by Burton, Mary
“But you said yourself the two would not have been in physical contact,” Dr. Christopher said, looking puzzled.
“She was obsessed with him.” Gideon shifted his gaze from the body to the doctor. “And if I’ve learned anything about prisoners, they are incredibly resourceful. Elijah did work in the warden’s office, so he might have had more access than most prisoners. Also check the DNA against Ryan Davis’s. He’s playing the part of the wronged boyfriend, but I’ve been surprised before.”
“Was a diamond engagement ring ever found with Lana’s body?” Joan asked.
“No. But one was found with Jessica Halpern’s remains,” Dr. Christopher said. He moved to a bin filled with the few personal belongings that had not been destroyed by the fire. He held up three baggies, each containing rings. Two were melted beyond recognition, and though the third was also misshapen, the trio of diamonds was clearly visible. She snapped several pictures.
They each thanked Dr. Christopher and, in the adjoining room, stripped off their gowns and gloves. Outside, they stepped into the sunshine and drank in fresh mountain air.
“Tucker said Lana was showing off her big engagement ring to a waitress named Nora last week. A ring like that, if it was real, required deep pockets.”
“That suggests that Lana’s boyfriend had money.”
“Let’s talk with Nora,” Joan said. “It’s critical we find this mystery boyfriend.”
Gideon called the diner and discovered that Nora’s shift would not begin for another hour, so he and Joan headed to the woman’s apartment, hoping to head her off.
They pulled up in front of the apartment building a few minutes before four. As they were getting out of the car, a woman was exiting the building. She was wearing a pink Tucker’s uniform, a heavy black sweater, and sensible white shoes.
“That must be Nora O’Neil,” he said.
“You think, Detective? If I had a nickel for all the times I put on that pink dress,” Joan said, shaking her head. “I guess if one good thing came out of the College Fire, it was that it destroyed those uniforms.”
“Too bad,” he said, almost in a whisper. “I always thought they looked good on you.”
“You’re kidding.”
He shrugged. “Nope.”
They started moving toward Nora, a tall, shapely woman with thick, dark hair tied back in a ponytail. “Ms. O’Neil,” Gideon said as he held up his badge.
Nora came to a stop, her fingers tightening around her keys, but said nothing.
“I’m Detective Gideon Bailey, and this is Joan Mason.”
“Detective,” Joan corrected. “We came to ask you a few questions about Lana Long.”
Nora’s expression did not relax. “She ate at the diner sometimes.”
“Tucker said she showed you an engagement ring at the diner last week.”
“Yeah, it was something to see. Three big diamonds. She was proud of it.” Jessica Halpern’s ring had sported three large diamonds, but when Jessica had visited the incinerated salon, she had not been wearing the diamonds.
“Do you know who gave it to her?” Joan asked.
“No clue. She hardly talked about her guy, like it was a big mystery. But she sure was thrilled to say she was getting married.”
Joan opened the photo featuring the Halpern ring. “Did it look like this?”
Nora studied the picture. “Yeah. That’s the ring.”
“How can you be sure?” Gideon asked.
“Because of the three diamonds, and the setting was high like that one.”
That ring was not cheap, and the chances of two similar ones floating around town were slim to none. “You and Lana must have talked about something,” Joan said. “Tucker said she ate at the diner a lot.”
“I asked her once why she came there, and she said her boyfriend lived nearby, in Deer Lodge.”
“That’s over an hour away,” Gideon said. “Why would she not live there or in Helena?”
“Because her beau was planning on moving back to Missoula.”
“Was he a prisoner?” Gideon asked.
“That wouldn’t surprise me. Highest concentration of men in Deer Lodge are locked up.”
“Did he give her the ring, or did she pick it out?” Joan asked.
“I don’t know. I had orders to fill, and Dan hates it when I talk to the customers too long.” She glanced at her watch. “Speaking of which, I got to go. Dan’s not at the diner right now.”
