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Called me out? He’d have kicked my ass.
Then he smiled to himself.
Yeah, I wouldn’t put it past him to turn up as a ghost, complete with a glittery Pride suit.
The quiet hit him, and he became aware of being the focus of attention.
Dan pointed at him. “I think we need to work on our communication.”
Travers laughed. “Do yourselves a favor and don’t say stuff like that too often around here.” When Gary blinked, Travers bit back a smile. “You can’t hear yourselves, can you? You really are starting to sound like a married couple. Take it from someone with quite a few decades of married life under his belt. And as for why I wanted to see you….” He grabbed a folded copy of theBoston Heraldfrom on top of the filing cabinet and tossed it in front of them. “We made ink. Fortunately, this time it was the right kind.”
Dan peered at it. “Obviously not enough of the right kind for the front page.”
“So what did we do to merit being written about?” Gary opened the newspaper, searching for the article. “Ah,” he said before Travers could reply. “The painting.”
“It reads well. Thankfully the journalist—what’s his name again?”
Gary looked closer. “Jonathon Wilmer.” He recognized the name. Wilmer’s pieces were usually supportive of the Boston Police Department.
“Yeah, he doesn’t mention Senator Cain. Just talks about the painting being recovered and back on show at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. There’s a bit in it about Lori Dettweiler too. She’s the expert who handled its return, isn’t she?”
Gary gazed at the photo of the painting,Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, by Rembrandt. Goose bumps slid along the back of his neck. “This doesn’t do it justice, you know,” he said in a low voice. “So much more impressive when you’re standing in front of it.” There were moments when he understood Dan’s lost-for-words appreciation of it and the power it had held over Senator Cain.
Then he recalled the events set in motion by its acquisition, and a chill crawled over his skin.
Cheryl Somers died because the good Senator wanted to look at it on a daily basis. James Sebring died because he knew too much.
“It’s all going to come out sooner or later,” Dan said with a dejected sigh.
“Can’t hide a story like that for long.” Travers sat in his high-backed chair, elbows on the arms, fingers laced. “So… what’s next for Batman and Robin? Or do you prefer the Dynamic Duo?”
Gary jerked his head back. “Excuse me? Where did that come from?”
Travers chuckled. “I thought you hadn’t seen it. Our mystery cartoonist strikes again.” He shifted papers on his desk, then tugged a sheet out from under them. “I found this pinned to your office door this morning.”
Gary couldn’t resist. “This morning? And it already got buried?”
Travers glared. “Any more comments about my organizational skills would be ill-advised.” He glanced at the sheet before handing it to Dan. “Thatisyou dressed up as Batman, right?”
Gary gaped. “Hey, wait just one goddamn minute. Ifanyone’sgonna be Batman, it should be me.”
Dan smirked. “I don’t claim to be an eccentric billionaire, but I can live with this.” He grinned. “Personally, I like it. A short Batman. It’s cute.” He took one look at Gary’s face and burst into laughter. “For God’s sake, it’s just a drawing.” He shifted on his chair, all trace of mirth gone. “Why don’t you tell Lieutenant Travers what we’ve discovered? About Brad?”
Gary cleared his throat. “We made—well,Danmade—a bit of a breakthrough Saturday.” He told Travers about the charity ball and Dan’s revelation. “The ball’s organizer, Sean Nichols, was Brad’s boyfriend back in college. We called him yesterday morning and told him what we knew. He was horrified to think one of his former classmates could be Brad’s killer, but he sent us the list of everyone present.”
Travers cocked his head to one side. “I’m assuming there’s something you want from me.”
Gary nodded. “I’d like to give the list to Barry Davis, if that’s okay.”
“Our tech whiz kid?”
“Yeah.” Gary outlined his idea. “But he’d work on it on his own time, of course, and I’d pay him.”
Travers snorted. “Good luck with that. Barry’s good people. He won’t let you pay him.” He leaned back. “Yes, I can agree to that. I hope he turns something up.” Another smile. “So… what’s your next case to be?”
“We were trying to decide that when you called and asked to see us,” Dan remarked. “I’d like a really meaty case. Something to tax our brains.”
Travers laughed. “Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Porter.”
