Page 34 of Deadly Sins: Envy
“Ten thousand dollars. Why?”
“Do me a favor. Sit here for a moment. Think about the amount you just gave me and how it relates to your daughter’s abduction. Maybe then you’ll understand the damage you’ve done.”
CHAPTER 16
Alfred, Gran, Dale, Detective Murphy, Officer Blunt, and I convened in the living room and listened to Dale repeat the story he’d just told me. I remained quiet, studying the shocked faces of those in the room as he spoke. He discussed ninety percent of our conversation while making excuses for himself, and then he skipped over the part about hiring Stanley Davidson so his daughter could go on tour.
For a moment, I let him get away with it.
Once Dale finished, Murphy turned to me for a detailed recap of my day, most of which Coop had briefed him on already. Murphy believed Alex and Danny had served time together and that Alex may have wooed Danny into his kidnapping scheme with a promise of money.
“At least now we know why Alex asked for ten thousand dollars in his ransom note,” I said. “It wasn’t about money. It was about teaching Dale a lesson.”
“Himteachingme?” Dale said. “I’ll teach him a thing or two next time I see him.”
Alfred’s frail emotions spilled over. He looked at Dale and said, “Son, what have you done?”
“What haveIdone?” Dale said. “I haven’t done anything. This isn’t my fault.”
“Here’s how I see it,” I said. “Alex found out Willow was on tour. The fact Dale paid for it brought back feelings about how Alex felt when Dale offered him money at his mother’s funeral. This caused him to recall his banishment from Willow’s home as a child for reasons I assume his mother was honest with him about.”
“You can’t assume—” Dale started.
“I’m not finished,” I said. “To get back at Dale, Alex abducted Willow, killing Blake in the process, which may or may not have been intentional. He requested a ransom amount that matched Dale’s check amount and recruited Danny to assist. Alex may have even told Danny he could keep the money because the money wasn’t what mattered most. He wanted Dale to suffer as he had. The night at the cemetery, I believe Danny didn’t know Coop wasn’t Dale. If he hadn’t been stopped from shooting Coop again, there’s a good chance he may have killed him. What we don’t know is whether Alex asked Danny to kill Dale in exchange for keeping the money or whether he didn’t.”
Murphy nodded in agreement and proposed one final question of his own.
“I suspect most of what you’ve just said is right,” he said. “But the pressing question now is, assuming Willow may still be alive, and since Alex’s intentions haven’t gone to plan, what will he do with Willow now?”
CHAPTER 17
“Speaking of Alex,” I said, “where are we on locating him?”
“Wearen’t anywhere,” Blunt said. “You’ve involved yourself enough. The rest is our job.”
“Let it go, Blunt,” Murphy said. “Face it—she’s found more leads than we have.”
“She’s not a cop. She shouldn’t be going around pretending to be one.”
“I’m not pretending anything,” I said.
Murphy faced me. “I’ve spoken to a couple of Alex’s friends, and I’ve visited his last known location. His stuff was there. He wasn’t.”
Dale rubbed a hand across his chin. “I might know where you can find him. Has anyone tried his mother’s house?”
It took mere minutes for Murphy to find out Rita Marshall had left her house to her son when she died, but Alex had continued living in cheap motels. According to one of his friends, Alex intended to tidy up her place with some of the life insurance money she’d left behind and then sell it. Murphy and Blunt left to check things out and asked the rest of us to stay put until they said whether they’d found anything.
A half hour went by.
No word.
Another half hour.
Still no word.
A cab pulled into the driveway. The back door opened, and Coop hoisted himself onto a pair of crutches and hobbled toward the door. I rushed out to meet him.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.