Page 41 of Into the Fire

“The confirmation that the fragment we found matches the Lismore pattern is interesting, but it doesn’t prove anything.”

She shifted in her seat, as if seeking a more comfortable position. “That’s how I feel about our conversation with Michelle Thomas’s father. It may be interesting, but I doubt it will lead anywhere.”

“What’s your game plan for that meeting?”

“Let him have his say. See if anything he shares triggers an idea or two. As I already warned him, though, if he had anything relevant to offer, Les would have followed up.”

“Yet something he said was significant enough to earn his daughter’s name a place on the list in Kavanaugh’s wallet.”

“The question is what. My first priority tomorrow is to search our files for cases that match up with the dates and initials on the list and review those. See if I can find any commonalities.” She motioned to the right. “Take the next exit south.”

Marc switched lanes. “Kavanaugh would also have done that, and it apparently didn’t lead him anywhere except to you. Since your phone number was on his list, it’s looking more and more like he was going to enlist your help with this puzzle.”

“Problem is, if he couldn’t figure it out, I have no confidence I can. He was much more experienced than me.”

“Tenacity can compensate for lack of experience. He could have realized you weren’t the type to give up.” He flipped on his left turn signal, stopping at the red light at the bottom of the ramp. “Your arson theory with regard to his fire is also beginning to grow on me. It’s possible someone related to one of the cases on his list realized he was getting too close to the truth. They could have heard about his meeting with you, were afraid he was going to share whatever intel he had, and decided to come after him. Silencing someone who’s a threat is a solid motive for murder.”

She surveyed him in the deepening dusk. “So now you’re thinking my suspicion that his death may not have been accidental has merit?”

“Let’s just say I’m open to the possibility, especially in light of your tire incident today.” May as well put his concerns on the table.

“Are you suggesting that the person who killed Les could be targeting me?”

“I’m not ruling it out.”

“But what would be the point? I have no clue what Les wanted to talk to me about.”

“You’re digging in, though. If someone did target Les, they could be getting nervous.”

Several seconds ticked by, and he could almost hear the gears whirring in her brain.

“Assuming that was true, what would sabotaging my tires accomplish?” She spoke slowly, as if she was analyzing the question while she spoke. “That’s penny ante stuff compared to what happened to Les—if foul play was involved in his case.”

“I can’t argue with that, but I don’t like the double blowout. My gut tells me someone wanted to cause you grief, and the timing suggests it could be linked to an ongoing investigation. Like Kavanaugh’s.”

She settled back in her seat. “I’m not discounting your instincts, but if the tires were sabotaged, it feels more like petty vandalism than a serious threat.”

That was true. The scale was out of whack.

“You may be right.” Pressing the issue would accomplish nothing, and it was possible his instincts were off for once.

That could happen when you had a personal interest in someone who was being threatened.

Their conversation during the remainder of the drive to James Wallace’s house consisted of directions and related questions. Only after they pulled up in front of a small bungalow in a neighborhood of manicured lawns and stately oak trees did he return to the meeting at hand.

“Does he know I’m coming?”

“Yes. I told him when I called to explain why I’d be delayed. He was more than receptive to having an ATF agent in on the discussion.”

“Unless you’d like me to play this otherwise, I’ll do more listening than talking.”

“That’s my plan too. He has information he wants to share, and I promised to hear him out. I’ll ask questions if anything he says strikes me as pertinent. Feel free to do the same. I’m not expecting much, but if I can identify the other cases on Les’s list—and if any of those raise questions related to his daughter’s death—I may want to pay him a follow-up visit.”

“Okay. Let’s do this.”

She met him in front of the hood, notebook in hand, and he fell in beside her during the short walk to the front door.

Thankfully the darkness hid the smile tickling the corners of his mouth.

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