time—they would start by searching room 4.04 —but I had done everything I needed to. I pulled the trigger again, finishing what I had started. There was a final death-shudder, and Sturrock spilled onto the floor. Good enough.
I lifted the mask over my face and jammed the door before heading out the window. I shot one last glance inside at the body of the nurse. She’d been very helpful.
***
Later, safely home, I forgot about my pledge to ignore the case. Some final catch had been released, and it glowed with fresh energy. I’d been looking at something wrong.
The turn.
I hadn’t even considered an alternative. What did I say? Murder-suicides don’t turn away. It’s just wrong . Well, I was right. I called Valerie and got a groggy answer.
“The turn, Valerie. It makes sense. He didn’t turn away. He turned towards.”
“What?”
“The murder-suicide.”
“What abou—”
“He turned around. I think I know why.”
“It’s four in the afternoon, K. Seriously. I need my beauty sleep.”
“Your words.”
The line went dead. I called again, undeterred.
“He didn’t turn away.”
“You’ve mentioned.”
“He turned towards the doorway, Valerie. I think something...no, someone, was at the doorway. Someone was at the doorway. Someone watched John blow his brains out. The same person must have opened the window, and closed it again. Cartwright must have seen this person: that’s why he died. It fits, Valerie. It fits.”
“So what you’re saying is…”
“I don’t know. And I don’t know how it helps. It’s just so clear right now. I practically could have been there. I don’t know how RailTech got an employee to kill his wife and himself. But they had someone there. Someone in the field. Someone made sure that trigger got pulled, just like someone made sure Cartwright didn’t talk.”
There was silence at the other end.
“You still there?”
“Yes.”
“Well?”
“Well, now what? You’re exactly where you were a week ago, just with more nervous energy. We already figured that RailTech was pulling the strings. This is just old information in a pretty new wrapping.
“Let me speed up the next few weeks for you. You’re not going to let it go. This just proves it: look how worked up you’ve gotten over nothing. Call Vincent and see if he can get you inside. If you don’t, I will. You need help, K, or RailTech is just going to add another body to the tally.”
Her words snapped me into a sour state.
“Who put sugar in your engine?”
“No one. I’m just tired, K. You have the most beautiful energy, but that’s not what I need right now. I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not.”
“And I’m sorry that I’m not. I want to be. Call Vincent, K. Get over your pride. If you try to take RailTech on by yourself, you’ll lose. And I’m not okay with that.”
The line went dead for a second time as an acidic retort brewed on my tongue, which sat there and sizzled, leaving a vile taste in my mouth. My mood had shifted drastically. I didn’t envy what’s-her-name downstairs.
Valerie...was right. Ugh. She was technically right, at the very least. She lacked understanding, though. More information is always a victory, even if it doesn’t open up the future; the pursuit of knowledge, simply for the sake of more knowledge, always struck me as a noble goal. Even by my definitions of the word noble. Regardless of the implications, I had a clearer timeline.
Valerie was just being a bitch. I should have expected it, interrupting her sleep. But, bitchy or not, she held some truth in her words. I navigated to Vincent’s personal number, and paused over the dial button.
This will probably cost you.
***
“Guess where I am?”
Vincent’s voice was loaded with venom. I hazarded something light.
“Enjoying sundowners on your balcony?”
I had waited a few hours before calling. ‘Waited’ is the wrong term–‘hesitated’ is closer to the truth. I had to
I lifted the mask over my face and jammed the door before heading out the window. I shot one last glance inside at the body of the nurse. She’d been very helpful.
***
Later, safely home, I forgot about my pledge to ignore the case. Some final catch had been released, and it glowed with fresh energy. I’d been looking at something wrong.
The turn.
I hadn’t even considered an alternative. What did I say? Murder-suicides don’t turn away. It’s just wrong . Well, I was right. I called Valerie and got a groggy answer.
“The turn, Valerie. It makes sense. He didn’t turn away. He turned towards.”
“What?”
“The murder-suicide.”
“What abou—”
“He turned around. I think I know why.”
“It’s four in the afternoon, K. Seriously. I need my beauty sleep.”
“Your words.”
The line went dead. I called again, undeterred.
“He didn’t turn away.”
“You’ve mentioned.”
“He turned towards the doorway, Valerie. I think something...no, someone, was at the doorway. Someone was at the doorway. Someone watched John blow his brains out. The same person must have opened the window, and closed it again. Cartwright must have seen this person: that’s why he died. It fits, Valerie. It fits.”
“So what you’re saying is…”
“I don’t know. And I don’t know how it helps. It’s just so clear right now. I practically could have been there. I don’t know how RailTech got an employee to kill his wife and himself. But they had someone there. Someone in the field. Someone made sure that trigger got pulled, just like someone made sure Cartwright didn’t talk.”
There was silence at the other end.
“You still there?”
“Yes.”
“Well?”
“Well, now what? You’re exactly where you were a week ago, just with more nervous energy. We already figured that RailTech was pulling the strings. This is just old information in a pretty new wrapping.
“Let me speed up the next few weeks for you. You’re not going to let it go. This just proves it: look how worked up you’ve gotten over nothing. Call Vincent and see if he can get you inside. If you don’t, I will. You need help, K, or RailTech is just going to add another body to the tally.”
Her words snapped me into a sour state.
“Who put sugar in your engine?”
“No one. I’m just tired, K. You have the most beautiful energy, but that’s not what I need right now. I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not.”
“And I’m sorry that I’m not. I want to be. Call Vincent, K. Get over your pride. If you try to take RailTech on by yourself, you’ll lose. And I’m not okay with that.”
The line went dead for a second time as an acidic retort brewed on my tongue, which sat there and sizzled, leaving a vile taste in my mouth. My mood had shifted drastically. I didn’t envy what’s-her-name downstairs.
Valerie...was right. Ugh. She was technically right, at the very least. She lacked understanding, though. More information is always a victory, even if it doesn’t open up the future; the pursuit of knowledge, simply for the sake of more knowledge, always struck me as a noble goal. Even by my definitions of the word noble. Regardless of the implications, I had a clearer timeline.
Valerie was just being a bitch. I should have expected it, interrupting her sleep. But, bitchy or not, she held some truth in her words. I navigated to Vincent’s personal number, and paused over the dial button.
This will probably cost you.
***
“Guess where I am?”
Vincent’s voice was loaded with venom. I hazarded something light.
“Enjoying sundowners on your balcony?”
I had waited a few hours before calling. ‘Waited’ is the wrong term–‘hesitated’ is closer to the truth. I had to
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