gossip column.
Not from me it wont, Lucas said.
A piece of art hung from the wall behind Joness desk. The print was colorful and maybe even beautiful, though it resembled a woman hacked up with a pizza cutter. Lucas, who knew almost nothing about fine art, suspected it was a Picasso.
And the thing is, if it does, Id be severely damaged…
I can assure you it wont happen, Lucas said patiently.
Jones rubbed the back of his neck and said, All right. If somebody absolutely pushed T-Bone up against the wall, when the only option was kill or be killed, hed kill. But this situation isnt like that. Hes already got a lot of money, and hes good enough that he could go somewhere else in a top job. So I dont see it.
Assume that somehow, we dont know how, he waspushed to the wall. Emotionally, psychologically, or maybe he gambles and we dont know it.
Jones shook his head. Even then… hes the kind of guy whod always figure he could recover. Always get back. The thing is, he grew up poor. Did you know that?
No.
Yeah, some cracker family down south somewhere, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama. He made it all on his own. Hes a guy who figures he can always do it again. I dont think hed…
His voice died away.
What? Lucas asked.
You know… If you come at this from another angle… Were talking about whether hed cold-bloodedly kill someone because hed lose money or his job; and I dont think he would. But I can see him killing somebody if the other person had something on him, Jones said. Blackmail, for instance. If Kresge had something really serious on him, and threatened to use it, for some reason, I can see Bone killing him for that reason. Not to keep it from being used, but because the threat, or the extortion, would… besmirch his honor. He mused over the thought, then jerked his head in a nod: Yep. That would do it. Thats the only way I see Bone deliberately killing somebody. But it would have to be deadly serious, and it would have to be deadly personal.
What about Terrance Robles?
I dont know him well enough to answer. I really dont.
Susan ODell?
Susan couldnt do it. Shes crusty and calculating and all that, but shes got a soft interior.
Ive seen a deer that would disagree with you, Lucas said.
You mean the hunting? Thats cultural, Jones said. People from out there, out on the prairie, farmers, have a whole different attitude toward the life and death of animals than they do the life and death of people. I really dontthink she could kill anyone. Im not even sure she could do it in self-defense, to be honest with you. Nope. Youre barking up the wrong tree with Susan.
Wilson McDonald.
Jones frowned. I can see him killing somebody, but itd be in hot blood, not cold blood. If he was drunk and angry, he might strike out. Hes got a violent streak, and he can be sneaky about it. But as for pulling off a calculated killing… I dont think so. Actually, I think hed be chicken. Hed start imagining all the things that could go wrong, and, you know, being thrown in prison with a bunch of sodomites. I dont think so.
What about the moral equationwould it be…
Oh, it wouldnt be a moral problem for him. Hed just be chicken. Wilson McDonalds a classic bully, with all the classic characteristics of a bully: hes a coward at heart.
LUCAS MET SHERRILL IN THE SKYWAY OFF CITY CENTER, and she was shaking her head as she came up. Theyre all innocent, she said. What happened with Louise Freeman?
Louise Freeman was the gossip mentioned by Bones attorney friend Sandra Ollsen. She and her old man went to New York, Lucas said. Shes back on Friday. I talked to Jones instead.
How about Black? Did he get anything?
Havent talked to him yet. Hes supposed to call when hes done talking with Markham. So: Youll take Bennett, and Ill take Kerr.
Why dont we go over to Saks first, she suggested. You can buy me something expensive.
Ive got about twenty dollars on me, Lucas said.
So lets go to the bank and you can take out a bunch of money.
Give me a break, huh? I dont The phone in Sherrills purse buzzed, and Lucas said, Probably Black.
Sherrill fished the phone out of her purse, said, Hello, listened, and passed the phone to Lucas. Dispatch, looking for you.
Lucas took the phone: Yeah?
THE DISPATCHER SAID, LUCAS, A WOMAN NAMED Andi Manette is trying to get you. She says its about a personal friend of yours and its extremely urgent. You want the number?
Oh, Jesus, Lucas said. Andi Manette was Weathers shrink. Hang on. He patted his pockets, found a pen and a slip of paper, and said, What is it?
He copied the number, punched the power button, punched it again, and dialed.
Manette picked it up on the first ring: Yes?
Andi? This is Lucas.
Lucas, I need to tell you something, but I dont want you running off to help. Nobody needs help.
What? What?
Weather was… Somebody firebombed Weathers house last night. She was singed a little, and has some small cuts, but shes not badly hurt. Shes going to be staying with us for a while, until this is straightened out.
Firebombed! What do you mean, firebombed? Where is she?
The thing is, it would be best if you didnt go looking for her. Shes pretty freaked out, and having you around, with all the associations, wont help.
Well, Jesus Christ, Andi, what happened? Do I get to know that?
Nobody knows what happened. Its being handled by the Edina police.
You dont mean just an explosion or something, you mean somebody threw a firebomb through her window.
Thats exactly what happened, Manette said. Somebody threw a firebomb through her picture window.
Andi, I swear to God I wont come after her, but where is she? Tell me that. Just tell me.
Shes at my house, taking a nap right now. Shes hada couple of sedatives, shes feeling better. But we figured that people would let you know, and that Id better talk to you.
Let me know? My God, Andi, Im probably a suspect. And even… I gotta call those guys.
Dont call…
Not Weather. Ive got to call Edina.
Okay. But please dont come out, okay?
Okay.
Thanks. You know Im trying to bail this out for the two of you, and Im bailing as hard as I can.
Hey listen, Lucas said. Thanks for calling me.
He punched off and Sherrill said, Weather? Firebombed? She looked perplexed.
Yeah. Last night. Listen, you go after these other guys. Im running out to Edina.
HE CALLED FIRST: THE CHIEFS NAME WAS PETER HAFMAN and Lucas barely knew him.
Dont have much to show you, Hafman said. Somebody walked up last night and pitched a gallon jug of gasoline through the front window. Weve got bits of the wick, looks like a piece of ordinary cotton cloth, Im told. There is one odd thing…
What?
The bottle was scored so itd break easier. Scored with a glass cutter. The guys out here say that sounds like a pro.
I never heard of that, Lucas said. Look, could I come out and talk to your guys?
Come on ahead.
He rang off and handed the phone back to Sherrill, and it immediately beeped again. She answered and handed it back: Dispatch again.
