Left to Vanish (An Adele Sharp Mystery—Book Eight) by Blake Pierce (books to read for 13 year olds .txt) 📗

had more patience than she would have liked. Then again, after readinghis file she supposed this made sense.

Once,on a trespassing rap, he’d chained himself to an old building ready fordemolition. He’d stayed that way for three days and nights, peeing into bottlesand refusing to eat or drink anything. He’d only left after falling unconsciousfrom sunstroke and being cut free by local police and taken to the hospital.

Mr.Lavigne clearly was determined in his cause. Fanatical, some might say. ThoughAdele would be lying if she didn’t say she respected him at least a little. Fewpeople were as disciplined or focused when it came to the things they claimedto care about.

Now,though, had that fanaticism, that dedication, turned into something… more violent?She still couldn’t be sure. He hadn’t admitted anything, nor had he denied it.He’d simply clammed up, demanding his lawyer.

Shecontinued dangling the rosary in front of him, staring at the cross and givingit a little shake. “Does your faith approve of murdering old women? Is that theGod you serve?”

Herwords had their intended effect. His eyes widened and he turned on her sharply,gritting his teeth. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Well,help me understand then.”

“Lawyer!”

“Mr.Lavigne, surely you can see—”

“Lawyer!”

“Whydid you kill them, Mr. Lavigne? They didn’t do anything to you! What was theircrime, hmm? Protecting land—was that it? Some sort of sick retribution? Is thatwhy you strangled them with this.” She gave the rosary another littleshake.

Atthis final declaration, though, Mr. Lavigne seemed genuinely taken aback. “Law—hangon, what? Don’t be insane. That’s for prayer.”

“Notfor everyone. Not for the man killing women who live on land you tried to buy.”

“Lawyer!”

Atjust that moment, there came a knock on the door.

Threesets of eyes spun around, witnessed by the blinking red camera over the mirror,and the vibrant fluorescent lights spanning the room.

Aman in a police uniform poked around the edge of the steel door, wincing apologetically.“Sorry, Agent Paige,” he said, quickly. “Just popping in as you requested. Mr.Lavigne’s lawyer is running late. Caught in traffic. Should be another hour orso.”

Paigeflashed a thumbs-up and a quick wink, which Adele briefly noticed. She frowned.Paige had been the one who said Lavigne’s lawyer was on the way. Had shedelayed calling the man, though?

Adelefelt a flicker of unease. She supposed the less she knew, the better. Liveswere on the line…

Thenagain, isn’t that what everyone said to justify breaking the rules?

Shesighed, returning her attention to Mr. Lavigne, whose expression had turnedsour at the news. He continued staring stonily at the mirror again, it seemed,settling into a quiet stupor.

Adelesighed, letting the rosary fall from her hand and piling with quiet plinkingsounds against the metal table. She lifted her hand then, shaking a fingerslowly.

“Threemurders in such short time,” she said. “And we have the proof it was you. Whynot save us the trouble?”

Mr.Lavigne stared at her. His eyes flicked to the door for a moment, then darteddown to the rosary between his chained hands. He coughed briefly, clearing histhroat, and said, “You and I both know this is simply harassment. Who put youup to it, hmm? Mr. Durand? Mr. Becker? One of the other soulless firms? Isn’tit enough you had me fired last year?”

“Ithought you were traveling for work,” Adele murmured.

Hesnorted. “New job. Selling damn insurance. First my job, now you have to comeafter my freedom too? Is it because you know you’re doing wrong? You know you’returning sacred land for coin?” He shook his head in disgust, sneering in a veryPaigesque fashion.

Adeleblinked against this sudden tirade. It hadn’t been in his nature to speak upuntil now. As he did, though, she felt a flicker of uncertainty bolt across herstomach.

“Whatdo you mean?” she pressed. “We’re not here for anyone but ourselves. We’reinvestigating a serial murderer.”

“Soyou said,” he scoffed. “I know a set-up when I see it.” He stared straight atthe blinking camera above Adele now. “Hear me?” he called, raising his voice. “Whoeveris trying to railroad me—I’ll fight. Don’t think I won’t. The truth will set mefree. You will one day face the Lord—don’t doubt it! Liars never prosper!” Heshook his head angrily, spitting out these last words, droplets of salivaarching beneath the bright lights and scattering across the metal table. Heshifted, his cuffed hands dragging the chain through the loop of metal with a scrapingsound as he pressed his shoulders back against the chair.

“That’swhat you think is happening?” Adele said. “You think we’re trying to set youup?”

“He’sacting,” Paige snapped. “Don’t believe a thing this killer says. I see rightthrough you, Gregor. Don’t think I don’t.”

Hesniffed, shaking his head now. The knowledge his lawyer was tardy seemed tohave loosened his lips a bit. He swallowed and muttered a couple of timesbefore turning to Adele and saying, firmly, “I’ve never killed anyone. Ifyou’re being honest—if you really think I had something to do with a crime,just know wherever you got your information is false. Mr. Becker, Mr. Durand,Ms. Reber… Any of them? They all would love to see me come crashing down. Oneof them accused me, yes? Without a shred of proof, no doubt.”

Adeleswallowed, trying to track the conversation. Clearly, Mr. Lavigne was furious.At first, she’d taken the anger directed at her for some sort of shtick. Now,though, she was beginning to wonder. What was making him so furious?

“Youthink this is a set-up, then? Are you denying the murders?”

“Ijust did, didn’t I? I’ve never killed anyone. This is all about money. That’swhat it is. They know that I’m petitioning the government about that cathedralthey’ve turned into an office complex. Just like the Lord driving out the moneychangers and lenders, so I will bring this to every government and authorityuntil we have that space cleared out. As God is my witness, we will.” The beardedman bobbed his head quickly, the visible portion of his scalp beneath hiscomb-over flashing sweaty beneath the bright lights.

“Youflew to Bristol a week ago,” Agent Paige said, firmly, lifting her phone andstudying the information they’d been provided. “You then took a flight to Italy.You could easily have driven to Germany from there, couldn’t you have?”

“Germany?”He blinked. “I was in Germany recently, so what? I