Fear the Dark

‘Williams tell you they and a few other reporters were here sniffing around last month?’

Darby shook her head and glanced at her watch.

‘What a surprise,’ Lancaster said. ‘These bottom feeders were all over town. A serial killer who targets families makes good copy, brings in a lot of traffic to their websites – especially if photos are involved. You know how much a couple of crime scene photos would be worth? Take a guess.’

‘A few hundred bucks?’

‘Try two gees. Autopsy photos are worth more. I know this because the same reporter from Crime & Punishment who approached Nelson approached me. This guy gave me the whole song and dance, promised to pay in cash, no questions.’

‘You take him up on it?’

Lancaster ignored the barb and steamrolled ahead. ‘This reporter, I found his card tucked into Nelson’s wallet. I’m willing to bet he neglected to tell you that little detail, didn’t he?’

Darby said nothing. She slipped on her sunglasses as Lancaster took another deep draw from his cigarette.

‘When I found out about the Downes family,’ Lancaster said, ‘I drove here in my truck, not a cruiser, and parked at the house and watched the action through a pair of binoculars. I did that because Red Hill PD’s leaking info like a sieve. My boss and the people he reports to don’t want that to happen any more, so guess who gets to be the bad guy? State’s trying to attract some major players to Red Hill, get them to build a Walmart and some other big box stores – places that’ll create jobs. We don’t want to scare them away with stories of a serial killer and a police station that can’t do its job correctly.’

‘Anything else?’

‘Why you in such a rush to leave? I got BO or something?’

‘Agent Hoder’s waiting on me.’

‘Okay, I’ll make it quick, then. You and I got off on the wrong foot. My fault entirely.’ He took another drag from his cigarette and pushed his tongue against the inside of his cheek. Then he blew out a long stream of smoke. ‘Both my ex-wives said they’ve met autistic kids who’ve got better social skills, and the woman I’m with now, I’m pretty sure she shares their view.’

‘My apologies.’

‘For what?’

‘For the woman you’re currently with. She has my deepest sympathy.’

‘See, there you go again with the mouth. I’m trying to be sincere and you’re treating me like I’m a walking case of syphilis.’ He sighed heavily. ‘Look, when I work a case, I’ve got all the subtlety and personality of a heat-seeking missile. All I see is the target. My ma

‘I don’t work for the feds. I’m just a consultant.’

‘But you have worked on my side of the fence. You know what it’s like when the feds come in and invade your turf. They piss on you and then expect you to clean it up with a smile and say thank you, Massa. I don’t operate that way. I’m not built for bullshit. So the thing last night and what happened in the squad room – I was in attack mode. I was wrong, it was out of line, and I apologize.’

His tone had been conciliatory and humble, and his speech had hit all the right notes. It also smacked of delivery by rote.

Lancaster held out his hand. Darby stared at it a moment, thinking, about to shake it to make peace and get on with her day, when she saw his gaze, whether on purpose or unconsciously, fix on her chest and compare what he saw in the daylight to the pictures on his phone.

Darby tucked her hands in her jacket pockets.

‘They said you weren’t big on apologies,’ he said.

‘Who’s “they”?’

‘Your former colleagues in Boston. I talked to a couple of them this morning, wanted to see if I’d read you wrong. They had all sorts of interesting things to say about you. Guy who runs the Crime Lab, your former boss, Pratt? He called you Dick Cheney with tits. I now understand what he meant.’

‘Does it ever bother you?’

‘Does what bother me?’

‘Being the product of a busted rubber.’

Lancaster took a long draw on his cigarette, his narrowly set eyes void of expression. ‘Not that I expect it to change your mind or stop you from treating me and everyone else here like yesterday’s dog shit, but you should ask Ray about the pictures he took inside the Co

What’s he talking about? Lancaster had accused the patrolman Nelson of taking pictures inside the Co

Lancaster saw her puzzlement and, gri

31

Cindy’s Diner operated out of a refurbished trolley car built against the side of a decrepit brick building. The red- and black-painted wood had a high-gloss lacquer, and a bright neon band of blue light glowed around the edges of a mansard roof. Smoke puffed from a roof vent and scattered in the breeze.

The inside was small and hummed with activity. A single waitress, a tall, slim woman with long black hair held behind her head with an elastic band and wearing blood-red lipstick, hustled around the room delivering steaming plates of food and refilling coffee cups. The long stainless-steel counter ru

Darby found Hoder sitting to the far left, next to a window, in a booth made of red vinyl. He had a stack of blueberry pancakes in front of him and his hand shook when he picked up a mug and slurped his coffee.

She slid into the bench across from him. ‘You really hypoglycaemic?’

Hoder nodded. ‘My doctor thinks I’m fast approaching adult-onset diabetes,’ he said. ‘Plus I had the distinct feeling Ms Richards would be more comfortable talking to a woman, alone.’

Darby told him about her conversation with Laurie Richards. She was about to tell him about Lancaster when the waitress came over, coffee pot in hand.

Hoder said, ‘She’ll have coffee – and a full breakfast.’ Then, to Darby, ‘Eat something. That’s an order. I can’t have you passing out from hunger.’

Darby ordered steak and eggs, with a side of hash and pancakes. When the waitress left, Darby told Hoder about her interaction with the deputy sheriff.

‘This Charlie Baker fellow sounds like a real mensch,’ Hoder said wryly. ‘That explains Laurie Richards’s odd behaviour. She’s been acting like a cat trapped in a room full of rocking chairs ever since we arrived.’

‘What’s your take on Lancaster?’

‘You want to know if he’s a psychopath.’

Darby chuckled, shook her head. ‘Am I really that transparent?’ she asked.

‘No, not at all. I’ve been wondering that myself.’ He slurped his coffee and then wiped his mouth with a balled-up napkin. ‘I was told he started out his career at the sheriff’s office writing speeding tickets. Then, three years later, he was promoted to deputy sheriff. What’s that say to you?’

‘That’s he’s a career climber and opportunistic son of a bitch with a grandiose sense of self-worth. Someone with superficial charm who’s ruthless and lacks remorse.’

‘All the traits of a psychopath.’

‘Or a successful politician.’

Hoder tapped his palm against the table and pointed a finger at her. ‘Exactly the point I was going to make,’ he said. ‘These two Harvard psychiatrists, you may know them, Doctors Rand and Hein, they did a landmark study on how the personality aspects we generally associate with psychopaths – confidence, fearlessness, charisma, ruthlessness and a laser-like focus – are, in fact, the same character traits found in highly successful politicians, surgeons, CEOs and world leaders.’