Chapter 19

 

Harvey stood beside Cheryl Yeaton at the sergeant’s desk and gazed at Sarah Benoit and Deborah Higgins. They had just come in for their Thursday morning shift.

“I asked Sergeant Yeaton to call you two aside before you go on patrol, in case you had any questions about the Lyons matter.”

“Cheryl told us during roll call,” Sarah said.

Harvey nodded. “Without your testimony and that of a few other women, we couldn’t have found enough evidence against him, so thank you.”

“You okay, Deborah?” Cheryl asked, eyeing the rookie closely.

“Yes. Well—is he here? In the lockup, I mean?”

“No,” Harvey said. “They took him to the county jail last night. No bail. He’s kicking about that, but we convinced the judge he needs to stay in custody, in light of the hostage he took last night.”

Deborah sighed. “I didn’t really think they would arrest him. It was taking so long, you know? I thought he was going to get away with it again.”

“Well, he’s not,” Sarah assured her.

“That’s right,” Cheryl said. “Sergeant Lyons is looking at serious time because of what he did to you and Deidre, and he’ll never wear a uniform again.”

“There were other complaints, too,” Harvey said.

Cheryl touched Deborah’s sleeve. “Do you think you’re fit for duty today? If you need a day off …”

“No, I’ll be fine. Thanks.”

“Well, thank you for stepping up, and for not quitting,” Cheryl said.

The two patrol officers went toward the garage, and Harvey said, “Thank you, Cheryl. Some of the other women we questioned might come to you for reassurance.”

“I’ll handle it, Captain.”

“Thanks for your hard work.” Harvey went upstairs, wishing he’d had a couple more hours of sleep. At least Connor was sleeping through the night now.

“Captain, you’re gonna love this.” Nate’s eyes sparkled as he met Harvey inside the office door.

“What’s up?”

“You will never in a million years guess whose house was broken into Saturday night.”

“Okay, so tell me.”

“Joey Bolduc’s brother. The flag came up when I turned on the computer this morning, thanks to your wife’s software. I hope she made a bundle on that.”

“Joey’s brother’s house was robbed. Is that significant?”

“It is if you know what was stolen.”

“Well, let’s see, do I have to guess?”

Tony stepped up beside Nate. “Twenty questions. You’re good at mind games, sir.”

“All right, was it something that had to do with Joey?”

“Yes,” said Nate.

“Something that belonged to Joey?”

“Yes.”

“Something of value, obviously.”

“Yes, that’s three.”

“That wasn’t a question,” Harvey protested.

Nate shrugged.

“Joey’s brother was his executor,” Tony said.

Nate scowled at him. “Quit blabbing.”

Jimmy and Eddie came over and stood listening.

“Hmm. This was something he inherited from Joey.”

“Yes. Four.”

“I give up. Just tell me.”

“No, come on, you’re always telling us to be patient and look at all the clues. You can figure this out,” Nate coaxed.

Harvey looked up at the ceiling and pulled in a breath. “What would Joey have that was of value? His ex-wife probably got—oh, I get it. Guns.”

“Bingo!” cried Nate. “In five questions.”

Jimmy shrugged. “We’ve got Joey’s .45 in the evidence locker. The rest of his guns have no bearing on the case.”

“He had quite a collection,” Eddie countered.

“Any handguns?” Harvey asked quickly.

Nate smiled. “A .22 and—tada!—a .357 magnum.”

“So. Lots of guys have .357’s,” said Eddie. “Brad had one.”

“Brad’s gun is not the one that killed Joey,” Tony said, with the air of a disappointed child. “Believe me, I ran it on IBIS first thing, and it was one that had never been put in the system before.”

“He’d have ditched it if it was the murder weapon,” Harvey replied.

“But you did expect to tie him to the murder,” Tony said.

Harvey shook his head. “If we don’t get a confession, we may never find the weapon. Nate, that’s a very interesting development, but, as the fellows say, I don’t think it bears on the murder.”

Nate shrugged. “I’m just telling you. Joey gets shot with a .357, and three weeks later his own .357 gets stolen.”

Harvey nodded thoughtfully. “The burglar most likely had no idea whose guns they were.”

