Darker Than Night Read Free Page B

said, “but then there are the groceries.”
    â€œGroceries?”
    â€œSome groceries were out on the table, along with a couple of half-full plastic bags, and a can of tuna was on the kitchen floor. The nearest grocery stores and delis don’t remember either of the Elzners shopping there or ordering a delivery that day or evening, and there was no receipt in the grocery bags.”
    â€œOdd,” Quinn said.
    â€œPeople don’t interrupt unbagging their groceries after midnight so they can commit murder, then suicide,” Renz told him.
    Quinn thought Renz should know better.
    He waited for more, but Renz was finished. “That’s it? That’s your evidence?”
    â€œSo far.”
    â€œNot very convincing.”
    â€œSo far.”
    Quinn stood up and paced to the window, pressing his palm to his aching forehead. He had to squint as he looked down at the street three stories below. The morning was warm but gloomy. Some of the people scurrying along the sidewalks were wearing light raincoats. A few of them wielded open umbrellas.
    â€œNow, what would be the proposition?”
    â€œI want you to investigate the Elzner murder secretly,” Renz said, “with my surreptitious help. I’ll sit on the evidence as long as possible, so you and I will be the only ones to know it in its entirety. You’ll be paid well, and you don’t ask where the money’s coming from. And if I—you—solve the case and I become the next chief of police, you’re back in the NYPD and part of its inner circle.”
    â€œA crooked deal.”
    â€œSure, sure. And you’re so fucking ethical. I know your reputation, but you mighta noticed you’re about out of options. I’m holding out a chance for you. And it’s my chance, too. The way it looks, it comes down to me or Captain Vincent Egan as the new chief, and you know Egan’s not gonna play it straight.”
    Quinn had to smile. Renz had gotten his ducks in a row before coming here. Quinn knew something else: Renz would never have come to him with this if somebody higher in the NYPD or in city politics hadn’t approved it. Maybe somebody had his suspicions and wanted to place Egan and Quinn, and possibly Renz himself, under a microscope.
    â€œThere’s no way I can conduct an investigation without Egan and the rest of the NYPD finding out about it,” Quinn said.
    â€œEgan won’t find out if you work fast enough. And if he does, we’ll think of something else. What I’m asking is that you climb outta this physical and psychological shit hole you been in and do your job the way I know you can.”
    â€œThat last part’d be easy enough,” Quinn said, still gazing out the window.
    â€œNot without the first part. Can you manage it?”
    Quinn saw more umbrellas opening below, like dark flowers abruptly blooming. He thought it would be nice if the sun would burst out from behind the clouds, send him a sign.
    Screw it. He didn’t need a sign.
    â€œI can try,” he said, turning away from the gloom. “But even if I get it done, I don’t see how you can get me back in the NYPD.”
    â€œI can if I’m chief.”
    â€œAll things considered, I don’t see why you’d take a chance on me.”
    â€œI noticed coming over here, there’s a few schools in this neighborhood.”
    â€œOne right down the street. And there’s a church near here, too. I don’t pay much attention to either of them.”
    â€œI know,” Renz said. “That’s why I decided to drop by.”

4
    Moving day.
    Claire Briggs stood in the center of the vacant living room, looking around with satisfaction at the fresh paint. She decided the off-white made the pale blue carpet look older, but that was okay for now. She’d spent her budget on paint and what new furniture she needed, and she was grateful she could exchange her tiny basement