“Where is he?” Gideon asked.
“He took the afternoon off to help my mom, if you can believe it.”
“What’s he doing?” Gideon asked.
“Mom’s been after him to help set up her iPad.”
“That’s some boss,” Joan said.
“Little secret,” Nora said. “We’re dating.”
“Where was he last night?” Gideon asked.
“Don’t know. You’ll have to ask him. He’ll be back at the diner tomorrow.”
Gideon handed her his card. “Call me if you think of anything.”
She shoved the card in her apron pocket, already sporting her order pad. “Sure thing.”
Dan Tucker winced as he slowly slid off his blood-soaked pants and eased into the recliner in his living room. The knife wound in his thigh still oozed blood and showed no signs of letting up. Reaching for a handful of paper towels sitting on the side table along with gauze and a six-pack, he pressed the wad to the injury. As pain shot up his leg, he hissed in a breath. “Motherfucker.”
Absorbing the burn, he grabbed a beer, popped the top, and gulped the full can. He glanced at the paper towels, now soaked in blood, and tossed them in the trash. He grabbed another wad and a fresh beer. He repeated this process for nearly a half hour before the blood had slowed enough for him to be able to wind the gauze around the wound. He damn near could have bled out.
He fished his cell from his pants and hit “Redial.” Seconds later, he heard a slurred “Yeah.”
“Where were you?” Dan asked.
“What do you mean?”
“What the hell do you think I mean? We were going after him. You were supposed to have my back.”
“Yeah, I got hung up at work.”
Dan tipped his head back, pissed at the lame excuse.
“Did you go after him without me?”
“Yeah,” Dan said.
“How did it go? Did you teach him a lesson?”
Dan glanced down at the white gauze wrapped around his thigh. “It went great.”
“Seriously?”
“No.”
“So what’s next?”
Dan popped his last beer. “Next time, I’m going to kill that motherfucker.”
Confessions of an Arsonist
All the blazes that I have set have been rehearsal for my final act.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Missoula, Montana
Thursday, September 10, 2020
4:15 p.m.
Joan pulled up to the Baileys’ to a large inflatable bouncy house, a cotton-candy machine, and blaring music. There was no sign of the birthday boys or the party guys, but she suspected kickoff time had to be any minute.
She pushed through the front door to find Ann standing in the center of dozens of red, white, and blue balloons dangling from the ceiling.
“Isn’t he a little old for this?” Joan asked.
“He might be, but I have one last year before he won’t want anything like this.”
“Even if he thinks he’s too big, he’ll still secretly appreciate the gesture.” Joan plucked a potato chip from a bowl. “Where are the half-birthday boys?”
“Upstairs. The other kids should be here in about a half hour.”
A car pulled up outside, and both turned to see Clarke’s SUV parking in the circular driveway. Out of the car, he glanced at the house, frowned, and then reached inside for two neatly wrapped packages. He strode toward the house and rang the bell.
Ann glanced at Joan and then forced a s
mile. “Here we go.”
“It’ll be fine.”
“Nate!” Ann shouted from the bottom of the stairs. “Your dad is here.”
“Coming.”
Joan strode to the door and opened it. “Clarke.”
The smile on his face stiffened. “Joan. You’re becoming a real fixture here.”
“I’m like a bad penny,” she joked.
He didn’t look amused. “Is Ann here?”
“Right here,” Ann said from behind Joan.
“Is the shed still fully extinguished?” Clarke asked.
“I spoke to the ranch manager, and he’s having it cleared away this weekend. Thankfully, we didn’t have much equipment stored there, so the loss was minimal.”
“The damage might have been minimal this time, but the threat is still here,” he said.
Joan grimaced. “By separating myself from Ann, we’ll at least know who the real target is.”
“That’s little comfort. Ann is still in danger,” Clarke said.
“Clarke, I am being careful,” Ann said.
“Have you two heard about the cabin fire?” Clarke challenged.