“I disagree with you there,” said Tony. “Did this brother have guns of his own before Joey died? And was he ever robbed before that? Sounds to me like the burglar heard about the new gun collection and went after it.”

“Did they steal anything else?” Harvey asked.

“Nope, just the guns,” Nate said. “Took the whole gun cabinet.”

“He didn’t have them in a safe?” Eddie asked.

Nate ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t know. I haven’t read the police report. The brother lives in Falmouth.”

“Get the report stat,” said Harvey. “It’s odd enough that we should look into it.”

Eddie stayed as the other men dispersed.

“Harv, we’re really no closer to solving the murder than before we arrested Brad. The only things we’ve got are his fight with Joey and his tenuous connection to the custodian at City Hall.”

“I’ve talked to Neilsen on the phone, and Mike’s talked to him,” Harvey said. “He helped Brad out of a few scrapes, but I think it was out of stupidity. He really thought Brad’s stories were true, and he didn’t have a very high opinion of working women. He said he always came down on the supervisor’s side unless he had direct evidence of wrongdoing, which Brad made sure he never had.”

“What about the clerk at the courthouse?”

“Neilsen claimed he didn’t know her personally, and if she was the one who handled the two cases I mentioned to him, it was coincidental. And he was nervous. Wants to make good in Framingham, I think.”

“If they fire him, he’ll have a hard time getting another job,” Eddie said.

“So where does this leave you guys?”

Eddie shoved his hands in his pockets. “Well, we’ve gone round and round with Don Lloyd, the custodian. He’s not brilliant, but he’s stuck with his story. If he did it, what did he do with the weapon?”

“He might have had it on him when he jumped in Flood’s truck to go to lunch.”

“Mmm. I was hoping so bad that Brad’s gun would match the bullet. Stupid, I guess.”

Harvey stared across the room toward the cartridge display. “Brad said he sold his nine-millimeter. I wonder if he sold any other guns?”

“We can ask him. Would you admit it if you were a killer?”

“Let’s ask his wives. And who did he practice shooting with? See if the shooting range has anything on record.”

“It’s a long shot.”

“I know. I’m trying to conjure up something for you here.”

Nate came to the desk, holding out a sheet of paper. “Captain, I printed out the police report on the burglary. It lists all the guns, with serial numbers. Philip Bolduc had made a concise list because they were part of Joey’s estate and he had to get them appraised. Nice lot of guns. You think they were targeted?”

“Yes. Get back on the computer and look for other gun thefts with similarities.” Harvey picked up his phone receiver and dialed a Yarmouth number.

“Mrs. Martin? This is Captain Harvey Larson, at the Portland P.D. On behalf of Chief Browning, I’m calling to ask if you have any interest in coming back to work for us, ma’am. The chief has reviewed your record, and determined that you were harassed by your supervisor during your stint here. He has authorized reinstatement as a patrol officer if you want that.”

 

*****

“Can you baste this, Jennifer?” Ruthann Bradley handed her two lengths of fabric held together with an army of straight pins.

“I think I can handle that.” Jennifer settled in an armchair near the window. Abby and Leeanne were laying a newspaper pattern on another piece of cloth Ruthann had removed carefully from the skirt of the extra bridesmaid’s gown. Lisa Rousseau sat in the rocking chair nursing Marco, and Beth held Connor on the sofa.

“Thanks so much for doing this, Ruthann,” Beth said. “There’s no way I could be in the wedding otherwise.”

Ruthann looked up at her with a severe expression. “Just don’t go to the hospital early on us. We don’t want to have to take this dress apart again.”

“I’m feeling better,” Beth assured her. “Margaret thinks I’m stable.”

Lisa stood up, patting Marco’s back. “Is it all right if I lay Marco in Connor’s crib, Jennifer?”

“Sure. Let me come with you.”

She laid aside her sewing and led Lisa up the stairs.

“What a cute nursery!” Lisa looked around at the Noah’s ark decorations.

“Thanks,” Jennifer said. “We just moved him up here. He’s been sleeping in our room all this time, but he sleeps through the night, and I figured it was time we had our domain back.”

“Yeah, if you wait too long, it’s harder,” Lisa agreed. “Should we set up the you-know-what now?”

