Page 66 of Deadly Lineage
“Yeah, I don’t know of anyone. Is that why you asked me here? Do I need to identify the… Do I need to do some type of ID?”
“No, fortunately, that won’t be necessary,” I answered. “We’ve already gotten an accurate ID.” I didn’t mention that ID was found using a necromancer.
Franz’s eyebrows scrunched again. “Then, do you need someone to take care of the arrangements? I think that’s whatit’s called. I’ve never had to do something like that before, but I can figure it out.”
Bless this behemoth’s soul. Underneath all the gruff, Franz was a man with a heart.
Harrison surprised me by stating, “Arrangements have already been made. Mr. Remington had an…extended family of sorts, and they would like to take care of the burial. I can let them know that you’d like to be included or that, at the very least, you want to know where Mr. Remington’s remains will be laid to rest.”
Franz nodded, running his hanky under his nose again. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
Silence filled the air as Franz seemed to momentarily forget to question why he’d been called into the police station. That moment passed and he asked, “So then, why…” His words drifted as some sort of realization settled in. Franz’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he asked, “How did you say Linus died again?”
“We didn’t,” I answered.
Harrison picked up the verbal trail and said, “I’m afraid Mr. Remington was murdered.”
“W-what? I… That can’t be right. Why would anyone want to hurt Linus?”
Finally, we were getting to the meat of things. “That’s what we’d like to know,” I answered.
“That’s why I’m here? You think that I had something to do with Linus’s death?” Franz’s panic turned to indignation. “I would never hurt Linus. Never! I don’t even—”
“We don’t believe you had anything to do with Mr. Remington’s death,” Harrison interrupted thankfully, deflating Franz’s indignant tirade.
“Oh. That’s good. Because I didn’t. I wouldn’t.”
I wasn’t here to judge whether or not Benedict Franz was or wasn’t capable of murder. The important bit was that he hadn’tcommittedthismurder, and right now that was the focus of our investigation.
Like me, Harrison ignored Franz’s claims of homicidal innocence and asked again, “Can you remember anything that seemed off recently? Anything that Mr. Remington might have said that made you think he might be in danger? Anything that sticks out at all?”
Franz scratched his chin, the sound smooth. Most likely he’d shaved before dropping by. “Not really. Like I said, Linus didn’t really talk much about himself. When we went out for drinks, we talked about work, the other guys, that sort of thing.” Franz sounded forlorn, like he was sorry he didn’t have anything else to give us.
Harrison made notes while I stewed. I’d really hoped we’d get a lead.
“When was the last time the two of you went out for drinks?” Harrison asked.
“Well, let’s see… I suppose that would have been last weekend. We—no, wait, that’s not right. We were meeting some other guys from work. We don’t typically do that, but a group got together and Linus and I decided to join in. Only Linus didn’t show up. He texted me and said he couldn’t make it. Linus didn’t elaborate and I didn’t ask. He wasn’t all that social and like I said, it wasn’t our normal get-together with just the two of us. I wasn’t too surprised he bailed.”
“Did you see him after that?” I asked, sitting forward.
“Yeah. He was at work on Monday. Linus seemed normal enough. I didn’t ask any questions about Saturday night if that’s what you’re wondering.” Franz looked stricken. “Should I have asked? Is it my fault he’s dead? Shit, I was just trying to give the guy some space, you know. It didn’t think it was my business what he did or didn’t do.”
“No reason you should have asked,” Harrison reassured. “Right now, we don’t have any idea if the reason Mr. Remington didn’t show on Saturday night had anything to do with his death. Like you said, he might have simply not felt like going. Too many people and all that.”
Franz swallowed hard and gave a slight head bob. “Yeah, maybe. I still wish I’d asked.”
Hindsight was often a bitch. Most of us would do things differently if we could go back in time. I wasn’t certain any species was capable of that trick—not even brownies or fairies. I had no idea about djinn. Maybe next time I saw Aurelia, I’d ask.
Christ, is this really my life?It all seemed surreal if I truly took the time to contemplate it. Best not to ruminate too heavily.
Harrison asked a few more questions. I remained mostly silent. Franz didn’t have much to contribute. He seemed like a nice guy, and genuinely grief-stricken. When the interview was over, Franz’s shoulders were a lot more slumped than when he’d arrived. Harrison and I took turns shaking his hand and thanking Franz for voluntarily taking time out of his day to speak with us.
After the door to the interview room closed, Harrison said, “He had no idea, did he?”
“That Remington was a panther shifter?”
“Mm-hmm.”
