Obsession

“America watched and counted,” I said.

“Told you she’s a snoop. She says Tanya stopped at seven, then started doing the same thing with Dad’s shoes. She asked me if seven was a magical number, had this look in her eyes like Tanya was some kind of devil-worshipper. She’s unsophisticated, what the hell would she know about stress reactions?”

“Did you explain anything to her?”

“I probably should’ve but I just got pissed. Told her Tanya was my friend, whatever she does is fine, don’t come finking to me. She didn’t like that but I don’t give a shit. She’s only been working at the house for five years and I find her a

“But you’re concerned about Tanya’s routines.”

“Tanya told me about her OCD, how you cured her.”

I kept silent.

“So that was also denial,” he said. “Is it incurable?”

“People have tendencies,” I said. “Stress brings them out. Habits can be unlearned.”

“So I’m expecting too much of Tanya right now-that’s the last thing I wanted to do.”

“I’m hearing concern, not expectation.”

“I’m not concerned about a few behaviors, Dr. Delaware. It’s the root cause that bothers me. How much stress she must be under, not being able to talk about it. How can I help her?”

“You’ve given her friendship and shelter.”

“That’s obviously insufficient.”

“Because she’s not happy all the time?”

His jaw tightened. He closed his eyes and massaged the lids. “I’m thinking about my worries rather than hers. Jesus, why can’t I focus on what needs focusing?”

“You’re doing a good job, Kyle.”

He waved that off. “Should I bring anything up with her? Would venting help?”

“Right now, no.”

“Why not?”

“Lightbulb wisdom.”

He stared at me. “So what, I just let her pace around and never sleep and pretend she’s fine?” Pummeling his temple. “Listen to me. ‘Let her.’ Like I’m the parent, where the hell did that come from?”

“Deep caring.”

His mouth hung open. Bending down sharply, he yanked a shoelace loose, retied a sneaker. “Deep caring…you’ve got that right. I frickin’ love her.”

“I know you do.”

Several moments passed. When he spoke next, his voice was low and indistinct. “Is there any chance it’s reciprocal?”

“She accepted your shelter.”

“But that could be desperation-oh, shit, here we go again, ego ego ego…so you’re saying I do nothing?”

“I’m saying let her lead, be there to listen.”

“And the pacing, the routines-it’s temporary because of crapola hitting the fan?”

I didn’t answer.

He said, “Yeah, yeah,” and scratched his chin. “Next topic: Any progress in the detection department?”

“Nothing earth-shattering but good people are working on it.”

“Pete killed his own father,” he said. “That’s beyond the frickin’ pale…okay, I’m going, thanks for your time.”

On his way out, he stooped and petted Blanche and said, “Sorry for ignoring you. You really are as cute as my girlfriend said.”

I rested my hand on his shoulder. His muscles twitched.

“You really are doing okay, Kyle.”

“Yeah, yeah, thanks for the plug, bye.”

At two p.m. Milo came by and we sat in the kitchen eating cold Mexican food.

“No other properties are registered to Maria Baker or Mary Whitbread in six surrounding counties. If she used a third name, tough breaks. Petra finally got the phone records. Most of Whitbread’s calls are to stores in B.H. and Brentwood. The exception is a cell that keeps coming up three or four times a day. Unfortunately, the account traces back to her.”

“She bought a phone for Junior.”

“Or he had her do it as cover. Once we find him, maybe we can get Mommy Dearest as an accessory. While I was in the assessor’s office I saw some interesting aerial maps-some new contract they’ve got with a global positioning service, plug in the address of the plot plan and you get a nice, sharp photo. The citizen in me says Orwell was right. The gendarme in me says fantastic, let’s get some shots of Mary’s real estate, see if there’s any sign of burial.”

“Any burial took place ten years ago.”

“Gee, thanks, now I’m back to being depressed,” he said. “Ever think of working for the IRS?”

I said, “Here’s some insight that might make you feel better: Patty definitely knew about the girls, the bags, the van.” I repeated everything I’d heard from Herbert Stark.

“And that will make me happy because-”

“It clarifies the situation. When Bandini tried to break into Patty’s place, she knew what he was and had prepared herself.”

“Pistol-packing mama,” he said. “No time for chitchat with Tanya sleeping a few feet away. She pla

I said, “The puncture wound wasn’t in the back of his head or any other unusual spot. Right in the crook, where you’d expect it to be. He’d need to be completely subdued for that.”

“Premeditation in service of maternal duty,” he said. “Make it look nice and natural. I’m picturing it and feeling sorry for her. Having to work fast, hoping Tanya doesn’t wake up. Dragging the body out to the street praying no neighbor happens to notice. But she had the presence of mind to leave Bandini’s burglar kit under his body.”

“Patty was all about focus.”

“When she’s done, she’s focusing on escape. Waits a while so no one’ll make a co

“Except Lester Jordan.”

“Tattling to Petey’s daddy. Why would she do that?”

“Maybe initially she wanted to hear that Herbert Stark’s suspicions about the missing girls were unfounded. Maybe instead of calming her down, Jordan heightened her anxiety by telling her about Pete’s other felonies.”

“Lowball Armbruster.”

“Jordan and Armbruster were known associates from the drug world. Jordan had to know, or at least suspect, that his son had murdered Armbruster.”

“Precocious criminal,” he said. “Jordan says no telling what my boy’s capable of. That spurs Patty to load her.22 and sit up at night. But why would Jordan let on to her?”

“Patty saved Jordan’s life more than once. They had a deep enough relationship for Jordan to write that angry letter after Patty left Cherokee. Patty saved the letter and a picture of the two of them, meaning on some level it was mutual.”

“Despite that, Jordan knows his kid’s dangerous but never turns him in. Even dope-filled blood can run thick.”

“Then years later, we come around, bring up Patty, Jordan suspects it has to do with Pete. Jordan calls Pete, maybe to warn him, maybe to I-told-you-so. Or even to say if the pressure mounts, I’m not backing you up. Pete has hated his daddy for years, now Daddy becomes a direct threat-the last straw. He has Fisk strangle his father while he watches. The twin payoffs are keeping Jordan quiet and Oedipal joy.”

“Lovely,” he said, cupping one ear with his free hand. “Is that a Greek chorus I hear in the background?”