Jennifer checked her watch. “We’d better. When we go down, we’ll sneak through the study to the kitchen. We’ve got half an hour, but people might start coming early. Leeanne will know, as soon as that happens, but what can we do?”

“What if they’re not done with the dress?” Lisa asked.

“Ruthann said she’d take it home with her and finish it if she needs to. The fitting’s done, so she can handle it.” Jennifer smiled. “It wasn’t really a six-woman job, but we wanted to get the bridesmaids together early and just have some time with Leeanne.”

“I’m glad you invited me. Monique and my mother are coming for the shower.”

“Great. My mom’s coming, too. I wanted her to come down last night, but she figured Leeanne would guess if she did.”

“Only five weeks ’til the wedding,” Lisa said with a grin. She laid Marco down and pulled a soft blanket over him.

The doorbell chimed, and Jennifer raced down the stairs. Leeanne was rising.

“I’ll get it,” Jennifer said quickly.

She ducked through the sunroom to the kitchen, with Lisa right behind her.

“Hi, Mom,” she whispered conspiratorially. “Come on in. This is Eddie’s sister, Lisa.”

Jennifer kissed her mother and looked beyond her to her younger brothers.

“Randy, Travis. What are you guys doing here? This is girls only.”

“Mom didn’t want to drive down alone, and Dad was busy,” Randy said. “We’re hoping we can hang out with the men.”

“Well, Harvey’s working on something, but Jeff and Eddie are next door. Jeff’s off today, and he and Eddie promised to stay out of our hair during the shower.”

“Can we just go over there?” Randy asked.

“Sure. Maybe they’ll play basketball with you.”

“Can I talk to Harvey first?” Travis asked. “I mean if he’s not too busy.”

Jennifer hesitated. She put one hand on Travis’s shoulder and leaned in close to his ear. “This isn’t another crisis, is it?”

“No. Nothing like last time. I just need to see him, is all.”

Jennifer nodded. “All right, he’s in the study. Just knock first.”

She watched him go.

“I’ll head over to Jeff’s,” Randy said awkwardly.

“Sure. And I’m really glad to see you, Randy. I just have a million things on my mind.”

Lisa had enlisted Marilyn’s help in making coffee and setting set out the refreshments for the shower. Jennifer hurried to help.

“Do we need to set up chairs or anything?” Marilyn whispered. “Where is she?”

“In the living room with Abby, Beth, and Ruthann, sewing Beth’s dress. We’re going to set up in the sunroom.” The doorbell chimed again, and Jennifer stopped whispering. “Guess the surprise is over.”

As she headed for the entry, Leeanne appeared in the doorway between the kitchen and the sun room. “Did I hear Travis’s voice a second ago, Jenn? Hey, Mom. Wow! What are you doing here?”

 

*****

It was late afternoon before all the guests left. Harvey and Eddie helped put the furniture back in place.

“Aren’t you going to show me the shower gifts?” Eddie asked, as Leeanne stacked several boxes to carry upstairs.

“Are you kidding? This was a personal shower.”

“So. I’m a person.”

Harvey smiled. “It means lingerie, Eddie. Come on, grab the other end of this settee.”

“Cool.” Eddie was still watching Leeanne.

“Yeah, well, you don’t get to see it for a few more weeks,” Jennifer chided.

Leeanne left the room with her pile of boxes, and Jennifer began stuffing torn wrapping paper into a trash bag while the men moved the wicker settee back against the wall.

“Don’t worry, Eddie,” she said. “The church ladies are giving her a housewares shower in a couple of weeks. You can see the gifts from that one.”

“Yeah, you’ll probably have to cart them all to your house,” Harvey said.

“Guess we can save this one.” Jennifer smoothed a large sheet of wrapping paper, and Harvey reached for it.

“I can do that, gorgeous.” He folded it neatly as Jennifer sorted through the rest of the wrappings, removing bows and ribbons.

“Do I dare ask what Travis wanted to see you about?” she asked.

“You’ll be very happy when I tell you.”

“He’s clear on the hit-and-run thing?” Eddie asked.

Harvey laid the salvaged paper on the coffee table. “Oh, yeah, but this is even better. He wanted me to pray with him.”

