“I know Deborah Harvey’s and Fred Cheney’s bodies were moved,” I was explaining. “And now I suspect I understand why.”
“I’m not sure I do,” he said. “So why don’t lay out for me one point at a time.”
“You and I got to the rest stop before anyone went through the Jeep,” I began. “And we didn’t see a jack of hearts on the dash, on a seat, or anywhere else.”
“Don’t mean the card wasn’t in the glove compartment or something, and the cops didn’t find it until after the dogs was finished sniffing.”
Setting the cruise control, he added, “If this card business is true. Like I said, it’s the first I’ve heard of it.”
“Let’s for the sake of argument assume it is true.”
“I’m listening.”
“Wesley arrived at the rest stop after we did, so he didn’t see a card, either. Later, the Jeep was searched by the police, and you can be sure that Wesley was either on hand or he called Morrell and wanted to know what was found. If there was no sign of a jack of hearts, and I’m willing to bet that’s the case, this had to have thrown Wesley a curve. His next thought may have been that either Deborah’s and Fred’s disappearance was unrelated to the other couples’ disappearances and yon you it deaths, or else if Deborah and Fred were already dead; then it was possible that this time a card may have beets, left at the scene, left with the bodies.”
“And you’re thinking this was why their bodies was moved before you got there. “Because the cops was looking for the card.”
“Or Benton was. Yes, that’s what I’m considering.
Otherwise it doesn’t make much sense to me. Ben and the police know not to touch a body before the medical examiner arrives. But Benton also wouldn’t want to take the chance that a jack of hearts might come into the morgue with the bodies. He wouldn’t want me anyone else to find it or know about it.”
‘ “Then it would make more sense for him to just tell t to keep our mouths shut instead of him screwing around: with the scene,” Marino argued. “It’s not like he was out there in the woods alone. There was other cops around:” They would have noticed if Benton found a card.”
“Obviously,” I said. “But he would also realize that the fewer people who know, the better. And if I found a playing card among Deborah’s or Fred’s personal effects that would go into my written report. Commonwealth attorneys, members of my staff, families, insurance companies – other people are going to see the autopsy reports eventually.”
“Okay, okay.”
Marino was getting impatient. “But so what? I mean, what’s the big deal?”
“I don’t know. But if what Abby’s implying is true;’ these cards turning up must be a very big deal to “No offense, Doc, but I never liked Abby Turnbull worth a damn. Not when she was working in Richmond, and I sure as hell don’t think better of her now that she’s at the Post.”
“I’ve never known her to lie,” I said.
“Yeah. You’ve never known it.”
“The detective in Gloucester mentioned playing cards in a transcript I read.”
“And maybe that’s where Abby picked up the ball. Now she’s running around the block with it. Making assumptions. Hoping. All she gives a shit about is writing her book.”
“She’s not herself right now. She’s frightened, angry, but I don’t agree with you about her character.”
“Right,” he said. “She comes to Richmond, acts like your long-lost friend. Says she don’t want nothing from you. Next thing, you have to read the New York Times to find out she’s writing a friggin’ book about these cases. Oh, yeah. She’s a real friend, Doc.”
I shut my eyes and listened to a country-music song playing softly on the radio. Sunlight breaking through the windshield was warm on my lap, and the early hour I had gotten out of bed hit me like a stiff drink. I dozed off. When I came to, we were bumping slowly along an unpaved road out in the middle of nowhere.