“You’re lucky he didn’t have his shotgun with him.”
“Yeah, well, he said if anybody tried to bash his head in, they’d get both barrels in their face for the trouble.”
“What can you tell me?” asked Decker.
“Care to step outside?” said Lassiter.
They went back out on the porch and Decker turned to face them.
Green said, “He’s been dead since around midnight last night.”
“Forced entry?”
“No sign of that. An elderly friend came over to check on him when he didn’t show up for a church meeting and they couldn’t reach him on the phone. She found him in the kitchen.”
“How’d she get in?”
Green said, “She had a key. We checked her out, she’s what she claims to be.”
Decker said. “A uniform told me there was blunt force trauma to the head?”
“Correct,” said Lassiter.
“Murder weapon?”
“Didn’t find one. Perp probably took it with him.”
“And no one saw anything?”
“Well, there were only two other people on the street. Martin and Ross. Both were probably in bed at midnight.”
“How about the DEA agent across the street?” asked Decker.
Green said, “Kemper lifted that surveillance yesterday. They finished processing that scene and the one next door where you shot Brian Collins. We don’t have the manpower to keep a guy idle like that. So there was no one on patrol duty.”
Lassiter said, “The killer must’ve been watching and knew there was no cop present. Then he goes and does the deed.”
Green said, “But why the old blind guy? Why would anyone target him? He couldn’t have seen anything.”
“But he could hear things,” said Decker. “He knew there wasn’t a plane flying over that night. It was his suggestion that it might have been a drone.”
Green popped some gum into his mouth. “Donna mentioned your theory about that. You think he might have told someone else what he told you? And that person might have killed him?”
“It’s possible. I can’t think of another reason why someone would want to murder him. He’s not the sort who would have a lot of enemies. Was there any sign of robbery?”
“No. I don’t think he had much to steal.”
“When I went there to interview him Bond had to open three door locks. I don’t think he would have left his door open.”
“So someone had a key,” said Lassiter.
“Or he knew his killer and let the person in,” noted Decker. “And based on my experience with Bond, at that time of night, that would take a lot of trust.”
Green snapped, “Are you making any sense out of this?”
“Not yet.”
Green pulled his badge off his belt and threw it down on the porch.
“Why the hell do I even wear this thing if I can’t protect my town?”
Decker bent down, picked up the badge, examined it to make sure it wasn’t dented, and handed it back to Green. “We’re going to get there, Detective,” he said.
“How can you be so sure?” asked Lassiter.
“Because in our line of work, failure is not an option,” replied Decker.
Chapter 50
DECKER WAS SITTING at the table in the Mitchells’ kitchen two days after the funeral.
He’d smoothed out the copies he’d made of the letters he’d found in Stanley Nottingham’s locker back at the senior living center in New Jersey and placed them on the table. There were several of them, but none seemed to contain any information pertaining to a hidden treasure.
He looked at one of them for the fifth time.
Dear Samuel,
I know that things have been estranged between us and that we have not communicated in a long while. But I’m taking up my pen now because I miss you, son. I wish you had not abandoned Baronville, but I know you have your own life to lead. I realize you were never enamored with Master Baron but he treats me very well. Just last year we went on a long journey that included a months-long trek across Australia. He chartered a private ship for our trip, and though the voyage was long, it was fascinating. Though many of the countries that we visited previously were truly unique and fascinating in many ways, I have never seen such a place as Australia in all my life. We toured through the coastal cities, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, and the acting capital of Melbourne. I heard they are thinking of a new capital at a place called Canberra. We also visited Geelong, Toowoomba, Kalgoorlie, Ballarat, Moliagul, and a dozen other places with equally fanciful names. We saw aborigines, as well as kangaroo and emu, wombats and kookaburras and other wildlife I could never imagine even existed. One of our guides killed a serpent three times as tall as I am. There are grand coral reefs and water that is so clear you can see to the bottom. There are vast mountain ranges and dense rain forests along with massive deserts. The interior of the country, called the outback, is beyond description. It makes England seem a bit dull by comparison, though I am proud to say it is still very much part of the British empire. I believe even the mighty Baron, who is mostly focused on business, relaxed and enjoyed himself. However, I am sad to report that upon our return Master Baron began to feel unwell. I believe the arduous journey was too taxing on him. It is now nearly a year after our return and his robustness has failed to return. He attempts to remain strong but I know him better than anyone else, and I can tell that he is failing. Once he goes, I don’t know what will happen here. He is not enamored with his children, none of whom have his business acumen. He has done so much for them and yet they really are the most ungrateful lot. And, son, to tell the truth, your father is not feeling all that well either. My bones are creaking and my lungs are heavy. I trust that you and the children are doing well. I hope to see you before I’m gone. If not, come and visit my remains, and though hopefully I will be dwelling in a place far above you, one never knows, does one? I might be lurking below. It’s all in God’s hands and I bow to his forgiveness.
Yours truly,
Nigel
Decker put the letter aside. If there was a clue in there he wasn’t seeing it. It was a bit pathetic how Nigel seemed to worship Baron solely because he was wealthy. But then again, lots of people still did that to this day. And Nigel had not been far off the mark about both men’s failing health. The letter was dated only six weeks prior to his and Baron’s deaths.
He looked up when Jamison walked into the room.
She sat down across from him and glanced at the letters.
“Find anything relevant?” she asked.
He shook his head and leaned back in his chair. “How are Zoe and your sister?”
“I think it was a good idea to take Zoe back to school today. She needs structure to keep her mind off what happened. I’ll pick her up later. Amber is at the bank going over some financial things. And she called that lawyer Ted Ross recommended. He’s coming here to meet with her.”
“Good. She needs to make Maxus reach into their deep pockets and pay.”
“I told her that too, and not to sign anything they might send her. And Frank also had life insurance. A half-million-dollar policy, so that will help too. From what she said, it’ll be paid out pretty shortly.”
“Did he have that through work?”
“I think so, yes.”
Decker nodded and looked down at the letters.
“Any idea why Dan Bond might have been killed?” she asked.
“Because of something he might have known about what happened that night.”
“Not something he saw, then, but something he heard?”
Decker nodded. “I did confirm that Fred Ross was at the hospital that night getting checked out. So whatever Bond heard, it had nothing to do with him.”
“Do you think Alice Martin might be targeted next? Whoever killed Bond might be afraid she saw or heard something too.”
“Which is why I asked Green to have a patrol car make regular rounds down her street for now.”
“Good plan,” said Jamison.
Decker rose.
“Where are you going?”
“To the Baronville Historical Society.”
“Everyone left this morning to go back home. You want company?”
“Good to have you back, partner.”
*