Death Qualified - a Mystery of Chaos by Kate Wilhelm

Author:Kate Wilhelm
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
ISBN: 9781551668727
Publisher: Mira Books
Published: 1991-01-01T06:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-TWO

“SHE’S INTERESTED,” BAILEY said cheerfully a little later.

Frank handed him a glass filled to the brim with mostly scotch. How such a little man could drink so much with no apparent effects was a mystery to Barbara. Funny metabolism, she had decided a long time ago, but was no more satisfied with that explanation now than she had been then. And he ran marathons! A single ice cube looked lonesome in the drink; the trickle of melting water was not enough to change the color. “We’re holding all conferences in the kitchen,” Frank said. “Because I’m cooking. Shoot.”

Bailey cast a speculative glance at Mike, whom he had just met.

“He’s one of the gang,” Barbara said. Mike looked so much at home in that kitchen that it was as if he always had been there, had always been part of the gang.

Bailey shrugged. “If you say so. I got the tracker, Roy Whitehorse, to call her, and he played it just fine. He heard she was looking for something and he had found something, only not papers. Then he clammed up. She wanted a number, and thirty seconds later called him back. Cagey. Wanted to make sure the call was coming from Redmond, where he lives, not from this side of the mountain. Anyway, he wouldn’t say another word , and she said very little, very, very little. She’ll be in touch.”

Mike was looking totally bewildered. Barbara grinned at him. “We need to get her in the state to serve the subpoena. And she did lose something. She’ll find out that her testimony was presented and think she’s in the clear by now. I hope. Go on,” she said, turning back to Bailey.

He consulted his notes. “This Kendricks pulled a vanishing act back in 1982, and not a trace of him turned up again until he walked into that Denver store back in June and bought the computer with cash.”

Barbara made a sound, then said, “Never mind. It’ll keep.”

Bailey grunted. “Whatever. Anyway. Car bought in Denver September 1980, co-signed by Nell Kendricks through the mail, four-year loan. Paid off with a cashier’s check November 16, 1982. Insurance canceled about the same time. Registration expired the last of December, same year. Nineteen thousand miles on it.” ‘

Barbara narrowed her eyes in thought. “November 1982. Isn’t that when Emil Frobisher was killed?”

“Yep. November fourteenth.” Bailey glanced over his notes again. “Here’s the whole of it. Kendricks was registered in the graduate housing unit that fall, special assistant to Dr. Emil Frobisher. In November his telephone was disconnected, his car was paid off, and he closed out his checking account. Little over four thousand in it. In January his apartment was registered as being occupied by a Tom Mann, or Manning. It’s down both ways. No forwarding address was recorded for Lucas Kendricks, and Tom Mann didn’t have a telephone, or anything else that I can find. He lived in the apartment until June, under the special care of Dr. Ruth Brandywine. His occupation was listed as maintenance personnel.

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