“I haven’t,” Ann said as her expression became more serious.
“My buddy in Granite County said that the Halpern cabin burned, with Jessica Halpern in it.”
“That’s awful,” Ann said. “Joan, you knew about this?”
“I was with Gideon when the call came in. He allowed me to tag along. Professional curiosity.”
“But that’s not your jurisdiction,” Clarke said.
Joan ignored the comment. “By the way, Clarke, did you hear Elijah was assaulted? He’s in the hospital.”
Ann’s wide-eyed expression gave away her surprise, but Clarke’s perpetually annoyed scowl was harder to read.
“Elijah shouldn’t be in town,” Clarke said. “He’s asking for trouble. I’m not the only one who thinks he’s the arsonist.”
“Have you found evidence that proves it?” Joan asked.
“Not yet. But it’s a matter of time, and then everyone will see that he has not reformed one bit.”
Hurried footsteps hustled down the stairs. “Hey, Dad!”
“Hey, Uncle Clarke,” Kyle said.
Clarke’s expression softened as the boys approached the stairs. “Hey, guys. Happy half birthday.”
“Thanks!” Nate, the serious and thoughtful boy, actually looked excited. “Is that for me?”
Clarke held up a wrapped box. “Sure is. Want to open it before everyone arrives?”
“Can I, Mom?” Nate asked.
“You sure can.”
Clarke handed the other box to Kyle. “And this one is for you, pal. I know you’ll like it.”
Clarke followed the boys toward the large dining table, set with paper plates, napkins, and spoons. In the center was a birthday cake covered with mathematical symbols and horses. Clarke looked pleased as the boys ripped the wrapping paper away. It quickly became clear that Nate’s gift was an expensive computer that must have cost at least a grand. A chunk of change for a municipal employee.
“Is this for me?” Nate asked.
“All yours, pal. I thought about getting you a desktop, but with you ready to skip high school and go to college, it seems a laptop would suit better.”
“I’m not in college,” Nate said. “I’m auditing a class.”
“Which is as good as it gets for a ten-year-old,” Clarke said.
“That’s very generous.” Ann’s emphasis on the last word spoke to her disapproval.
“He deserves the best,” Clarke said. “He’s smart, and I want him to go as far as he can.”
“What did you get, Kyle?” Joan asked. Kyle held up an electric car. “Sweet!”
“I know how you like to race them,” Clarke said.
“Thanks, Uncle Clarke.”
Nate looked up at his mother, his eyes glowing with excitement. “This is awesome! Can I set it up now?”
“Your dad is here, and your guests are arriving soon.”
“I can’t stay,” Clarke said. “I have to take a shift tonight. But we’re still on for dinner next Wednesday, right?”
Ann nodded. “That’s right.”
“Thanks again, Dad!”
“Anything for you, pal.”
“Why don’t you two boys set up the car outside? I’ll hold on to the computer,” Clarke offered.
Nate and Kyle seemed pleased with the compromise and ran outside, slamming the front door behind them.
“That computer and the car were very, very generous gifts,” Ann said. “I thought finances were a little tight.”
“They were, but not now.” He leaned toward her a fraction, as if hoping she would meet him halfway for a kiss, but when she did not, he made up the distance and kissed her gently on the lips. “I want you to really consider moving back into town. It’s not safe here.”
“We’ve been through this.”
Joan ducked her head and reached to pick up the discarded wrapping paper. She should have given them privacy but was curious about Clarke’s recent change in finances.
“We’ll talk next week,” he offered.
She hesitated and then nodded. “Sure.”
“Great.” He strode toward the door and yanked it open. “Stay out of trouble, Joan.”
She crumpled the wrapping paper into a tight wad. “I’ll do my best.”
“You do that.”
Joan tossed the paper in the trash. “Where do you think he got the money? That computer is at least a grand. And that car was close to five hundred.”
“Noncustodial parents like Clarke are known to compensate with expensive gifts, as if that will make up for their lost time.”
