Daddy's Little Killer

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 

I breathed a sigh of relief when I stepped out of the house. Orion was nowhere in sight. Perhaps he had shifted his ability to charm to his former brethren and convinced them to let him go. Briscoe was still engaged in a neck-vein-popping argument on the front lawn. I hadn't seen Conall since the rental agency. 

Through the pockets of fog and flashing lights, I caught a glimpse of him beside one of the patrol cars. One hand propped on his hip, the other raked through his hair and took a wild swipe in the direction of the car.

The plan was to slip as quietly as possible back to my rental. I forgot about Detective Pigpen guarding the door. His withered fingers snaked around my wrist. "Where you goin', Eriksson?"

It didn't take much to break the feeble grasp. "To my hotel, not that it's any of your concern. I'll meet with Commissioner Hardy later this morning and give him my assessment."

Myre snapped his fingers. "Just like that, you think you got this whole thing figured out? Well, you're too late, doctor. Central already solved this one."

As a general rule, I try not to make snap judgments of others. You never know when someone will be an unexpected ally. Alienation slams that door shut. Regarding Myre and his lackadaisical posture at a horrific crime scene stripped away any desire to keep doors open. Curiosity prompted my response. "And just who committed the crime inside, Myre?"

"The perp in the back of Haverston's car." He jerked his head in the direction of uniformed officers and Detective Conall. "Johnny Orion. We finally got the bastard after all these years."

So much for my relief. I walked to the vehicle where the so-called perp was being held.

"Detective Conall, what's the status of the prisoner?"

One of the uniformed officers shot Conall a smug grin at my question, as if I had validated his actions somehow.

"Beyond wrongly accused?" 

Again, Conall's eyes screamed something just out of the reach of tangibility. Under other circumstances, such creepy stares would make me wonder if the irate detective was hitting on me. But this didn't even come close to that vibe. It made my skin crawl. Did I know him from somewhere? Not even a glimmer of recognition flashed.

"Yes, I'm listening, detective," the lie rolled easily past my lips. I turned my attention to the officer. Name badge read Haverston. "Officer Haverston, did you read Mr. Orion his rights?"

"Yep. He said he doesn't have anything to say until he gets his attorney."

"He'll talk to me." I yanked the back door of the car open and slid inside. 

Orion's head was in his hands, cuffed together at the wrists. He looked sideways and groaned.

"We meet again, Todd."

"Why were those men trying to abduct you, Helen?"

"I prefer doctor if you don't mind." I didn't, but we'd already established a pattern of lying. I saw no reason to break it. "And in case you're curious why I'm here, I need to ask you a few questions about the body inside that house."

"And I asked for a lawyer."

"Cut the crap, Orion. When did you get back to Darkwater Bay? For that matter, when did you really leave Washington D.C.?"

"What difference does it make?"

"Depending on the victim's time of death, it could be the difference between your alibi passing muster and this charge sticking. Geez, all I've heard from your pals is what a great cop you were. I'm not seeing that so far."