Absolute Instinct (31 page)

“
Do we have film on some of Orion's more shocking pieces?” asked Paula of an off-camera producer.

“
Sorry,” she apologized to the public, “but perhaps later, we will bring you an example of Mr. Orion's decidedly shocking work. I am told he has gone so far as to hang crucified cats, dogs, and other small animals in relief against his paintings.”

“
He calls it odorous art,” commented Zimmer. “Wait till Bill O'Reilly gets wind of this.”

Cafferty joined the other two co-anchors in a belly laugh, adding, “Indeed.”

Jessica switched it off to an elated Darwin who looked ready to bounce off the walls. “If we can say we have someone in custody in Chicago, and new evidence has surfaced now in Chicago as well as Minnesota with DNA matching, and we can show a connection between Orion and Millbrook then—”

Jessica put up both hands to him and cautioned, “You're reaching way ahead of yourself, Darwin.”

“
But this is good! Great!”

“
You're reacting, creating rationalization to arrest Orion on the basis of a news story that has him connected in some way to this recent body, but he's a long way from replacing your brother in the death chamber.”

“
I tell you there's something sick about that motherfucker. You saw his art. Hell, you smelled it—roadkill on the canvas, and he's guilty as hell of... of...“Of what? Rodent murder? Call in animal control. What's he done beside be a prick? Where's the evidence he's actually killed anyone? You and I can't work on suppositions, Darwin.”

“
He's the Spine Thief. I just know it.”

“
Sure he's despicable and distasteful and has a hate on for women, but that does not prove he's the killer we seek, and I don't have a good feeling about him suddenly falling into our laps like this.”

“
Regardless, Hughes has to listen to reason now. I know... we'll confiscate all Orion's art.”

“
That crap'll go through the roof in value. Become the hottest collectors' items on the market thanks to this notoriety. Look, hell, we don't even know who the victim in that crate is, not for sure, and it could all prove to be an elaborate hoax for attention, part of the bastard's public-relations effort—got a body from a morgue or a funeral home, some sick shit like that. Hell, I can imagine someone even wanting to set Orion up—possibly the real killer.”

“
What're you saying?”

“
It's all just too pat is what I'm saying.”

Darwin gritted his teeth, paced the room and wound up at the window, staring out over the expanse of gardens and trees of a nursery across the street. “We still gotta find out. We gotta know what Chicago knows. I have Agents Amanda Petersaul and Jared Cates teaming on it.”

Jessica blew out a long breath of air, a signal of exasperation. “Who's Cates?”

“
A five-year man with our field office. He's good and thorough.”

“
I'm glad you have an experienced agent with Pete.”

“
Pete's a fine agent. She's sharp as a tack, and she is dogged about getting the facts.”

“
Now you're talking. Let's get some details and facts. The Devil is in the details as they say.”

“
That's my intention.”

“
Your people need a little paving of the way in Chicago, I know some of the agents in our field office there. Worked a couple of cases with them.”

“
What about the M.E. there?”

“
As a matter of fact, I know the Chicago M.E. well. Keene, Horace Keene. Runs a fine crime lab and morgue. Fact is, we both studied under Holcraft, just not at the same time.”

“
That's good. You two'll be on the same wavelength.”

“
Keene is quick and efficient. By now he'll have any facts ascertainable from the crate, and maybe he can verify that the body is in fact Lucinda Wellingham’s.”

“
And if it is?”

“
Then we learn what evidence they have against Orion, circumstantial or overwhelming.”

“
And then?”

“
Then we go at the governor with all the facts, and we shove it down his fat face.”

“
Now you're talking.”

Still, something nagged at Jessica and she was not ready to celebrate. “But what troubles me is that from what we know of Lucy Wellingham, she does not fit the victim profile.”

“
So Orion changed the pattern. It happens. I've read about it happening in your own book.”

“
Still, we can't ignore the facts. All the others were matronly, in their late forties. They were all shut-ins or self-imposed introverts who related better and more to animals than to people. While Lucinda appears their opposite.”

“
Hardly reclusive with a business of her own,” he agreed.

“
A large, prominent family. Busy businesswoman. Bet she had no animals, at least not in the city, at her place.”

“
From her photos, she appears to be a classy dresser, quite up on fashion.”

Jessica agreed. “Beautiful from her photo, in step with the young and hip crowd in Milwaukee, and in her mid-twenties. Not the killer's victim of choice.”

“
OK, so Orion changed his pattern drastically.”

Jessica paced the room, her chin in her hand. “It could mean that she somehow found out about his extracurricular activities and... so she was killed out of expediency, not like the others who were targeted, stalked, massaged through the drawings and then murdered.”

“
By now every scrap of his artwork and supplies and instruments are confiscated, and the techs are searching for blood evidence on his art scalpels.”

“
Yeah, and maybe they found the bone cutter still fresh with Lucinda's blood on it,” she sarcastically replied. “Let's stay grounded, Darwin. In a few hours we're going to be meeting Richard at the airport and all we've got in hand is the blood typing. So, let's go as planned.”

“
Penitentiary for the blood test.”

“
Right. And to meet your brother.”

“
It's all set for two this afternoon.”

“
And Richard's plane is due in at six. We see the governor again at seven. Now get outta my room and let me get dressed for the day.”

“
I'll keep you apprised of any and all I learn as Petersaul is going down to Chicago to find out all she can. Meantime, our people in Milwaukee have raided the place where Orion stayed while in Milwaukee, the downtown Marriott, for anything he may have left behind.”

“
Anything breaks in the investigation, let me know. Otherwise, I need some peace and quiet, and to put on my foundations, Darwin. Out, out, and Darwin, don't get me wrong, I am as pleased as you at this new development. I just think, given what we know now about J. J. Hughes that nothing 'back East' is going to persuade him unless it is absolutely overwhelming.”

