The Stillness Broken: A Maxwell Graham Mystery Thriller (Maxwell Graham series Book 1) by Lawrence Falcetano

Author:Lawrence Falcetano [Falcetano, Lawrence]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lawrence Falcetano
Published: 2020-05-03T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

“And what means are ours for attaining the truth?

We shall find these means multiplying and gathering distinction as we proceed.”

Edgar Allan Poe—The Mystery of Marie Roget

Sandy lived on the top floor of a three-story garden apartment on Lindsey Street, not far from where I lived. Her rooms were more contemporary than mine but situated almost in the same way: A large living room, a small kitchenette, a bathroom, a long hallway, and one-bedroom at the rear.

I was in her living room, watching TV from her sofa, while she waited in the kitchen for the buttered popcorn to finish in the microwave.

“Ray is mixed up in bad business,” I said, “and Drew Flannery is in just as deep.”

“You’ll have to prove it,” she said.

“Briggs will have to prove it. I’m just trying to just find, Ray.”

I was watching Bogey in The Treasure of The Sierra Madre and Fred C. Dobbs had just gotten his head bashed in with a rock by a Mexican bandit. Sandy carried in a bowl of popcorn and two beers on a tray and set it on the coffee table, then sat beside me. We watched as Dobbs fell to the ground and a second bandit gave him a couple of whacks with a machete, finishing him off.

“The consequence of greed,” Sandy said.

“Huh?” I said, reaching for a handful of popcorn, without taking my eyes off the screen.

“Greed,” she repeated. “Dobbs had plenty of gold for himself, but still wanted more.”

“It’s one of the seven deadly sins,” I reminded.

The bandits were slicing open bags of gold dust, letting their contents dissipate in the wind. I cringed at their ignorance. As I stuffed some popcorn into my mouth, a few pieces slipped between my fingers and fell to the carpet.

“You’ll clean that up,” Sandy said.

“Sure, soon as the movie’s over,” I said.

She put her feet up on the coffee table and sat back with the bowl of popcorn on her lap.

As she scooped a handful for herself, several pieces fell onto the sofa cushion and bounced to the floor next to mine. She looked at me quickly, but I pretended not to notice.

“Why would Drew get mixed up in trafficking?” she said. “He’s got plenty of money.”

“And Dobbs had plenty of gold,” I said.

She gave that a thought and then said, “I guess that rules out Monica Flannery’s theory that her husband killed Ray out of jealousy. If he kills Ray, the operation stops.”

“Maybe he had another motive,” I said.

“For killing Ray?”

“It’s possible.”

“I guess,” she said. “And it’s also possible he’s on the run like Briggs said.”

I took a sip of beer, wiped my fingers on a napkin and went to the kitchen.

“Where are you going?” Sandy said.

“Recapping,” I said.

I took a pad and pencil from a drawer by the stove and sat at the table. I made a list of things I was sure of so far and numbered them consecutively. Then I made a list beside that of the things that were possibilities, but I couldn’t corroborate.

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