“There isn't?” Donovan asked him blankly.
Albert shook his head. “Nope. They had a sister in that boarding school, but she vanished the same day as Mara Lang ended up under your car. Nobody has heard from her since. It was summer so she probably made it further than freezing to death. But nobody reported her missing. No bodies fitting her description have been found. She probably ended up somewhere in the woods or in the Hudson River.”
Donovan shook his head. “I know Frankie wouldn’t tell me to look out for her if she were dead.”
Albert just shrugged. “Believe what you want, but she's not showing up on the grid.”
“Was that all, Al?”
“No clue where to go with it, but for some reason, this killer does these horrible things. Might be a fascination with eagles or with Vikings or something. But the killer also has a strong connection to you.”
“Well, it's not me, and I know fuck-all about it,” Donovan said tensely. He was annoyed because of the business earlier at the courthouse and he did not like to think too much about the two blood-eagled bodies.
“I know.” Albert came forward and thumped him on the shoulder. “You need a distraction. How about more steak? You're buying.”
Donovan looked at him and saw him grinning broadly. “Fuck you.” But he managed a smile too. “Since you're doing the inviting, you're paying, you bastard. But you can buy me a burger or something.”
“So you can rub it in that you can eat them without getting fat and my belly is expanding all the time?”
“Of course,” Donovan smiled. “How's the diet?”
“Good enough as long as the wife doesn't know what I eat during the day.”
There was a burger joint not too far from the office. Their burgers were expensive, but they were good. They made everything fresh and they actually had a decent chef running the kitchen. They sat down by the window and looked over the menu. It was changed every month and Donovan was not familiar with anything on the menu anymore. It had been months since he had been there.
“Doesn't look too bad now,” he remarked to Albert.
“Fucking expensive burger joint,” Albert grumbled.
“Of course. It's quality food, not processed shit.”
“I guess. Should never have agreed to pay.”
“Well, you did. I'll get the drinks.”
“Thanks.”
“So what are you having?”
Albert thought for a moment. “I'll go for some goddamned lemonade.”
“Lemonade?” Donovan had to suppress a snigger. “You pussy.”
“Still on duty, technically. And if the missus finds out I had a beer, I'm fucked. Nose like a bloodhound, that one.”
Donovan grinned. He waved at the waiter and ordered their drinks. He held the girl by the table for a moment, waiting for Albert to be ready to order. He ordered himself a bacon cheeseburger, medium rare, and Albert got a fish burger with fries.
Their drinks and food arrived at the same time and they tucked in right away. There was not much talk as they ate. They were both hungry and so conversation was put on hold. But when Albert finished his slightly smaller meal he became quite talkative.
“You know what bugs me about these murders?” he asked.
Donovan shook his head, still having half of his burger left.
“Why the blood eagle thing?” He looked into Donovan's eyes. “It makes no sense. It's a big thing to do. It has some significance, but it baffles me. If the killer had done it with you or that married chick you've been hanging out with. But Juan?”
Donovan had taken another bite and did not reply. He just shrugged, indicating he did not know.
“Since the only link is you, I’m sort of beginning to think it's all random, but that's not likely either. Who would Viking-blood-eagle a person at random? Just for fun?”
Donovan swallowed. “Don't know. It's very strange.” He took another bite.
“See, even if this Eva is still alive, why would she kill her brother like that? And then your janitor?”
Donovan shrugged again.
“It's impossible to make anything out of this. Can't pin any of it down.” He paused and pinched his nose while holding his head down. “On anything!”
Donovan finished the last of his burger and he was finally able to make a reply. “You know, if she is still alive, she might just have gone nuts. Completely lost it and is acting with no sense at all.”
“Well, yes, but that's assuming she's still around.”
Donovan shook his head. “I know it's not the sort of proof-based investigating the FBI is expected to do, but I trust Frankie on this. If she says it’s a sibling, then I know she’s right.”
“Not forgetting Quinn Lang?”
Donovan considered that for a moment. “Well, where is he? Wasn't he supposed to show up at his parole officer's today?”
“Yup,” Albert gave a wry smile. “But he didn't show. In fact, he hasn't been seen since he was released.”
“Huh,” Donovan took another sip of his drink. “Have you been looking for him?”
“We sent some people down to his apartment earlier. They will probably report in within an hour or so.”
Donovan nodded. “You need to go home, or have you got time for coffee?”
Albert looked at his phone and then shrugged. “Duty, so I can have some coffee with you.”
“I'll make you some coffee back at the office.”
“You're being a cheapskate now? Great Recession getting to your business too?”
“Nah, I just have better coffee and a brand new, top of the line espresso machine waiting for us there.”
Albert grinned. “Right, I'll see you back there after I've taken care of the tab.”
Donovan had already produced two cups of espresso when Albert came back into the office. Only Donovan's secretary, Rachel, was still in the office.
The two men sat down with their coffees in a deep alcove with fitted seats just beside the kitchen.
“You're right, it is good coffee.”
“Told you.”
“Still think you're cheap.”
Rachel popped her head round the side of the alcove. “Will you be needing anything further, Mister Donovan?”
“No, Rachel. You can go home.” Donovan smiled. “Home to your boyfriend, eh?”
Rachel looked down for a second. “Actually, sir, he's gone. He moved to LA to work in Hollywood. He wasn't getting any proper roles here.”
“Sorry to hear that. How are you holding up?” Donovan sounded genuinely concerned.
“I'm hanging in there. Getting used to stomping around that apartment alone.” She forced a smile. “But if that's all, I'll be going, sir. Good evening, Mister Donovan, Mister Parker.”
Albert waved and Donovan said goodbye.
Albert's phone rang and he walked into the kitchen as he picked it up. Donovan could not hear a word he said and just looked out of the window. The office buildings were emptying. The workers were flooding into the streets from the doors and the car parks. From his bird’s eye view, he couldn’t make out faces. But he thought he recognized his secretary walking her bike from the building’s front entrance, getting on and cycling off toward Harlem where she lived.
“Right. You'd better come with me,” Albert threw back the coffee and winced as the hot liquid burned his throat. “You might find this interesting.”
They were soon in his car driving toward one of the poorer parts of Brooklyn. Donovan did not venture into the ghettos often. He had been there previously, especially during his days in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, but he preferred to stick to the higher parts of society in Manhattan and Brooklyn these days. It was more comfortable and the smell was infinitely better. When he remarked on the latter, Albert immediately opened the windows of the car. Donovan punched him in the shoulder.