Дэвид Балдаччи - Walk the Wire

“Sounds complicated,” said Jamison.

Kelly nodded. “It is.”

“I take it you and Shane are friends. You’re close to the same age.”

“We all went to high school together. Caroline too. Yeah, we were all good friends. Pretty much inseparable.”

“Getting back to the case, Hal Parker was hired by Hugh Dawson,” said Decker. “To hunt down a wolf?”

“Yep.”

“Wolves are a problem around here?”

“They certainly can be. Them and wild dogs. Coyotes, mountain lions. They can devastate a herd.”

“What else can you tell us about Hugh Dawson?” asked Decker. “You said he was big and gregarious but could take your head off if need be.”

“That’s pretty much all you need to know about the man. I’ll leave it to you to form your own impression when you meet him.”

“And you said his wife died in an accident?” said Jamison.

Kelly nodded. “It was really tragic. The worst sort of accident, because it was like a perfect storm of connected events. Maddie Dawson was caught in her car in a blizzard and died from carbon monoxide poisoning.” Kelly shook his head. “Fortunately, she probably would have gone unconscious before she knew what was happening. Still a helluva way to go.”

“Yeah,” said Decker. “But a lot better than what happened to Irene Cramer.”

“It looks like the house on the TV show Dallas , only twice the size.”

Jamison made this comment as she drove them up a long cobblestone driveway that was bracketed by two rows of large trees with full, leafy canopies.

“Where does Stuart McClellan live?” asked Decker.

“He has an apartment in a building in downtown London.”

“An apartment?” said Jamison. “Isn’t he richer than Dawson?”

“He’s been through so many booms and busts that I think he now hedges his bets.”

“And his son?”

“Shane has a little farmhouse and some land on the western edge of the county. Bought the place right after he came back.”

“Came back from where?” asked Jamison.

“Fighting overseas. He was in the army. Joined up right after he graduated from high school. He likes it simple. Hunts during the season, drinks his beer, works for his old man, gets yelled at for not doing it well enough, and tries to enjoy life. It’s no secret the father doesn’t think the son is up to taking over his fracking operations.”

“And what do you think?” said Jamison.

“Shane’s no dummy and he works hard. We’ve hunted together a lot. He’s sharp, methodical, and knowledgeable about stuff he cares about. He just doesn’t care for business. It’s not how he’s wired.”

They parked in front of the house and got out. Kelly led the way up the steps to the double front door.

“So what will it be for us?” asked Decker. “Gregarious, or do we get a knife in the back?”

“All depends on what and how you ask him, I guess.”

“Well, knowing Decker’s tact, let’s prepare for the shiv to the spine,” said Jamison, with a sly smile at her partner.

The door was answered by a woman in a maid’s uniform. After Kelly showed his badge, she stepped back so they could pass through. She led them down a hall with ash plank flooring to a set of oak double doors.

Inside the room, the man who rose from behind a large desk was nearly as tall as Decker, but far thinner with narrow hips. His brown, wavy hair had a thick shock of gray in the front. He was clean-shaven, with a nose that had been broken and healed slightly off center. He was dressed in an untucked white shirt and black jeans. When he moved around the desk with his hand outstretched to Kelly, Decker noted the dark blue slippers on the man’s feet with a D monogrammed on them. The walls were festooned with the heads of unfortunate creatures who had had their mortal remains fashioned into showpieces.

“Joe, how the hell are you? Been a while.”

Kelly shook his hand and then introduced Decker and Jamison to Hugh Dawson.

They all sat in front of an empty stone fireplace and Kelly said, “Thanks for meeting with us. Guess you’ll be heading out of the country in a month or so.”

Dawson looked at Decker and Jamison. “I used to laugh at the snowbirds who would head south for the winter. Then a number of years ago, Maddie suggested we start spending the winters in Australia when it’s their summer. We rented a place near the water. After she passed, I kept going. We had some really wonderful times down there.”

“Memories like that are important,” said Jamison. “Like therapy.”

“Yes they are. Now, I understand a woman was murdered. And Hal Parker found her.”

“He was out looking for a wolf,” said Jamison.

“That damn thing had already killed two of my cows. Hired Hal to get rid of it.”

“How do you know it was a wolf?” asked Decker.

“They finally found the carcass with Hal’s bullet in it. So who was it that got killed again?”

“A woman named Irene Cramer,” said Kelly. “Thought you would have known that. We released her name.”

In answer Dawson pointed to his desk that was stacked with three-ring binders. “I’m up to my eyeballs in financial stuff. Working on some big deals. I haven’t watched or listened to the news for a while.”

“But you knew of the murder, obviously,” said Decker.

“I knew because Hal told me.”

“So you didn’t know her?” asked Decker.

He shook his head. “Used to be I knew everybody around these parts. Now, too many people coming in. I’m not complaining. It’s good for business.”

“Irene Cramer worked as the teacher at the Brothers’ school,” said Kelly.

“The Brothers? I do business with them. Their word is their bond.”

“What about the military installation?” asked Decker.

Dawson’s eyes narrowed. “London Air Force Station? What about it?”

“Do you do business with them, too?”

“Sure. Their folks come to town and frequent my places, and we provide some of their supplies. Why?”

Decker shrugged. “It’s a murder investigation. We ask questions about everybody.”

Dawson glanced at Kelly. “But why do the Feds get called in on a local murder?”

Kelly said, “We always appreciate the help.”

Dawson eyed him skeptically. “And I can sell you the Brooklyn Bridge.”

“We met your daughter,” interjected Jamison. “You must be very proud of her.”

Dawson grinned. “She’s gonna be running the world before long. She’ll leave what I did in the dust when all is said and done.”

“She’s dating a man named Stan Baker,” said Decker. “We met him, too.”

The light seemed to dim in Dawson’s eyes. “Is that right? Well, I keep out of that. She’s grown and can make her own decisions, especially when it comes to men .”

Jamison said, “Wow, I wish my father would be as enlightened. I’m in my thirties and I still get detailed emails and phone calls about my personal relationships.”

Dawson grinned. “Oh, I tried to poke my nose in here and there. The fourth time it got chopped off, I said, okay, I’m done here. Not worth it.” His expression darkened. “Then after Maddie died...” An awkward silence persisted until he said, “Anything else you folks want to ask me?” He glanced at the papers on his desk.

“We understand that your son committed suicide,” said Decker.

Dawson immediately tightened. “He took the coward’s way out, yeah. But what the hell does that have to do with anything,” he snapped, glowering at Kelly, who looked taken aback by Decker’s comment.

Decker said, “We also understand that you and Stuart McClellan are best friends.”