Jennifer dropped the trash bag and stood still, fighting tears. She gave up and hurled herself into Harvey’s arms. He held her, rubbing her shoulders, and met Eddie’s eyes over her head.

“You have to know when to hold ’em and know when to fold ’em.”

Eddie laughed. “C’est bon. Now I expect you to take some of the prayer time you’ve been spending on Travis and put it on my family.”

Jennifer sniffed and faced him. “Lisa’s very open right now.”

“Maybe. It’s hard, you know? We always fight.”

“Jeff and I were like that,” Jennifer said. “It’s different now, though.”

“You and Lisa never grew up,” Harvey said pointedly.

“You’re bad.” Jennifer stooped for the trash bag. “She told me today that she can see Eddie’s happier than before he converted. I didn’t really have a chance to get into it, but I invited her to visit our church.”

“Ansel would never go,” Eddie said.

“You never know.” Harvey reached under a chair for a curl of white ribbon.

“Well, she didn’t sound very promising,” Jennifer admitted. “The kids, you know. It’s hard when your kids are small.”

Eddie shrugged. “I hope she’ll come, but I doubt it. And my mother. I think she’s accepted Leeanne now, but I don’t want her to start getting wacky ideas.”

“Are you talking about me?” Leeanne asked from the doorway. She had Connor in her arms.

“Not really, but, Leeanne, Travis is saved,” Jennifer said, grinning.

“Really? Wonderful!”

“Let’s sit down here and thank God together,” Harvey suggested as he reached for the baby.

Eddie and Leeanne took the settee, and Harvey sat down with Connor in an armchair.

“Come here, gorgeous,” he said, as Jennifer headed for one of the wicker chairs.

She smiled and pulled a footstool close to Harvey’s chair. “You want me to move all the furniture again?”

 

*****

“Captain,” Cheryl called to Harvey as he passed through the police station lobby Monday morning.

“Cheryl, you still on days?”

“Yeah, it’s between me and Dan Miles to keep this shift. I love it, but he has seniority over me.”

“Have you talked to him?” Harvey asked. “Maybe he’d like evenings.”

“Not yet. The deputy chief’s giving the sergeant’s exam Friday.”

“I heard. How many are taking it so far?”

“Four. We’re really short-handed.”

“I know. Who covered this weekend?”

“Ron Legere was here when I came in, looking exhausted. I think Aaron O’Heir and Bob Marshall each took a shift on the desk.”

“Are they taking the test?”

“Aaron is.”

“He really wants detective work,” Harvey said.

Cheryl shrugged. “So did I. Maybe I’ll still go that direction someday. But right now there are openings for sergeants.”

Harvey nodded. “Was there something else?”

“Oh, yes. Big holdup last night on Fore Street. Our guys brought in two suspects and confiscated a couple of handguns. I figured you’d want to run them.”

“You’re right. Any handguns that come our way go in the database. Where are they?”

“In the Evidence Room. I can get them for you.”

“I’ll send Eddie or Tony down, whoever gets here first. Thanks.”

He climbed the stairs to the third floor, but hadn’t even set his briefcase down before Paula hailed him.

“The chief wants you, Captain.”

Harvey sighed and turned back toward the stairway. Eddie was just coming through the door.

“Hey, Eddie, Cheryl’s got a couple of guns for us downstairs. Run them on IBIS, would you?”

He went on up to Mike’s office and let himself in, waving at Judith as he passed her desk.

“Harv, good morning!” Mike grinned at him and raised his coffee mug. “Help yourself.”

“You’re awfully bright-eyed for Monday morning.” Harvey poured himself a mugful and sat down.

“We have a comfortable apartment in Churchill, including a working washer and dryer.”

“Congratulations!”

“Thanks. Sharon is ecstatic. The leach field is complete, and it’s seeded for grass in the spring. We finished the sheetrock in our apartment, and we’re painting it next weekend. I was thinking of offering the place to Eddie and Leeanne for their honeymoon. Secluded, romantic, snug. Wood stove, indoor plumbing. What more could you want?”

Harvey was startled. “They might like that, I guess.”

“You think they’d rather have room service and all that?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I was thinking of sending them to—”

“Where?” Mike asked.

“Aw, forget it.”

