‘The only real connection I can make is the last name and Ft. Lee.’
I then asked, ‘Do you think it’s possible the jungle boots once belonged to him?’
‘Well, they’re World War Two, and were tested here at Ft. Lee, which is where Luther Gault was stationed for most of his career. What would typically happen is soldiers, even some officers, would be asked to try out boots and other gear before any of it was sent to the boys in the trenches,’
‘What did Luther Gault do after the army?’
‘I don’t have any information on him after the army except that he died at the age of seventy-eight,’ He paused. ‘But it might interest you to know he was a career man. He retired with the rank of major general,’
‘And you had never heard of him before this?’
‘I didn’t say I’ve never heard of him,’ He paused. ‘I’m sure the army has quite a file on him if you could get your hands on it,’
‘Would it be possible for me to get a photograph?’
‘I have one on the computer – just your run-of-the-mill file photo,’
‘Can you fax it?’
He hesitated again. ‘Sure,’
I hung up as Rose walked in with yesterday’s autopsy protocols. I reviewed them and made corrections while I waited for the fax machine to ring. Momentarily, it did, and the black-and-white image of Luther Gault materialized in my office. He stood proudly in dark mess jacket and pants with gold piping and buttons, and satin lapels. The resemblance was there. Temple Gault had his eyes.
I called Wesley.
‘Temple Gault may have had an uncle in Seattle,’ I said. ‘He was a major general in the army,’
‘How did you find that out?’ he asked.
I did not like his coolness. ‘It doesn’t matter. What does is that I think we need to find out all we can about it,’
Wesley maintained his reserve. ‘How is it germane?’
I lost my temper. ‘How is anything germane when you’re trying to stop somebody like this? When you’ve got nothing, you look at everything,’
‘Sure, sure,’ he said. ‘It’s no problem, but we can’t schedule it just now. You too,’ He hung up.
I sat there stunned, my heart gripped by pain. Someone must have been in his office. Wesley had never hung up on me before. My paranoia got more inflamed as I went to find Lucy.
‘Hi,’ she said before I spoke from the doorway.
She could see my reflection in the monitor.
‘We’ve got to go,’ I said.
‘Why? Is it snowing again?’
‘No. The sun’s out.’
‘I’m almost finished here,’ she said, typing as she talked.
‘I need to get you and Janet back to Quantico.’
‘You need to call Grans,’ she said. ‘She’s feeling neglected.’
‘She is neglected and I feel guilty,’ I said.
Lucy turned around and looked at me as my pager went off.
‘Where is Janet?’ I asked.
‘I think she went downstairs.’
I pressed the display button and recognized Marino’s home number. ‘Well, you round her up and I’ll meet you downstairs in a minute.’
I returned to my office and this time shut the doors. When I called Marino, he sounded as if he were on amphetamines.
‘They’re gone,’ he said.
‘Who is?’
‘We found out where they was staying. The Hacienda Motel on US 1, that roach trap not too far from where you buy all your guns and ammo. That’s where that bitch took her girlfriend.’
‘What girlfriend?’ I still did not know what he was talking about. Then I remembered Jennifer. ‘Oh. The woman Carrie picked up at Rumors.’
‘Yo.’ He was so excited he sounded as if he had been on a Mayday. ‘Her name’s Apollonia and-‘
‘She’s alive?’ I interrupted.
‘Oh yeah. Carrie took her back to the motel and they partied.’
‘Who drove?’
‘Apollonia did.’
‘Did you find my van in the motel parking lot?’
‘Not when we hit the joint a little while ago. And the rooms were cleared out. It’s like they was never there.’
‘Then Carrie wasn’t in New York this past Tuesday,’ I said.
‘Nope. She was here partying while Gault was up there whacking Jimmy Davila. Then I’m thinking she got a place ready for him and probably helped intercept him wherever he was.’