Faye Kellerman - Bone Box

“It’s called being a detective.”

“Well, I can’t argue with success. Poor Lawrence … Lorraine. Are we going back to Staten Island?”

“We’ll tell Joanne Pettigrew today, but if Pettigrew was legally married, our first obligation is to the spouse.”

“Who is usually the primary suspect.”

“Yes. Keep that in mind.”

“Are we sure they were legally married?”

“I thought of that as well. I’ll check with records. Even if Pettigrew wasn’t legally married to Osterfeld, I’ll want to talk to her. See what she can tell me about the day Lawrence disappeared.”

“Actually, Lawrence is the she and Osterfeld is the he.”

“Yes. Right.”

“Do we tell Osterfeld about the match?”

“We only have a preliminary match. I’d hate to tell Osterfeld and be wrong. I’ll have to think about how I want to handle this. The most recent address I have is in Queens. Astoria. Not far from James Breck.” Decker sipped his coffee. “Ready when you are.”

“Just let me wolf down some breakfast.”

“Take your time.”

“Thanks.” Tyler buttered his toast. “How many people on the list that Breck gave us?”

“About forty.”

“How many will we need to re-interview?”

“We’ll prioritize. First the closest to Pettigrew and then we’ll fan out. Work with the usual questions, McAdams. Who has motive and opportunity? Who stands to gain by Pettigrew’s death?”

“I’ll check insurance.” A pause. “If Pettigrew was reported missing, there wouldn’t be a payout right away. Don’t you have to wait like seven years?”

“Yes. But there are other things to look at besides insurance payouts. For instance, did Pettigrew and Osterfeld have any joint accounts? Did they own any real estate? Were they in business together? Did they make investments that went south? Was either having an affair? Was there abuse?”

“Got it.”

“I hope we find a suspect. If not, it’s called a random killing and those stink. But it’ll be my problem, not yours. You’ll be back in law school.”

“How likely is it that Pettigrew was a victim of a serial killer?”

“Why are you asking?”

“If the death was due to an altercation between friends or even a one-off hate crime because Lawrence was gay or transgender, do you bother to lug a body deep into the woods and bury it? Seems like the kind of thing that you might do if you’ve done it before.”

“I see what you’re saying. But right now we only have one body. Let’s take it one measly step at a time. Otherwise, we’ll both trip and fall.”

It took a while to locate Karl née Karen Osterfeld’s two-bedroom apartment. It was a few blocks past the Queensboro Bridge, on the seventh floor of a ten-story unadorned redbrick building. There was a small, slow, hot elevator that emptied them into a narrow, stuffy, but well-lit hallway. The unit was the last one on the right. Through the door, children could be heard running around.

Decker knocked and a feminine voice asked who it was, and after they identified themselves as the police, the door swung open. The woman was petite with short dark hair, green eyes, and delicate features. Her hands were tiny and kneading each other as she read their police badges. “What’s going on?”

“I’m looking for Karl Osterfeld?”

“It’s Karen Osterfeld. She’s not here.”

“Okay.” There were noises in the background. Decker said, “Do you have a contact number for her?”

“And you want to talk to her because …”

“Can we come in?” Decker asked. “It’s odd talking out here.”

The woman hesitated, but then relented. Once they were in the apartment, she decided to be hospitable. “Would you like some coffee?”

“Water would be great.” McAdams said.

“Times two.” Decker’s eyes followed a boy of around four and a toddler who wore nothing but a diaper as they ran constant circles around the couch. The boy didn’t stop moving, but the toddler finally did. The little thing had short, curly blond hair. She stuck fingers in her mouth. Decker bent down—as close to eye to eye as he could get—and decided the toddler was most definitely a little girl. “Hey there. Aren’t you very pretty?”

She stared, then gave him a drool-laced smile.

The woman came back in and Decker stood up. “What is she? Around eighteen months?”

“Right on the money.” She handed him the water.

“What’s her name?”

“Birgitta. Say hello, Birgy.”

The girl remained mute and rooted to her spot.

The woman gave McAdams a glass. “And this handsome guy is Aesop. I’m Jordeen Crayton.” She looked at the kids. “Hey guys, let’s do some quiet time. I’ll put on a video.”

“Power Rangers,” Aesop said.

“How about Mickey Mouse?” Jordeen said.

Birgitta smiled and said, “Moss …”

“No, that’s stupid!” the boy protested.

“Aesop, we don’t talk like that. Let’s go.”

The two little kids disappeared with Jordeen, who returned five minutes later. “I have to get them a snack. Please.” She pointed to the sofa and the men sat. “I’ll be right back.”

When she disappeared, McAdams whispered, “Karen to Karl to Karen?”

Decker shrugged.

McAdams said, “Maybe we’re working with a love triangle?”

“It’s as good a theory as any.”

Jordeen came back into the living room and sat down. “Why are you looking for Karen?”

McAdams said, “We were told that she became Karl.”

“She’s been Karen for over two years. Is this in regard to Lorraine Pettigrew? I mean, why else would you be here and asking for Karen as Karl. Did you find her? Lorraine?”

“First, I’d like to ask you something, Jordeen,” Decker said. “Were Karen as Karl and Lorraine ever legally married?”

“Not legally, no. They were going to get married, but then Lorraine disappeared. But if it concerns Lorraine, it concerns Karen, and if it concerns Karen, it concerns me. We are legally married.”

“Okay. As a woman to a woman.”

“Yes, of course. Do you think I’m transgender?”

“No, ma’am,” Decker said. “We were wondering about Karen. I heard she was planning to undergo sex reassignment surgery.”

“Well, she didn’t, and there you have it. Karen hasn’t been Karl for over two years.”

“How’d you two meet?” McAdams asked.

“Why does it matter?” She waited but no one said anything. “I was hired as a babysitter for Aesop. One thing led to another. We were married two years ago. It was love at first sight for me. It took a while for Karen. She was still mourning Lorraine.”

Decker said, “Karen was Karl when you met her?”

Jordeen was peeved. “What does it matter?”

“I was wondering why she went back to being a woman if she was intent on marrying Lorraine as a man.”

“You’d have to ask Karen.”

“I will,” Decker said. “But I’d like your opinion. We’re all on the same side.”

“Are we? You haven’t even told me what side you’re on.”

“We all want to know what happened to Lorraine Pettigrew.”

“You found her body, right?”

“We found remains, yes, ma’am.”

She sighed. “Oh God. I’ve been dreading this day. Karen will be devastated. She loved Lorraine.” Tears started falling. “Lorraine loved her. Aesop is his … hers … Lorraine’s. Whatever. Karen got pregnant from him. Both of them had started transitioning when they met, but neither had completed it where it counts. And then they fell in love and wanted a baby together before it was impossible. They both stopped taking the hormones, of course. Luckily the pregnancy happened quickly. After it did, Lorraine went back on her hormones, but Karen didn’t. She couldn’t. Not while she was pregnant.”