“Like what?”
McNeal stared at his headstrong brother longer than he wished to.
Peter flushed, embarrassed. “Jack, I love you, I didn’t mean any disrespect. Not at this time. Not ever. But why would the Secret Service be so prominently involved in this?”
“Well, for starters, the Diplomatic Security guys are involved because of her hard pass. Secret Service is there because her laptops were stolen.”
“Jack, listen to me. This is all very, very bizarre.”
“I know it is. I know how it looks. Better than anyone.”
Jack’s father said, “You know how long I was a cop?”
“A long time.”
“Too goddamn long. Forty years. Who serves forty years these days? No one. They wait until twenty and they’re done. But I’m telling you this, and I don’t have the fancy degree you’ve got, but I can tell you something is not right here. The way it came about. You being interviewed. Taken in the middle of the night to speak to the Secret Service officer in Brooklyn? You, as a suspect? I mean, what the hell?”
“I know exactly how this looks. I feel the same.”
“Question is, son, what are you going to do about it? As a family, we need answers. You need answers.”
McNeal agreed with both his father and brother. He knew something was wrong. The whole thing felt wrong. It was the nature of her death, the secrecy, the air of unreality. He sensed shadowy forces were at work. It was almost as if the chain of events had been carefully choreographed. But maybe he was just dwelling on the tragic and unforeseeable death of his beloved wife. Was he seeing things that weren’t there, magnifying heartfelt loss in an attempt to understand the shocking nature of events? Was that it? “I’ll get answers. But in my own time. I’m still pretty raw.”
“I know you are,” Peter said. “Listen, I know a guy down in DC. He might be able to find out more.”
“What are you saying?”
“I know people.”
“Not now. It’s important we don’t let our emotions, which are running high, carry us away.”
“I don’t mean do anything illegal.”
“You know what I do, Peter. I can’t overstep, not in my line of work. I need to operate strictly according to rules, jurisdiction, and the law.”
His father said, “I understand, son. I think Peter just wants to help you. You know we’d do anything for you. We all loved Caroline.”
McNeal smelled the distinct peaty aroma of the rare scotch in the tumbler. It brought back memories of a trip to the highlands of Scotland. A few trips to distilleries. The Isle of Skye. It was like a lifetime ago. The rain in their faces. The low clouds hanging around the Cuillin, an otherworldly mountain range. It was there, in a small cottage they had rented, where Patrick was conceived.
Peter said, “So, what do you suggest? That we just sit back and accept that we don’t know how your wife died?”
Jack slammed his hand down hard on the side of the armchair. “That’s enough! What is wrong with you?”
“What’s wrong with me? What the hell are you talking about? I’m just asking if we should just accept this bullshit version of events.”
“I’m accepting nothing. But I do things my way.”
“I’m out of line. Sorry. I had no right to say that.”
“You don’t have to apologize. I’m having trouble accepting that Caroline would kill herself. But you need to understand, Peter, as it stands, the official version may be suicide, but make no mistake, I’m in the picture. I’m now in their crosshairs. Do you fucking understand that?”
“I understand it, sure,” Peter said. “But it’s bullshit. You didn’t kill her.”
“I know that!”
Peter averted his gaze.
“That’s not how the Secret Service will view this. And I’m sure the cops will be here, asking me questions before long. The motive is clear. The money. That’s motive for you.”
“That’s a crock of shit, Jack,” Peter said. “I can help you. I know people. I know we have different ways of doing things.”
“I believe in justice. So do you. But that means doing things the right way. I’m not a vigilante.”
“I never said you were.”
“I work strictly according to the law. I will get answers. But I’ll do it by the book. It’s the only way. To do anything else would tarnish Caroline’s memory.”
“I just don’t want you to shut me out.”