Faye Kellerman - Decker 11 - Jupiter's Bones

by Jupiter's Bones

'Hero-worshiped him.'

  'What about his own family?' McCarry asked.

  'He never said much about them. He grew up back East. I had the feeling that he didn't get along with his father-'

  'That's it!' Decker shouted. 'That's motherfriggin it!'

  'What?' Martinez asked.

  Decker clapped his hands once. 'In the editorial section of yesterday's paper, some guy named Rizzo or Russo wrote a scathing letter about Emil Ganz. Basically saying that Ganz had plagiarized every important piece of research he had ever done-'

  'That's nonsense,' Europa said.

  'I gave you the paper, Bert-'

  'It's in the car. I'll get it'

  Europa became agitated. 'My father had lots of negative characteristics, but I never heard anyone say anything remotely concerning plagiarism.'

  'Was Bob's father a scientist?' Decker asked her.

  'I have no idea what his father did.'

  'The Russo/Rizzo in the paper owned some kind of holistic imports business-'

  'Oh my goodness!' Europa shrieked. 'Bob did tell me something about a family business.'

  Decker said, 'If I remember correctly, the letter Russo/Rizzo wrote was about Ganz's honesty as a scientist.'

  'I'd like to interject a point,' Webster drawled. 'Dr Ganz, you told us that you thought that Bob had a sponsor for gettin' him into Southwest Uni-'

  'I thought maybe-'

  'Maybe it was his own father,' Webster suggested.

  'If Bob's father had been an important person to Southwest, Bob wouldn't have been expelled,' Europa answered. 'Sad, but true. It's who you know.'

  'What if the plagiarism accusations were true?' Webster said.

  'It's nonsense-'

  'But if they were, maybe Southwest took Bob in just to shut up his father,' Webster said. 'After all, Ganz had been their pride and joy.'

  'Not at that time,' Europa countered. 'He was a subject of ridicule.'

  Decker said, 'But think how bad it would have looked for the university if one of their acclaimed top professors had been a research thief. Supporting a dishonest scientist is a lot more damaging to a name than supporting a crazy one.'

  McCarry said, 'I don't know why we're wasting time with this. Bastard Bob hasn't even called back-'

  'That's not surprising,' Europa said. 'Bob loves games.'

  McCarry said, 'So he's viewing this whole thing as a game?'

  'No doubt.'

  McCarry spit on the ground. 'Lots of hostage situations. But I always get the psychos.'

  'Lots of criminals are psychos,' Decker pointed out.

  'Yeah, but most psychos are dumbshits - low IQ's with learning problems. Bob doesn't fit that category. Even among psycho leaders who tend to be a brighter bunch, Bob would probably stand out as one of the smartest. Plus, he can build bombs.' He turned to Europa. 'Am I right about this?'

  'Bob is very bright'

  'Ted Kaczenski with an army of zombies behind him,' McCarry said. 'A hostage situation with lots of kids and a paranoid but bright leader. We're in big trouble.'

  'He's waiting for you to make a move,' Europa said. 'Wait him out. Because every time you move, you show pieces of your hand. Point of fact, if you want to keep Bob engaged, you give him games, not warfare. He's not interested in brute force, he's interested in finesse.'

  'I thought you didn't know this guy,' McCarry said.

  'I don't know him per se,' Europa said. 'But I know game players. Southwest is filled with them. See, Special Agent in Charge McCarry, like most army men - or paramiltary if you will - you're thinking in terms of a two-person, zero-outcome game. Meaning someone has to lose. And losing, in this case, is losing very big. Instead of win/lose, you should be thinking in terms of a win/win - the Nash equilibrium point - where all parties are at their optimal position.'

  'What the hell are you talking about?' McCarry said.

  Europa gave a long sigh, as if it was a burden to deal with the lowly nonmath sector of the population. 'Don't make a move until the odds are stacked in your favor.'

  McCarry's cellular phone rang. He picked it up, turned his back to the group and spoke in hushed tones into the receiver. Martinez returned, newspaper in hand. He gave it to Decker. 'The letter was written by Dr Robert Russo, Sr.'

  Dr Russo' - Decker scanned the letter and read out loud -'Mediocre physicist... plagiarizer, thief, kidnapper, adulterer.' He looked at Europa. 'What do you know about that?'

  'Nothing.' Her voice was stiff. 'Can I see the letter?'

  Still reading, Decker said,'"... probably running from some irate husband who just got tired of Ganz messing with his wife..."' He gave the missive to Europa. 'Upon rereading this, it looks like Ganz was having an affair with Russo's wife.'

  'Bob's mother,' Webster said. 'You know, maybe it was Ganz who got Bob into Southwest University of Technology. Maybe he did it out of guilt. Or out of pressure-'

  'My father wasn't around when Bob got into Southwest,' Europa said.

  'Maybe he was, and you just didn't know about it.'

  Europa frowned, then read the letter carefully. 'This is patently ridiculous.'

  'What part is ridiculous?' Decker asked. 'The plagiarism or the affairs?'

