Long silence. “So now you’ve got a new bad guy.”
“Big bucks at stake—an executive type—would fit with the professional hit scenario. As well as leaving the bodies to be found. Warning off others. It would also explain the theft of Lauren’s computer records. In addition to Anita’s money, Irving’s got a top job at Duke Enterprises, and he’s part of a group that’s developing Paradise Cove. Lots at stake. Any way to find out if his name comes up in Gretchen’s case file?”
“And Dr. Dugger? No more sexy secrets?”
“I’m not abandoning him,” I said. “Just suggesting an alternative. And even if Dugger wasn’t directly involved in the murders, he could’ve set everything into motion, without intending to. By trying to get something going with Lauren—bringing her to the Duke estate. She and Irving came face-to-face—talk about a blast from the past—and she started leaning on Irving. That could explain Dugger’s strong reaction when we told him about Lauren’s death. He was surprised. But he’s also aware of his role in it—however unintentional. Suspects Irving. He can’t say a thing, because he doesn’t want to expose his family. So he claims innocence, cooperates up to a point, starts sweating when you get too close to his personal life.”
“All this from cyberspace. . . . And where does Shawna Yeager figure into this grand production?”
“That I don’t know. Unless Irving had something going with her too.”
“This guy gets around.”
“Maybe I’m totally off base,” I said, “but wouldn’t a look at the Gretchen files be a place to start?”
“The Gretchen files,” he said, “are a problem. The feds took over from the locals, they’re the ones who prosecuted her, they orchestrated the plea bargain. Throughout the whole thing, no customers’ names were ever exposed and, believe me, the papers tried to get hold of Gretchen’s files. That was the whole point of the deal. Protecting Johns in high places. Gretchen kept her mouth shut in return for a short sentence. I’ll call the U.S. attorney, but don’t get your hopes up. First, though, I need to find Andy Salander. His rabbit really bugs me. . . .”
“When did he leave?”
“Middle of the night, no notice, a month’s rent due, packed all his clothes, left the furniture behind. The landlord is not pleased and neither am I. Salander was the last person to see Lauren alive. With all due respect to your creative mind, wouldn’t it be a peach if this comes down to a stinking little roommate thing?”
“You really see Salander overpowering, trussing, and shooting Lauren in the head, then dumping her in the trash?” I said. “Doing the same to Michelle and Lance and burning their bodies?”
“Alex, I’ve been doing this too long to be surprised by anything. For all we know Michelle and Lance were shot because of something totally unrelated to Lauren.”
“And Jane?”
“Mel Abbot shot Jane, friend. That’s the way it’s going down, and I have nothing to say it shouldn’t. What I do have is Salander cutting out after he gave his word that he wouldn’t. I was just by The Cloisters. The manager said Salander didn’t show up for work yesterday or today, didn’t phone, which is a switch—he’s always been reliable. Something’s definitely not right.”
“Maybe he’s scared,” I said. “Knows something he shouldn’t. Jane Abbot’s death just hit the news. Maybe Salander figured he could find himself in the same situation and panicked. Because he knows what Jane knew.”
“What—Lauren has this big valuable secret and she tells everyone?”
“Lauren was a loner. And lonely. Salander made a point of telling me what a good listener he was. And perhaps Lauren didn’t tell him everything, merely hinted around, or gave him a partial story. Now that people are dying, he’s worried that’s enough.”
“Fine,” he said. “Maybe. But if he knows something, that’s all the more reason for me to go after him ASAP. The manager at the bar says he had an on-again, off-again boyfriend, and that’s the lead I’m chasing.”
“Could be on-again,” I said. “The first time I met Salander, he was waiting for someone to show up, implied it was a former flame, some sort of reconciliation. Who’s the boyfriend?”