No, wait, Tara. That's it. Tara Knece. A real piece of work if there ever was one."
Drake smiled. He remembered hearing stories of Tara Knece.
Piece of work was not exactly the terminology Kade had used in the past.
"Any way you can call and ask to get us in this afternoon?" Drake said. "It's important."
Kade exhaled loudly. "Two things. First, you know damn well if I call her out of the blue she's going to have expectations."
"Tell her I'll buy," Drake said. No hesitation. "Steak or seafood, doesn't matter."
"Second, what exactly am I asking for?"
Drake relayed the names of Irwin and Carpenter. Told him to ask if they could speak with the ME. If not, if they could take a quick look through the case report.
Kade promised to call straightaway.
After nearly fifteen minutes in the parking lot, Drake started the truck. Blasted the heat. Angled the truck in the general direction of downtown.
Ava remained silent beside him. Slowly loosened the death grip she had wrapped around her torso.
Less than five minutes passed before Kade returned the call.
"Yes, sir," Drake answered.
"She wants seafood," Kade said. "And no jokes about crabs please."
Drake and Ava both smiled. Said nothing.
"You're in luck. Tara said the ME is some uptight prick named Bentley. Real teetotaler on rules and procedures. Said if he's around, you either have to be on the police force or have a warrant to get in the damn door."
Drake exchanged a glance with Ava. "But you said we're in luck?"
"You are. He's in court all afternoon. The assistant ME is some new girl straight out of med school. I told Tara you needed to stop by and she said that would be perfect. Apparently this girl has a thing for accents."
Ava arched an eyebrow.
"Say what?" Drake asked. Surprise on his face.
Kade sighed. Drake could picture him shaking his head. "I'm saying either take Ava home first or leave her in the truck. Go in there and work some magic."
Drake's jaw hung open. He stared at the phone. "You're kidding me, right?"
"And try to at least act like you've learned something from me all these years, huh?" Kade said.
Signed off without another word.
Dead Peasants (Zoo Crew series Book 2) Page 16