“No, I heard Eddie had reservations for Montreal in August, but they didn’t go, and he didn’t have any plans last I heard. This would be absolutely free, and they can use the boat.”

“Kind of chilly on the lake in late October.”

“Well, sure, but that’s what makes it so nice when you come home to the fireside. And they can go hunting if they want.”

“Sure, why don’t you ask him,” Harvey said decisively.

“Where were you going to send them?”

“Oh, no place. It’s nothing.”

“Yes, it was someplace. Come on.”

Harvey shrugged. “I thought maybe Paris.”

“You hate Paris.”

“Eddie and Leeanne have never been. They might like it.”

Mike seemed a little disappointed. “Well, I suppose. Why don’t we ask them, and let them choose? Maybe they’ve already lined up something else.”

“The wedding’s coming right up. I hope Eddie’s got something up his sleeve. I’ll ask him.”

Mike’s phone rang. “Just a second Harv.” He pushed a button. “Yes, Judith?” After a moment, he pushed another button. “Put him through.” Mike grinned at Harvey. “I put it on speaker. She says it’s Eddie, and it’s urgent.”

Harvey nodded.

“Mike? I mean, Chief?”

“Yeah, Eddie?”

“Could you and Harvey come down here? Right away?”

“Sure, Eddie. What’s up?”

“You gotta see this, Mike. You’re not going to believe it.”

Mike raised his eyebrows at Harvey. “All right, we’ll be right down.”

They went through the outer office to the stairway.

“I’ll be in the Priority Unit,” Mike told Judith. They went quickly down the stairs. Eddie met them just inside the office. He grasped Harvey’s upper arms and stood staring into his eyes.

“What is it, Eddie?”

“It’s impossible. I ran the test three times, then I made Winfield do it. We got the weapon.”

Harvey stiffened. “The murder weapon?”

Eddie nodded. “The gun that killed Joey.”

“All right!” Harvey high-fived him.

“Stellar,” Mike said.

Nate, Tony, and Jimmy left Tony’s desk and came grinning to join them.

“This was one of the guns the night shift confiscated in the holdup?” Harvey asked.

“Yeah,” Eddie said. “Cheryl gave it to me.”

Tony added, “It’s definitely the gun that killed Joey.”

“But there’s more,” Eddie said, taking a deep breath. “I checked the serial number. Harv, it’s the .357 Smith & Wesson from Joey’s collection.”

Harvey stared at him, then at Tony.

Tony nodded. “It’s the same number, Captain. No doubt.”

“How can that be?” Harvey walked slowly to his desk and sat down, staring blankly toward the window. He swiveled around and looked at them again. “That gun was in the collection when it was stolen.”

“Right,” said Nate. “And it was there when Philip Bolduc listed the guns for the estate.”

“It must have been there before Joey died,” Jimmy said tentatively.

“Unless his brother added a gun to the collection,” Harvey said slowly.

“No,” Eddie protested. “There was a list of guns in Joey’s handwriting, and his brother went over them and typed a list for the lawyer. But Joey owned this gun.”

“You’re positive?”

“Bob Marshall saw him shoot targets with it. I showed him the list last week, after the collection was stolen. He said it was Joey’s writing. And the .357 was listed third. I don’t see how it could have been tacked on later.”

Mike looked at Harvey. “If his own partner confirms it...”

“I want to see that list,” Harvey said.

“I’ll get it,” Nate said, “but it seems certain that Joey was shot with his own gun.”

Harvey shook his head. “That happens occasionally in a home invasion, but Joey wasn’t killed in his house. And he wasn’t carrying this gun. He had his .45 on him.”

“Maybe he carried two guns that day,” Jimmy suggested timidly.

“Well, gentlemen, carry on,” Mike said. “As usual, you’re doing exceptional work. Unfortunately, I have to go visit Mayor Weymouth. She has a hare-brained scheme for raising money for the P.D.”

“Don’t make us sell Christmas cards,” Tony begged.

“No, she got the idea from this Portland Life magazine spread that you’re in, Winfield. Seems some cities are making calendars with pictures of their hunky cops and firemen and—”

“If you agree to that, I’ll resign,” Harvey said tightly. “Please, Mike. The Labor Day Challenge, then the magazine thing. Don’t do this to us.”

