'How will you do that?'
'When I signed the suicide note, Stan Gregaros told me that every new member does the same thing. The notes are confessions. The murder weapons have the member's fingerprints. If the police had them, they'd have a list of all the members and an airtight case against each one for murder. I want you to negotiate with Harvey. I'll go with you. We can meet in a public place so we'll be protected. The Westmont would be perfect.'
William looked at Tim's bandaged head. 'Are you sure you're up to this?'
'We have to act now. I told Hunter that Maria was insanely in love with me but I rejected her and she killed Ally Bennett to frame me. I said that she must have gotten my prints on the gun when I was unconscious and that she wrote the note. But the lab will analyze the note. Any minute, Hunter could learn that it's my writing. I'll be back in custody. That's why we have to meet with Harvey tonight.'
'What do you want from Harvey?'
'A promise that he won't hurt my family. I won't help the authorities if he leaves everyone alone. I'll fight the murder charge but I'll take my medicine if I get convicted.' Tim hung his head. 'I'll deserve what I get, anyway.'
Then Tim looked up. He seemed very determined.
'You tell Harvey that he has to promise not to hurt Cindy or Megan. If he won't agree I'll do everything I can to destroy him.'
Chapter Fifty-Three.
Harvey Grant was in his chambers when William Kerrigan called him on his cell phone from Tim's hospital room.
'How's Tim?' the judge asked.
'He's being released in half an hour.'
'That's wonderful. I've been really worried.'
'Have you, Harvey?'
'Of course. All it said in the paper was that Maria Lopez tried to kill him. No one's been able to tell me how he was doing, until now.'
'Well, he's doing fine. In fact, he wants to have dinner with you and me at the Westmont tonight.'
'Doesn't he want to be with Cindy and Megan?'
'Yes, but it's more important that he makes sure that they're safe.'
'I don't understand.'
'I think you do. Tim and I had a long talk. He told me about the visits he paid to you recently.'
'I see.'
'I don't want to discuss this over a cell phone. Do you?'
'No.'
'Then let's get together at the Westmont at eight. And Harvey, I think you should wait to hear what we say before you do anything rash. Tim's figured out how to bring down your whole house of cards.'
'What are you talking about?'
'He'll tell you tonight. He's already committed his thoughts to paper. Peter Schwab will have it as soon as I leave here.'
'I'd never do anything to hurt Tim. I think of him as a son.'
'I'm glad, Harvey. Keeping thinking of him that way.'
'How can Tim hurt us?' Gregaros asked, after the judge told him what Kerrigan had said.
'Did you tell Tim that the other members of the club sign suicide notes when they join?'
'Yeah.'
'If the police get their hands on the notes and the weapons they'll have an open-and-shut case for the murder each member confessed to. Someone will cut a deal. Then it won't just be Kerrigan's word or Maria's word against ours.'
'Kerrigan doesn't know where they're hidden.'
'They'll get a search warrant for my house. They'll tear it apart looking.'
'Then we have to get rid of the evidence.'
'No. If we destroy the confessions we'll lose our hold on the others. Fear keeps them in line. We just have to move the evidence off my property. Don't worry. I've worked everything out. We have to act quickly, so we'll do it tonight, before Kerrigan can tell anyone.'
A few hours later, Harvey Grant put the suicide notes and the guns into a large carton, which Victor Reis, his assistant, carried into the kitchen. A door from the kitchen opened into Grant's garage, so no one watching the house could see what they were doing. As soon as Reis put the carton in the trunk of Grant's Cadillac, he drove Grant to his meeting with the Kerrigans.
Stone pillars marked the entrance to the Westmont. Reis drove through them and up the winding driveway, then pulled up in front of the clubhouse. The parking valet opened the door for the judge then went around to the
