Gage said nothing.
“Her mother dug into it. Found out Julia’s got some emotional issues—night terrors—irrational fears. Her fiancé was a damn fine young man—is a damn fine young man—he told us about her behavior. Said she had fear of commitment.” Thomas paused. “The time before, with her first fiancé, was very similar. Since it’d now happened twice, her mother and I insisted she get some help. Once she did, we found out—” Thomas’ lip trembled and voice cracked.
“Go on.”
“We found out that the high and mighty Herr Vogel used to molest her, and worse, when she was a teen—a young teen. He ruined her. He ruined our Julia.”
Gage didn’t respond for an appropriate period of time. Finally he said, “That’s awful.”
“Yes, it is.”
“How did that happen?”
“I just can’t go into much detail…can’t.” Thomas looked away, struggling. “I blame myself for not being—” Voice cracking, Thomas covered his mouth with his forearm.
“Can you talk your way around it?”
After gathering himself, Thomas said, “We lived on the property back then. Now I know why Julia was so eager for us to move.”
Gage felt nauseous. “So you decided, after you found out what he’d done to your daughter, to kill Karl Vogel?”
“Yes, sir, I sure as hell did. He was a monster and had to be destroyed.” Thomas’ lips tightened over his teeth. “I didn’t get to do near what I’d have liked to have done to that bastard.”
“Would you do the same now?”
“Yes. I might have been out of my mind at that moment, but overall, I knew damn well what I was doing.”
“Where did you get the potassium chloride?”
“Made it right here in the shop.” Thomas gestured to the shelves. “Up there in a cardboard box is the syringe. I had to modify a veterinary syringe with an insulin needle to get enough into that sonofabitch’s bloodstream.”
“If you went to all that trouble, then why did you mutilate him?”
“I didn’t plan on doing that. It was…spur of the moment. Used the knife right off my belt.” Thomas opened his arms wide. “I never intended on trying to hide what I did, but I wasn’t thinking straight until after I’d killed him. Then, I began to think about my wife and daughter, and what it would do to them. My wife’s in bad health and maybe Julia can still find happiness.” Tears streamed down Thomas’ cheeks.
Gage viewed this man before him, bearing witness to his pain and anguish.
“I don’t have children, Thomas, so I can’t fathom your pain, but I know it must be to the core of your soul.”
“I feel like she’s broken forever.”
“I hope not, Thomas.”
The caretaker didn’t respond, only dipped his head.
Something occurred to Gage. “Did you cut the grate on the drainpipe?”
“I did. In the days that followed, I started to get concerned that someone would turn the eye my way. I cut that pipe in an effort to help myself. If anyone did come my way, that might raise enough suspicion.”
“Were you surprised when Claudia didn’t pursue the murder?”
“No.”
“Did you know she wouldn’t?”
“No. She was unpredictable about large decisions. That’s why I wasn’t surprised.”
“When I arrived, did you have any concern about why I was here?”
“A little, but I wasn’t overly worried after all the time that had passed.”
“I never suspected you, Thomas.”
Narrowing his eyes, Thomas asked, “What tipped you off?”
“You mentioned your daughter the last time we spoke. Then, just a few minutes ago, I was reading something Claudia wrote. She mentioned some difficulties you were having with your daughter. I put two and two together.”
The caretaker nodded but said nothing.
“Thomas, I’m going to tell you something you deserve to know. But I need you to remain quiet about it.”
“About what?”
“Katja and Ina…”
“Not them, too?”
With a grim expression, Gage nodded.
Thomas covered his face with his right hand. “I’ve been worried about that.”
The two men were quiet for a bit.
Finally, Thomas said, “I won’t resist if you’d like to call the polizei.”
“No, I’d like to think about it for a bit.”
“Do you want me to stay here?”
“I’d like you to finish your workday, if you will.”
“Seems kind of silly to ask this, given the stakes, but will I be fired?”
“I don’t think so, Thomas. For now, this is between us. Please, just keep this to yourself and act normally.”
“I will. Gage?”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry for what’s happened to the Vogel family, and the anguish it caused Frau Claudia.” He shook his head. “But, I want you to know, I’m not one bit sorry for what I’ve done. And though I don’t want to leave my wife and daughter, I will absolutely face the music if need be.”
Gage revealed the pistol. He un-cocked the hammer and clicked the safety. “Thanks for your honesty, Thomas.” He was about to leave but stopped.
“Thomas, there’s one more thing. You might hear Katja was killed in a car wreck.”
“What?” Thomas asked, alarmed.
“She wasn’t killed. Since you’re good at keeping secrets, I’m trusting you with it.”
“I’m confused.”
“Stay that way. If it gets out that she died, pretend it’s true, okay?”
The two men held each other’s gaze before Thomas nodded. “I’ll do it.”
“There’s some weird shit going on here, Thomas. And it goes well beyond what you did to Karl Vogel.”
“Can’t say I’m surprised.”
In a fog, Gage walked back to the house and tried to collect his thoughts.
He now knew who had killed Karl Vogel. That part was a relief.
But it begged a much larger question: Who on earth had tried to run Gage down on the parking deck? Who had
