Page 85 of The Lie Maker

A search on Valerie Gartner brought in fewer results. But what she found was significant.

There was an op-ed piece from one of the Chicago papers, bylined Valerie Gartner, from twelve years ago. A testimonial about her personal struggle with drug addiction and alcoholism, how she’d come through dark times with the support of friends, family, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Narcotics Anonymous. And while the article did not get into the details of her father’s death, it alluded to the devastation her family endured as a result of an act of violence. It was the trigger for the personal problems that had plagued her from that point on.

Then Lana came upon a more recent story, from a couple of months ago, in July, as well as an official death notice. The article on Valerie’s passing highlighted her work on behalf of those struggling with addiction. Neither it nor the official obituary made any reference to how she had died. Lana bet that was because it was suicide or an overdose.

A series of possible events began to take shape in her mind that could explain why someone was seeking revenge against Jack’s father after such a long time.

Kyle Gartner was grieving his twin sister. When she took her own life, he looked back at the singular event that triggered a life of addiction and depression. He knew whom to blame for that.

The Gartners wouldn’t be seeking revenge against Galen Frohm. He turned up in Lana’s searches as one of the more famous—make that infamous—individuals who died during the pandemic.

That would leave Jack’s father.

If there was anything to Lana’s theory, it would have to mean Kyle had acquired details about Michael Donohue. The name he now lived under, his location. How the hell would someone get that? Lana had no idea, but she knew anything was possible. Could someone in the witness protection program have leaked it to him, figuring it was time the Gartners got justice?

And if she was right, had Kyle gone hunting for Michael Donohue himself? Hired someone to do it? Jack had told her he’d been shown a photo of a mystery man Gwen thought might be hunting his father. A big, formidable-looking guy. Online pictures of Kyle Gartner matched that description. Heavyset, thick necked.

But seriously, was the CEO of a linen company a likely killer? It was only a theory, and maybe a weak one at that. But it was something. A place to start.

She did some more general reading about Galen Frohm and the things he’d done. The rampant tax fraud and tax evasion, blackmail and bribery, not to mention ordering hits on people. She was reading about his various convictions and the accompanying sentences that would see him spend the rest of his life behind bars when something jumped out at her. Two words.

A name.

“No fuckin’ way,” she whispered to herself.

Forty-Three

Jack

Gwen and I were on a park bench a few blocks from my apartment, Scorsese sitting behind the wheel of the black van on a nearby side street, scrolling through his phone. She was looking through the accounts of the times I had seen my father, ten pages I’d printed out for her.

“Interesting stuff,” she said, taking a second scan through the pages.

“Anything there?” I asked.

We’d picked up two lattes in paper cups at a nearby café—Gwen paid—and I took a sip from mine, licking some foam off my upper lip.

Gwen sighed. “I won’t lie. I was hoping for more.”

“There must be something there,” I said.

“If he’s on the run and needs money, he’s got experience from that window factory, and the printer and hardware store jobs,” she mused. “He could look for work in another part of the country at places like that if he needs money.” She shook her head. “Or he could rob a bank.”

“He wouldn’t do that.”

Gwen gave me a pitying look. “He killed people, but a holdup, that’s crossing a line. Can you think of anyone—anyone—he might seek out, other than you?”

“No. No one wants him found more than I do.”

“Honestly? Maybe you’re afraid we will find him if he’s up to his old tricks.”

I shook my head. “No.”

“Maybe you need to approach this the way you’re doing your work for us. Build a backstory for your father, drawing on what you know about him. But extrapolate. Imagine. Put things down you feel about your father but don’t actually know for a fact. What about your father and women?”

“He didn’t mention settling down with anyone.”

“Doesn’t have to be someone special. I’m not talking about a wife or a steady girlfriend. Maybe some friend with benefits. Come on, Jack. Your dad’s got needs like any other man. Think.”

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