Mike shrugged. “I don’t know as we’ve got enough single guys, anyway. They either get married or murdered around here.” He headed for the elevator and hit the keypad, waving as he entered the car.

Harvey surveyed his four men. “Come in the breakroom,” he ordered, and they all followed him. When they were seated comfortably, he said, “This weapon was not in Joey’s house at the moment of the murder. It was at City Hall.”

They all nodded.

“But,” Harvey continued, “a short time later—do we know how long?”

Eddie shook his head.

“A short time later, it was back in his house. Now, obviously, Joey didn’t put it back in the gun cabinet. Someone else had to do that. If his brother was the murderer, he could have done it, assuming no one would look there for the murder weapon.”

“Airtight alibi, and no motive,” Eddie objected.

“Families can always come up with motives,” Harvey reasoned. “But it’s true, Philip Bolduc has an excellent alibi for Labor Day. If he had anything to do with it, which I personally doubt, it was by proxy.”

“So, who put the gun back?” Tony asked.

“Exactly.”

“And when?” Nate asked.

“You tell me. Put your brains to work, guys.” Harvey waited.

Nate said slowly, “Well, I interviewed Philip Bolduc. Tony was there, and we have a tape. The way he told it, he went to his mother’s house as soon as he heard his brother was dead. They talked and cried, and the sisters and their families came.”

“Right,” Tony agreed. “And he was the executor, so the next day he went by Joey’s house to make sure it was secure.”

“And it was?” Harvey asked.

“Apparently. He went back the day before the funeral and started listing things.”

“Friday, September eighth,” Nate said. “That’s when he looked over the guns and found Joey’s list. He verified that all the guns on the list were there, and later he typed up a new list for the lawyer.”

“And you’ve compared the two?”

“They’re the same, except the brother added the ammo and accessories to the list.”

Harvey nodded. “So we know the .357 was there on the eighth.”

Nate nodded hesitantly. “I’d say so.”

“Get me the two lists.”

“Yes, sir. I filed copies of both.” Nate left the room.

Eddie scratched his head. “We have no idea when the murder gun was removed from the cabinet.”

“True,” said Harvey. “Joey didn’t report any missing guns.”

Jimmy rested his chin on one hand, his elbow on the table. “It could have been stolen days or weeks earlier.”

Nate returned and handed Harvey a file folder. Harvey opened it and sat silent for several seconds, poring over the lists of firearms. The men waited, not speaking.

“Here’s something,” he said at last.

The others shifted eagerly.

“Philip Bolduc listed the serial numbers. Joey didn’t; he just described the guns. The .22 rifle and the shotgun didn’t have any serial numbers, but the other rifles and all the handguns did, and Philip listed those.”

The men looked around at each other blankly.

“So?” Eddie asked.

Tony sat up straighter. “I think I’m with you, Captain. We’re not certain this is actually Joey’s revolver.”

“It has to be,” Jimmy argued. “It was stolen from his house.”

“Someone could have planted it there,” Tony said.

“They’d have to lift the other one,” Eddie said thoughtfully. “Switch Joey’s revolver for the one they killed him with.”

“It’s brilliant,” Harvey said. “The murder weapon stays safely in the family collection. Even if the brother sold it, it’s unlikely it would be discovered that it was the murder weapon.”

“But he didn’t plan on it getting stolen by some hoodlum and used to knock over a liquor store a couple of weeks later,” Eddie said triumphantly.

Paula appeared in the breakroom doorway. “Captain, Sergeant Yeaton is on the phone. She says it’s important.”

Harvey rose. “You guys keep thinking about this.” He walked the length of the office and took the call at his desk.

“Captain, our liquor store perps have confessed to robbing Philip Bolduc’s house. They’ve told us where the rest of the gun collection is. I sent Oliver and Needham to go get them.”

“How did they know he had the guns in the first place?”

“They read about Joey’s death in the paper. One of them recognized the name and picture; Joey arrested him once for breaking parole. Apparently he went around to see if anyone was staying at Joey’s house a few days later, and he saw Joey’s brother moving the gun cabinet out. He kept that in mind until he and his buddy needed guns, then went after them.”

“He could get the brother’s name and town from the obituary,” Harvey said, shaking his head. “Looked up the address in the phone book or on the computer. This is too easy for crooks.”

