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Chapter 59

CHUCK HANNI’S CHAIR scraped the floor as he pushed back fronant “What? You think I’ fires so I can be a hero?Oh, and I planted that book to point suspicion atovation when they brought John Orr down”

Conklin sed

I felt sweat beading up at , but so ooders had been convicted of mass murder, I had to know I kept my mouth shut and let the scene play out

“Why didn’t you tell us about the Christiansen fire?” Conklin said, calmly “Tealthy people died Their stuff was stolen —”

“Christ,” Hanni interrupted “I don’t sit around reh I see them in my dreams —”

“But the MO was the sa if the killer can’t kick the habit Maybe he’s still at it, and now he’s leaving clues at the crime scene Like a book inscribed with a feords of Latin”

I watched Chuck’s expression, expecting him to bolt, or punch out at Rich, or break down

Instead he frowned, said, “What do you mean, the killer can’t kick the habit? Matt Waters confessed to the Christiansen fire two years ago He’s doing ti accusations around”

My face got hot

Had Cindy gotten this wrong? The Christiansen fire had happened far from San Francisco, but still, I should have double-checked Cindy’s research

Jacobi’s interco, but he hadn’t picked up Now Brenda Fregosi, our squad assistant, barged into the office, ripped a pink square of paper fro, “What’s the ?”

Brenda turned and, swinging her hips, walked back across the gray linoleum to her desk Jacobi read the note

“Molly Chu is responding to the hospital shrink,” he told us “She ht be ready to talk”

Chuck got out of his chair, but Jacobi stopped him