by Alex Barclay
‘From time to time,’ said Delores. ‘They’re the type of kids who are drawn to boundaries …’
‘And do they ever cross them?’ said Robbie.
‘Not that I’m aware of,’ said Delores. ‘But, of course, that means nothing. I sleep with the blinds down, the door locked, my eye mask on and my earplugs in. I’m guessing were these kids to make a move, it would be under cover of darkness.’
‘Well, not necessarily,’ said Ren. ‘Did you notice anything yesterday? Were there any kids around?’
‘No,’ said Delores, ‘not that I saw.’ She paused. ‘I heard about that poor lady. How cruel life is.’
‘You believe that life is cruel …’ said Robbie.
Boldly go, Robbie.
‘Oh, no,’ said Delores. ‘I should have said how cruel life can be. I do believe that life can be cruel. I’m sure you see evidence of that every day. I pray for the world every single day.’
‘Yes, it can be dark out there,’ said Ren. She took out her card and placed it on the table. Robbie did the same.
‘If anything occurs to you,’ said Robbie, ‘please call either of us.’
‘Thank you so much for the coffee,’ said Ren.
Delores picked up the cards. ‘Good luck with your investigation.’
Ren and Robbie made their way to the Jeep.
‘She is very sad about the eyes,’ said Ren. ‘I wonder what “cruel life” she ran away from.’
‘Maybe it was more about the life she ran away to,’ said Robbie. ‘Don’t you ever want to get away from everything? It’s all in-your-face, technology, being bombarded with images, scrolling bars, banner ads, commercials that start playing when you’re trying to watch the news and it’s just this … assault.’
‘Oh, I agree,’ said Ren. ‘And our job is helped by technology. The only thing I will say is that at least we’re of the generation that might scrape through without the utter obsession with it that teenagers have now.’
Robbie shrugged.
‘It’s the reach that technology has,’ said Ren. ‘If it was a horror movie, it would be like an octopus that has millions of tentacles – a megapus? – a creature that goes into every single home on the planet and sits down right in the middle of the hallway. Then, its tentacles begin to slide out and crawl into every room, up onto the sofa, right between people, into their hands, up onto the dinner table, into their beds, sometimes right up their asses. And then, it sucks and sucks and sucks the lifeblood out of them. And then it does a big shit right there in the hallway, but no one can get near it to clean it up. And no one can eliminate the stink. Or the hideous creature. And then they realize that they can’t imagine a time without him. And then they realize, “Hold on a second, I don’t even have a life any more. I don’t have a life to save – he’s got us all. So if the creature goes, well, we’re all gone too.” And so he stays and feeds and shits.’
Robbie stopped walking. ‘I think that might just be the most depressing thing you have ever said to me.’
‘So to answer your question,’ said Ren, ‘yes, I could totally see myself moving into a remote cabin and cutting myself off from the world. I have one million reasons. I might go back, see does her sofa fold out …’
Robbie smiled. ‘Me too.’
‘See, you get it,’ said Ren.
You are a sweet, innocent soul.
Ren and Robbie arrived back at Janine’s office just after lunch.
‘Well, speaking to the Faules and Delores Ward has thrown the investigation wide open …’ said Ren.
‘Really?’ said Janine. Then she looked up at Ren. ‘Ah … you got nothing.’
‘Yet, fine lady, yet!’ said Ren. ‘Can I grab a desk?’
‘Sure – go ahead,’ said Janine.
Ren took her laptop from her bag. ‘Now …’ She did a search on Kenneth and Kristen Faule. Robbie sat beside her.
‘OK,’ she said, ‘I have not found a trail of slaughtered children … goddammit.’
He smiled.
‘The closest the Faules have been to badness was back in 2002 when Kenneth Faule’s ex-Bronco’s-teammate and best bud, Derrick Charles, allegedly went off the rails, beat the crap out of his wife, strangled her, and shot their two children …’
‘Ooh, I read about that,’ said Janine.
‘Well, he’s in Stateville,’ said Ren, ‘but is adamant he’s innocent and that he was framed. Kenneth Faule still visits him twice a year, good Christian that he is.’
‘Bet you’re thinking that Faule framed him, aren’t you?’ said Robbie.
