Decker 11 by Faye Kellerman

Author:Faye Kellerman [Kellerman, Faye]
Format: epub
Publisher: Unknown
Published: 2010-02-17T08:11:05+00:00

'Don't fuck with me.'

'Well then I'd say he got his point across pretty damn good. So you gonna grill Pluto?'

'Yep.'

'The boy impresses me as a harmless fool.'

'Perhaps.' Decker ran his hand through limp hair. 'So you never met Nova... the man in the cabinet. He's been up here before. He takes eggs and chickens down to the Order.'

'Well, I've never seen him. Not that I recall.'

Decker finished off his cigarette. 'Did you ever meet Jupiter?'

'A couple of times.'

'What was he like?'

'Friendly feller. Looked you straight in the eye when he talked. And damn could he talk - mostly about the stars and the planets. Some of it was over my head, but he seemed to know what he was saying. Benton told me he was a famous scientist once '

'Once.'

'Benton also told me that Jupiter was in the process of inventing a time machine. 'Course I didn't give that much thought. You gotta take Benton with a grain of salt.'

Decker took it all in. 'Interesting.'

'Is that possible? A time machine?'

'I don't know. Time machines had been one of Jupiter's pet projects back when he was Emil Ganz, the renowned scientist. His crazy ideas caused him lots of ridicule. Then he suddenly disappeared for ten years. When he returned, he was reincarnated as Father Jupiter the spiritual leader of the Order of the Rings of God. When did Benton tell you about Jupiter's time machine?'

'Mebbe six months ago.' Johannsen crushed out his cigarette. 'I dropped by the place during one of my usual passes. The two of them had the telescope out. Matter of fact, Jupiter showed me the planet Jupiter. It was out back then.'

'And this all took place about six months ago?'

The sergeant nodded. 'Could be Jupiter was returning to his old passion.'

'Seems like it.' Decker thought a moment. 'Not that I see any direct connection between time machines and Nova's corpse in the cupboard.'

'Sir, this is beyond my ken.' Johannsen donned his hat. 'Look, Lieutenant. You come up here, you give me a call. You act real respectful. You share your cigarettes and talk to me like we're buddies. I appreciate it. But we both know I'm not equipped to handle a full-scale homicide investigation. Which this is.'

Decker waited.

Johannsen popped a stick of gum into his mouth. 'I know I'm in charge. Which means I could do two things. I could call up Bakersfield which I would do if there was no history. But since there is a history, I might as well give it to you. Do what you slickers do. Bring in your men and your techs and all your people. I won't get territorial.'

'You're a gentleman, Sergeant.'

'Just smart enough to know what I can and cain't do.'

'Fortuitous that you should call.'

After having removed Nova's head and the limbs from the cabinet, Deputy Coroner Judy Little worked on liberating the torso, moving slowly and meticulously. The heat had caused the stump to swell in its habitat, making its removal without tissue damage a tedious process. Dr Little wore a mask.

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