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Chapter29
ON THE DRIVE BACKto town, Decker said nothing.
Mars would look over at him occasionally, and several times appeared ready to ask something, but then he’d glance away and remain silent.
“You have something to say?” Decker finally asked.
Mars grinned. “Was I that obvious?”
“Apparently.”
“That Natty guy has it in for you. What’s that about?”
“He didn’t like the fact that Lancaster and I solved most of the homicides in Burlington. Well, more than most. Basically all. He was the rising star in the department before I got bumped to detective. He got relegated to investigating lesser crimes, and I think he blames me. Then he made a big mistake on the Hargrove case. Missing person turned homicide. That sidetracked his career. Since I left I guess he’s been attempting a comeback. And he kisses Pete Childress’s ass, even though the guy hung him out to dry when the fallout came on the Hargrove matter.”
“Is he any good at being a detective?”
“He’scompetent. But he always goes for the easiest solution. And he makes mistakes. Gets sloppy at times. Assumes things he shouldn’t.”
“Like you did with the murders all those years ago?”
Decker glanced over at him. “I deserved that.”
“Come on, I was just pulling your chain. I’m telling you, you keep yourself under all that pressure, you’re gonna pop one day.”
“I think my popping days are over.”
“What’s on the agenda now?”
Decker looked at the clock on the dashboard.
“We’ve got some time before we meet Sally Brimmer and pick up the flash drive.”
“So where?”
“Susan Richards’s house.”
***
Decker pulled his car into the driveway about two hours later and they got out. Decker glanced over at Agatha Bates’s home and thought he could see the old woman on her screen porch reading a book.
Mars looked the house over. “You think Richards is dead?”
“No signs of violence in the car. Or outside it. No one’s found a body. But still, she could be dead.”
“How are we going to get in?”
“I’ve got a key. My old partner, Mary Lancaster, gave it to me while we were working Susan Richards’s disappearance.” Decker put the key in the lock and began to turn it.
“Wait a minute, Decker. Will this get you in trouble? Aren’t you just supposed to be observing?”
“Well, when I go into the house, I’ll just beobserving.”
Decker led Mars into the front part of the house.
“So, Richards packs a big bag and hightails it out of here after you bring her in for questioning on the Hawkins murder.”
“And we couldn’t confirm her alibi. The other neighbors weren’t home during the time in question. And the old lady across the street, the one who saw Richards leaving, can’t completely account for Richards’s movements when Hawkins was killed.”
