“I’m afraid I don’t follow you, Myles.”
“Of the eleven, nine of them had been tried before Judge Kerr on other charges.”
“And found guilty?”
“No, sir. The judge dismissed their cases. On what some would call technicalities.”
“Yes, but we all know what that means. When the police fail to obey the law, that law is suddenly reduced to a technicality.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And the remaining two cases?”
“I believe we are looking at random chance there, sir.”
“You interest me, Myles. Tell me more about the other nine.”
And so Myles spent an hour reviewing cases with Mr. Dane. At the end of that time, Mr. Dane said, “I would like to have a conversation with Judge Kerr. I don’t think he is our enemy, but he has met our enemy.”
“‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend’?”
“Something like that, yes.”
Myles glanced at the clock. “Later today Judge Kerr will dedicate the new courthouse building — the new annex, I should say.”
Dane smiled. “My dear Myles, what would I ever do without you?”
43
Friday, July 14, 7:00 A.M.
Las Piernas Airport
The Looking Glass Man sat in the cockpit of the Cessna, engine running, cleared for takeoff. He had completed his final preflight checks and taxied to the assigned runway, but now he hesitated.
He had laid his trap for Harriman. Harriman would be dead before he could back out of his driveway.
He knew Harriman had seen his van — damn those dogs! Still, he doubted Harriman suspected more than a little late-night snooping. At most, he might check to see if an arsonist had placed gasoline-soaked rags on his front porch. That was the behavior Harriman would expect of a man in a white van.
The Looking Glass Man had taken care of the porch light first. He had simply used a stream of ice water from a spray bottle to accomplish that. Then he had broken into the car and put the pressure bomb in place without incident. It was only when he lifted the hood that the dogs gave the alarm — the ignition device, probably an entirely unnecessary precaution, was the one that had nearly got him caught. But nearly getting caught was not what made him hesitate now.
It was Hitchcock, of course.
He had failed to see how deeply involved the man was with Dane. That was irritating. Years ago, when he made his plans to kill Trent Randolph, he had used Hitchcock — chosen him, because of all the members of the task force that was after Dane, he seemed the most vulnerable. Hitch often complained of being in debt. But like others in the department, he seemed completely devoted to putting Dane away.
To think he had been fooled! Fooled by that doughnut-eating dumpling Hitchcock!
It took so much of the pleasure out of Dane’s defeat. Why hadn’t he seen that if he could bribe Hitchcock, so could Dane?
The tower called, asking if there was a problem.
He replied that he wasn’t sure, that he was going to return to the hangar.
He had time to spare. One should never fly an airplane while distracted. If he had lived, Phil Lefebvre could have given lectures about that.
He made up a story for the mechanic about the engine not running smoothly. The mechanic, who had long shown his resentment of the Looking Glass Man’s desire for perfection, agreed to take a look at it.
The Looking Glass Man removed the smallest of the canvas bags from among his luggage, went into the restroom, and, after unfolding the plastic trash bag he carried in his pocket and laying it out on the floor, set the canvas bag on top of it. He took out a second, smaller bag and placed it on the edge of the sink. On this he neatly aligned the disinfectant spray, paper towels, glass cleaner, and good plain soap that he always carried with him, making sure all the labels pointed the same way.
His complaints to the owners of this property had ensured that this restroom was cleaner than many public restrooms, but that was not saying much at all.
He sprayed the disinfectant first, not because he would ever use the toilet in a place like this or even because he thought the spray was effective.
He liked the smell of it.
His mother had believed in the powers of this particular brand and had sprayed it rather liberally about their house. For the Looking Glass Man, this scent was as homey as that of baking cookies or hot mulled cider to others.
Next, he cleaned off the mirror.
He studied himself.
The man in the mirror seemed a trifle sad.
The man in the mirror appeared bashful.