“
By end of business day, I am hoping to make it overwhelming,” Reynolds countered.

“
I do hope you can, Darwin. I do hope so.”

# # #

CAFE Avanti sat flush below a four-story brownstone on Southport within shouting distance of the Music Box Theater's marquee, just as Lucinda had described it to Giles. The doors to Cafe Avanti opened inward and a lilting bell sounded, announcing yet another customer. The place appeared as quaint and curious as Lucinda had told him it would be over pillow talk just before he'd fallen asleep, just before he'd had to kill her.

He stood at the center of the room, staring down a narrow corridor leading to the rear where he'd been told the cafe housed a small galleria-styled maze of nooks and crannies. Standing before the stenciled windows, Giles Gahran, his ornate box tucked under one arm, his huge artist's portfolio dangling from his other hand, drew the attention of the Spanish woman behind the counter.

“
Good morning. Can I be helping you, sir?”

“
Lucinda sent me.”

“
Who?”

He replied, “Art dealer in Milwaukee, Lucinda Wellingham.”

“
Ahhh... jes, jes. She sends you here to me? Ahhh... that is good then. Let me see your work.”

“
Said you'd show my stuff on her recommendation. I have a note to that effect with her signature.”

“
That's perfect timing. I just got the rooms cleared out again. Get tired of seeing the same things too long... not good for business. New exhibit is. Show me what you got.”

“
Lucinda said Cafe Avanti is the premier place for a first showing in Chicago, and from there word will spread.” “Right, spread like spilled India ink on a white satin tablecloth. Lucinda told you that, sweetheart... good how she help us... good to us... and now they are showing her picture in the paper and saying she has been killed, do you know?” She handed him the Sun-Times lying on a nearby table. “Horrible... so horrible what that black-hearted bastard Orion done to her, and look how he goes walking free!”

Giles read the headlines and scanned for details. “Imagine letting a monster like that just walk away,” he muttered in response.

“
God, so awful about her death—murdered, horribly disfigured.”

“
Terrible, I agree.”

“
I'd only seen her jus' last week in Milwaukee to preview Orion's work, too.”

“
Oh, really? What'd you think of it?”

“
The man is a pig. A murdering pig now. Such evil in him to horribly disfigure my beautiful Lucinda.”

“
Yes,” he agreed. “It turns my stomach, the whole thing.” Giles pretended innocence for the part owner of the Cafe Avanti.

“
It must've been so shocking for you. Oh, where are my manners. Coffee? Juice? Something stronger?”

“
Coffee, yes, thank you. Yes, I... I just saw her a few days ago myself. How. could such a thing happen?”

“
Well, how well do you know that arrogant ass Orion?” she asked. “I can just imagine if a girl were to cross him. It's been all over the news. Hated that man before, but now I really hate him.”

“
I didn't know until recently. Been too busy moving in, you know. I rarely look at the papers, and I don't own a TV.”

“
The bastard wasn't even arrested or arraigned! No jail time, no bail, nothing, but if he dares show his face here again, I'll make him wish they had kept him behind bars.

I'll personally scratch his eyes out, you know, for my poor, sweet Lucinda.”

She'd gone back around the counter and handed him an Irish coffee with whipped cream. “On the house.”

“
Imagine, Keith Orion, theeeee Keith Orion, a killer.”

“
He's finished in the art world, especially in the Chicago arts community.” She reared up. “When I saw her face on the tube... and then they flashed her death photo... Oh my God, I thought I'd throw up and faint. I called the authorities immediately, you know, to, you know, identify her as exactly who they thought she might be, but I think I... my word put a cap on it for them.”

She took a moment to compose herself. “Now tell me, Mr. Gahran, why should we display your art, your paintings, your sculptures at Avanti? I've got to fill out a flyer, get the word around, plaster it on some windows that original artwork is on display at Avanti. Got to have good reason, other than the fact Lucy sent you to us just before she died. In other words, defend your work.”

He spread out his show photos and several sketches and a few paintings to give her a broad range of the kind of work he was doing at the moment.

She tried to curb her immediate positive reaction to the unusual work.

Giles began speaking as she glanced over each painting and sketch slowly, carefully sizing each up, one at a time.

“
Kinda reminds me of Goya, your style anyway, and maybe Picasso's Guernica like the way their bones are out of their bodies.”

“
In occult physiology the most important bone in the body is the sacrum and—”

“
What's a sacrum?” asked Conchita Raold, interrupting Giles's spiel.

“
Ahhh... sacrum... it's not what you think,” he said with a little smirk.

“
Oh, and what am I thinking?” “It's got nothing to do with the male member. It refers to the ancient sacer, meaning the sacred, so it's called... was called the sacred or holy bone—the—”

“
Spinal cord.”

“
Backbone to be exact—cord refers to the nerves. You mean spinal column.”

“
Holy bone but not holy boner then. OK, so your show is about this holy bone.”

“
You see in ancient civilizations it had a role to play... a role of like special—”

“
Significance?”

Giles hated the way this woman finished all his sentences for him. “Yeah, significance in many systems of divination by the bones of the body, in religious rites, in sacrificial—”

“
Ceremonies?”

“
Ahhh... right again. It was commonly believed to contain the immortal part of the body and to be directly connected with the spirit realm. In the Western tradition this was the bone kissed at the witch sabbat.”

“
Man, really? Wow. I didn't know that. I love Wicca stuff like they got next door in the candle and card shop. How many people would know that. That's kinda amazing. Man, Giles, you are going to fit right in around here. People coming to Avanti, they love shit like this.”