The spot that „x“ marked was a patch of ground fifty yards from the spot Angelo Conti’s car had struck Paula Garcia’s. Appropriate. They found a marble marker inscribed with the names of Paula Garcia and her unborn son. Abe’s eyes stung as he looked at the names, feeling an empathy for Thomas Garcia mat the others couldn’t possibly understand. Heavy silence hung over the grave, broken only by the clang of shovels and an occasional word from one of Jack’s men.
„Ugh.“ Mia’s face twisted in disgust as Jack’s team brushed the dirt away from Conti’s face. What was left of it, anyway.
Julia grimaced. „Your boy lost it this time.“
The body was brought out of the shallow hole with care. Abe turned it gently, displaying a pattern of bruises across the lower back. „Tire iron?“
Julia knelt beside him. „Probably. I’ll have a better idea once I’ve cleaned him up.“
„Conti used a tire iron on Garcia,“ Mia said. „That part wasn’t made public.“
„More insider information,“ Abe muttered. „Wonderful.“
Julia was looking over the body, her brow furrowed in concern. „He went off on Conti, Abe. I haven’t seen a beating like this in a long time. Is he still watching Kristen?“
Abe’s lips thinned. „Yeah. And we still have nothing.“
Julia shrugged, her sigh vaporizing in the cold air. „Look on the bright side. He lost control. Maybe he wasn’t so careful about physical evidence he left behind.“ She gave a nod to her assistant who efficiently loaded the body into a bag and zipped it closed. „I finished the autopsy on Skinner last night. I found blood in his lungs.“
Mia huffed in frustration. „So it was like we thought.“
Julia nodded. „I got pictures of the depressions in Skinner’s skull to Jack this morning. He’s trying to match them up with the particular model of the vise. Skinner’s knees were shattered just like King’s, and the bullet hole to the head was postmortem.“ She pulled off her rubber gloves and pulled on warm leather ones. „Oh, and I was able to make a plaster cast of the ligature marks on Ramey’s throat. Jack’s got that, too.“
„Good work, Julia,“ Abe praised.
„Thanks. Just find this guy before he can send me any more business. I’ve got a date tonight with a three-year-old who doesn’t understand why Mommy has to cancel to cut up dead people.“ With a little wave she headed off.
Abe turned to Mia. „She’s got a kid?“
„A real cutie. Her husband left and she’s been a struggling single mom ever since.“
„That’s tough.“ Abe looked over at Jack, who was watching Julia giving instructions to her assistants as they loaded the body bag into the ME’s van. „And how does Jack factor in?“
„He doesn’t.“ Mia rolled her eyes. „It’s totally onesided.“ Her expression went sly. „Although I can’t say the same for someone else.“
To his own consternation, Abe felt his cheeks burn. „That’s enough, Mia. Let’s get some pictures of this scene. I – “
He was interrupted by a cry of alarm and spun around to see Julia being shoved against her car by a man with silver hair. „Shit,“ he hissed, taking off at a run. „It’s Jacob Conti.“
Jack was faster and was pulling Conti off Julia as Abe reached the car, Mia at his heels. „Get your hands off her,“ Jack snarled and Abe stepped between them.
„Cool it, Jack,“ Abe muttered and Jack stepped back, rage still making him shake. Abe turned to Conti, who stared at him with wild eyes. „This is a crime scene, Mr. Conti. I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to step back.“
„It’s his son, dammit.“ Another man stepped up, large and menacing.
Mia pulled out her notepad. „And you are, sir?“
„Drake Edwards. I’m Mr. Conti’s head of security. We want to see Angelo.“
Mia drew a breath. „We planned to inform you of your son’s death under other circumstances, Mr. Conti. Right now, I think it’s best that you don’t see him.“
Conti closed his eyes, his body sagging, and Drake Edwards put an arm around his shoulders for support. „Then it’s true?“ Edwards murmured. „It is Angelo?“
Mia nodded. „Yes, sir. We believe so.“
Conti’s eyes flew open. „You believe so? Why don’t you know so? You – “ His eyes widened further as the horror of reality struck him. „He did something to his face. You didn’t even recognize him.“ He lunged for the door of the ME van, but Edwards held him back, murmuring something in his ear that made Conti stop and visibly fight for control. It was a fascinating transformation. A moment later, a composed Conti turned to a still-ashen Julia and asked coolly, „When can we have his body? His mother will want to bury him.“
„When the ME is finished,“ Jack snapped, but Julia put a hand on his arm.
„I’ll do my best to complete my investigation with all speed, Mr. Conti,“ she said, her voice slightly trembling. „I’m very sorry for your loss.“
Conti nodded stiffly and turned away, still supported by his head of security.
„How did he know?“ Julia asked shakily. „How did he know it was Angelo?“
As Conti’s limo rolled away, Abe’s gaze fell on Zoe Richardson and her cameraman standing in the background, catching it all on tape. Without a moment’s hesitation she approached, her damn microphone in her hand.
„Our own little bird,“ Julia said quietly.
„Our bird’s a vulture,“ Abe responded caustically.
„Bitch,“ Jack snarled.
„God, she’s cold,“ Mia marveled.
Abe stepped forward, his gut churning with rage he knew he had to suppress. This woman had systematically moved events from bad to worse. „Miss Richardson, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to move along. This is a crime scene and you’re not allowed here.“
She ignored him. „Dr. VanderBeck, were you hurt by Mr. Conti’s attack?“
Julia gaped at Richardson as if she had three heads.
„No comment,“ Mia snapped and stepped in front of the camera. „You’ll leave now, Miss Richardson, or I’ll arrest you for interfering with our investigation.“
„But – “
„Now.“ Mia reached for her cuffs and the cameraman lowered his camera.
„We’re going,“ he said, glancing at Richardson from the corner of his eye.
Richardson looked furious. „We’re staying. You’re the ones interfering with my First Amendment rights. The people have a right to the news.“
„I said we’re going,“ said the cameraman and Zoe slowly turned, shock slackening her normally perfect features.
„I think you’re going,“ Abe said dryly.
Richardson looked at him, venom in her eyes. „By the way, where is Mayhew?“
„Out of your reach. Unless you’d like to surrender another tape, you should follow your cameraman’s direction.“ He watched her stomp away. „I really hate that woman.“
Julia straightened her coat. „I can see why. I’m going to the morgue where it’s quiet. I’ll call you if I find anything.“ She looked up at Jack. „Thank you,“ she said softly and drove away, leaving Jack red-faced.
„Maybe not so one-sided after all,“ Mia muttered with a grin. „When it rains it pours.“
Chapter Fourteen
Sunday, February 22,
5:30 p.m.
Sunday dinner at the Reagans’ was like being in the middle of a Kansas twister. Two televisions competed for mastery, a set in the living room tuned to some sport that had all the men present groaning in disgust. The second set was located in Mrs. Reagan’s kitchen and was tuned to QVC where their stock of pearl strands was almost gone. Mrs. Reagan herself bustled around the kitchen, mashing potatoes and checking her ham. Every peek into the oven sent a whiff of incredible aroma through the kitchen and Kristen’s stomach growled.
„It smells so good,“ Kristen said, sitting next to Rachel at the kitchen table where Rachel had laid a set of books and a small tape recorder in a semicircle.