Дэвид Балдаччи - The Fallen

“I think that was a good thing for you,” said Decker ominously. “So, Norris filled out all the paperwork?”

“Yeah, and he had a local paramedic do the medical exam.”

“A paramedic?”

“Yeah, they can do the exams, Willie said. He said the insurance companies contract out with them, and also with a local lab to do the blood work and such.”

“So all local players. Interesting. Did Keith tell the paramedic about being injured and being on painkillers?”

“I don’t know, ’cause I wasn’t there.”

“Did Keith mention anything to you later?” asked Decker.

“Do I need a lawyer, mister?”

“That might depend on your answers.”

“Look, Keith wasn’t really on them painkillers no more. And his back was a lot better when he got that policy.”

“But a million bucks in life insurance? That’s a lot. He wasn’t even employed.”

“Willie said Keith was so young that that would help. He wouldn’t die for a long time.”

“Uh-huh, well that turned out to be wrong. How was he going to pay the premiums? Even if they weren’t that much, your son had no income.”

“I was gonna help him, well, if I could. And... and Willie too.”

“So Norris was giving Keith money to make the payments on the insurance policy that Norris sold him?”

She nodded, her skin as pale as the napkin she was holding.

“Did you know that was illegal?” said Decker.

She shook her head. “No sir. I just thought Willie was being a good friend.”

“And then Keith got hooked on opiates and died?”

“Yeah.”

“But you said he was off the painkillers,” Decker said in a dubious tone.

“Well, he was mostly off ’em.”

“You said he overdosed because he mistook fentanyl for heroin?” asked Jamison.

“That’s right.”

“And where did this happen?” asked Decker.

“At a friend’s house.”

“And the friend wasn’t there to give him Narcan?” said Decker.

“No, he was alone. I didn’t find out till later. Cried my eyes out.”

“Did the insurance company investigate the death?”

“Yeah, they did. But Willie was on top of that too. He told me he wasn’t gonna let them cheat me outta my money. And he came through all right. They paid out a few months later.”

“And then you got the million dollars?” said Decker.

Drews didn’t answer right away. “Yeah, that’s right.”

“No, that’s not right.”

“What?”

“You didn’t get the full million. How much did Norris get?”

“Well, um, he got his commission.”

“Which was how much?”

“Thirty percent.”

“So he got three hundred thousand dollars?”

“Yes sir, that’s what Willie said was standard with life insurance.”

“And how was it paid?”

“Willie took care of that. He just made sure my money got to my account.”

“I’m sure he did.” Decker paused. “Ms. Drews, did you ever think it was strange that soon after your son took out a million-dollar life insurance policy, which was Norris’s idea, he overdosed and Norris got three hundred grand?”

Drews’s lips started to tremble and the tears began to slide down her cheeks. “Mister, are you telling me that... ”

“Yeah, I am,” said Decker. “They set your son up. They got a big policy on him and then rigged it so he overdosed and died.”

Drews put a shaky hand to her face and sobbed. “I never wanted my son to die, so help me God.”

“But the fact is, he did die.”

“And... and you really think Willie had something to do with that?”

“I don’t think it, I know he did.”

“Am I in trouble, mister?” she asked again.

“I’d get that lawyer if I were you. And forget about the coffee and muffins. I just lost my appetite.”

Decker and Jamison walked out.

Back in their truck, Jamison said, “God, I can’t believe that. She had to know what was going on.”

“Maybe she did and maybe she didn’t. If I’ve learned one thing in this business, it’s that people can justify anything they want to.”

“So, insurance scams, drug dealers, and framing someone for a treasure. Who would have thought one town could have so much crap going on separately?”

Decker put the truck in gear.

“Only it’s not really separate, Alex. It’s all tied together with a not-so-neat little bow.”

A phone call a while later brought Decker and Jamison to the Baronville police headquarters. They were met at the front door by a solemn Kate Kemper and three of her agents.

When Decker and Jamison walked into the room where the homicide detectives worked, Lassiter was standing next to her desk. She looked up in surprise.

“Hey, what are you guys doing here? I—”

She abruptly stopped when she saw Kemper and her agents file into the room behind them.

Decker said to Lassiter, “Can you have your partner join us?”

“Marty? I think he’s around here. I’ll text him.”

She did so, and about a minute later Detective Green came into the room.

“Hey,” he said to Decker and Jamison.

Decker nodded.

Green glanced at Kemper before fixing his gaze on Lassiter. “Did you need me?”

Lassiter pointed to Decker. “No, but he wanted to see you for something.” She paused. “You okay, Marty? You look out of sorts.”

“Lose something maybe?” asked Decker.

Green looked sheepish as he sat down behind his desk. “My damn badge. I usually put it in my locker at the gym, but I can’t find it. I play racquetball next door. It’s pissing me off. You lose your badge, that’s a ton of paperwork.”

He started searching through one of his drawers.

“One question,” said Decker. “The night Dan Bond was killed, someone said they saw a squad car parked in front of his house.”

“Who said that?” Green asked, quickly looking up.

“It was an anonymous tip,” interjected Kemper.

“Any idea who it could have been?” asked Green.

“Well, you’ve been on that street a lot,” said Decker. “Could it have been you there that night?”

Green quickly shook his head. “I don’t drive around in a squad car.”

Decker nodded. “But you have met Dan Bond before, right?”

Green shook his head. “No. I’ve never been to the man’s house. At least not while he was alive. I did go there after he was found murdered.”

“You absolutely sure of that?” said Decker.

Green looked at him curiously. “Yeah, why?”

“What are you getting at, Decker?” interjected Lassiter. “I was the one who interviewed Dan Bond, not Marty.”

Decker kept his gaze on Green. He said, “You can stop looking, because Agent Kemper has your badge.”

Green shot Kemper a surprised glance. “You? Why?”

Kemper pulled out a plastic evidence bag from her coat. There was a badge inside it.

The blood slowly drained from Green’s face. “What is my badge doing in an evidence bag?”

“Because it’s evidence ,” said Kemper flatly. “In a murder investigation.”

“What are you talking about? What murder?”

“Dan Bond.”

“I told you, I never even met the man.”

Decker said, “Which raises the question of why Dan Bond’s fingerprints were found on your badge.”

“What!?”

Decker took out his own badge. “Dan Bond was a careful man. I knocked on his door after dark, and he wouldn’t let me in until I put my badge through his cat door. He told me he didn’t like to let strangers inside his house. He used his fingers to make sure the badge was legit before he let me in. And, really, who else besides a cop would he let in at that hour of the night?” He held up the badge. “So that was how his prints got on my badge. But you just said you never met him, and yet his prints are on your badge. So how do you explain that, Detective Green, unless you were the one who visited Bond that night and killed him?”