Page 152 of Fire and Bones
“And you know this how?”
“I googled cricket behavior.”
“Of course, you did.” Ryan was now a disembodied voice in the dark. “And the cricket ladies just sit back and enjoy the performance?”
“Presumably.”
“Zanetti should have stuck to a similar approach with Ivy,” Ryan said.
“Instead, he killed Krassle. He couldn’t risk losing the meal ticket that Ivy represented.”
“Wasn’t Zanetti a hotshot realtor raking in big bucks?”
“That’s what Ivy thought. But Deery interviewed several of Zanetti’s colleagues. According to them, the guy wasn’t earning enough to cover the rent on his office.”
“How’s Ivy doing?” I heard Ryan reach out to take a sip of his coffee. Return the delicate cup to its delicate saucer with a soft clink.
“She’s devastated, but tough. Her podcast and a never-ending chain of breaking news will keep her busy for now.”
“And she has Chuck.”
“Apparently that’s become a permanent arrangement.”
“I like Chuck,” Ryan said. “The chinch is ambitious.”
“Ditto Ivy.”
“They’ll definitely go places,” Ryan agreed.
“As will Zanetti. For a very long time. He’s been charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, arson, mayhem, I forget everything the DA listed.”
“Was it Zanetti who sent you the two threatening texts?”
“You ready for this?” I couldn’t help but smile. “It was Halsey Banks.”
“Who?”
“Halsey Banks is Norbert Mirek’s nephew.”
“The guy whose bones you dug out of the animal poop?”
“Very good, sir. I’m surprised you remember that.”
“Why did Banks try to intimidate you?”
“He didn’t. He just wanted me to stop working on his uncle’s case because he feared an exorbitant bill for my services.”
We were quiet for maybe four or five minutes. Like mine, Ryan’s thoughts drifted. But in a different direction.
“Have you learned the identity of your no-show caller?”
It took a moment to unfold the question.
“The woman who ghosted me at the Einstein Memorial? Deery cracked that nut. Her name is Georgia Daughtler.”
“Why did she phone you?”
“Daughtler is Roy Stoll’s former wife, and feels less than kindly toward her ex. She hoped to cause him trouble but got cold feet and decided to back off.”