“You sure? This Turner fellow could have come and gone at odd hours.”
“I know my street, young woman. Especially in those days with me being home so much. It’s like now. I don’t work no more, but I know my street.”
She showed her a picture of Jim Vargas. “Did you ever see this man?”
Mrs. Greene leaned in and studied the image. “No.”
Julia cleared her throat, surprised by the emotion that cut through her body. “What day did your mother die?”
“November 2, 1992.”
November 2. One day after Jim Vargas had died. There’d have been no way Jim Vargas could have killed Rita if Etta Greene had seen Rita here on November 2 with Delany.
“Did Delany come back to the house?”
“That next week was mighty busy making the funeral arrangements for Mama. Fact, I don’t think I ever saw Mr. Delany again until the week before last.”
“He was here over a week ago?”
“The Thursday or Friday before last, I think it was. He looks a lot like he did back in the day. Fit. Hair is grayer, but he looks about the same.”
“What was he doing here?”
“I don’t know. He went inside the house and was in there for about a half hour, and then he came out and left.”
“You’re sure about the day?”
“I went to see my grandson that next Saturday afternoon.”
The fire started the following Sunday night around seven. Natasha had said there might have been a delay device that had set the fire. But why set the fire for forty-eight hours later? Why bring everyone here? Did he know Rita’s body would be found? Or did he want her body found?
“Thank you, Mrs. Greene. I appreciate your time.”
“Think it helped?”
“It was a big help.”
“You going to tell Mr. Novak? I was gonna put a call in to him, and then I saw you. Now I reckon he won’t have to call me.”
“I’ll tell him.” She handed Mrs. Greene her card. “And if you think of any new information and can’t get Novak, you can call me.”
“Sure will.”
Julia crossed the street to her car and slid behind the wheel. She dialed Novak. He answered immediately. “Julia.”
“I paid a visit to Etta Greene. She lives across the street from Delany’s Church Hill house.”
“What were you doing there?”
“It all circles back to Rita. So I wanted to see the house again were she was found. Mrs. Greene saw a woman that looked like Rita with Delany the night Rita disappeared. It was the night Mrs. Greene’s mother died, so she remembers it clearly. It was November 2.”
“Assuming it was Rita, why would Delany kill her?”
“I think Rita’s job was to set Jim up. And maybe after he was dead, she was of no more use.”
“Where are you now?”
“Headed to Delany’s residence. I need to talk to him.”
“I’m on my way. Don’t engage unless I’m there.” His voice was tense with worry.
“I think Rita might have shot Jim.”
Novak repeated his demand. “Don’t engage until I arrive.”
“Understood.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Sunday, November 5, 10:00 p.m.
Julia arrived at the entrance to Delany’s driveway a half hour later. She cut her lights and drove slowly down the drive. The house was dark, silent. She parked and cut her engine. Without the heater running, the fall air quickly chilled her.
She dialed Andrews’s number. He answered immediately. She didn’t bother with pleasantries, sensing they annoyed him anyway. “What can you tell me about Delany? Where was he during the Hangman murders?”
“Stand by.” Keys tapped in the background. “He was the primary investor in a real estate development in the West End. Came close to filing bankruptcy when it took longer than he’d anticipated to fill up the units.”
Moonlight bathed the two-story brick home and its well-manicured lawn. “What saved him?”
Keys tapped. “He was able to attract a new investor. The influx of cash bought him enough time. He ended up turning a significant profit on the development and moved on to his next project. Why do you care?”
“He was seen at his Church Hill home with Rita Gallagher the night after Jim died. Rita was linked to all three Hangman victims along with Jim. I’m at his place right now.”
“Who’s your backup?” Andrews asked.
“Novak is en route.”
“I assume you’ll wait until he’s on scene.”
“You sound like Novak.”
“He’s a reasonable man,” Andrews said.
“I’ll be fine.” She studied the dark house. “It doesn’t look like Delany is home. Can you ping his phone to confirm his location?”
“Stand by.” More keys clicked in the background. “His phone is pinging from his home address.”
“I can’t imagine he’s in bed this early.”
“This guy might be smart enough to leave his phone at home so he won’t leave an electronic trail.”
“What about his vehicles?”
Keys clicked. “All have antitheft packages. He has three registered in his name, and his company has six trucks. Delany’s cars are in his driveway. And five of the six trucks are at the corporate offices.”
“Where’s the sixth?”
He hesitated. “In the Manchester district near the warehouses on the river.”
“Warehouses. He’s killing someone now,” she said.
After a heavy silence, “Update me immediately when you and Novak have made contact.”
“Will do.”
She checked the time on her phone and dialed Novak.
“Where are you?” Novak demanded. Frustration sharpened each of his words.
“At Delany’s.” She recapped the information Andrews had shared. “I’m headed to the Manchester district now.”
“I’m rerouting.”
“I’ll call you right back.”
“Don’t hang up.”
“I have to go.” She ended the call, but as she reached for the ignition key, she spotted the flicker of movement in the garage. A light clicked on, and she watched a man pass in front of the garage window. Behind him she could swear she saw a dangling body.
“What the hell?” Hand on her weapon, she got out of the SUV. She moved closer, not fully believing what she’d just seen.
Julia pulled out her phone and dialed Novak. He didn’t answer. The woman’s body had twitched. She was dying. “Pick up.” On the fourth ring she shoved the phone in her back pocket and drew her weapon. She pushed open the garage door and stood back, surveying the area, knowing this could be a trap.
A woman was suspended from a beam in the center of the large garage. Blood soaked the woman’s chest and dripped down her body to the concrete floor. Julia scanned the room, taking in a workbench with neatly arranged tools, lawn equipment tucked in a corner, and a collection of six racing bicycles in the other. A door that appeared to lead into the house was closed. There was no sign of anyone else.