Weather Karkinnen, with Sister Mary Josephwhom hed known since their childhood togetherand with a variety of cops, lawyers, TV and newspaper reporters, doctors, jocks, and street people, all friends of his.
The two obvious targets for a diversionary attack were the nun and the surgeonDavenports oldest friend and hislover. She decided on Karkinnen because Karkinnen was simpler.
Audrey knew Sister Mary Joseph from her college days: the nun had been her instructor in basic psychology, and Audrey remembered her as an intense young woman with a face terribly scarred by adolescent acne. But the nun, who was still at St. Annes, lived in a communal dormitory-style setting in which intruders would be instantly noticed. And attack would be risky.
Karkinnen, on the other hand, was out in the open. Audrey had been puzzled that the year-old article implied that Karkinnen was Davenports live-in lover, while Audreys search turned up different addresses, but she assumed there was something that she didnt know. She considered the possibility that theyd broken up, but then found an engagement announcement only a few months old…
So shed gone for Karkinnen. Shed thrown the bomb through the window, concerned not a whit for the possibility that she might kill the woman, but very concerned at the possibility of being caught. The final attackout of the car, across the lawn, throw, back in the car, ten seconds minimized the possibility, but it had still taken nerve.
Shed need the nerve again: but nerve had never been a problem for her. Audrey McDonald had nerve, all right.
She thought again about the possibility of going after Davenport himself. There were two problems with that: First, he was large and tough-looking, and carried a gun. He would be difficult to get at quickly without exposing herself. She couldnt get close enough for poison, couldnt risk a gun attack; if she missed, shed be dead. And he was a cop, so might be a little more wary than the average citizen. Further, she didnt have time to research him as she had Arris and Ingall. And the second big problem was that killing him might lead the cops investigatinghiskilling to take a harder look at his current investigations, includingher.
A diversion would lead them away from her… So it would have to be the nun.
Her legs twitched down the bed, a kind of running motion, as she began working out a possible plan. Shed have to do it the minute she got out. Shed have to emphasize her injuries, complain of cracked ribs, something that wouldnt show on X rays, but would keep her from doing anything heavy. Shed have to hobble and whimper and limp and make people feel sorry for her, and the instant she was alone, she had to go for the nun.
Shed have no trouble with this. Shed been undercover for more than twenty-five years now. She might not ever come out.
FRANKLIN HAD BEEN IN A LONGTIME 401K PLAN. THE stocks had gone through the roof during the summer, so, like any Good American, hed borrowed against the fund to buy a new black Ford extended-cab pickup truck, which he and Lucas walked around, Lucas shaking his head. Finally Franklin said, So what next? Just wrap it up? Were done?
Wrap it up, Lucas said. They were standing at the curb outside McDonalds house. McDonalds the man, and hes dead: outa reach. Ill spend a couple days trying to figure out the firebomb thing with Weather, then maybe go up to the cabin.
Going up alone? Franklin asked.
Cut some firewood, put the snow blade on the Gator, haul the snowmobiles out and get them checked, Lucas said.
Going up alone?
Get the batteries out of the boat, put the boat away. Maybe figure out some way to cover it. I had some squirrels get in it last year, in the shed, and the damn thing was full of decapitated acorn shells when I got it out this spring.
Jesus, I wish I was single again, sometimes, Franklin said. And had a cabin up north. Nothing like a little strange pussy in November.
If youd asked me, I could have advised you against getting a Ford, Lucas said. Anyway, see you around.
See you around, Franklin said. Lucas walked back up the long driveway to the house, where hed parked, while Franklin strolled once more around the truck, rubbing out a couple of imaginary blemishes with the cuff of his coat. I love you, he said aloud. He was back at the drivers side door, and about to get in, when Lucas arrived at the Porsche, a hundred and fifty feet away.
Going up alone? Franklin bellowed.
Lucas threw him the finger and got in the car.
TWENTY-ONE
WHEN AUDREY MCDONALD OPENED HER EYES THE next morning, she knew something she hadnt known when she closed them the night before.
Helen, she said.
Helen had been talking to Davenport. Helen had always hated Wilson, and must have called Davenport anonymously. Thats how Helen would have done it, maneuvering to get rid of Wilson without damaging her relationship with her sisterand that would explain why Davenport thought hed spoken to Audrey. Helen and Audrey spoke with the same soft Red River Valley accent, with the rounded and softenedos of the Swedes; they said boot when they meant boat.
Davenport had picked that up, but hadnt known of Helen.
But this was new: Helen had realized that people were being murdered? Believed that Wilson had done it, and moved against him? Helen didnt keep secrets very well: give her a secret, and she usually blurted it out the first chance she had.
Audrey would have to think about this: How much did Helen know, and how much had she guessed? How early had she caught on? Had she taken any notes, mental orotherwise, that might point away from Wilson and toward herself? And did she know about all the incidents? Did she know about McKinney and the Bairds?
WHEN LUCAS WOKE, HE THOUGHT ABOUT SHERRILL. The woman would sooner or later be a problem; maybe even a disaster. They worked too closely, on problems too complicated, for a romance to work very well. And when the word got outand the word would get outthere would be serious sniping to deal with. He hoped Sherrill understood that: she was smart enough, she should.
He wished she was in his bed now. He rolled over, awake, feeling fresh, pivoted and put his feet on the floor, realized that he hadnt felt quite this good for months.
And then he thought of Weather, and a touch of sadness came over him. Hed wanted to marry her. If she suddenly changed, and came back to him, hed accept her in an instant.
But she was falling away now. Her influence was fading: he didnt think of her as much. Like Moms death, he thought. When Lucass mother died, of breast cancer, hed thought of her every few minutes for what seemed like a year. Things shed said, images of her faces, moments of their life together. That was all still there in his head, and the images came back from time to time, but not like those first few months. His mother had gone gently away, and now came back only when he reached for her.
Like Weather.
He sighed, and headed for the bathroom. He was a late riser, and he looked back at the clock as he went: he wanted to be there when Audrey McDonald made her court appearance.
AUDREYS ATTORNEY, JASON GLASS, SHOWED UP WITH a woman photographer, a load of photo equipment, a pair of gym shorts, and a soft halter top.
This is Gina, Glass told Audrey. We need to take some photographs of you, showing your injuries. This isabsolutely critical for the case. Gina brought some terry cloth for modesty purposes…
They shot the pictures in an unoccupied hospital room, against the white drape that ran around the bed. At Ginas direction, Audrey limped into the small bathroom and put on the shorts and halter top, carefully brushed her hair, and went out to face the cameras.
Im sorry, Gina said before she started shooting. I should have told you to leave your hair as it was. Nobody will ever see these photos except attorneys, and frankly, we want them to look as… severe… as possible.
