Jonathan Kellerman - Alex Delaware 23 by Bones

Author:Bones [Bones]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2010-10-20T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 22

I took Beverly Boulevard west as Milo phoned Global Investment in Seattle.

Several underlings and one private banker later, he managed to cadge the fact that a Palisades-based service called Happy Hands cleaned both Vander houses on an as-needed basis.

“Who determines when it’s needed?” said Milo.

“How would I know that?” said the banker.

Click.

Milo glared at the phone, stashed it. “So Huck does control the process. My gut’s telling me he’s split. But like I said, going public is always a double edge. With Huck living under the radar from the time he got out of juvey until three years ago, putting on the pressure could get him burrowed deeper.”

I said, “Living underground can be an education.”

“What do you mean?”

“He may have been innocent of what put him in juvey, but the experience and what followed could’ve taught him nasty habits.”

“Strangulation and mutilation for fun and profit . . . How would a guy like that get in with the Vanders?”

“Maybe they’re kindhearted.”

“Gentle, nurturant rich folk.”

“It happens.”

“Think so?”

“You don’t?”

“I’m sure there are some like that, but I have to wonder if the kind of ego it takes to amass all that dough excludes kindness.”

“Ace Detective Vladimir Lenin.”

“Power to the people.” He thrust a clenched fist, had to bend his arm to avoid hitting the car’s headliner. “Drive to Moghul. All this failure is giving me an appetite.”

“You say the same thing about success.”

“Least I’m consistent.”

We stashed the car in the staff lot, walked to the restaurant. The room was buzzing; two long tables filled with white-collar co-workers and a corner booth occupied by Moe Reed and Liz Wilkinson.

The two of them sat closer together than required for business. Serving bowls were untouched. Reed had his jacket on, but he’d removed his tie, spread his collar. Liz Wilkinson’s unnetted hair was a wealth of glossy ringlets. A teal-blue dress worked well with her skin tone.

He smiled, she laughed. Their elbows bumped. They both laughed.

They saw us simultaneously, startled like kids caught playing doctor.

Reed shot to his feet. “Loo. Doc. Dr. Wilkinson’s got interesting stuff to tell us about those finger bones. ’Bout time we got something, huh?”

Jabbering fast. Liz Wilkinson stared up at him.

Milo eyed a plate of lamb. “I converted you to curry, Detective Reed?”

“She—Dr. Wilkinson likes it.”

Liz Wilkinson said, “It just so happens to be one of my favorite cuisines, so when Moses suggested it, I thought great. I’m adding this place to my list.”

“Join us,” Reed said, with more volume than necessary.

The bespectacled woman emerged from the rear of the restaurant. Today’s sari was blood red. The sight of Milo made her glow. She hurried back to the kitchen.

“She sure looks happy,” said Liz Wilkinson.

“He’s a good customer,” said Reed. “The lieutenant.”

Moments later, a platter of lobster arrived with a flourish.

Liz said, “Whoa, someone’s VIP. Thanks for letting us ride your coattail, Lieutenant.”

“Milo’s fine, Doctor. So what do you have for us?”

“We assembled the phalanges from the box and ended up with three complete sets. Given the dimensions of the left hands on all three of your buried victims, it was fairly easy to match everything up.

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