Chapter 36
When Nitz dropped Jimmy and me off at the hotel, I stopped by the desk to talk to Fred about the car-rental situation before going up to the room. I believe I’ve mentioned before that Homer is a small town. As it happened, the Driftwood’s night clerk was good friends with the guy who ran the Hertz operation at the airport. They were able to work out an arrangement to have a vehicle dropped off at the hotel overnight.
Once in the room, I pulled out the sofa bed, while Jimmy went to the bathroom to undress. I didn’t blame him for not wanting to shed his clothing in front of me. Fortunately Nitz had had the foresight to bring along a backpack with some of his clothing in it. Once dressed in pj’s, Jimmy fell into bed and was out like a light. Obviously his day of being a runaway had been a tough one for him.
Next up I called Marvin Price’s number. I expected he’d be wide awake, and he was.
“Any news about Roger?” he asked at once.
I passed along everything Nitz had told me.
“Anything else?” he wondered.
“As a matter of fact there is,” I said. “I had a brainstorm tonight. What if Shelley didn’t drive Chris’s body to Eklutna Lake?” I asked. “What if she used her plane? Maybe someone should check that for blood evidence, too.”
“Lordy, Lordy!” Marvin breathed. “Why the hell didn’t I think of that? Thanks, Beau. I’ll get someone right on it!”
By the time that call ended, it was almost eleven in Homer—an hour later in Seattle. I knew I needed to talk to Jared, but calling someone who was a guest in a monastery at midnight didn’t seem like a good idea. Besides, Chris had been dead for a dozen years. Jared could wait a few more hours to hear the bad news. As a consequence I followed Jimmy’s example and went to bed.
By six the next morning and with Jimmy still sawing logs, I was awake and fully dressed. I left a note for Jimmy and then went down to the lobby to dial Jared Danielson’s cell phone.
“Is it Chris?” he asked as soon as he answered.
“Yes,” I answered. “I’m so sorry.”
I heard Jared sigh. It was the news he’d been both expecting and dreading. “I’ll call Gram and let her know,” he said. “It’ll break her heart, of course. Do you have any idea who’s responsible?”
Actually, I did have some idea, and over the next many minutes I told him everything I knew. As a homicide cop, I’d always been unable to share much if any information on the progress of a case with grieving relatives in order to maintain the integrity of the investigation. As a private investigator, I was under no such obligation, so I told Jared what I knew with a clear conscience. Besides, at that point in the investigation I was as much in the dark about what was really going on with Lieutenant Marvin Price and the AST as anyone else.
There was silence once I finally finished. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised when the recently ordained priest finally responded by quoting a Bible verse.
“‘For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.’ First Timothy, chapter six, verse ten. If Shelley Adams is sitting in jail right now and looking at prison time, it sounds as though she’s certainly pierced herself with sorrows.”
“Amen to that,” I told him.
“What happens now?”
“I don’t know exactly,” I replied. “With the remains identified and the autopsy already conducted, there shouldn’t be much delay in releasing the body. You should probably be in touch with Professor Raines about that. I’ll text you her contact information.” I found her information in my contacts and sent it along.
“What should I do about a funeral?” he wanted to know. “What about that?”
“I’m of the opinion you should discuss that with Danitza Miller, your nephew’s mother. Legally, you’re Chris’s next of kin, but she and Jimmy certainly have a vested interest in what follows. I’m texting you their contact information as well. I told Nitz, and I’m telling you, that I’ll take care of any and all funeral expenses—”
“Wait,” Jared objected, “you can’t do that.”
“I can and I will,” I told him, “but there’s one stipulation. You can choose cremation or burial, that’s up to you. If you pick the latter, however, I want you to order a full-size casket with no viewing.”
“Because Danitza and Jimmy don’t know how little is left of the body?”