“You don’t think these two are connected to the murder?” Cheryl asked.

“Not directly, but we’d like to see the interviews,” Harvey said.

“I’ll copy the tape for you.”

“Thanks.” Harvey hung up and yelled, “Eddie!”

“Right here, Harv.”

Harvey jumped and turned to face him. “Who inherited Joey’s estate?”

“Roxanne.”

“Even after the divorce? He had a will?”

“Yes, and he didn’t change it. He kept her as beneficiary of his life insurance, too. Or maybe he just hadn’t gotten around to changing it. But he took her off his medical coverage last spring. I checked.”

“So, his brother didn’t actually inherit the guns?”

“No. I thought he did at first, but it turns out he bought them from the estate. From Roxanne, that is.”

“She gets the house, too?”

“I guess so. I’m not sure if they’ve probated yet.”

“Go see Philip Bolduc. We need to know who saw him go over the guns. He was the executor, but he wanted to keep the collection. He may have had someone with him when he made that list.”

“I’m on it.”

 

*****

“What it comes down to is this,” Harvey said to Jennifer that evening. “Who had the opportunity to switch the guns?” He lay back against a pile of pillows, holding Connor upright on his stomach. Jennifer sat on the quilt on the other side of the bed, brushing out her long hair.

“Joey’s brother, for sure,” she said. “Did anyone go to the house the day of the murder?”

“I asked Ron Legere. He sent a couple of men by there, just to check on things. They said everything was locked up tight that day, and they didn’t go inside.”

“Okay, so as far as we know, Philip Bolduc was the next person to have access.”

“Yeah.” Harvey sighed. “We have to make that assumption. If someone broke in, the evidence is gone. I had Eddie and Tony over there all afternoon, and they couldn’t find any trace of a forced entry. Of course, there have been a million people in and out of there since Labor Day. Roxanne has decided to rent out the house, and she’s been moving furniture in and out.”

“And Philip Bolduc moved the gun cabinet out long ago.”

“Right. He says the first time he went over, on Tuesday, the fifth, he just looked around. He didn’t open the gun cabinet then. He said the only things he removed were Joey’s checkbook, sixty dollars in cash from his dresser, and his wedding ring. He took them for safekeeping, and they’ve gone to Roxanne since.”

“So, the gun cabinet wasn’t opened until the Friday after the murder.”

“As far as we know. Joey kept a key on his key ring. It was there when we found him. The second key to the cabinet was in his desk at the house. Philip claims he didn’t know where it was until that Friday, when he and his sister went to start sorting things. He found it in the desk, and that’s when he opened it. Joey’s list of guns was in the desk, too.”

“Hmm.” Jennifer held out a lock of hair and brushed it absently, her eyes focused on the window that looked out over the rose garden. Harvey began to laugh.

“What’s funny?”

“You are, gorgeous. I told you before, I ought to send you to the Academy.”

“Well, if you don’t want me to help, why do you tell me about these things?”

Harvey patted the pillow beside him. “Come here.”

She laid the brush on the night stand and settled beside him. Connor gurgled and reached toward her, and she held out her arms. Harvey let the baby wriggle onto her lap and put his arm around her as she kissed Connor’s fluffy blond hair.

“What do you think, huh, Connor? Who switched the guns?” she asked.

Harvey said, “Philip Bolduc claims his sister, Donna Torrey, was there the whole time that day. On the Friday, I mean.”

“But she wouldn’t be in the room with him all the time,” Jennifer insisted.

“He admits that. But he seems to have been aboveboard. I mean, it would have been easy for him to pocket a few things. And he could have destroyed Joey’s list of guns, but he didn’t. He says he’s tried to be more than fair to Roxanne, and I believe him. He doesn’t like her, but he’s tried to do what was right.”

“So, it was just him and his sister? Does Mrs. Torrey have an alibi for the murder?”

“Yes, three kids and a husband. They had a picnic on Rangeley Lake the day of the murder, miles and miles from downtown Portland. I honestly don’t think it was family.”

“You don’t think Roxanne arranged it? She does inherit.”

