Page 65 of Lion & Lamb

Speaking of, I’m finding it hard to believe that you’re coming up with zilch on Maya Rain. I mean, this isyouwe’re talking about here, Victor. Keep trying. I need to know everything about her.

Okay,needis a strong word. Iwantto know everything about her.

For the case!

I think Archie was paying for Maya’s apartment despite what she says. I think she and Archie had some kind of relationship that was extramarital but also somehow had the blessing of Francine. Hey, it’s the twenty-first century, people are gender-fluid and relationship-fluid these days. Maybe Archie and Francine allowed each other to have little dalliances…just as long as they cleared them with each other first.

For all I know, Francine hired Maya as a nanny and trusted her, liked her, and then Archie expressed an interest, and Francine thought,Sure, why not? I trust her, I like her, and I could literally destroy her if she moves in on my husband for real.

I’ll need to watch the Francine-Maya dynamic a little more to know for sure. But Victor, if you can find any kind of document trail regarding Maya’s employment at the Hughes house, that would be huge. A high-profile gig like that would definitely require a state background check. You have any sources in Harrisburg who could help us out?

I just can’t believe someone as amazing as Maya popped out of the West Virginia woods and into a multimillionaire’s Main Line mansion without leaving some traces.

Chapter66

COOPER LAMB / VOICE MEMO #20127-735 (continued)

Okay, now that I’ve been thinking about it some more…

Here’s the lame and obvious version: Francine was tired of being abused by her ultra-famous, ultra-wealthy husband and used some of that wealth to hire a hit man to take him out and make it look like an accident.

The problem with this take? It ignores all of the shady characters and circumstances surrounding Archie’s murder. There are too many moving parts that don’t fit into this neat, tidy narrative.

For example, there’s the NFL factor and another obvious version. A hack private eye would say,Duh, somebody wants to throw the Super Bowl. What better way than killing the Birds’ star player? It takes him off the field, shakes the confidence of the team.

The problem with this theory is that Archie’s death seems to have had the opposite effect on the team. They’ve been galvanized into winning this one for Archie, and the city is more Eagles-crazy than ever. And it also ignores the other shady circumstances and characters.

Mickey Bernstein, for one. Unless he’s moonlighting as a hit man, what’s his role in all this? Why was he speeding to the crime scene before anyone knew it was a crime scene? What do we know about Mickey?

We know that Mickey Bernstein is a bagman for the Sables. We know he was headed to Archie’s body before anyone officially reported it. We know that he lobbied the commissioner and possibly even the mayor to run this investigation. All of this speaks to someone who (a) knew about the crime in advance, and (b) wants to completely control the investigation of said crime.

But why?

Now I’m starting to think this does have everything to do with the Super Bowl. Sometimes the obvious and lame theory is correct, because crooks and killers are often obvious and lame.

I need to see if this theory has legs…

Transcript of Cooper Lamb’s phone call to Red’s Bar and Grill, Atlantic City

COOPER LAMB: Let me speak to Red, please.

BARTENDER: I don’t know anybody named Red.

LAMB: Let’s not do this again, sparky. Put him on.

BARTENDER: Fine, whatever.

LAMB: Don’t stop being you.

RED DOYLE: Yeah, what’s the good word, Cooper?

LAMB: I was hoping you could tell me.

DOYLE: It’s a s---show here, if I’m being perfectly honest. All of the heavy guys are jittery. I feel like I’m talking all of them down off the ledge. It’s like I’m a friggin’ therapist instead of your friendly neighborhood bookie.

LAMB: And that’s exactly why I’m calling. Who has the most to gain from the championship game being delayed?

DOYLE: Nobody. This whole thing sucks and it’s freaking everybody out.

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