Morning, Noon & Night

I have a feeling we may have all the answers tomorrow." would be wonderful!’ Julia said excitedly. ”ll be so glad when this is over." "So will I,’ Steve told her. Or will P She’ll be a real part of the Stanford fainfly – way out of my reach. Dinner lasted two hours, and they were not even aware of what they were eating. They talked about everything and they talked about nothing, and it was as though they had known each other forever. They discussed the past and the present, and they carefully avoided talking about the future. There is nofuturefor us, Steve thought unhappily. Finally, reluctantly, Steve said, ‘, we’d better go to bed., She looked at him with raised eyebrows, and they both burst out laughing. ‘ I meant …" know what you meant.

Good night, Steve." nigh t, Julia."

Chapter Thirty-one

Early the following morning, Steve boarded a United Ilight for Chicago.

From Chicago’s O’Hare Airport he took a taxi. ‘ to?’ the driver asked. ‘ Reed Mental Health Facility.’ The driver turned around and looked at Steve. ‘ you okay?". Why?" asking.’ At Reed, Steve approached the uniformed security guard at the front desk. The guard looked up. ‘ I help yout ‘. I? d like to see Margo Posner." she an employeet That had not occurred to Steve. ”m not sure.’ The guard took a closer look at him. ”re not sure?" I know is that she’s here.’ The guard reached in a drawer and took out a roster with a list of names. After a moment, he said, ‘ doesn’t work here. Could she be a patientt 61 I … I don’t know. It’s possible.’ The guard gave Steve another look, then reached into a different drawer and pulled out a computer printout. He scanned it, and in the middle, he stopped. ‘. Margo."’s right.’ He- was surprised. ‘ she a patient here?"-huh. Are you a relative?"

"No …" I’m afraid you can’t see her." have to see her,’ Steve said. ”s very important.". I have my orders. Unless you’ve been cleared beforehand, you can’t visit any of the patients."’s in charge here?’ Steve asked. 61 am.1 ‘ mean, in charge of the hospital."

"Dr. Kingsley.’ – ‘ want to see him."! The guard picked up the telephone and dialed a number. ‘. Kingsley,.this is Joe at the front desk. There’s a gentleman here who wants to see you. He looked up at Steve. ‘ namet ‘ Sloane. I’m an attorney." Sloane. He’s an attorney … right.’ He replaced the receiver and turned to Steve.

"Someone will be along to take you to his office.’ Five minutes later, Steve was ushered into the office of Dr. Gary Kingsley. Kingsley was a man in his fifties, but he looked older and careworn. ‘ can I do for you, Mr. Sloaner ‘ need to see a patient you have here. Margo Posner.", yes. Interesting case. Are you related to hert ‘, but I’m investigating a possible murder, and it’s very important that I talk to her. I think she may be a key to it."’m sorry. I can’t help you." "You have to,’ Steve said. ”s .. ‘. Sloane, I couldn’t help you even if I wanted to." nott ‘ Margo Posner is in a padded cell. She attacks everyone who goes near her. This morning, she tried to kill a matron and two doctors."? ‘ keeps changing her identity and screaming for her brother, Tyler, and the crew of her yacht. The only way we can quiet her is to keep her heavily sedated.", my God," Steve said. ‘ you have any idea when she might come out of it?’ Dr. Kingsley shook his head. ”s under close observation. Perhaps in time she’ll calm down, and we can reevaluate her condition. Until then … "

Chapter Thirty-two

At Six A. M., a harbor patrol boat was cruising along the Charles River, when one of the policemen aboard spotted an object floating in the water ahead.. ‘ the starboard bow!’ he called. ‘ looks like a log. Let’s pick it up before it sinks something.’ The log turned out to be a body, and even more startling, a body that had been embalmed. The policemen stared down at it and said, ‘ the hell did an embalmed body get into the Charles Rivert Lieutenant Michael Kennedy was talking- to the coroner. ‘ you sure of that?’ The coroner replied, ‘. It’s Harry Stanford. I embalmed him myself. Later, we had an exhumation order, and when we dug up the coffin … Well, you know, we reported it to the police. ‘ asked to have the body exhumed?" family. They handled it through their attorney, Simon Fitzgerald.’ I think I’ll have a talk with Mr. Fitzgerald.’ When Steve returned to Boston from Chicago, he went directly to Simon Fitzgerald’s office. ‘ look beat," Fitzgerald said. ‘ beat – beaten. The whole thing is falling apart, Simon. We had three possible leads: Dmitri Kaminsky, Frank Timmons, and Margo Posner. Well, Kaminsky is dead, it’s the wrong Timmons, and Margo Posner is locked away in an asylum. We have nothing to The voice of Fitzgerald’s secretary came over the intercom. ‘ me. There’s a Lieutenant Kennedy here to see you, Mr. Fitzgerald." him in." Michael Kennedy was a rugged-looking man with eyes that’had seen everything. ‘. Fitzgeraldt ‘. This is my associate Steve Sloane. I believe you two have spoken on the phone. Sit down. What can we do for yout Ve just found the body of Harry Stanford."? Where?" in the Charles. You ordered his body dug up, didn’t you?"." I ask whyt Fitzgerald told him. When Fitzgerald, was finished, Kennedy said, ‘ have no idea who it was that posed as this investigator, Timmons. ‘. I talked to Timmons. He has no idea, either.’ Kennedy sighed. ‘ gets curiouser and curiouser." is Harry Stanford’s body nowt Steve asked. ”re keeping him at the morgue for the present. I hope he doesn’t disappear again.’ 11 do, too,’ Steve said.

"We’ll have Perry Winger run DNA test on Julia.’ When Steve called Tyler to tell him that his father’s body had been found, Tyler was genuinely shocked. ”s terrible!’ he said. ‘ could have done a thing like thatt ”s what we’re trying to find out,’ Steve told him. Tyler was furious. That incompetent idiot, Baker! He’s going to pay for this. I have to get this settled before it gets out of hand ‘. Fitzgerald, as you may be aware, I’ve been appointed chief judge of Cook County. I have a very heavy caseload, and they’re pressuring me to return. I can’t delay much longer. I’d appreciate it if you could do. something to get the probate finished quickly." put in a call this morning,’ Steve told him. It should be closed within the next three days." will be fine. Keep me informed, please."’ll do that, judge.’ Steve sat in his office reviewing the events of the past few weeks. He recalled the conversation he had had with Chief Inspector Mcphearson. I Wejound his body a little while ago. Hisfingers had been chopped off and he had been shot several tines.’ But wait, Steve thought. There’s something he didn’t tell me. He picked up the telephone and put in another call to Australia. The voice on the other end of the telephone said, ‘ is Chief Inspector Mcphearson.’ gym, inspector. This is Steve Sloane. I forgot to ask you a question. When you found Dmitri Kaminsky’s body, were there any papers on him?… I see … that’s fine. Thank you very much.’ When Steve hung up the phone, his secretary’s voice came over the intercom. ‘ Kennedy holding on line two.’ Steve punched the phone buttion. ‘. Sorry to keep you waiting. I was on an overseas call." NYPD gave me some interesting information on Hoop Malkovich. He seems to be quite a slippery character.’ Steve picked up a pen. ‘ ahead." police believe that the bakery he works for is a front for a drug ring.’ The lieutenant paused, then continued.