“But they had worked things out before the divorce, and Joey’s lawyer even says she wasn’t bitter and demanding. She wanted to the leave the marriage, and she got to take what she wanted. She didn’t go after the house. She took the car and the mutual funds and just about everything else, but her new boyfriend had a nice house, so she let Joey keep his.”

“And he willed it to her.”

“He made the will when the marriage was healthy, and he didn’t change it. It’s not an expensive house,” Harvey countered.

“Okay, if you say so. But maybe he told her he was going to change the will.”

Harvey frowned. “I don’t know. I just don’t think she wanted it that badly. And if she wanted him dead, why bother to divorce him first? Why not just have him bumped off last winter when they were fighting, and save lawyers’ fees?”

Jennifer sighed. “There’s really only one person with a motive strong enough. That’s what you think, isn’t it?”

“Brad Lyons?” Harvey gritted his teeth. “He was scared of Joey. He talked tough the Friday before, but he was afraid Joey and Deborah would go to Mike. Deborah alone was too timid, but with Joey in her corner, she could cause him a huge headache. He knew he’d crossed the line too many times, and if Mike got onto it, or put a decent investigator onto it, he’d lose his badge.”

Jennifer nodded. “That makes sense. But he was at the police station when Joey was killed.”

“Right.” Harvey sat up a little. “So ... I’m thinking Brad gave his .357 magnum to Donald Lloyd, a guy who would be at City Hall Monday morning while Joey was there. This guy owed him. Brad had kept him out of jail.”

“You’re positive he did it?” Jennifer asked.

“No. But it’s possible Brad made Lloyd think he would go to jail if he didn’t do what he told him.”

Jennifer shook her head. “Kill someone in exchange for beating a small-time drug charge?”

“I’m telling you, Brad could lay it on thick. He might have made Lloyd think he was facing major consequences. Third strike. Major time in the state prison.”

“Still, he must have done more than that for him.”

“Like what?” Harvey asked.

“Paid him off. Come on, you said the drug thing was minor. Possession. That’s not that big a deal, is it? There are fifteen-year-olds in this city who have that on their records, and they’re not in jail.”

“Okay, you’re right,” Harvey admitted.

“I am?”

“Sure. There has to be more to it.” He leaned over to kiss her. “Thanks, Jenny. I want it to be cut and dried, but it’s not. Hashing things out with you helps me see it more clearly.”

“Too bad he had Joey killed for nothing.” Jennifer’s gray eyes were full of sorrow. “You got him on the harassment without that, and his career is ruined. He didn’t have to kill Joey.”

Harvey pulled her close, holding her head against his shoulder and supporting Connor with his arm. “Don’t take it so hard, baby.”

“Detectives can’t grieve?” she asked.

“It tends to muddle their objectivity.”

She smiled at him through tears. “Well, here’s an objective assessment: Brad paid that guy off. Yes, he told him he’d fix his legal troubles, but he paid him something besides.”

“Brad has no money, sweetheart. He’s been divorced three times. The ex-wives took him to the cleaners.”

Connor grabbed two handfuls of Jennifer’s hair. She winced and gently pried his little fingers loose. “Well, if you find he had opportunity to switch the guns, I’ll bet you also find he had opportunity to scrape up some money somewhere.”

Harvey shook his head. “Philip Bolduc says no one else was at the house that day, except him and his sister.”

“So,” Jennifer countered. “Did he move the gun cabinet that day?”

Harvey caught his breath. “No, I don’t think so. How could he?”

“It’s heavy, right?” she asked.

He nodded slowly. “Very heavy.”

“So one man can’t move it easily.”

Harvey leaped off the bed and grabbed the jeans he had draped over a chair.

Jennifer sat up. “Where are you going?”

“To Philip Bolduc’s house.”

She watched as he hastily dressed and pinned his badge on the front of his sweatshirt, then buckled his shoulder holster.

“You should take Eddie with you.” Her voice caught a little.

“I’m just going to ask him a couple of questions tonight.”

“Like who helped him load the gun cabinet?”

Harvey nodded. “It’s pretty obvious when you think about it, isn’t it?” He came to the side of the bed and reached to rumple Connor’s hair. “Take care of Mommy, kiddo.” He stooped and kissed Jennifer fiercely. “I’ll be back, genius.”