“No problem. As you might imagine, a man with my field of expertise is typically not all that in demand. So it’s nice to feel wanted. Now…I’m told you have something of an emergency situation. Can I assume that it’s about this nasty story in the news about the man that was found dead and covered in spiders?”
“That’s the one,” Avery said. “Though, please forgive me. I understand that you’re an entomologist, not an arachnologist. Are you still knowledgeable in the area of spiders?”
“Indeed. Spiders and all other forms of arachnids,” Johansson said. “Truth be told, you’re going to be hard-pressed to find an arachnologist. However, there are some circles that lump our two areas of expertise together. As an entomologist, I know about all things related to bugs. And while spiders are not technically insects—they are arachnids—I’m pretty well trained there as well.”
“So, what can you tell me about the brown recluse and the funnel web spider? Those were the two rarest found on the scene.”
“Well, the brown recluse is actually rather common. It wouldn’t be hard to find one, though maybe tricky to gather it up and collect it unless you were trained to do so. The brown recluse is known for having a violin-shaped mark on its back. While they do bite and the bite can be painful, it is very rare that it causes death. The venom can destroy blood vessels surrounding the bite area, which can cause ulcers on the skin, but that’s about it.
“As for the funnel web spider, that’s an interesting one. They get their name from the funnel-shaped webs they create. I believe they are mostly found in Australia and South America, though there have been reports of them living in little clusters along the western coast of the US. Their bites can be quite deadly and they are especially mean-looking buggers.”
“So you’re saying the funnel web bite could have killed the victim?” Avery asked.
“Oh, for sure. As for how long it would take, I’m not certain. I’d guess no more than an hour or two if the victim was not treated promptly. Now…that is interesting, for sure. But by chance do you have a complete list of the spiders found there? Maybe I could help more if I saw it.”
“I have a list, though I doubt it’s complete.”
She pulled up the emails Finley had sent her earlier in the day and scrolled through until she got to the one about the spiders. She pulled the document up and passed her phone over to Johansson. He looked through the list, nodding here and there.
“I see a black widow listed here. They can also offer a deadly bite but most clusters of them here along the East Coast aren’t nearly as deadly as they are out west or in other countries. Still, if one bit you, you’d get pretty sick. You could die but it would take a while, I suppose. I also see wolf spiders listed. They are known for biting, but it’s not fatal. It does hurt quite badly, though. I’ve been bitten by one myself.”
He passed back her phone and while he still had that charming demeanor, Johansson was starting to look troubled.
“You look confused,” Avery said.
“No, I’m not confused, just…well, distracted, I suppose. You see…for someone in this area to get a funnel web spider, they’d have to go to great lengths to get it. And that strikes me as odd because…”
“Why?”
“Well, I’m assuming some things about the case here, but it seems strange that the killer would get this huge variety of spiders. If you’re going to torment your victim with spiders, why not just use tarantulas? They are available at most pet stores and relatively easy to care for and maintain. Not all that expensive, either.”
“So you’re saying it would take some time and dedication to collect all these different kinds of spiders?” Avery asked.
“Yes. Some of them, anyway. Not to try to scare you, but at any given time, wherever you are, there’s a chance there’s a spider of some type within fifty feet of you. Inside, outside, wherever you are. Almost all of them are harmless. But for someone to know which ones to look for and then collect them in such a way…it speaks of a highly motivated person.”
“Do you know how they might go about getting a funnel web spider?” Avery asked.
“My guess would be the Internet. There are all sorts of shady deals taking place online where people can buy and sell a variety of bugs. Of course it’s not legal—especially not when the bugs are dangerous—but it happens every day.”
Avery took note of this, once again blown away by just how many dark and seedy corners there were to the Internet. She wondered if she could get Connelly to task someone with looking into that while she carried the investigation elsewhere.
It all comes back to someone having very specific knowledge on Lawnbrook, she thought. Someone knew he was scared of spiders—maybe even a certain kind of spider—and used that to kill him. I’ve got to speak to people he knew, even if it means retracing the steps of other officers and potentially pissing them off.
Avery stood up from her chair and shook Johansson’s hand over the desk. “Thank you for your time,” she said. “This is been helpful and educational.”
And a little creepy, she thought.
When she was out of the office, she started to wonder if she maybe had more of a phobia of spiders than she realized. Because every time she had spoken about them at length, she couldn’t help but feel as if there was a family of the damned things crawling over her skin. It was a feeling she simply could not shake, even once she was back in the car and headed back to the A1.
CHAPTER TEN
When she found Connelly in his office half an hour later, he was standing by his desk while someone from Public Relations was sitting in his usual seat. He was dictating something to her and she typed it down for him. Based on what Avery heard, they were working on an update on the case to send the press.
“Sorry to bother you,” Avery said, stepping into his office. “Can I borrow you for a second, sir?”
Connelly seemed irritated to have been interrupted but said nothing. Instead, he murmured “One second” to the woman at his laptop and stepped out of the office.
He and Avery stood by the wall and something about the way he intently focused on her made her realize that he was genuinely glad to have her back. She wasn’t just some bonus prize who was here to help with this particular case. He valued her and now that he had gone without her for so long, perhaps he was more in tune to that fact.
“I was wondering who interviewed Lawnbrook’s family,” she said.
“Miles and Mackey,” he said. “They did a pretty thorough job, though came back with little to work with.”
“You mind if I pull the records and maybe speak to them myself?”
“I’d rather you didn’t. The mother was an emotional mess from what I understand. Besides, they did a good job. If I thought the family should be questioned again, I’d have assigned it out to someone.”
“What if I pose the visit as a follow-up?”
“I’d really rather you didn’t do that,” Connelly said. “It’s borderline insulting to Miles and Mackey. Besides, I don’t think—”
“If I may,” a soft voice said from behind Avery. She turned and saw the young woman from the morning briefing. Kellaway, if Avery’s memory served correct.
“What is it?” Connelly asked, this time doing a far worse job of masking his irritation.
“It’s been five days since anyone spoke to them,” Kellaway said. “After the worst of the grieving, it’s been proven that family members can be more helpful. In the heat of having just lost someone, they tend not to think clearly. Maybe it would do some good to have then interviewed again.”
Connelly looked back and forth between Avery and Courtney Kellaway. He looked as if someone had just called him a nasty name and he had no idea how to respond. Avery had to bite back a smile. She wondered if someone as fresh as Kellaway had ever dared side with someone else in such a bold way.