But as the premiere drew closer, Ralston began to panic again. How could he hope that sane people-police detectives-would believe a ridiculous fantasy about a global conspiracy? They’d be much more likely to assume that anyone spinning such a tale was insane. And thus came the idea to slip the murder weapon into Kitteredge’s pocket when the professor hugged him on the museum steps. After that, all he had to do was cut the forged painting out of its frame and make sure it was never seen again.
During Ralston’s entire sobbing confession, Kitteredge barely looked up once. His spirit seemed to have been completely broken, either by the revelation that his decades-long obsession had been ridiculous or by his guilt over how it had led him to betray the people who’d tried to help him. After he had been cleared of all involvement in the murder, and the escape charges had been dropped as a matter of justice, the professor had taken a leave of absence from the university and checked himself into a mental hospital.
That should have completely cleared Shawn and Gus as well. After all, they’d done nothing but try to help an innocent man clear his name. But in doing so they had accidentally committed an act of theft, and their victim demanded that they face justice. Not only had Shawn and Gus stolen two tuxedoes; they had taken them out of the country. And by the time the tuxes were recovered, they were so disgusting that they couldn’t be cleaned and had to be destroyed.
Which is why they were spending four days in orange jumpsuits picking up trash from the freeway median. Right under the sign reading “This stretch of freeway maintained by Sami’s Formal Wear.”
“Clearly,” Shawn said, “this is a time to revisit our rules.”
“I know, I know,” Gus said. “No cases that require formal wear.”
“That’s never going to be a problem,” Shawn said. “I’m sure we’re on a national tuxedo blacklist and we’ll never be able to rent again. No, I’ve got other rules in mind. Lots and lots of other rules.”
Gus braced himself. Whatever Shawn had come up with now was going to be big. And after getting them involved with Kitteredge, Gus would have no choice but to go along with it. “Let’s have them.”
Shawn leaned forward, bracing himself on his stick. He opened his mouth to speak. And then closed it again. He smiled. “You know, I think we’ve had enough of rules for a while.”
Gus stared at him suspiciously. “How long a while?”
“I don’t know,” Shawn said. “When’s lunch around here?