  'I didn't know anything about Dad's personal life. But I do know he's no plagiarist. Academics is filled with petty people. This guy is psycho!'

  'Then he probably is Bob's father,' Martinez said.

  Webster checked his watch and talked to Decker in a low voice. 'It's time for Asnikov. Maybe we should leave before Mr Fed has other ideas.'

  'Go ahead.' Decker waited a moment. 'If you can, bring Asnikov down here when you're done. He might know something about the Physical layout of the order. Plus, it'll make McCarry feel better.'

  Europa was still holding the letter. 'Actually, the letter is similiar in tone to Bob's rantings during a bad trip.'

  'What letter?' McCarry asked.

  Europa showed him the newspaper clipping.

  'Jesus!' McCarry answered. 'So Ganz was screwing this guy's wife - who's probably Bob's mother?'

  'I'd bet money on it,' Decker said.

  'Bob Junior must have had one hell of a rotten relationship with Bob Senior if he turned his own father's arch-enemy into his personal hero.'

  'So Bob poisoned my father to death?' Europa said.

  'Drugs and alcohol murdered your father,' Decker said. 'Suicide still hasn't been ruled out.'

  'What about the arsenic?'

  'According to the coroner, it wasn't what killed him.' Decker paused. 'You know, if Bob was ripping off your dad, it made sense to have kept your father alive. Because now that he's dead, I'm betting that all of Jupiter's money goes to you - or at least to the living heirs.'

  'Why? What do you know about my father's finances?'

  'He had a million-dollar life insurance policy with you as the benefactor,' Decker said.

  Her eyes had widened. 'I don't believe... are you sure?'

  'I think so-'

  'You think?'

  'I've heard something to that effect, yes.'

  'Then why haven't I heard about it?'

  'Because your father's death has been ruled suspicious,' Decker said. 'First, the cause of death has to be determined before insurance will pay. If it is ruled as a homicide, you have to be cleared as a suspect. But I'm not talking about the insurance policy - which is clearly yours. I'm thinking that Jupiter must have had bank accounts. We know he took money from his parishioners.'

  'He did?' Europa asked.

  'Condition of joining the cult,' Webster said. 'You give up your worldly assets to Father Jupiter, who spends the money for the good of the group.'

  'It's the communal money - in Jupiter's bank accounts - that Bob could have been embezzling. Now that he's gone, unless otherwise stated, Jupiter's money goes to the closest living heirs.'

  'My brothers and I.'

  'Unless Jupiter has a will stating otherwise. And even if he did, you could contest it'

  'So
now that my father is dead, the money Bob was embezzling is mine.'

  'And Bob's life on easy street is down the toilet.' Decker hesitated for a moment. 'Although I'm still not sure how Nova plays into all of this.'

  'Who's Nova?' Europa asked.

  'Another guru from the Order,' Decker said. 'We found his dissected parts in a ranch owned by your father.'

  'My God!' Europa exclaimed. 'That's horrible. And that was Bob's doing also?'

  'Probably,' Decker answered. He looked at McCarry, who was staring at the blueprints. Staring, but not absorbing anything. 'You're awfully quiet.'

  McCarry jerked his head up, then rubbed his forehead. 'My boss is taking the six A.M. down from Sacramento. I'd like to have a plan formulated by then.'

  'You're about to be displaced?' Decker said. 'Forget it. No way I'm working with your boss, McCarry. We started this mess together, we'll end it together.'

  McCarry was shocked. That kind of loyalty was unheard of. Made him suspicious. What did Decker have up his sleeve? He said, 'Is it my good looks?'

  'McCarry, I refuse to break in another fed,' Decker said. 'If I have to recap my story one more time, I'll puke.'

  28

  'Ner Yisroel?' Sammy said. 'You've got to be kidding!' Rina refrained from rolling her eyes. 'How about a "Good morning, Eema"?'

  Sammy plunked himself down at the kitchen table. He was dressed in the school' s uniform of blue pants and white shirt, but he hadn't put on his shoes. 'He'll die.'

  'He won't die.' Rina took out Hannah's cereal bowl. 'If you really cared about your brother, you'd be encouraging him-'

  'Are you saying I don't care about Yonkie's welfare?'

  'Shmuel, it's too early to fight. If you're going to spar, do it alone.' Rina walked out of the kitchen.

  'How can you spar alone?' Sammy called out.

  She ignored him and went into Hannah's room. The preschooler was swallowed up in her covers, her only sign of life being tight, orange ringlets. Rina pulled the comforter back. 'Good morning, sweetheart.'

  Hannah opened her eyes, blinked and closed them again. She held out her pipestem arms for an embrace.

  'Ah.' Rina hugged her. 'This is my daily dose of sugar.'

  She kissed her mother. 'Is Daddy gone?'

  'Yes, Daddy is gone.'

  A pout in her voice. 'But he didn't say good-bye.'

  'He didn't come home last night.'

  Hannah opened her eyes. She was confused. 'Where was he?'

  Good question. Rina said, 'He slept at his work.'

