Chapter 27

No sign of Hauser’s Audi when I got home at two a.m. The bed was made up andRobin was gone. I called her six hours later.
“I heard you leave,” she said. “Went outside but you were driving away. Whatkind of ugly are we talking about?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“I do. The new me.”
“The old you was fine.”
“The ostrich’s head has been lifted. What happened, Alex?”
“Someone got shot. An extremely bad guy. You could’ve stayed.”
“I got antsy,” she said. “It’s a big house.”
“Don’t I know it.”
“Last night was good, Alex.”
“Except for the chop-socky interlude.”
“Are you worried Hauser’s going to cause more trouble?”
“Maybe he’s smarter when he’s sober. The police wrote it up in my favor.About what I asked you—”
“Have a change of heart?”
“Of course not.”
“It wasn’t just the moment, Alex?”
Maybe it had been. “No.”
Couple of beats. “Would you be upset if I said I needed some time to think?”
“It’s a big step,” I said.
“It is. Which is kind of strange, given how much of our lives we’ve shared.”
I didn’t answer.
She said, “I won’t take too long.”
 
I left a message with Erica Weiss’s secretary, saying I wanted to talk aboutPatrick Hauser. Just as I hung up, Miloclicked in.
He sounded exhausted¹. Probably up all night on Peaty. Maybe that’s why hedidn’t bother with niceties.
“Wendell A. Chong, the guy whose van Peaty ripped off, is a softwareconsultant who used to rent office space in a building owned by the Dowds. Thevan was boosted from his reserved tenant² slot at night, while Chong was workinglate. Chong collected insurance, bought himself a new car, has no interest inreclaiming it.”
“Peaty watched and seized the opportunity,” I said. “Chong have anyimpressions of Peaty?”
“Never saw him. Who he does remember is Billy Dowd. He’d always wondered ifBilly had something to do with the theft.”
“Why?”
“Because Billy used to hang around aimlessly when Brad came by to collectrent. One time he drifted into Chong’s office and just stood there, like heowned the place. Chong asked him what he wanted, Billy got a spaced-out look inhis eyes and left without a word. Chong followed Billy out into the hall, sawhim walking up and down, like he was patrolling. A couple of women stepped outof an office and Billy checked them out. Pretty intensely, according to Chong.Then Brad showed up, ushered³ Billy away. But he kept bringing Billy along, soChong started locking his door. Interesting, huh?”
“Billy and Peaty?” I said.
“Weirdos finding common ground. It happens, right? Brad protects Billy buthe can’t be everywhere. And like you said, he overestimates⁴ his power. Maybe hetakes Billy along with him when he checks out the garage at the PlayHouse. Orthe PlayHouse itself. I don’t see Billy getting laid on his own.”
“Billy seemed gentle.”
“Maybe he is,” he said. “Except when he’s not. In any event, I just gotpermission from Vasquez’s D.P.D. to interview his client, on my way over to thejail. I’m betting on a quick plea, maybe involuntary manslaughter. Kinda niceto have one that closes easy.”
“You could name Peaty as the bad guy on Michaela and close that,” I said.
“Yet I wonder aloud about Billy,” he said. “Why? Because I’m aself-destructive fool, no sleep in two days, I’m vulnerable, amigo. Tell me toforget about Billy and I will.”
“Two bad guys could explain how the Gaidelases’ car ended up twenty-fivemiles from Kanan Dume. Billy doesn’t seem street-smart, but Peaty could’vehelped him there. Still, it’s hard to imagine him getting away for any lengthof time. He and Brad seem to be together most of the day and at night there’s aneighbor watching him.”
“The ‘nice lady.’ Wonder how hard she looks. I was supposed to check thatout but with all that’s happened…do you think it’s interesting that the badstuff we know about started after Billy got his own place?”
“If the bad stuff was the product of a sick relationship,” I said, “withPeaty gone, Billy might not act out again.”
“There’s comfort for you.”
“I can drop by and talk to the neighbor.”
“That would be great, I’m tied up with Vasquez all day.” He read off Billy’saddress on Reeves Drive.“Any more problems from that asshole Hauser?”
“Not a one.”
“Good.”
“I’m still wondering about something,” I said.
“Am I going to want to hear this?”
“Dylan Meserve picked Latigo for the hoax⁵ because he hiked up there. Whatled the Gaidelases to the same spot?”
“Aha,” he said. “Already been there and back. Maybe Peaty overheard Dylantalking about hiking up there. While the Gaidelases were waiting for theiraudition, they mentioned wanting to hike and Peaty overheard again and gavethem advice.”
“That’s a lot of overhearing.”
“He’s a watcher.”
“Okay,” I said.
“You’re not buying it.”
“What we know about Meserve suggests lack of conscience, or at the least aweak one. Michaela’s description of his behavior those nights bothers me. Mindgames, preoccupation with death, rough sex. I hate to add to your burden but—”
“It’s not my burden. The Gaidelases were never my case.”
A casual acquaintance might’ve bought that.
He said, “Peaty for the girls, Meserve for the Gaidelases? What, that damnedschool was a magnet for homicidal maniacs⁶?”
“Something went on there.”
He laughed. Not a pleasant sound.

1 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

2 tenant   

n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用

参考例句：

• The tenant was dispossessed for not paying his rent.那名房客因未付房租而被赶走。
• The tenant is responsible for all repairs to the building.租户负责对房屋的所有修理。

3 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 overestimates   

对（数量）估计过高，对…作过高的评价( overestimate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• These overestimates counterbalanced the uncertain risk of radiation releases after sealing. 这些过高估计抵消了在密封以后放射性物泄漏所产生的未知危害。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Never underestimate a man who overestimates himself. 切勿低估一个过高估计他自己的人。

5 hoax   

v.欺骗，哄骗，愚弄；n.愚弄人，恶作剧

参考例句：

• They were the victims of a cruel hoax.他们是一个残忍恶作剧的受害者。
• They hoax him out of his money.他们骗去他的钱。

6 maniacs   

n.疯子（maniac的复数形式）

参考例句：

• Hollywood films misrepresented us as drunks, maniacs and murderers. 好莱坞电影把我们歪曲成酒鬼、疯子和杀人凶手。 来自辞典例句
• They're not irrational, potentially homicidal maniacs, to start! 他们不是非理性的，或者有杀人倾向的什么人！ 来自电影对白