The Viper

Although Stryker’s new legal charge was a big step down from road-rage homicide, it did nothing to allay Gurney’s concern. The fact that it was a less serious offense was offset by it being easier to prove. It was still a felony, and conviction could mean prison—not a healthy environment for a retired detective.

He decided to change direction. “I’d like to know what priority you’re giving to arresting and prosecuting the individual who sent that snake to my home.”

“I’d be happy to discuss that with you—in my office.”

53

FOR THE REMAINDER OF THEIR CONVERSATION, STRYKER single-mindedly hammered away at the possible legal consequence of Gurney’s interference in the Sonny Lerman case. After a few minutes of that, he ended the call.

In windless silence the snow continued to fall on the high pasture, as the afternoon’s gray light faded into a wintry dusk. As the den darkened, he was tempted to switch on his desk lamp. It seemed safe enough since the room’s windows were on the side of the house that faced away from the watchers in the car down by the barn, but caution prevailed.

The most obvious point of connection between the Lerman cases was the father-and-son relationship.

The next link was Bruno Lanka, who was both the finder of Lenny’s body and the employer of a man who, according to Tess’s sketch, was on Blackmore Mountain the day of Sonny’s murder.

There was also the phone call that set Gurney up for his encounter with the tow truck—a call that promised him the facts on Lenny’s murder and then resulted in Sonny’s.

And, of course, there was Adrienne Lerman, daughter of the first victim, sister of the second. She’d stated a willingness to find out as much as she could about her family’s vague connection with an underworld figure. It was time to check in with her.

She answered immediately, sounding weary and apologetic. “I’ve been meaning to call you, but I’ve had so much to deal with. They finally released Sonny’s body. I’ve been going around in circles with the arrangements. And one of my hospice patients just passed. But I’m glad you called. I spoke to some of my relatives, some I hadn’t spoken to for years. When I asked if they knew anything about a mobster at the edge of the family, most of them had no idea what I was talking about. I got the impression that a few knew something, but they said they didn’t. The only one who was willing to talk about it was my great-aunt Angelica, who’s ninety-one but sharp as a tack.”

“What did she tell you?”

“Crazy things. Crazy-scary. I’d rather not talk about this on the phone.”

“Would you like me to come to your apartment?”

“There’s a place I’d rather go. Do you know the Franciscan Sanctuary?”

“I don’t think so.”

“It’s a sanctuary for abandoned pets. Our dad used to take Sonny and me there when we were little. It’s just few miles north of my place here in Winston. I think that’s why I wanted to live here.”

A pet sanctuary struck Gurney as a peculiar place for their meeting, but given Adrienne’s emotional state, he didn’t object. “How soon can we do it?”

“Eleven o’clock tomorrow morning? I’m seeing one of my hospice patients at nine and helping another with her lunch at twelve thirty, but I’ll be free in between.”

“Eleven is fine.”

No sooner had he ended the call than his phone began emitting a series of beeps—signaling the activation of a security camera on the barn. He hurried from the den out to the kitchen window.

The high-beam headlights of the unmarked vehicle were illuminating a small yellow car which had come to a stop. He recognized Gerry Mirkle’s Volkswagen. As he watched, the plainclothes officers approached it. One went to the driver’s side window, while the other went to the passenger side. The one at the driver’s window appeared to go through the standard procedure of checking Gerry’s license and registration. He then went to the trunk, opened it, and looked inside. Meanwhile, the officer on the far side of the car appeared to be questioning the passenger, no doubt Madeleine. Eventually, both officers returned to their car, and the Volkswagen proceeded up through the snow-covered pasture to the house.

Realizing that Madeleine would start turning on the house lights as soon as she came in, he stepped back from the kitchen window. Once he heard the side door opening and closing, he called out gently to avoid startling her, “I’m in here, Maddie.”

She came into the kitchen and switched on the light over the sink island. She was frowning. “Those cops down by the barn are looking for you.”

“I know.”

“What’s going on?”

He explained how the Visa records of Lenny Lerman’s purchases led him to the conclusion that Lerman himself had bought the gas that was later used to incinerate his car. He also told her about his phone call with Stryker and his emergency campsite up in the woods.

Madeleine reacted with a deepening frown and an announcement that she intended to take a shower. As she was leaving the room, he asked her about the encounter by the barn.