  'At his work?'

  Rina nodded.

  'Why?'

  'Because he was very busy and didn't have time to come home.'

  Hannah remained puzzled. 'They have beds at Daddy's work?'

  'Yes, they do.'

  'But not all works have beds.'

  'No.'

  'Only Daddy's work?'

  Rina nodded.

  'Can I see Daddy's bed?'

  'One day.'

  'Today?'

  'No, another day.'

  'Do they have pillows?'

  Rina smiled. 'Yes, they do.' She got up from Hannah's bed. 'Can you get dressed by yourself or do you need help?'

  'I'll get my dress on. And my socks. And my shoes. But you help me with the buckle.'

  'Fine.' Rina stood. 'Come into the kitchen when you're dressed.'

  'Are you making me oatmeal?'

  'Yes. Is that okay?'

  'It's okay.' Hannah sat up and rubbed her eyes. 'Can I watch cartoons?'

  'For a few minutes.'

  'Then I'll get dressed very fast.'

  'Good for you.'

  With a sigh, Rina braved the kitchen again. Sammy was playing with a bowl of Rice Krispies. His bare feet were now covered with socks. The shoes were still a mystery. He looked up when his mother came in. 'I'm still here.'

  'I see that.'

  'You don't like me anymore.'

  Rina laughed. 'I love you-'

  'Yeah, but you don't like me.'

  'Shmuel-'

  'I'm serious.'

  'You argue with everything I say.'

  'I think I know Yonkie very well... better than you.'

  'I'm sure you do. Still, the program's a good one. He needs a challenge.'

  'I agree. But not Ner Yisroel.'

  'Nothing's carved in stone. Besides, it's not between you and him, it's between him and me.'

  'In other words, you're ignoring me. See, you don't like me anymore.' Rina didn't answer. It seemed the smartest maneuver.

  Jacob came shuffling into the kitchen. 'Morning.' Rina kissed the top of his yarmulke. 'Morning.' Jacob washed his hands and said the accompanying prayer of Al N'tilat Yadayim. Pouring some orange juice, he drank it in a single gulp. Rina said, 'Did you finally get to sleep?' He slumped into a chair. 'I got a few hours.'

  'You need more sleep,' Rina said.

  'I need a lot of things,' Jacob answered.

  Sammy slid him a clean cereal bowl. Jacob said, 'Anything besides Rice Krispies?'

  'Applejacks.'

  Jacob frowned and pushed the bowl aside. 'I'll pass.'

  'You have to eat something.'

  'I'll grab a bagel at school-'

  'Yonkie-'

  'Cartoons! Cartoons! Cartoons! Cartoons!' Hannah sang as she

  danced into the kitchen.

  Sammy moaned. 'Are Looney Toons at six-thirty really necessary for her psychological well-being?'

  'They're very violent,' Jacob added.

  Rina ignored them and turned on the kitchen TV. Immediately, images of a bunker-like complex filled the tiny screen. Police lights were flashing in the background. Rina felt her heart jump as she stared at the pictures.

  Did he call last night?

  'I want cartoons!' Hannah insisted.

  'Shhh!' Rina scolded.

  'One man dead...' the TV stated. 'It's a grave situation with no end in sight out here in the West Valley...'

  'Oh God, it's local!' Rina exclaimed.

  Sammy was suddenly awake. He sat up. 'What is it, Eema?'

  'Go check the message machine and see if Dad called.'

  'He didn't come home-'

  'Just do it!'

  Sammy got up.

  Jacob had his eyes glued to the TV. His heart dropped into his stomach. 'Is everything okay?'

  T don't know!'

  'I want cartoons!' Hannah whined.

  Jacob stood, reluctantly taking his eyes off the TV. 'C'mon, Hannalah. Let's watch in my room.'

  'In your room?' She jumped up and down. 'Goody.'

  Sammy came back. 'Nothing on the machine.'

  'Damn him!' Rina swore.

  The boys stared at her. They had never heard their mother curse before. Sammy said, 'Want me to call the station house-'

  'No!' Rina paced. 'I'll do it. It's nothing. If it was something, I would have gotten a phone call by now. I just wish he'd... turn the sound up, will you?'

  'Come on!' Hannah said, tugging at Jacob's shirt.

  'Just a sec-'

  Rina yelled, 'Take her out of here now!' She dialed Peter's cellular.

  The line had been cut.

  Fabulous!

  Jacob scooped up his sister and left the kitchen. Rina hung up the phone with a slam, picked up the receiver and punched in the station house's number. 'He knows how I worry and he never... yes, this is Rina Decker. Is my husband, Lieutenant...Don't put me on hold! I just want to know-'

  But she had been sent into an electronic void.

  'You'd think after seven years, he'd have the decency...yes, this is Rina Decker. I was wondering if... well, do you know where he is... do you know if he's all right?' A pause. "I'm sure" isn't good enough... connect me to someone who knows something or I'm going to storm the place!'

  She stamped her foot.

  'God, these people are infuriating.'