Page 118 of Fire and Bones

“—price range. What has this got to do with us, detective?”

“I’m VCB, sir.”

“I’m Sagittarius.” Roy pantomimed waggling a cigar, Groucho style.

“VCB is the department’s violent crimes bureau.”

“I didn’t think you were referencing a Vacuum Circuit Breaker.” Roy chuckled at his own wit. “That’s a gizmo we install—”

“People perished, Mr. Stoll.”

“Ohhh,” said Roy, drawing out the word in what seemed like mock anguish. “Forgive my tactlessness. I am truly sorry,” he said, sounding not sorry at all. “But we know nothing about buildings burning down in—”

“—Foggy Bottom. Please excuse my brother. Occasionally, Roy’s comedic timing is less than ideal.”

The brothers kept their eyes on their laps. Maybe their genitals.

The beer sign buzzed.

Seconds ticked by.

Ronan shifted from one skinny buttock to the other. Laced his fingers atop the lilac-and-teal horse and its rider.

Roy picked nonexistent lint from the parrot tee.

Roy cracked first.

“It’s tragic that people died,” he said. “Of course, it is. But my brother and I are simple contractors. We fix things.”

“You drive a yellow Toyota Camry. Is that correct, sir?” Deery employed another tactic, the quick segue.

“Yes.” Roy sounded genuinely puzzled. “But, meaning no disrespect, so do thousands of other people.”

“Your vehicle was spotted near the fire scene.”

“What? When?”

“The morning of May twenty-four.”

“Not our car.” Roy wagged his head so hard I feared an eyeball might fly from a socket. “No way.”

“Your Camry has a parking decal on its left rear window and a bumper sticker saying ‘I brake for aliens’?”

“What? What?” Simultaneous.

“And there’s this.” Deery pulled a copy of the photo taken at the second fire location from his pocket and laid it on the unfortunate coffee table.

Ronan sprang from his lounger, snatched it up and looked at the print.

“Let me see that.” Roy curled impatient fingers.

Winging the pic to his brother, Ronan dropped back into his chair.

“Where was this photo taken?” Roy asked.

Deery told him.

Roy studied the image a very long time. Trying to recall why his car was at that place on that date? Buying time to construct a cover story?