‘Well, I was,’ said Ren, ‘until I read the next bit … Faule says he mounted a campaign to raise finances for Derrick Charles’ appeal. Apparently, Charles is one of those broke playas; the prosecution used his financial troubles against him at trial … suggested his wife confronted him about his gambling and he lost it.’
Ren’s cell phone rang.
‘Gary,’ she said.
‘Ren,’ said Gary, ‘are you alone?’
‘I can be,’ she said, standing up.
She turned back to Robbie and Janine. ‘Talk among yourselves …’
She walked into the hallway.
‘Are you on your way back?’ said Gary.
‘No, I’m in Golden … Kohler’s having a briefing at six o’clock.’
‘You know you have an appointment with Dr Lone after work,’ said Gary.
My eyes are now alight. I can feel them. They would burn through you if you were here. Hold your tongue. Hold it.
‘Sometimes I get the feeling you might be looking for cases to take you away from your appointments,’ said Gary.
‘OK, it was me,’ said Ren. ‘I robbed the bank and murdered the girl …’ Stop now. Gary does not joke about your mental health.
‘Ren, I shouldn’t have to tell you—’
‘You’re right, Gary.’ You shouldn’t fucking have to tell me. Her heart was suddenly pounding. ‘I’m sorry,’ said Ren, ‘but would it be OK if you left my treatment in my hands? Can you just trust that I’m doing this?’
There was a lengthy pause. ‘OK, Ren. I will.’
Ren was bound by Gary to attend a psychiatrist and to take medication. Gary had taken away her fast pass for the rollercoaster ride. And he monitored with a height restriction sign – she couldn’t be too high or too low. She had to bang her head on it.
Over and over.
16
Kohler stood outside the doorway of the conference room, herding the crowd.
‘Can you give me one second?’ said Ren, pointing to her phone.
‘Sure,’ he said, ‘go ahead.’
Ren moved down the hallway and dialed Dr Lone’s office. She leaned into the wall.
‘Dr Lone?’ she said. ‘I didn’t expect you to answer …’
Fuckity fuck. Grow up, Ren.
‘It’s Ren Bryce here – I’m so sorry I can’t make it today. Can we reschedule? I’ve gotten caught up in an important case.’
And I don’t feel like talking today. And I want to stay in Golden. And I want to have pizza later with Robbie and Janine in Woody’s. And, let’s face it, I’m on mood stabilizers, so there’s only so much therapy-worthy shit going on in my life right now.
‘That’s not a problem,’ said Dr Lone, ‘can you do six thirty a.m. tomorrow?’
Eh, no. Way …
‘Perfect!’ said Ren. ‘See you then.’
She dashed into the conference room where Kohler was just starting.
‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ he said. ‘Thank you all for coming. And thank you to our friends at Safe Streets for being here.’
‘Pleasure,’ said Ren.
‘OK,’ said Kohler. ‘I’m going to start with the preliminary autopsy report we just got from Dr Tolman. No major surprises; cause of death: GSW to the head at close range, second wound to the chest. Bullets indicate a large caliber weapon was used. Ballistics are on that. Judging by the angle, the shooter was likely in a standing position outsi
de the passenger door. No trace of the weapon.
‘As you know, we’ve launched an appeal for information from the public. We’re following up on various leads, but nothing of major significance. Nothing has come through on the roadblocks near Stoney Pass Road. But we did get a call about a car on the road to Bailey going out of control, smoke coming out the back … sounds like it was the getaway car in the Conifer robbery.’
‘So, the car let them down – they weren’t planning on stopping, the driver lost control?’ said Ren. ‘Was accelerant used on either vehicle?’
‘We’ll know tomorrow,’ said Kohler. ‘But that’s about all we’re going to know on any of the vehicles until next week … three vehicles in the impound lot in one day is a big ask.
