“Only the current one, so it’s convenient for use as the ultimate identification tool. It’s transferred automatically as it’s generated, and the previous copy is deleted,” Chris said. “We should head back. Louie!”
Louie came bounding out of the darkness, and they walked slowly back the way they’d come.
“So we either have to believe in a lot of coincidence, or some random arsonist, in league with a careless archivist, has it in for records that document the Longevity history of John Bedford,” Livvy said. “Or he’s done it to himself. You’re right. Hinky.”
They were back at Chris’ efficiency.
“You have everything from archives?” Livvy asked, looking around, focusing especially on the clutter on the table.
“Hardly. Retrieving anything from that mess would be hopeless. I don’t have that kind of brain. I only have records from cases I’ve worked in some way. I… dislike remembering fragments and finding I can’t get at the whole. Consider it my personal case archive. A very disorganized one.”
Livvy was studying the table with an enigmatic frown.
“Look, Hutchins,” Chris said, “This is one way I work. I doubt that anyone else does anything quite like this. But know this: however it was in Homicide in San Francisco, it’s fundamental here not to become too dependent on Central. They’re as corruptible as anyone else. Other than the radical bombers and arsonists, and hotlab illegals, we end up investigating a lot of wealthy people. And not everyone in Enforcement cares about LLE as much as… the people who work LLE.”
“So you’re putting me on the team?” Livvy asked, drawing another faint smile from Chris.
“The point is, someone thought it was worthwhile to destroy the records already. They’re preparing for something beyond a hotlab raid,” he continued.
Chris finished his beer and popped another one. A lot depended on whether Livvy gave credence to the notion that Bedford and Josephson had been plotting since before she was born.
“Or he’s a particularly paranoid trillionaire. They aren’t all that rare, in my experience. Or someone else, someone not John Bedford, wanted some other association kept secret, and Bedford’s records just happened to be in the way,” Livvy said, reaching for the fresh beer Chris offered her. “Or maybe the careless archivist is just that. Archives lost them. It happens.”
Chris took an especially long swallow of the cold beer.
“Noted. Anyway, Bedford’s family… That is, if you haven’t changed your mind about wanting it all.”
He appraised her frankly. “You really should eat some pizza.”
“Pizza can wait. This is riveting,” Livvy said.
“It’s LLE,” Chris said. “Bedford’s son, Joshua, was a recluse towards the end of his life as well, although he was only 48 chrono. Joshua had one son, Jesse, who was born in ’89 and who lives with his mother. John also has a daughter, Paula, born in ‘47, who’s apparently been estranged from her father for decades. Are you following me so far?”
“Yes, John Bedford, one son, deceased, one daughter, estranged, and one grandson, living with his mother. But I still have no idea where you are going with it.”
“Neither do I, but I want you to have the relationships straight.
“As I said, Joshua died in a fire in ‘04. In his secure, fireproofed mansion. There were no signs of violence; the fire protection appears to have malfunctioned. Arson investigators said it was an electrical fire, accidental, and it happened so quickly that he and the two employees that were there at the time didn’t have a chance to escape.”
“That’s like a full cement truck delivery of bad luck,” Livvy said. “But what motive would there be for his death? Who benefited?”
“As far as I can determine, Jesse. Also, Jesse is the sole heir for his grandfather’s trillions. If it was a professional job rather than an accident, it was very professional, and yet I couldn’t find any motive other than the money.”
“You can’t suspect an 18 year-old child…?” Livvy said.
“No, I don’t,” Chris said. “Do you want me to heat up some of that pizza now?”
“Thanks, but I’ll wait until you’re done. Another beer is fine. Are we getting close?”
“Not my fault,” Chris said. “The guy has had a long life.”
“And apparently blameless, despite everyone’s impression of him. Unless he’s had issues with LLE before?”
“Not that I can find. Just a deficit of pertinent records. But there’s a new element at play. John Bedford was born in 2004.”
“Ah,” Livvy said. “That’s a twist. And two children: Joshua, and Paula. You see, I remember. That means his 100th birthday was three years ago and he’s had to start aging naturally. He’d be…” She did some quick calculations. “If he started getting resets in ’34 when they first became available to the very rich, he’d be 33 biol by now, unless he’s been getting illegal resets. From Josephson, perhaps. But he’s famous. How can he get around it in the long run? He’s too well documented.”
“I don’t know, but that’s the point. I have to believe he’ll try. I think he would hesitate at nothing. In fact, I think he’s killed once already.”
“Karen?” Livvy asked after a short pause, confused.
“No… No. This isn’t a vendetta, Hutchins. It’s just a typical case,” Chris said, narrowing his eyes at her. “Karen’s death was an accident. Do you think I wouldn’t have investigated that thoroughly, or that if I had any real suspicions that he was responsible that Bedford would still be alive?” he added matter-of-factly. “No, he would have no reason to risk that kind of exposure, except that he probably detested her as much as a man like him could detest someone of so little significance to him. I think he killed his son, Joshua. I think he arranged the fire. My problem is, I can’t even prove it wasn’t an accident.”
“But why kill his own son? He can’t need the money.”
“I don’t know why, except perhaps to hide something that Joshua found out about, or at least guessed. Perhaps something he hasn’t even done yet, that Joshua found out he was planning.”
“Chris,” Livvy said slowly, “I can’t see it. When I worked Homicide, I saw some family murders, for greed, for jealousy, and a few that were just plain insane. But this man, killing his own son in cold blood… and it doesn’t seem to fit in any plan that could benefit him. If Bedford is getting illegal resets from Josephson, is that something that Joshua would expose, or Bedford would kill him to hide? I doubt it. He’s too well known, he can’t hide it that long anyway, even as a recluse. Ten, maybe fifteen years if he’s really lucky.”
The use of Chris’ first name was enough to pull him up short. He was dealing with a man whose thought processes were largely alien to his own, and one of the reasons he wanted to talk this through with Livvy was to make sure he wasn’t missing, or imagining, anything.
“I agree. As I said, I don’t think it’s just a matter of hiding a hotlab.”
“Why now?” she asked finally. “I mean, Josephson wasn’t planning this, so that means Bedford wasn’t planning it. Like you said, sloppy. Something precipitated this urgency.”
Chris felt his shoulders relax. He hadn’t known until that minute whether she would accept what he had to say, or quite how much he was hoping she would be with him.
“You look surprised,” Livvy said. “You know, sometimes when I carry an umbrella it rains.”
Chris lifted his eyebrows. “Meaning?”
“Meaning just because you have a prejudice against the man, doesn’t mean he isn’t corrupt as a Russian politician.”
“I wish I knew,” Chris said ruefully. “There are a lot of things I don’t know, that are purely speculation.
“Maas… it’s easy enough to put it into a bitterly angry man’s head that LLE is protecting everything he would like to see destroyed. Bedford might have direct or indirect influence in CCS or other radical groups. Even fanatics can appreciate getting an extra push in the direction they naturally want to go. Money or hype, take your pick.