On Harrow Hill

“Shit, Gurney, try using smaller words for us mortals.”

“I thought originally the risk was that the unusual car would be observed and linked to Aspern—which is exactly what happened. But suppose I’ve been looking at it upside down.”

“Meaning what?”

“I’ve been assuming that the risk was that the car might be ID’d. But maybe that was the objective. What I thought was an effort by Aspern to further incriminate Billy Tate could just as easily have been an effort by a third party to incriminate Aspern. The distinctive tread marks left in the soft earth by my barn may have been left there on purpose.”

Hardwick grunted. He sounded unconvinced. “So, if it wasn’t Aspern, your ‘third party’ just happened to own the same kind of car? That’s a big fucking coincidence.”

“The car may have been rented. There are elite rental outfits that specialize in vehicles like that. I know it seems like one more complication in a case that’s already mired in complications, but I have a feeling I’m onto something.”

“I have a feeling, too. Like I’m in the land of make-believe.”

“What you need to clear your mind is a practical assignment, Jack. Something along the lines of identifying rental agencies dealing in relatively new BMWs and discovering if any of them recently provided a customer with a 530e. Sound like something you’d be willing to sink your teeth into?”

“Fuck you, Sherlock.”

Gurney assumed that was a yes.

47

Giving voice to his car theory seemed to give it greater credibility. However, Gurney was wary of the temptation to embrace any new idea too tightly. One of the most dangerous traps in an investigation was the trick of the mind that turned possibility into probability and probability into certainty. The antidotes were patience and more facts. Gurney was hoping that Hardwick’s efforts would contribute significantly to the second part of that.

His revised view of the barn incident raised new questions. Making Aspern the target of a clever deception potentially changed him from a perp to a victim. Did that mean he was innocent of the murders of Angus Russell, Mary Kane, Linda Mason, and Billy Tate?

If the barn incident was a deliberate attempt to cast suspicion on Aspern, a question remained concerning its motivation. Was Aspern an innocent man being framed for the Larchfield murders? Or was someone who knew Aspern was guilty trying to bring him to the attention of law enforcement?

Gurney saw problems with both interpretations. If Aspern were guilty, why had the unknown individual chosen such an elaborate approach, when he or she could have accomplished the same thing with an anonymous call or text that spelled out whatever incriminating information they had? But if Aspern were innocent, how could one explain his bizarre attempt on Lorinda Russell’s life?

Gurney made himself an extra-strong mug of coffee, opened the French doors to let in the cool morning air, and settled down at the breakfast table to wrestle with the possibilities. Once again he was interrupted by the ringing of his phone.

The number on the screen was faintly familiar.

“Detective?”

“Yes?”

“I remembered his name.”

“Sorry, who is this?”

“Clarice. Clarice Flacco. You said to call if I remembered anything else. It was Otis. The one with the motorcycle. His name was Otis.”

“He told you that?”

“No, that’s why I didn’t remember. He didn’t tell me his name. It was tattooed on the knuckles of his right hand, one letter on each knuckle. I didn’t see it at first because he was wearing gloves. When he was about to leave, he took out his wallet to pay for Mr. Bullock’s back rent. Did I tell you about that?”

“You did.”

“Anyway,” said Clarice, “he took off his gloves, to get the money out of his wallet. That’s when I saw the name. Otis.”

“Did you happen to see the knuckles of his other hand?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Okay, Clarice, that’s very helpful. By the way, did anyone ever call or come to see you about Mr. Bullock’s possessions? Whatever was left in the apartment?”

“He didn’t have hardly anything.” There was a defensiveness in her tone now. “No personal items, credit cards, checks, phone. Definitely no cash. The cousin must have took all that. I don’t know if Mr. Bullock ever had a computer. I forget what happened about the clothes and furniture. We probably gave whatever there was to the Salvation Army.”

Gurney had his doubts about that, but saw no point in pursuing it. He thanked her for getting in touch with him and encouraged her to call again if new memories surfaced.

Then he called Hardwick and left a message:

“Regarding the Crickton thing, the big guy’s name was Otis. As in Otis Strane. As far as I’m concerned, that seals the deal on Gant-Patriarch involvement in Bullock’s death. The question is, what might that have to do with the present situation? Maybe nothing, right? On the other hand, maybe everything. Let’s talk.”

Next, he called Slovak.

As usual, he picked up immediately. “Yes, sir?”