Steve Martini - 1988 - The Simeon Chamber by Steve Martini

Author:Steve Martini [Martini, Steve]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Behind the figure in the picture was an ancient wheelbarrow with steel-rim wheels and a Ford Model-A flatbed truck loaded with kegs of nails and other construction materials.

Off to the side were forms of freshly poured concrete with steel reinforcing bars protruding from the gray stew. The tail of the spider monkey nestled against Symington’s chest, wrapped serpent-like around the man’s arm.

Johnson turned and surveyed the room one last time. Perhaps the lawyer had the journal after all, or if he didn’t, he knew where it was.

He had just turned off the dusty dirt road leading from Arthur Symington’s and had gone about a quarter of a mile down the country road when George Johnson passed a sheriff’s patrol car traveling at high speed in the opposite direction, with its overhead lightbar flashing amber, red and blue. The patrol car used no siren. The man watched cautiously in his rearview mirror as the sheriff’s vehicle disappeared in the distance behind him.

By six in the evening Nick was able to relax at last. He had caught up with Sam and Jennifer at the inn and to his surprise Bogardus was not angry to see him. In fact the lawyer welcomed him with open arms, asking why he had not brought Carns along. It seemed Sam needed volunteers for some planned-but-z-yet-unstated venture, and Nick began to have second thoughts about his trip. Without pausing to ask questions he told Bogardus that Carns was in jail. A quick phone call to a friend at the city lock-up and Sam discovered that Jake Carns had been released on his own recognizance at noon that day.

They had dinner, Nick polishing off a healthy cut of prime rib. He nibbled on the last piece of French bread as Sam ate and Jennifer picked around the edges of her plate.

She had no appetite after the events of the day.

The twisted face of Arthur Symington, his bloodied body sprawled on the floor of the castle, was etched in her mind. It would be a long time, if ever, before she would forget it.

“I don’t know, Sam. I’m beginning to think Jennifer’s right. Maybe we should just turn the whole thing over to Fletcher and let the cops take care of it.”

Nick waited for her echo of support, but it never came.

“The two of you will have to decide what to do.” Her tone was glacial. It matched the ice in her eyes. Without explanation she had detached herself from the events of the last twenty-four hours.

“Excuse me.” She rose from the table and headed for the ladies room.

“What happened between the two of you?” Nick looked over at Sam.

“It’s just a case of nerves, I think. She’ll be all right in the morning.”

“After seeing Symington get skewered like a roast on a spit, I guess I can understand it,” said Nick. “But maybe she was right. Maybe this is a matter for the police.”

Bogardus ignored the suggestion. Nick asked the waiter for a menu to review the dessert selection.

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