On Harrow Hill

Stryker asked Fallow if he had any pre-autopsy comments on the bodies.

He declined to offer any.

Stryker asked Barstow if she had anything to add.

Based on the petrochemical residues, she offered her opinion that the overall fire, as well as the direct burns on the bodies of the Patriarchs, Gant, and Morgan, were caused by the gasoline-fueled flamethrower held by Morgan. She said that a more detailed report would be coming from Denzil Atkins, the county’s forensic fire expert.

“There was one unusual thing,” she added. “The phone found at the scene had no fingerprints on it. Odd for a phone.”

Apart from a momentary frown, Stryker showed little interest in the absence of prints. “Any other forensic developments I should be aware of?”

“We’re double-checking the video files from the mortuary camera. Our tech found a tiny audio blip, which may be nothing, but we want to be sure.”

Stryker turned to Hilda Russell.

“Anything to add?”

She responded with a priestly smile. “Not at the moment.”

Finally, Stryker turned to Gurney. She pointed at the text. “According to that, your old NYPD partner decided to try his hand at extortion. You have any thoughts about that?”

“Considering what happened last night, it’s difficult to read that as an actual extortion attempt. By way of background, Morgan told me a couple of days ago he had serious doubts about Lorinda’s version of how and why she shot Aspern. He’d found a discrepancy in the visual evidence.”

Stryker leaned forward. “What sort of discrepancy?”

“Aspern’s shoelaces in the approach video were tied differently from the shoelaces in the postmortem photos of his body on the conservatory floor.”

“Did you confirm that?”

“I did.”

“What does it mean to you?”

“Either Aspern’s body was tampered with after the shooting, or the individual in the approach video was someone other than Aspern. Either way, it suggests that Lorinda’s story was either incomplete or a complete fabrication.”

“Did Morgan confront her?”

“He said he wanted to test his idea first.”

“How?”

“He didn’t say. But the text that Brad just showed us may be the answer.”

Stryker picked up her copy and read it again.

Gurney could see in her eyes a rapid weighing of the possibilities.

“He sent this threat to . . . evaluate her response?”

Gurney paused before answering. It was important to get this just right—to ensure that attributing certain discoveries and conclusions to Morgan rather than to himself didn’t distort the underlying reality of the situation.

“Morgan was a troubled man. He suffered from anxiety and self-hatred, conditions that worsened considerably with his wife’s illness and death. In his state of mind, it’s inconceivable that he’d concoct a money-making scheme. I think this was a grandiose, suicidal confrontation with evil. You don’t bring a flamethrower to a discussion of your blackmail demands. I can see a Glock. Even the Uzi. But not a flamethrower.”

Stryker was silent for a long moment, keeping her gaze on Gurney.

“If the text was an effort to evaluate Lorinda Russell’s response, how would you explain what actually went down?”

“I think it’s clear that Morgan interpreted her failure to report the blackmail demand to the police as a sign of her guilt. So he came prepared for a confrontation.”

“Knowing that she’d probably make her own preparations and that he might be killed?”

“Yes. But he was determined to take the opposition down with him.”

Stryker steepled her fingers. “You sound very sure of all this.”

Gurney nodded. “I have a history with Morgan. What he did is consistent with what I know about him.”

“We’ll come back to that. First, I want to address a structural issue. In losing Chief Morgan, the department has lost what little command structure it had. Last night’s carnage obviously demands a thorough investigation with manpower resources that simply do not exist in Larchfield at this time. The best solution I see is for my office to assume overall responsibility for the investigation.”

She gestured toward Slovak and Barstow. “This doesn’t reflect in any way on your handling of the case. I want your good work to continue. Tomorrow morning, Detective Lieutenant Derek Hapsburg from my staff will step into a supervisory role and bring in whatever additional resources the case requires. When he arrives, we’ll sit down with you for a briefing on the facts. At that time, be ready to provide him with copies of the case files, along with the pertinent videos, et cetera. Any questions?”

Slovak raised his hand. “What about the media mob outside?”

“Give them no information. And I mean none. Refer them to Sergeant Pat Lemon, my media liaison. She’ll deal with them.”

Stryker looked at Barstow.

She shook her head. “No questions.”

“Reverend Russell?”

She produced one of her mild clerical smiles. “The additional resources you mentioned will certainly be welcome.”

“I should have asked—in your new role as acting mayor, would you prefer to be addressed that way, or shall we stay with Reverend?”

“Hilda would be entirely adequate.”