She shook her head. Clarke did not appear to have any suspicions about the boy’s paternity. But that did not mean that, on some level, he didn’t sense he could be in a competition with the very intelligent Elijah Weston. Could he suspect that Ann had slept with Elijah? “I suppose that’s it.”
Just then, several cars pulled into the driveway. “Let the fun begin.”
If volume of noise was a measure of success, then Joan decided that Nate and Kyle’s half-birthday party was a hit. The six boys ran around the house, and when Nate nearly crashed into a coffee table, Ann ordered them all outside.
For the first time since Gideon had arrived two hours ago, they looked at each other and laughed.
“I need a drink,” Joan said.
“What? The noise getting to you?” Gideon asked.
“Yes.” She held a cold beer bottle to the side of her head. “How does so much sound come out of such young humans?”
Gideon sipped his soda. “It’s a mystery.”
“Did you hear about the gifts Clarke gave Nate and Kyle?” Joan asked.
“Something about a computer and a car.”
“A really expensive computer and remote-control car.”
Gideon was silent for a moment. “He’s always wanted to provide the best.”
“A sentiment I can appreciate. But where does a firefighter get that kind of dough?”
“Credit cards. Sold one of his hunting rifles. I don’t know. Why does that bother you?” he asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Clarke is rough around the edges. But he has always been a straight shooter, and he’s always treated Kyle like a son.”
“Why hasn’t Ann moved back home?” Joan asked.
“I don’t delve into the love lives of other couples. I’ve got enough on my own plate.”
“You’ve known Clarke since middle school, right?” Joan asked.
“That’s right. Why the sudden interest in Clarke?”
“I don’t know. I question everything and everyone. It’s just habit. Never mind. I was just thinking out loud.”
“Are you staying at the guesthouse tonight?”
“If you’ll still have me.” She had packed her things this morning, just in case.
“You’re wel
come as long as you want to stay.”
“I’ll be out of your hair by Sunday.”
“There’s absolutely no rush.”
Joan stayed behind to help Ann clean up after the boys while Gideon drove the overly sugared, rowdy kids back to town. Kyle and Nate were upstairs, excited about their sleepover. The house breathed a sigh of relief.
She pulled the overstuffed trash bag from the can in the kitchen and carried it outside to the garage, where there was a locked box for the garbage. Philadelphia had rats. Montana had bears.
Back inside, she washed her hands and wiped down the counter for the evening.
Ann filled the empty trash can with a new bag. “You don’t have to go back to Gideon’s,” Ann said.
“I want to. It’s easier.”
“Did you and Gideon start something again?” Ann asked.
“No. We’re older and wiser and both know that I won’t stick around.”
“You could stay out here. Big Sky Country had its moments for you.”
“Live here again?” Joan had not even toyed with the idea. She was here to figure out Elijah, and now the other fires. Once that was solved, it would be time to go home and face the music of her off-key life.
“Consider it,” Ann said.
“And how would I support myself?” Joan asked. “I doubt anyone in the Philadelphia Police Department will give me a recommendation.”
“Enough people know you. I would vouch for you.” Ann added, “The police department’s always hiring. I also hear the medical examiner needs an investigator.”
“I doubt I could work for Gideon.”
Ann closed the door to the utility room. “Then call Dr. Christopher.”
“Before we get carried away with ourselves, I need to get going. I want to see Elijah again before visiting hours are over and figure out how he’s doing.”
Ann’s good humor faded. “I’m sorry he was assaulted.”
“He’s taking it in stride. Though he doesn’t strike me as the type who lets something like this pass.”
“Have you ever sensed that he, well, knows?” Ann asked.
“About?” Joan did not mention Nate’s name, but they both understood his paternity was the topic. When Ann nodded slowly, Joan said carefully, “He’s not stupid, and little gets past him.”
Ann’s face tightened with worry. “Nate and I were at the university on Monday checking out his classroom. We saw Elijah.”