Blood Loss

phone to her ear as she tolerated a series of questions, bad hold music and transfers until she got as far as leaving Shep Collier a voicemail. Half an hour later, her phone rang.

‘Hello — is that Special Agent Ren Bryce?’

It was an older man’s voice, a warm, voiceover voice.

‘Ren Bryce speaking.’

‘This is Shep Collier. I’m returning your call …’

‘Yes, thank you,’ said Ren. ‘I’m currently working on an investigation and I wanted to ask you what you know about a man called Mark Whaley.’

‘Mark Whaley? Should that name be familiar to me?’

‘Well, I’m calling to find that out, sir.’

‘I can’t say I’ve heard of the man,’ said Collier.

‘Are you familiar with MeesterBrandt Pharmaceuticals?’

‘I’m aware of MeesterBrandt, of course,’ said Collier.

‘Mark Whaley is their CFO,’ said Ren.

‘Ah,’ said Collier. ‘I’m sorry I can’t be of any help to you, but I’ve had no personal or business dealings with MeesterBrandt or Mark Whaley.’

Here goes. ‘Mark Whaley was found dead last week,’ said Ren. ‘An apparent suicide.’

‘I’m very sorry to hear that,’ said Collier. ‘I’m sorry for the man’s family.’

‘Did you hear about the two young girls who went missing from a hotel in Breckenridge, Colorado just before that?’ said Ren.

‘For my family’s sake, the Collier household has been in media blackout since my announcement,’ he said. ‘As you might expect …’

‘I wouldn’t expect that, actually,’ said Ren. ‘I’d like to know what people are saying about me …’

When Collier spoke, there was a smile in his voice. ‘Well, it’s clear I don’t necessarily behave as expected …’

What can I say to that?

‘I suspect there will be many awkward pauses for me to look forward to in life from now on,’ he said.

‘My apologies,’ said Ren. ‘It’s … hard to know what to say.’

‘At least you’re honest.’

‘As were you … I watched your press conference,’ said Ren. ‘I admit, I was impressed by parts of your resignation speech. They didn’t sound scripted.’

‘Most of it was,’ said Collier. ‘But that’s the world we live in. It’s about the party, not about me.’

‘True,’ said Ren.

Why am I getting into all this?

‘Agent Bryce,’ said Collier. ‘The missing girls you mentioned … they were obviously connected in some way to this Mark Whaley?’

‘One is his eleven-year-old daughter — she was found safe. The other is the sixteen-year-old babysitter who was looking after her. Sadly, she was found dead.’

Silence.

‘Manner of death was murder-suicide,’ said Ren. She waited for him to react.

‘Mark Whaley murdered a sixteen-year-old girl, then took his own life?’ said Collier.

‘Yes,’ said Ren.

‘That’s a very tragic situation,’ said Collier.

‘Mr Collier … there is something else I’d like to ask you. It’s a delicate question … and I’d appreciate your discretion on this matter, as I would on our entire conversation.’

‘Go ahead, please,’ said Collier.

‘I have a photo of Mark Whaley,’ said Ren, ‘and he’s in the company of Tina Bowers. Would you know anything about that?’

‘You’re asking me if I would know the details of a prostitute’s clients?’

No — just the prostitute you slept with … ‘Can I ask how you found Tina Bowers?’ said Ren. Enthusiastic? Perfunctory?

‘On a website,’ said Collier.

‘What website?’ said Ren.

‘I can’t remember,’ said Collier.

‘Did you type in a website address?’ said Ren. ‘Had the agency been recommended to you? Or did you search for something in particular?’

‘I … don’t remember,’ said Collier.

Really? Haven’t you replayed that moment over and over again? Haven’t you paused at the first step you made on this disastrous journey? Even I’m picturing a website with a screen full of hookers and their vital stats.

‘Well, thank you for your time,’ said Ren.

‘Good luck with your investigation, Agent Bryce. My thoughts are with the families.’

‘Thank you,’ said Ren. ‘Good luck with your … with everything.’

She put the phone down and sat back.

You do, indeed, behave unexpectedly, ex-Congressman Collier. How else could I not have taken an immediate dislike to a cheating frequenter of underage prostitutes?

Ren went on line and Googled Tina Bowers. According to every gossip website, she had gone underground, and would only reappear for an interview that would pay six figures. According to her celebrity lawyer, when Ren called her, she was hiding out in her grandmother’s house in Maplewood, New Jersey.

An email popped up in Ren’s Inbox from Bob Gage.

I never get emails from Bob Gage.

She opened it:

Read this before you kill me.

It was a link to The Summit Daily News:

Mack Yarnwood, 42, from Silverthorne, CO, might want to cancel his Facebook account quick fast. Yarnwood was arrested at his home early today on charges of Class 1 misdemeanor theft. Yarnwood, who had been working for Holder Electrical Contractors in Breckenridge, CO, posted Facebook images of himself with his loot, stolen from various jobs he had been working on in the previous twelve months.

When Yarnwood’s boss, Danny Holder, saw his employee’s Facebook photos, through his own son’s Facebook page, he looked into Yarnwood’s past and uncovered prior convictions for robbery and possession of a controlled substance.

Holder set up CCTV cameras, which captured Yarnwood taking a range of items, including clothing, bottles of liquor, appliances, even bed linen, and yes — you’ve guessed it — hotel towels.

Ren called Bob.

‘I’m guessing Mack Yarnwood wasn’t showing up for work at the Sheriff’s Office,’ said Ren. ‘Can’t seem to find his name here on any list …’

‘I didn’t even know the guy existed,’ said Bob. ‘I had to buy that journalist a slap-up meal not to put in that Holder was working at the Sheriff’s Office. It doesn’t look good.’

‘What I would like to know,’ said Ren. ‘Is when and where your buddy Holder set up his cameras …’

‘Meaning The Merlin …’ said Bob. ‘And yes, he did. I spoke with him. We have tape from the parking garage the night the Whaleys checked in …’

45

Ren slammed a hand on the desk. ‘What the fuck was Danny Holder thinking?’