CHAPTER 10

I had found a way to get back from North Beach. Now all I had to do was select the date, call my ride, book the lodge, and ride my bike to Ross, lock it to the bike rack at the post office, walk up to Winslow’s house and climb into his car when he came out his driveway. It was perfect, as if I had waited, motionless until it was time to strike. I could see Winslow tumbling in the surf, and it felt good, as if a weight were being lifted off of me. But until he disappeared in that churning water, I would not be whole again.

Fuller reappeared. He came to my house had another scotch and told me that he had interviewed Winslow.

“He says it’s a coincidence. He had nothing to do with an accident in Inverness. He scraped the car on a wall in a garage in San Francisco.”

“He’s a rich sonovabitch,” I said

“That he is. There’s no doubt about that. But I don’t have anything that I can connect him to your daughter’s death. That much I know.”

“But you think he’s the one.”

“I think he’s a good candidate.”

“Which means you can’t charge him, but you think he’s the one.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“No need to say it. I’ve checked out the asshole. He’s richer than Midas and he had that Ford Expedition and now it’s gone.”

“You’ve been doing some research?”

“Yes. I know where he lives and I know his habits and I’m sure the sonofabitch is the one.”

“Don’t do anything foolish,”

“I’m not sure what foolish means. I have nothing to lose, Fuller. My daughter is dead, my wife left me, I have very little left. I no longer work as a carpenter, I can’t seem to drive a nail straight, and when you show up, I think that you know something that I ought to know”

“I don’t know anything that I haven’t told you.”

“But you know this fucker is the one, don’t you?”

“I told you, he looks good for it. But I’m not positive. And I don’t have any physical evidence to connect him with what happened.”

“Good enough for me,” I said. I poured him another scotch.

After he left I sat on the little deck looking at the mountain. What had she been doing at Hearts Desire Beach? Running into the water, swimming in that flat watered bay, drinking a beer, maybe watching someone’s dog run after a tennis ball in the water, spending an afternoon with friends her age. Young people with a lifetime ahead of them, Only her lifetime was suddenly eclipsed by that passing SUV.