colleagues. And, inevitably, some people envied his wealth. And some
felt he’d… wronged them on his climb up the ladder.”
“Had he wronged people?”
“Yes. A few. He was a driven man. But I strongly doubt that any of
his enemies are the type to take satisfaction from a revenge as
pointless and macabre as this.”
“He was not just driven,” Verdad said.
“Oh?”
“He was ruthless.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I’ve read about him,” Verdad said. “Ruthless.”
“All right, yes, perhaps. And difficult. I won’t deny it’
“Ruthlessness makes passionate enemies.
“You mean so passionate that body snatching would make sense?”
“Perhaps. I’ll need the names of his enemies, people who might have
reason to hold a grudge.”
“You can get that information from the people he worked with at
Geneplan,” she said.
“His company? But you’re his wife.”
“I knew very little about his business. He didn’t want me to know. He
had very strong opinions about…
my proper place. Besides, for the past year I’ve been separated from
him.”
Verdad looked surprised, but somehow Rachael sensed that he had already
done some background work and knew what she was telling him.
“Divorcing?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Bitter?”
“On his part, yes.
“So this explains it.”
“Explains whatW’ she asked.
“Your utter lack of grief.”
She had begun to suspect that Verdad was twice as dangerous as the
silent, motionless, watchful Hagerstrom.
Now she was sure of it.
“Dr. Lehen treated her abominably,” Benny said in her defense.
“I see,” Verdad said.
“She had no reason to grieve for him,” Benny said.
“I see.
Benny said, “You’re acting as if this is a murder case, for God’s sake.”
“Am I?” Verdad said.
“You’re treating her as if she’s a suspect.”
“Do you think so?” Verdad asked quietly.
“Dr. Leben was killed in a freak accident,” Benny said, “and if anyone
was at fault, it was Leben himself.”
“So we understand.”
“There were at least a dozen witnesses.”
“Are you Mrs. Leben’s attorney?” Verdad inquired.
“No, I told you” “Yes, the old friend,” Verdad said, making his point
subtly.
“If you were an attorney, Mr. Shadway,” Ronald Tescanet said, stepping
forward so quickly that his jowls trembled, “you’d understand why the
police have no choice but to pursue this unpleasant line of questioning.
They must, of course, consider the possibility that Dr. Leben’s body was
stolen to prevent an autopsy. To hide something.”
“How melodramatic,” Benny said scornfully.
“But conceivable. Which would mean that his death was not as
cut-and-dried as it appeared to be,” Tescanet said.
“Exactly,” Verdad said.
“Nonsense,” Benny said.
Rachael appreciated Benny’s determination to protect her honor. He was
unfailingly sweet and supportive. But she was willing to let Verdad and
Hagerstrorn regard her as a possible murderess or at least an accomplice
to murder. She was incapable of killing anyone, and Eric’s death was
entirely accidental, and in time that would be clear to the most
suspicious homicide detective. But while Hagerstrom and Verdad were
busy satisfying themselves on those points, they would not be free to
pursue other avenues of inquiry closer to the terrible truth. They were
in the process of dragging their own red hernng across the trail, and
she would not take offense at their misdirected suspicion as long as it
kept them baying after the wrong scent.
She said, “Lieutenant Verdad, surely the most logical explanation is
that, in spite of Dr. Kordell’s assertions, the body has simply been
misplaced.” Both the stork-thin medical examiner and Ronald Tescanet
protested. She quietly but firmly cut them off. “Or maybe it was kids
playing an elaborate joke. College kids. An initiation rite of some
sort. They’ve been known to do worse.
“I think I already know the answer to this question,” Benny said. “But
is it possible that Eric Leben was not dead after all? Could his
condition have been misjudged?
Is it possible that he walked out of here in a daze?”
“No, no, no!” Tescanet said, blanching and suddenly sweating in spite
of the cold air.
“Impossible,” Kordell said simultaneously. “I saw him.
Massive head injuries. No vital signs whatsoever.”
But this off-the-wall theory seemed to intrigue Verdad.
He said, “Didn’t Dr. Leben receive medical attention immediately after