Authors: Jonathan Kellerman
D
uring the ride back to L.A. the brothers ate tomatoes and listened to music and didn’t talk much.
Well before the transition to the 405 South, Moe said, “If you don’t mind, stay on the 101 and take Laurel.”
Aaron said, “Making a detour to Swallowsong?”
“Drop me at Liz’s. She lives on Fuller near Melrose.”
“No prob.”
Midway down the canyon: “Moses, we did okay.”
“It worked out.”
“This was beyond whodunit,” said Aaron.
Moe said, “Way beyond … Mom called yesterday night. I assume she called you, too.”
“Oh, yeah.”
Moe allowed himself a smile. “Kosher sausages are so yesterday. Welcome to organic, grass-fed bison. Ever have that?”
“Nope. She bought half an animal.”
“Buffalo Mom.”
Aaron said, “An eight-thousand-dollar barbecue grill. You
believe
that?”
Moe thought:
Actually, sounds like something you’d like. Oh, yeah, you never cook
. “Can you see her wearing one of those aprons, breathing in all that smoke?”
Aaron laughed. “Not easily … I thought I’d go. Make her feel good.”
Moe said, “No sense not going.”
“See you there, then.”
“Yeah.”
Aaron glanced at his brother. Moe was back to his serious self.
He could live with that. The two of them existed in a seismic world. Too much movement could crack the surface.
At Sunset, Moe said, “I appreciate it. Going out of your way and dropping me off.”
“Who says it’s out of my way?”
“It’s not?”
“Who knows?” said Aaron, smiling. “Another big-time whodunit.”
“Either way, thanks,” said Moe. “Bro.”
Moments later, Aaron watched as a beautiful black woman came out of her condo and greeted his brother with the warmest smile he’d ever seen. Cries of delight, big hug, a lingering kiss that would have embarrassed Moe if Aaron had stuck around to see all of it.
T
he air was warm but Aaron put up the top on the Porsche for the climb back up Laurel.
Wanting quiet as he phoned Merry Ginzburg and told her what she needed to know about Mason Book.
Parceling out appetizers, what amounted to a picayune scandal. The red meat, she
didn’t
need to know.
With Ax Dement maintaining his loyalty, Book’s name would never appear on any court papers. Wouldn’t be associated in any way with drug use, suicide, the murder of the woman he’d helped lure to her death.
Aaron had spent some time with Book, was convinced Book really had been an unwitting dupe. Was certain the hourly fee for babysitting the actor wasn’t influencing his opinion.
Liana agreed. Book didn’t impress her. The man in
her
life was some number-crunching Ph.D. Aaron would have to check out.
Even the little he gave Merry was enough to rejuvenate her career. Maybe put some big bucks in Aaron’s pocket if he played it right.
She said, “So I was right. He starves himself.”
“Almost died, Mer.”
“Thank you, Denzel.”
“Don’t I always come through?”
Sigh. “You do.”
“Let’s have dinner.”
“A pity meal?” she said. “That’s sweet, but no thanks.”
“A good meal,” said Aaron. “No business.”
“That’s impossible, my dear. For both of us.”
“You never know.”
“True,” said Merry. “Older I get, the less I
get.”
Mr. Dmitri said, “How much do I owe you?”
“I have to add it up.”
Dmitri returned to his Russian newspaper. The factory was buzzing. On the way to the boss’s office, Aaron had made sure to pass Maitland Frostig’s cubicle. Frostig was away from his station.
Dmitri looked up, as if surprised Aaron was still there. “Thank you, Mr. Fox. I will call you when the next problem arises.”
“I’m looking forward to it, sir.” Aaron sat there.
Dmitri put the paper down. “What, Mr. Fox?”
“Sir, this may be presumptuous, but I’m getting the feeling that what I learned about Caitlin doesn’t surprise you.”
Dmitri smiled.
“I also noticed that Mr. Frostig wasn’t at his desk.”
“Probably in the bathroom,” said Dmitri. “Tomorrow there will be another explanation for his absence.”
“Sir—”
Dmitri laughed. “I am not Russian Mafia, Mr. Fox. Maitland’s work product has been poor. He will be terminated.” Chuckle. “His position at the
company
will be terminated. What happens to him is no longer any concern of mine. Did I ever tell you what my wife does?”
“She’s a psychiatrist.”
“Regina is excellent psychiatrist. In Moscow she was head of hospital that specializes in sexual deviancy. Before they imprisoned her for not poisoning dissidents. She is woman of great insight.”
“I see.”
Dmitri fingered his mega-Rubik’s. “I see numbers, she sees people. I am proud of her.”
“You should be.”
Dmitri’s eyes twinkled. “I’m thinking, Mr. Fox, I should be proud of you, too.”
J
ONATHAN
K
ELLERMAN
is one of the world’s most popular authors. He has brought his expertise as a clinical psychologist to thirty bestselling crime novels, including the Alex Delaware series,
The Butcher’s Theater, Billy Straight, The Conspiracy Club
, and
Twisted
. With his wife, the novelist Faye Kellerman, he co-authored the bestsellers
Double Homicide
and
Capital Crimes
. He is the author of numerous essays, short stories, scientific articles, two children’s books, and three volumes of psychology, including
Savage Spawn: Reflections on Violent Children
, as well as the lavishly illustrated
With Strings Attached: The Art and Beauty of Vintage Guitars
. He has won the Goldwyn, Edgar, and Anthony awards, and has been nominated for a Shamus Award. Jonathan and Faye Keller-man live in California and New Mexico. Their four children include the novelist Jesse Kellerman.
True Detectives
is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2009 by Jonathan Kellerman
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Ballantine Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
B
ALLANTINE
and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Kellerman, Jonathan.
True detectives: a novel / Jonathan Kellerman.
p. cm.
eISBN: 978-0-345-51252-9
1. Missing persons—Investigation—Fiction. 2. Private investigators—Fiction. 3. Brothers—Fiction. 4. Delaware, Alex (fictitious character)—Fiction. 5. Psychologists—Fiction.
6. Los Angeles (Calif.)—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3561.E3865T78 2009
813’.54—dc22 2008055711
v3.0