The Man Who Wasn't All There by David Handler (book recommendations website TXT) 📕

immense wealth. Meaning that he, Michael, would be the killer’s next victim. Does that sound to you like a man who was raring to cut his security detail loose and leave his front gate unlocked?’

‘Far from it.’ He frowned. ‘Something must have changed his mind.’

‘Or someone. You were telling me about Connie Pike.’

‘Correct. She parked her Nissan Sentra in the circular drive, unlocked the front door and—’

‘Not the kitchen door?’

‘I wondered about that, too. She said Michael permitted her to come and go by the front door because the kitchen door is all the way around in back, it’s still dark out at that hour and she’s afraid of being attacked by a wild animal. There are coyotes around here, bobcats … I guess I don’t have to tell you that.’

‘No, you don’t,’ I said as Lulu made sour, unhappy noises.

‘She found him right there on the floor in the entry hall under the chandelier, in his flannel pajamas and old, threadbare flannel robe. He was lying on his back in a pool of congealed blood. A whole lot of blood. He was covered with it. His throat had been cut from ear to ear, just like his brother’s. Connie kept her wits about her and called nine-one-one. Jim Conley was there in ten minutes along with two state troopers from Troop F to cordon off the street.’

‘Was the chandelier on or off when Connie arrived?’

‘On. Why are you asking?’

‘Just trying to get a complete picture. Does Annabeth McKenna know about this yet?’

Tedone nodded. ‘Phoned her right after I phoned you.’

‘Did she have anything to say?’

‘She got quiet for a very long time, actually.’

‘And then …?’

‘And then she said, “After all of those years of being tormented by Austin he was only allowed to experience one day of peace. How sad.”’

‘It is sad,’ I said as we climbed Mitchell Hill Road, which was in a very steep, remote section of Lyme where not many people lived. We arrived at the state police roadblock and passed through it, Michael’s house looming there before us. It was a huge brick manor house built on at least ten acres of land and surrounded by a high wall topped with razor wire. As we went through the gate I noticed that the lush green lawn was uncommonly free of fallen leaves for late October. A leaf-blowing crew must have been there yesterday afternoon.

Sergeant Ang Bartucca was there when we pulled in, as was the M.E. and two crime scene vans. Also a silver Crown Vic cruiser with a uniformed trooper seated behind the wheel. Behind him, in the back seat, were Deputy Superintendent Buck Mitry and Colin Fielding, the governor’s special envoy. I was curious what they were doing there. Almost as curious as I was to know why Tedone wanted me there with him. Had he come to enjoy my company? That seemed plausible, all except for the no way part. Did he find my keen insights helpful? Again, no way. So what was I doing there?

Tedone rolled down his window as Sergeant Bartucca approached us. ‘Morning, Loo. Hey, Mr Hoag. The M.E. thinks the victim’s been there at least ten hours, based on his body temperature and the extent of rigor.’

‘Any sign of a break-in?’

‘None that we can find. And the place hasn’t been ransacked. We asked Connie, the housekeeper, to walk us through it, room by room. She doesn’t think anything’s been so much as touched. There’s a safe in his office, but it wasn’t opened and Connie doesn’t know the combination. We’ll have to get one of our people out here to open it.’

‘Something tells me that robbery’s not what this was about,’ Tedone said.

‘I’m with you, Loo, especially because Connie said he didn’t keep any valuables in the house. Didn’t collect rare stamps or coins. There are no paintings missing from the walls. The man wore a Timex watch. His wallet was on his bedroom dresser. Had twenty-three dollars in cash and a couple of credit cards in it. Kind of weird, you ask me. The man owned a castle but you walk inside and …’

‘And what, Ang?’

‘He lived like a school teacher.’

‘Have you spoken to his ex-Green Berets?’

‘Just got off of the phone with Joaquin. He told me Michael gave each of them a limp handshake, a five-thousand-dollar bonus and a toot in New Orleans, which is where they’ve been since yesterday morning. Michael booked first-class airline tickets and hotel suites for each of them. I don’t see any way they’re involved in this, Loo. Besides, Joaquin told me they all liked the guy. They thought he was very polite. Didn’t treat them like chumps.’

‘Who employs them?’

‘A private security outfit in Bethesda. They’ll return there in a few days and await their next assignment. They protect politicians, international business titans, Arab sheiks. Work overseas a lot.’

‘Do they usually work together?’

‘No. Joaquin said this was the first time they’d teamed up.’

‘What about Pinkie?’ I asked.

‘His trainer flew up from Baltimore to Hartford, rented a van and is driving him home,’ Sergeant Bartucca answered me.

‘He doesn’t like his dogs to fly?’

‘No, he has a girlfriend in Allentown.’

‘The trainer or Pinkie?’

Tedone glared at me. ‘Do you mind? Trying to work here.’ Again, I wondered why he’d wanted me to come along. ‘Anything else, Ang?’

‘I’m supposed to tell you that Deputy Superintendent Mitry and the governor’s man want to see you when it’s convenient. Both of you.’

‘Both of us?’ I said.

‘That’s what I was told.’

‘How did they know I’d be coming?’

‘Because I was ordered to bring you,’ Tedone answered irritably.

‘Oh. And here I thought we were male bonding.’

‘Guess again. Thanks, Ang.’

‘You got it, Loo.’ He went loping back toward the house.

We remained in Tedone’s cruiser. ‘So whoever killed him must have visited him late last night,’ he mused aloud. ‘The killer knew he’d be alone. We can check to see if Michael got any phone calls. My guess is the killer just showed up unannounced and rang the bell.’

‘Why do you say