‘OK,’ he continued, ‘the victim had printed out a Google Map of JeffCo. Just so you all have your heads wrapped around the geography …’ He pointed to a map on the wall behind him. ‘You can see here, the ranch property and the abbey are adjoining. The ranch has an entrance/exit at six o’clock, a lesser-used exit at eleven o’clock. The abbey has one entrance/exit at three o’clock. Where the body was found, if you drive up ahead to the fork in the road, take a left onto Highline Road and you’re heading for Colorado Springs, passing the entrance to the ranch. Take a right and Stoney Pass Road continues west toward Breckenridge, passing the entrance to the abbey. Obviously, this is not the main road to Breckenridge, so anyone going that way would be favoring the scenic route, have business at the abbey or any other properties further along that road; there are not a lot. We’re on that. Same goes for the road to Colorado Springs … We’re also looking at visitors to Pike National Forest. To our victim – she paid in cash for the rental car at O’Hare, used her Irish driver’s license for ID. The Avis gal who rented the car to her said she remembered her, because she was alone and pregnant and she felt bad for her. She said the victim seemed a little edgy, but said it was late and she just put it down to “tiredness and hormones”.’
‘Been there!’ said one of the female detectives.
Kohler laughed, then continued. ‘Our friends in Bolingbrook PD have confirmed that Laura Flynn stayed in the Ramada Bolingbrook on I-53 while she was in Chicago. Victim’s employers have solid alibis … Ingrid Prince was in their rental in Golden on Monday, there was a cleaner there who confirmed that. Robert Prince was in New York at meetings all day Monday.’
‘Some of Agent Bryce’s FBI buddies in New York have searched the victim’s bedroom in the Princes’ apartment in SoHo,’ said Kohler. ‘Victim had no laptop of her own – she used Mrs Prince’s. We took that away on the day. We’re going through a list of people in JeffCo with priors for violent assault, carjacking, firearms offenses, robbery … etc.’ He nodded toward Ren.
She stood up. ‘We’re investigating the Shark Bait Bandits,’ said Ren. ‘We can’t rule them out of involvement in this. Nor can we rule out anyone at The Darned Heart Ranch. Detective Truax and I just got back from there and we’re a little concerned that they’re trying to get us off the trail of the burnt-out car. Apparently, they’re protective of their teens – and their business – so unless we have something warrant-worthy, we can’t touch them. So what I’m hoping for is something that can gain us more access. The ranch is obviously the closest property to the scene.’
‘How many kids stay there?’ said one of the detectives.
‘At the moment, forty-three,’ said Ren.
‘And the women at the abbey?’ said someone.
‘There were just four residents there that morning – the rest were away on trips,’ said Ren. ‘They’re looking into any correspondence from people making inquiries at the ranch – it’s a possibility that that’s where the victim could have been headed.’
‘Yes,’ said Kohler, ‘I don’t know if you all know that the victim had left a voicemail for Janine about having information on one of her cases … she didn’t specify.’
‘It could be The Flying G Ranch case from 1963,’ said Janine, ‘which is now part of The Darned Heart Ranch. Or that could have been coincidence.’
The room went quiet.
‘Anyone got any more questions?’ said Kohler.
No one piped up.
‘OK,’ he said, ‘well thank you all for your hard work. Long may it continue …’
They laughed.
Ren caught up with Janine as she walked down the hallway. She was about to head into her old office.
‘Damn, I have to stop doing that,’ said Janine.
‘Aw,’ said Ren.
‘It’s still so weird …’
‘Are your files still in there?’ said Ren.
‘Not even,’ said Janine.
‘I was thinking maybe we could look at what case Laura Flynn may have had information on and see if that can shed some light …’ She smiled. ‘Let’s go plunder your case files …’
‘But …’ said Janine ‘… it’s broad daylight …’
‘What do you mean?’ said Ren.
‘Shouldn’t you be stealing them under cover of darkness?’ said Janine.
Ren gasped.
Janine laughed. ‘Do you want some ice for that burn?’
They walked to her new open-plan office and went to her desk.
‘OK, if we’re going broad strokes, we’re looking at forty-seven cases,’ said Janine, ‘and what we can do, instead of taking away the big files, is take the comprehensive one-page résumés that I’ve written on each of them.’
‘Janine Hooks, you are as anal as the day is long. I love it.’
‘And so are you,’ said Janine, ‘in your own special anal-when-it-suits-you kind of way.’
‘So, what’s the deal?’ said Ren.
