Bayard said, “Who wouldn’t?”
Poppy’s attention was fixed on Fritz. “Answer the question. I’m really curious.”
“Why would anyone kill him? To keep him quiet,” Fritz said.
“About what?”
“That’s just it. If he had something on you, killing him would be the only way you’d ever be safe.”
Iris said, “What do you mean, ‘if he had something on you’? What kind of something?”
Fritz said, “Like, suppose you were into kiddy porn and he found out. Maybe you’re up for a great job that requires a background check. Austin would expose you just for the hell of it. He had something on just about everyone.”
Poppy said, “We all have secrets. So what else is new?”
Fritz piped up. “I know what he had on Bayard.”
Bayard snorted. “Me? Great. Now you’re going to tell my secrets?”
“Give me a dollar and I won’t,” Fritz said, and then he pointed at Bayard and cackled. “You ought to see the look on your face!” His laughter was forced, as though he recognized his humor had bombed again. The general tenor of the gathering had soured.
Bayard shook his head. “You just can’t give it up, can you?”
“Your problem is you can’t take a joke.”
“You’re the one with problems,” Poppy said, “not the rest of us.”
Bayard said, “Good point. How do you know Austin’s not the one who sent that anonymous note to your parents? If anyone knew how dangerous the tape was, he did.”
Poppy’s tone was skeptical. “What are you saying? He goes around blackmailing people? That’s farfetched.”
“I can see his point,” Joey said, coming to Bayard’s defense. “What’s he living on? He’s gotta have money. Dude can’t hold down a job. He’s on the run, always looking over his shoulder in case someone’s spotted him and knows who he is.”
“Oh, please. You think he’s blackmailing the McCabes? Even Austin isn’t that devious,” Iris said.
“Yes he is,” Bayard said.
“Or was, if I’m right about him being . . .” Fritz ran a finger across his throat.
Poppy raised a hand. “You are so full of shit. If someone killed him, where’s the body?”
Iris said, “That’s easy. Dump him in the ocean. Biggest graveyard in the world.”
“Good idea. Feed him to the sharks,” Bayard remarked. “That would eliminate any telltale evidence.”
Fritz said, “I know the perfect place.”
“Where’s that?” Bayard asked.
“I’ll show you sometime,” he said. “Anyway, I didn’t claim it happened here in town. It could have been anywhere. I mean, how long has he been gone?”
Bayard said, “Not long enough. If we’re lucky, he ran into someone who wouldn’t put up with his arrogance.”
Poppy said, “Nope. Don’t buy it.”
Fritz said, “I’m not trying to talk you into anything. I’m just giving you my opinion.”
Bayard said, “You better hope he’s dead, Fritzer-boy. You’re the one who snitched. If he comes back, he’ll be out for blood. Namely yours.”
“What about you? You testified against him in court.”
“He doesn’t know that. He’d flown the coop by then.”
“He might still have friends here. Suppose somebody leaked information?”
“Now you’re talking like he’s alive. So which is it?”
Fritz said, “How come you’re on my case all the time?”
“Because you’re a pain in the ass.”
Iris got to her feet and pulled on the short cotton robe she was using as a coverall. “Well, folks. Fun as it is to sit and listen to you bicker, I’m out of here.” She gathered up their towels and swim paraphernalia.
Joey stood as well and slipped his feet back into his flip-flops.
Poppy put a towel over her shoulders and found her sunglasses. “I better get back myself. I have things to do, but thanks, Bayard. This was fun.”
“Hey, come on,” Bayard said. “Don’t everybody leave at once.”
“Thanks, man,” Joey said. “Appreciate the invitation.” He and Bayard shook hands.
As the three of them gathered their belongings, Bayard looked down at Fritz, who was still treading water. “Aren’t you wanted somewhere else?”
“Not me. I’m free as a bird.”
“Well, I’m not,” Bayard said.
“There you go again . . .”
Bayard closed his eyes briefly, adjusting his attitude. “You’re right. I’m a dick. Hell, you might as well stay for lunch. Ellis can rustle us up some sandwiches.”
“How am I supposed to get home?” Fritz asked.
“I’ll drop you off at your place. I have errands to run anyway.”
Fritz brightened. “Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously,” Bayard said. He turned back to the others. “Come on. I’ll walk you guys out.”
The four of them—Bayard, Poppy, Joey, and Iris—straggled through the patio doors and then crossed the living room. Fritz dog-paddled over to the side and lifted himself onto the edge of the pool.
? ? ?
In the car on the way down the drive, Joey said, “What did you think of that discussion about Austin?”
“Being dead or alive? I don’t know how you could prove it one way or the other. What’s your take on it?”
“Beats me. I never even knew the guy. Here’s what occurred to me. If we were clever, we’d create a diversion.”
Iris looked over at him. “Like what?”
“We need a shadow suspect. A stand-in for the blackmailer. Someone other than us.”
“Nobody thinks it’s us.”
“I’m saying we conjure a boogeyman. That way, our fearless girl detective can forget everything else and chase after him.”
“Who’d you have in mind?”
“Who’s the obvious candidate?”
She looked at him for a moment. “Austin.”
“There you go,” he said.
“Why do anything?”
“Because Fritz has gotten complacent.”
“No he hasn’t. He’s scared shitless, crying in his beer because his mommy and daddy won’t pay up.”
“Yeah, but what’s he doing about it? Fuck all. We need to remind him how much trouble he’s in.”
“Ha. Like he doesn’t know that already.”
“I’m saying reinforce the threat. Put the squeeze on him. I’ve been thinking about it and I have it all worked out. We call and leave Fritz a message on the answering machine—”
Iris interrupted. “How do you know he won’t pick up? Or his parents?”
“If they do, I hang up and try again another time. When I get the machine, I can make it sound like it’s Austin. ‘This is a voice from your past. I’m tired of screwing around. You either get the money or else.’ Something to that effect. Fritz just said if Austin were alive, he’d be in touch. He hears that message and he’ll assume it’s him. Those recordings distort voices anyway, so that will work to our advantage. I’ll give him instructions for where to deliver the money and then we’ll get this show on the road.”
Iris said, “There’s no point telling him where to deliver the money when he doesn’t have it.”
“This is to light a fire under his butt. Get him motivated. Otherwise, what’s his incentive for doing anything?”
“Come on, Joey. What’s he supposed to do? It’s obvious his opinion carries no weight with his mom and dad.”