‘No, Tracy, she’s right. I’m very glad you didn’t do that. But did you work on it on Friday?’
‘No. The Dragon Lady came up with some emergency data entry for me to do.’
‘Well, soon as you get back will you go to Oscar or Leo or me – whoever’s handy when you get here – and ask for a copy of the Frank Martin note … you got that? … Martin, yes. And see if you can find any trace of it on the laptop.’
‘It’s an email? And you think it was sent from the laptop?’
‘Hmm, no, I think it came in, not out. Can you do that?’
‘Dear lady, surely by now you’ve noticed that Genius Geek rarely fails?’
‘And the laptop – where is it?’
‘Back in the trunk. Isn’t that what you wanted?’
‘Ah, GG, sometimes you’re good and other times you’re just outstanding.’
‘Thanks. I do like it when people notice.’
She went back and told Delaney, ‘The laptop’s back in the trunk and Tracy’s going to look for the message when he gets back. He’s ill today.’
‘I’ve got a meeting in ten minutes. He’s going to find it if it’s there?’
‘Yes.’
‘Good. Let’s try a quick re-boot, here. In the first death, the big question that remains is, where’s the money? Leo, make that your problem. Start from the premise that you’re Frank and you just took the money. Now answer the obvious questions. Why? You lived all these years without that money – why do you need it now? Then, how? I’m going to give you this card from the forensic accountants we used on the Barrie case. Get them to explain to you exactly how he stole it. Finally, where? He had to put it somewhere.’
‘Damn funny the bank examiners couldn’t find it,’ Leo said.
‘Well, right. But it was cash money. Money takes up space and is heavy – if he took it, where did he put it? And in that connection, Jason?’
‘Mmm?’
‘I want you to find out who got Frank’s car. Did the family sell it or keep it? Be very nice if they still have it, hmm? You see where I’m going with this?’
‘No.’
‘The money went somewhere. If it was actual green money, it probably didn’t travel away in a backpack being carried by a hiker, do you think?’
‘Ah. So Frank’s car …’ Jason patted his shaved head, his habit when he was deep in thought. ‘Where is it, though?’
Leo said, ‘Frank’s house went to Ed, and everything else to the rest of the family. It’s hard to say who got what.’
Delaney said, ‘You’ll just have to ask. Ray, go after Frank’s suicide weapon. Dig into that case file – Oscar can help you. Find out how much we learned about the weapon and what we did with it. Talk to Banjo, see how far he went with it. Check all the usual databases – well, you know. Get me something on that gun. I’m very disappointed we know so little.
‘Ollie, I want you to go back to Angela’s autopsy. Ambiguous just won’t cut it. I want more information about that bruise on the back of the head.
‘Oscar, I want you to canvass the people in that building and in the neighborhood, find anybody who was familiar with her movements, anything they noticed different about the last day or week. Anything she said that might indicate she was afraid or suspicious.’
Sarah said, ‘Why did she get her hair cut?’
‘What?’ Looking at his watch, getting ready to leave, Delaney appeared to be dumbfounded by the question.
‘I noticed it when we found her and then forgot. There’s so much to … But why would she get a fresh haircut if she was thinking of killing herself?’
‘God, I don’t … Add it to the list, I guess. Are you getting anything useful from the family members?’
‘Kind of, but they’re not all saying the same things … except when it comes to Frank being a do-gooder. That’s unanimous.’
‘Oscar made an interesting observation about that farewell letter. What was Frank so sorry about? I think you should print a copy of your own and go talk to everybody you can find who knew Frank well enough to have an opinion. Why would he feel he needed to apologize to Ed? See if you can find anybody who ever asked Ed about it and what he said.’
Sarah said, ‘Also, I need to talk to the employer, Marjorie Springer, about Angela – I can do that today.’
‘Fine. Ask her about the haircut – did they talk about it? Women talk about hair, don’t they?’
‘Sometimes. And soon I’d like to bring Joey in here and get him on the record.’