‘They’re all in one document; I’ll print them out. We’ll work away here, grab some dinner later, maybe we can take these back to my place after, do it in comfort.’
‘My cozy queen,’ said Ren.
Two hours later, Janine, Robbie and Ren were sitting at a round high table in Woody’s, beers in front of them, plates cleared away, except for Janine’s half-eaten salad. A short silence had descended.
‘So, tell me, how is Mr Rader?’ said Janine, turning to Ren.
‘He is very good,’ said Ren.
‘Excuse me,’ said Robbie. ‘I need to use the men’s room.’
Internal eye-roll.
‘Ben Rader is totally adorable,’ said Ren. ‘You know him. When he smiles – it’s like a flash goes off, as if he holds you there, then it’s like you walk away with a Polaroid of that moment. This bright, shiny rendering of Ben Rader. But it’s thin, and it’s 2D, and it’s not his fault.’
‘Whoa, whoa, whoa – what?’ said Janine. ‘2D? What are you talking about?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Ren. I really don’t, actually. ‘What I’m saying is … I’m having trouble finding his depth … but I know it’s there. Like, I know there are real feelings behind those dazzling Polaroids.’
‘Of course there are,’ said Janine.
‘Maybe I’m not explaining myself well,’ said Ren. ‘It’s like … each of his emotions is like a rubber duck in the bath that he’s holding under the surface. Then, suddenly, the duck breaks free, but where it pops up is nowhere near where the surface had been looking disturbed earlier. Does that make sense? The water might be choppy up by the faucets, but the duck will explode through the surface at the other end.’
‘Most of the time, the duck just floats,’ said Janine.
Ren laughed. ‘I love you.’
‘Can you accept that a person can be untroubled?’ said Janine.
‘Not so much.’
‘Well, what a shame.’
‘Come on – are you telling me you are one hundred percent untroubled?’ said Ren.
‘Oh, this isn’t about me …’
Because if it was, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. We have never had that conversation where I tell you that I worry about you. I could barely look at your plate.
Robbie came back.
‘Did I miss anything?’ he said. ‘Janine – did you order some actual food?’
No. No. No. Stop. Stop.
‘I was here for lunch, Robbie, eating a pizza that was twice the size of your girl-pizza.’
He smiled. ‘Well, I don’t know where you put it,’ he said.
‘It’s right here,’ she said, patting her stomach, ‘providing an absorbent landing spot for my beer. Would y’all like to come back to my place?’
‘I’d like that, but I’ve got to get going,’ said Robbie. ‘I hope you don’t mind.’
‘Um, we came in my Jeep,’ said Ren. And I do not want to leave for some clean-liver.
‘Stay over,’ said Janine. ‘I’ll drop you in to the city tomorrow.’
Ugh. Six thirty! To evil arch-enemy, Batman!
‘I shall get a cab in the morning,’ said Ren. She handed her keys to Robbie. ‘And you, go, enjoy whatever poor substitute of a night awaits you.’
‘Thanks, Ren,’ said Robbie, ‘you’re sure this is OK?’
‘Yes,’ said Ren. ‘Allow me to walk you to your vehicle …’
She gave Janine a meaningful look.
17
Ren put her hand on the door of the Jeep before Robbie had a chance to open it. He turned around to her.
‘OK,’ said Ren. ‘This may not be quite the right time, but you have got to tell me what the hell is going on. I am freaking out. It’s like, “Where is my Robbie gone?” You’re like—’
‘My parents split up,’ said Robbie.
‘What?’ said Ren. ‘Your parents? When?’
‘Over the holidays …’
‘The Christmas holidays? It’s frickin’ May! Why didn’t you tell me?’ What kind of friend am I?
‘I was embarrassed,’ said Robbie. ‘You know how I talk about them. And I hoped they might get back together.’
‘What happened?’ said Ren. She held up a finger. ‘You don’t have to answer that. But how are you? How are they?’
‘My mom is devastated. My father is … well, I think he’s had some extra-marital …’ He shrugged.
‘I’m so sorry to hear that,’ said Ren.
‘They hadn’t been … intimate … for years,’ said Robbie. ‘My mother felt the need to tell me that, which didn’t help …’