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Chapter 51
WE’RE EXECUTING Asearch warrant at John Baron’s house if you want to tag along.”
Decker stared blankly at Lassiter as she stood on the front porch of the Mitchells’ house early the next morning.
“Where’s your partner?” he asked.
“Running down some other leads. I’m heading this effort up.”
“Why a search warrant for Baron’s place?” Decker said sleepily. She had phoned him before coming over, which had allowed him to hastily dress and meet her on the porch.
“We have reason to believe he might be involved in the murders,” she said.
“And why is that?” asked Jamison, who had just walked up next to Decker. He had told her about Lassiter’s call. Jamison was still tuggingdown a sweater she had thrown on and brushed her sleep-tousled hair out of her eyes.
“Based on things your friend here told me,” said Lassiter, indicating Decker.
“Baron knew at least three of the four vics. We know he knew Joyce Tanner and that Swanson was living in his potting shed. But who’s the third?” asked Decker.
“The bank holds the mortgage on Baron’s home.And guess who the bank’s point person on the loan was?”
Jamison said dully, “Bradley Costa.”
“You win the prize.”
“So, he has connections to some of the victims,” said Decker. “I’m sure other people in town do too.”
“And then there’s the Toby Babbot connection. That makes it four for four.”
“What connection?” said Decker sharply.
“I dugup an old arrest report. Toby Babbot was charged with trespassing on Baron’s property.”
“What was he doing up there?” asked Jamison.
“He wouldn’t say when the cops asked him.”
“And Baron knew about this?”
“Hewas the one who caught Babbot up there and reported it to the police. So Baron knew allfourvictims.”
“And what’s your theory of the case?”asked Jamison.
“Well, the Costa angle is easy enough. The bank holds the mortgage. And as Decker also told me, Baron was into Greek mythology. Thanatos is theGreekgod of death.”
“And Joyce Tanner?”
“He was supporting her financially. He was running out of money. Maybe she had some dirt on him and that was why he was supporting her. So he kills her and writes thatbiblical crap on the wall about slavery. A financial slave, maybe. And Tanner was into the Bible in high school, something Baron well knew.”
“Don’t you think all of that is a bit of overkill?” said Decker.
“What do you mean?” asked Lassiter.
“Greek symbols, biblical verses, all things that could be traced back to Baron pretty easily. I did it just by looking in ayearbook. And that mortgage has been on his property for a long time. So why go out and kill a banker over it now?”
“Because I learned he recently tried to get the debt refinanced at a lower rate because of cash flow issues, but the bank refused, meaningCostarefused. Consequently, he’s in danger of losing the whole property if he can’t make payments and the bank forecloses.”
Decker looked a little taken aback by these new facts. “That still doesn’t prove he killed the guy. And I still think it’s way too overdone.”
