“Yeah, exactly.”
“I can’t really say. Andrei seems to have a very short fuse, so I believe he could do it anytime. Is this related to the body I’ve heard has been found in the abandoned old factory?”
I nodded. “Yes, but please keep this conversation to yourself.”
“Of course. I only have one question… was the victim local? No one seems to know who it is, and our community has already lost one member this week. I’d rather not learn we lost a second.”
“No, he wasn’t local,” I replied. “You don’t have to worry about that.”
“Good,” the elf said, nodding. “I wish I could help you further. Would you still like to speak with Mondrodir?”
“No, thanks,” I replied. “I think I got what I needed.”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t at all what I had wanted.
Chapter 24
“So, bad news,” I said to Andy a moment later when I called him since Jack wasn’t answering his phone.
“Oh?”
“Andrei actually was at the bank at eight-thirty that morning. He didn’t realize they weren’t open until nine and caused a scene.”
There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment before Andy finally answered. “Well, that’s disappointing.”
“Agreed. It’s not an airtight alibi, though. He could have left the bank and gone to the warehouse to meet with Raoul and killed him there.”
“That is true.”
“Do you still have enough to get the warrant and test his pDNA?”
“Yes,” Andy replied. “Jack’s talking with a judge now. As soon as he comes back with the warrant, we’re going to do the test. We should have results back by late this afternoon.”
“And when it comes back positive, you’ll arrest him?”
“That’ll be up to the Chief Enforcer. It will be good evidence, but it certainly won’t be airtight. It’s too bad his alibi wasn’t more easily blown to bits.”
“I agree,” I said. “Well, if you’re just waiting for those results, I’ll head home. Can you let me know if you end up arresting Andrei?”
“Sure thing,” Andy said. “Thanks for the help.”
“Anytime.”
I hung up the phone and sighed. I supposed it was all out of my hands now. Jack and Andy would get the warrant, test Andrei’s pDNA, and when it came back positive, they could determine whether to arrest him. I supposed that meant I was done.
I headed home and decided to have a mid-afternoon nap.
“Did you find your killer?” Vinnie asked, and I nodded.
“Sure did. Getting the evidence is up to the Enforcers now. I’ve done my bit.”
“You should have a pear to celebrate.”
“I’m not a big fan of pears.”
“Well, in that case, you should give me your pear to celebrate.”
I laughed as I headed to the fridge, grabbed a pear, and tossed it to Vinnie. Of course, I’d forgotten that the slightest disturbance had a habit of making him freeze, and seeing the pear coming straight for him was enough to trigger a “fainting” spell.
All of Vinnie’s muscles contracted, and the pear hit him square in the face, which was enough to knock him over sideways as the pear rolled harmlessly to the side. I struggled not to laugh as I made my way towards my familiar and took him into my arms, gently stroking him as I waited the thirty seconds or so for his muscles to relax and for him to go back to normal.
“That’s not funny,” he grumbled as his legs finally began to move.
“I know it’s not. I’m sorry, I forgot,” I said. “Your pear is over there.”
“You know, I’m actually the bravest goat you’ll ever meet. It’s not my fault my genes have betrayed me.”
“I know,” I told him. “You’re certainly the bravest goat I know.”
Vinnie trotted over to the pear and began munching away. “This helps, at least.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“So what do you do now?”
I shrugged. “I guess I wait until I have another client. There’s nothing else for me to do, really. I was going to spend the afternoon watching TV while snuggled up under a blanket. Want to join me?”
“Of course.”
I snuggled with Vinnie as I found a show on TV, but my mind wasn’t on it. I didn’t like the fact that the entire case rested on the pDNA that we didn’t even know belonged to Andrei yet. What if he actually hadn’t done it? Something in the back of my mind kept niggling at me, but I couldn’t quite place what it was.
I kept trying to tell myself to relax. Just because I hadn’t gotten Andrei to admit he was the killer didn’t mean it wasn’t him. All the evidence pointed to him, after all, and in a couple of hours the pDNA test would come back and confirm that it was him.
Only, it didn’t.
When my phone rang and Andy’s name popped up on the call display, I eagerly picked it up, hoping for good news.
“Hello?”
“Hey, it’s me. Unfortunately, the pDNA test came back negative on Andrei. He’s not the killer.”
“You’re joking.”
“I wish I was. But pDNA doesn’t lie. It wasn’t him.”
“So we’re basically back to square one,” I said.
“Yeah.”
“Do you want to meet up to go over things again?” I offered. “Maybe there’s something we missed.”
“Sure,” Andy replied. “I’d like that. Come down to the station?”
“Maybe somewhere a bit more neutral,” I said with a laugh. “I’m not the biggest fan of that place lately.”
“Right. How about we grab dinner then? I feel like I haven’t eaten in days. Kim’s Diner?”
“Sure. Give me half an hour, and I’ll meet you there.”
I got up off the couch and Vinnie stirred. “What’s going on?”
“I have to go,” I said. “It turns out the case isn’t solved after all.”
“What? That’s not good. I guess I’ll just deserve another pear when you solve it for real.”
“I guess so. I’ll be back in a while. I’m having dinner with Andy to go over the case.”
“Good luck,” Vinnie said. “I’ll be here.”
I nodded, grabbed my jacket, and left. We weren’t meeting for another twenty-five minutes, but I
