‘This is my number. On the back is my cell number. If you remember anything connected with your husband, or have any more problems with your daughter, call me.’
Vivien took the frame and stood up, and Russell immediately did the same, a sign that their visit was over. Carmen walked them to the door. As they were about to leave, she placed a hand on Vivien’s arm.
‘Vivien.’
‘Yes?’
‘Thank you. It’s something I should have done myself a long time ago, but thanks all the same.’
Vivien smiled and shrugged, downplaying what had happened. But at the same time there was a tiny gleam in her eyes. ‘Don’t mention it. Goodbye, Carmen.’
Carmen waited until they were at the foot of the steps and then closed the door. She walked back to the living room, thinking over the whole story.
Mitch, damn you, for however long it lasted I hope I madeyou realize how much I loved you …
She knew that the difficult part would come that night, when she had turned out the lights and found herself alone with her ghosts. For the moment she decided to switch on the TV and ask the world to keep her company.
When the screen lit up, there was a news item about Saturday’s explosion on 10th Street in Manhattan. The images of destruction reminded her of something. She leaped to her feet, ran to the door and opened it. Russell and Vivien were still outside on the sidewalk opposite, standing by a car, as if they had stopped to discuss the outcome of the visit.
She waved at them to attract their attention, and called out, ‘Vivien!’
The detective and her partner turned their heads in her direction.
‘What is it, Carmen?’
‘I just remembered something. It was a long time ago, and my memory-’
An excitable Vivien interrupted her with a touch of impatience in her voice. ‘Go on.’
Carmen was embarrassed. For the first time in her life she was playing a role in a police investigation, and she was afraid of looking foolish or saying something they would think was stupid.
‘I don’t know if this is important at all, but I just remembered that a long time ago the company Mitch worked for, Newborn Brothers, renovated a house on North Shore, Long Island. The house of an ex-soldier, I seem to remember. A major or a colonel, something like that.’
Vivien pressed her. ‘And?’
Carmen paused again, then at last came out with what she had to say. ‘About a year after the end of the work, the house blew up.’
Even though it was dusk and the light was dimming, Carmen saw, as clear as if it was day, the young detective’s face turn pale.
CHAPTER 23
Through the car window Russell and Vivien saw Carmen Montesa slowly close the house door, a lonely desolate figure trying in vain to keep outside the door something that would surely get in through the window. At night and with teeth bared. A moment later Vivien had already picked up the car phone and was punching in the captain’s number. Sitting beside her, Russell counted three rings before the answer came.
‘Bellew.’
Vivien came straight to the point. ‘Alan, we have something.’
The question that followed took Vivien by surprise. ‘Is Wade there with you?’
Vivien instinctively turned to look at Russell. ‘Sure.’
‘Can you put me on speakerphone?’
‘Sure.’
‘Good. Both of you need to hear what I have to say.’
Vivien was bewildered. She found this procedure highly unusual. Though of course this whole business was unusual. Even crazy. Then she told herself that, in line with the promise he had made, the captain must have decided to include Russell in their conversations. Or maybe he had something to say that particularly concerned him. Vivien pressed a button.
‘You’re on.’
The captain’s voice came through the car speakers, loud and clear. ‘Tell me what you have first.’
Vivien updated the captain on their progress. ‘I’m almost sure the guy in the wall is this Mitch Sparrow I told you about. I may even have something that can be used as the basis for a DNA test. But we have to move quickly.’
‘Let me have what you’ve got, and consider it done. Anything else?’
Russell was fascinated by the laconic but clear way the two police officers communicated. They spoke the same language, which they’d learned by experience.
‘Years ago,’ Vivien continued, excited, ‘Sparrow worked for a small construction company called Newborn Brothers. His wife just told me. They did renovation work on a house at North Shore, Long Island. And listen to this: apparently the house belonged to an ex-soldier and one year after the end of the work it blew up. According to the experts it wasn’t an accident, but a bomb. What do you think?’
‘I think you found yourself a good lead.’
Vivien continued, certain that her chief was taking notes at the other end. ‘We have to check out Newborn Brothers and the company that did the building on the Lower East Side, and look through the personnel records, if they still exist. See if there was anyone who worked on both buildings. And find out the names of the heads of the company.’
‘I’ll get the men on it straight away.’
The captain changed tone. Now it was his turn to update them.
‘I’ve been moving in the meantime. I had a talk with Commissioner Willard. A private talk, if you know what I mean.’
‘Perfectly.’
‘When I showed him the letter, he almost jumped out of his chair. But, as I expected, he distanced himself and started to stall. He said he thought it was a pretty slim lead, though of course we can’t rule out anything. He wants to have the letter examined by a criminologist or a psychologist, but someone outside the police or the FBI. Someone who’ll keep it hush-hush, obviously. He’s looking at a list of names. He agreed that for the moment we should proceed with caution, keeping it strictly between ourselves, as agreed. It’s a tricky situation for everyone. People have died. Others may be in danger. As far as we’re concerned, we may end up praised to the skies, or we may be out on our ears. I’m talking about us, Vivien.’
Russell had the impression that Vivien had expected these words. Her only reaction was to say, ‘Received.’
‘Wade, can you hear me?’