Haunted in Death

„Let me see if I understand. You suspect that a descended of Bobbie Bray killed a descendent of Hopkins to avenge her murder.“

„That’s a chunk of it, buttonholed. According to Bray’s granddaughter, the murder, the abandonment, the obsession mined her mother’s health. Series of breakdowns.“

„You suspect the granddaughter?“

„No, she’s covered. She’s got two offspring herself, but I can’t place them in New York during the time in question.“

„Who does that leave you?“

„There was a grandson, reported killed in action during the Urbans.“

„He had children?“

„None on record. He was pretty young, only seventeen. Lied about his age when he joined up – a lot of people did back then. Oddly enough, he was reported killed here in New York.“

Pursing her lips, Mira considered. „As you’re one of the most pragmatic women I know, I find it hard to believe you’re theorizing that a ghost killed your victim to avenge yet another ghost.“

„Flesh and blood pulled the trigger. I’ve got Yancy aging the military ID. The Urban Wars were a chaotic time, and the last months of them here in New York were confusing from a military standpoint. Wouldn’t be hard, would it, for a young man, one who’d already lied about his age to enlist in the Home Force, to put his official ID on a mangled body and vanish? War’s never what you think it’s going to be. It’s not heroic and adventurous. He could’ve deserted.“

„The history of mental illness in the family – on both sides – the horrors of war, the guilt of abandoning his duty. It would make quite a powder keg. Your killer is purposeful, specific to his goal, would have some knowledge of firearms. Rumor is the victim was shot nine times – the weapon itself is a symbol – and there were no stray bullets found on scene.“

„He hit nine out of nine, so he had some knowledge of handguns, or some really good luck. In addition, he had to reload for the ninth shot.“

„Ah. The others were the rage, that slippery hold on control. The last, a signature. He’s accomplished what he meant to do. There may be more, of course, but he has his eye for an eye, and he has the object of his obsession back in the light.“

„Yeah.“ Eve nodded. „I’m thinking that matters here.“

„With Bobbie’s remains found, identified, and her killer identified – at least in the media – he’s fulfilled his obligation. If the killer is the grandson – or co

„Likely to just keep blending,“ Eve added.

„Most likely. I don’t believe your killer will seek the spotlight. He doesn’t need acknowledgment. He’ll slide back into his routine, and essentially vanish again.“

„I think I know where to find him.“

„Yancy does good work.“ Eve held the photos of John Massey – youth and maturity – side-by-side.

„He does,“ Roarke agreed. „As do you, Lieutenant. I doubt I’d have looked at the boy and seen the man.“

„It’s about legacies. Redheads ran in Bray’s family. Her father, her daughter. Her grandson.“

„And Yancy’s work indicates he’s alive and living in New York.“

„Yeah. But even with this I’ve got nothing but instinct and theories. There’s no evidence linking the suspect to the crime.“

„You’ve closed a case on a murder that happened decades before you were born,“ Roarke reminded her. „Now you’re greedy.“

„My current suspect did most of the work there. Discovered the body, unearthed it, led me to it. The rest was basically lab and leg work. Since the perpetrator of that crime is long dead, there’s nothing to do but mark the file and do the media a

„Not very satisfying for you.“

„Not when somebody kills a surrogate figuring that evens things up. And plays games with me. So it’s our turn to play.“ Eve shifted in the limo. She felt ridiculous riding around in the big black boat.

But no one would expect Roarke to ride the subway, or even use a common Rapid Cab. Perception was part of the game.

„I can’t send you in wired,“ she added. „Never get a warrant for eyes or ears with what I’ve got. You know what to say, right? How to play it?“

„Lieutenant, have a little faith.“

„I got all there is. Okay,“ she added, ducking down a little to check out the window when the limo glided to the curb. „Showtime. I’ll be cruising around in this thing, making sure the rest of this little play is on schedule.“

„One question. Can you be sure your suspect will hit his cue in this play of yours?“

„Nothing’s a given, but I’m going with the odds on this. Obsession’s a powerful motivator. The killer is obsessed with Bray, with Number Twelve – and there’s a sense of theatrics there. Another legacy, I’d say. We dangle the bait, he’s going to bite.“

„I’ll do my best to dangle it provocatively.“

„Good luck.“

„Give us a kiss then.“

„That’s what you said last night, and look what happened.“ But she gave him a quick one. When he slipped out of the limo, she pulled out her ‘link to check on the rest of the game.

Roarke walked into Bygones looking like a man with plenty of money and an eye to spend it as he liked. He gave Maeve an easy smile and a warm handshake. „Ms. Buchanan? I appreciate you opening for me this afternoon. Well, it’s nearly evening, isn’t it?“

„We’re happy to oblige. My father will be right out. Would you like a glass of wine? I have a very nice cabernet breathing.“

„I’d love one. I’ve met your father, though it’s been three or four years, I suppose, since we’ve done business.“

„I’d have been in college. He mentioned you’d bought a particularly fine Georgian sideboard and a set of china, among other things.“

„He has an excellent memory.“

„He never forgets a thing.“ She offered the wine she’d poured, then gestured to a silver tray of fruit and cheese. „Would you like to sit? If you’d rather browse, I can point you in a direction, or show you whatever you’d like. My father has the piece you inquired about. He wanted to make sure it was properly cleaned before he showed it to you.“

„I’ll just wait then, if you’ll join me.“ As he sat, he glanced toward the portrait of Bobbie on the far wall. „It’s actually Bobbie Bray who put me in mind to come here.“

„Oh? There’s always interest in her and her memorabilia, but in the last day it’s piqued.“

„I imagine.“ He shifted as he spoke so he could scan the black-and-white photographs Eve had told him about. And two, as she’d mentioned, were desert landscapes. „Just as I imagine it won’t ebb any time soon,“ he continued. „Certainly not with the publicity that will be generated from the case finally being solved.“

Maeve’s hands went very still for a moment. „It’s certain then?“

„I have an inside source, as you might suspect. Yes, it’s certain. She’s been found, after all these years. And the evidence proves it was Hopkins who hid her body.“

„Horrible. I – Daddy.“ She got to her feet as Buchanan came into the shop. He carried a velvet case. „You remember Roarke.“

„I certainly do. It’s good to see you again.“ They shook hands, sat. „Difficult circumstances when you were here recently with your wife.“

„Yes. Terrible. I was just telling your daughter that they’ve confirmed the identity of the remains found at Number Twelve, and found Hopkins’s – the first’s – fingerprints on the inside of the wall, on several of the bricks.“

„There’s no doubt any longer then.“

„Hardly a wonder he went mad, locking himself up in that building, knowing what he’d done, and that she was behind that wall, where he’d put her. A bit of ‘The Telltale Heart,’ really.“

Keeping it conversational, Roarke settled back with his drink. „Still, it’s fascinating, isn’t it? Time and distance tend to give that sort of brutality an allure. No one can speak of anything else. And here I am, just as bad. Is that the necklace?“