it.
Maggie missed the light at Pearl. While they waited, McCabe watched a group of office workers cross the street in front of them, probably escaping early for a September weekend. He envied them their freedom. When the light changed, Maggie drove across India and up Munjoy Hill, where Fore Street turns into the Eastern Prom. Casco Bay glittered before them.
As she pulled in behind his condo, McCabe broke the silence. ‘Did you ever talk to DeWitt Holland?’
‘On the phone,’ said Maggie. ‘Not much joy in it. Said he hadn’t seen Spencer in a couple of years. I made a date to interview him in person tomorrow.’
‘Did he seem nervous?’
‘Not especially. Claimed he didn’t know anything about the murder, hadn’t even seen it on the news. “I don’t pay attention to things like that” is how he phrased it.’
‘Telling the truth?’
‘I’m not sure. He was pretty smooth.’
‘Maybe you better call your homicide buddy on the Boston PD. If Holland was involved or knew anything about it, he could be next on Killer Kane’s hit list.’
Maggie reached for her cell and dialed. ‘His name’s John Bell,’ she said to McCabe as she flipped the phone to speaker mode.
‘Hey, Mag,’ Bell’s voice boomed out, ‘how goes the investigation? When are you coming down?’
‘John, I’ve got my partner, Mike McCabe, with me. You’re on speaker.’
‘Okay, that’s fine. What’s up?’
‘We’ve had another murder up here. Victim was a top heart surgeon. We think Dr. DeWitt Holland, a heart surgeon at the Brigham, may be the killer’s next target.’
‘Jesus, somebody have something against heart docs? Can you give me a little background on this?’
McCabe slipped a note under Maggie’s nose. How much do you trust this guy?
She scrawled underneath, Completely.
‘Mag, you there?’
‘Sorry, John.’ Maggie told Bell what they knew, starting with Katie Dubois’s murder and ending with Philip Spencer’s.
‘How does that connect with Holland?’
‘Spencer, Holland, and another transplant surgeon named Matthew Wilcox all did their residencies with Kane in New York in the eighties,’ McCabe said. ‘They were big buddies. Called themselves the Asclepius Society after the Greek god of healing. They stayed friends at least through the nineties, climbing mountains together, stuff like that. When Kane dreamed up this illegal transplant idea, naturally he needed a surgeon or two to help. Now we think Kane’s closing the business down and wants to get rid of anyone who knows anything. He’s already killed Spencer and Spencer’s wife. He may have killed Wilcox. We don’t know for sure if Holland’s involved, but if he is, he’s in grave danger. I suggest you get him into protective custody or at least have him covered if Kane comes calling.’
‘I’ll e-mail you what we have on Kane,’ said Maggie.
‘Any pictures?’ asked Bell. ‘Our guys will want to know who they’re watching for.’
‘An old one, taken maybe ten years ago,’ said McCabe. ‘Shows the four friends on top of a mountain. We’ll have our computer guy age Kane a little and send it down.’
‘Sounds good,’ said Bell. ‘You still coming down, Maggie?’
‘Yeah, but not today. How about I let you know?’
‘I’d love to see you. It’s been what? Five years?’
‘Something like that.’
Maggie switched off the phone.
‘Flame still burning?’ asked McCabe.
‘I don’t think so,’ said Maggie. ‘Anyway, like you, he’s taken. Married with a new baby.’ She smiled at him. ‘Good luck with the ex,’ she said. ‘You’ll want to spend some time with Casey, and I’ve got a lot that needs doing.’
Though a good height for her age, five-four and still growing, Casey looked small in his big chair, feet not quite reaching the floor. Her red duffel, the one for overnights, waited on the floor by her side. Bunny sat perched on her lap. Casey fiddled with the animal’s remains, mostly just ragged ears.
McCabe figured he could use something to fiddle with, too. A bunny for grow-ups. He thought how good a cigarette would taste right about now. It’d even make Sandy happy. She could report him for secondhand smoke. He pushed the urge away.
‘Hi,’ he said.
‘Hi.’
‘Ready to go?’
‘Yeah.’
‘You’re taking Bunny?’
She looked up, her oval face, framed by dark hair, more like Sandy’s every day. ‘Yes,’ she said firmly, as if expecting him to object.
‘Okay.’
She had on one of her new outfits. He supposed the rest of the new clothes were packed in the bag. Sitting there she reminded him of the last kid at summer camp, the one whose parents always arrived late to pick her up. He sat opposite on the white couch. ‘It’ll be fine. You’ll have a good time.’
She looked at him as if he’d said something stupid, then looked back at Bunny.
They didn’t say anything else for a while. Finally he got up and knelt in front of her chair. He took both her hands in his. ‘Casey, I know how hard this is after three years. Really. I do. I think one of the reasons your mother wants to see you is because she realizes how much she’s missed by not being part of your life and how sorry she is about that. I also think maybe you’re feeling that by spending time with Sandy you’re being disloyal to me. You’re not. I think it’ll be good for you to get to know your mother again. When I say I hope you have a good time, I’m not talking about staying at a fancy hotel or going to shows or any of that stuff. I want you to have a good time being with your mother. Not because I love her — that’s way over — but because I love you. Does that make sense?’
McCabe kissed his daughter. Then he went back to the sofa and sat down. After a couple of minutes she got up and climbed into his lap and hugged him. They sat together like that until, at five minutes after four, the doorbell rang.
‘Hello, McCabe.’
‘Hello, Sandy.’ She looked as gorgeous as ever. Wealth agreed with her. He felt his heart beating hard in his chest. He breathed deeply to try to slow it down.
‘May I come in? Or are we just going to stand here in the hallway?’ He moved to one side, and she walked into the apartment. ‘Hello, Casey,’ she said. ‘I’m glad to see you again.’
Sandy offered Casey her hand. Casey took it, and they shook. ‘Are you all ready?’
‘I just have to go to the bathroom.’
‘Okay. Off you go.’ Casey went down the hall. McCabe figured she needed a minute to adjust.
‘Nice view,’ said Sandy, gazing out at the boats in the bay.
‘That’s one of the nice things about living in Portland. The water’s never far away. You’re staying at the Four Seasons?’
‘Yes, the suite’s booked under Peter’s name. Ingram.’
‘I remember. Will he be there?’
‘No. He’s in Europe on business. It will just be us girls.’
‘Casey will have her cell phone with her, but why don’t you give me yours just in case.’ She recited the number.
‘Here’s mine,’ he said. He handed her a slip of paper with the number on it. ‘Call if there’s any problem. Any problem at all. You should get her back by five on Sunday. She’ll need Sunday night for her homework.’
‘That’s fine.’
Casey returned, unzipped her bag, and stuffed Bunny inside. McCabe looked at his daughter. ‘Remember
