Blood Score (23 page)

“
Tell us what you know about that backstage argument between your neighbor and Bryce. What did Bryce mean when he said he’d heard about the guy’s good neighbor policy from you?” Cronan asked, directing his question to Ethan Chandler. When Bryce opened his mouth to answer, he stopped him. “I want to hear his side. You’ll get your chance.”

With Cronan’s opening question, the pale skin of Chandler’s face turned red. The kid was normally a cool customer in person and on stage, but now he looked like he’d eaten bad sushi. Rachel slipped her arm through his and held the guy’s hand as she sat next to him on the sofa. He let her, but something in that gesture made Cronan believe that Ethan had already confided the whole story to his publicist. Bryce was too antsy to sit. He trolled near the bar area like a junkie looking for a fix.

“This is…embarrassing.” Ethan Chandler took a deep breath. “The day before my concert, I got a call about a package that had been delivered to a neighbor by mistake. He suggested I pick it up, that he was only next door.”

“
Tim McFarland?” Cronan asked.

“
Yeah, he told me his name on the phone, and when I went to pick up the delivery, I introduced myself. To my knowledge, I’d never met him before, but he told me that we had.” Ethan shook his head. “I’m not very good with faces.”

Cronan crooked his lip into a faint smile and said,
“Go on.”

“
The thing is, I don’t know how he got my unlisted private number. That didn’t occur to me until I got to his door. When I asked him about it, he never gave me a good answer.”

After Angel looked into McFarland, she found out he volunteered on the residents’ board for the building. Getting a private phone number would be easy. Ethan went on to tell them about McFarland’s insistence on entertaining him with food and drink when he only wanted to pick up his package and leave. The man had made him uncomfortable.

“How so?” Cronan asked.

Rachel heaved a sigh and squeezed Chandler’s hand. Her eyes darted to Bryce. She’d definitely heard this story before, but when she didn’t butt in and take charge like usual, Cronan had to give her props even though he had faith she wouldn’t let him down. It wasn’t in her nature to roll over.

“He insisted I come to this special room where he told me that he displayed his hobby. He said he was a photographer and took pictures of things he loved. He got aggressive when I tried to leave.”

“
In what way?” Angel asked.

“
He pushed food and drink on me, trying to make it a social call. And he had to know what was in the box. He said he could let me know what it was, so I wouldn’t have to wait for someone else to tell me, like he had a right to know,” he said. “But the address thing bothered me. It didn’t make sense that he had my phone number…and that this box came directly to the building.”

“
What was in the box?” Cronan leaned against the bar, not taking his eyes off the fiddle player.

“
He said it was a rare vintage of Macallan Scotch, a brand I prefer. There was a card inside from some auction house.”

“
Did he say who sent it?”

“
I questioned him on that, and he said it came from an anonymous sender, but when I told him that didn’t make sense, he got mad. I explained that the delivery had to be from a personal friend. Only someone I knew well would’ve sent it to my home, because I have a post office box that’s public, but my residence isn’t. After that, things got…strange.”

“
Define strange. You said that your encounter with McFarland had been embarrassing. Tell us what you mean about strange and embarrassing,” Cronan pushed.

“
Strange became embarrassing.” Ethan lowered his head. “Something about him, I didn’t trust from the start. He wouldn’t take no for an answer on anything. When I wanted to leave, he kept finding reasons to make me stay, but I had to get out of there.”

“
The asshole was a damned pervert,” Bryce blurted out with a grimace.

“
Bryce.” Rachel calmed him down with only one look.

Cronan had a pretty good idea where Chandler was heading with his story. There was honesty in his telling of it that rang true, and everything showed on his face. He looked like a guy who’d been carrying a burden that he couldn’t get rid of.

“I mean, he wouldn’t let anything go. He raised his voice. He insisted on feeding me…and touching me. When I felt his fingers on my face, it shocked me. I had to get out of there, but I wasn’t sure…he’d let me go. Please don’t make me spell it out for you.”

“
Who did you tell about this…incident with McFarland?” Cronan asked, even though he had a pretty good idea what he’d say.

Ethan shut his eyes tight and took a deep breath.

“Bryce was the first one I told. He’d called me that day. He asked to come over so we could talk about…Livie. He wanted to make sure I was okay. When he got to my place, I was still upset and had to talk to someone. In hindsight, that probably wasn’t the smartest choice. Bryce is a loyal friend, but…”

Cronan glanced at Bryce, a look that reminded the guy he knew his secret about him having an affair with Olivia.
Loyal, my ass.

Ethan went on.
“…he’s also got a bit of a temper. I mean, how was I to know that McFarland would have the nerve to show up at my concert and demand to come backstage?”

“
He had a pass and claimed you or someone slipped it under his door,” Angel said. “It looked as legit as mine, but his name wasn’t on the master list. Do you know how he would’ve gotten a real pass?”

Angel directed her question to Ethan, but her eyes fixed on Bryce and Rachel.

“No way that it came from me, I can assure you.” Chandler shook his head. “Other than that, I have no idea.”

“
So as far as you know, no one would’ve anonymously slipped a backstage pass under his door, but purposely left him off the control list to…embarrass the guy in public?” Angel pressed with a theory of her own. After Ethan gave her an emphatic no, she asked, “When did you tell Rachel about your encounter with your neighbor?”

He smiled at his partner’s question. She’d phrased it as if she knew the answer. Angel hadn’t given Rachel Blevins an option to lie.

“I called her, and she came over while Bryce was with me.” He spoke to his friend and said, “Sorry, Bryce, but neither one of us thought you’d leave without causing a scene. We didn’t want you to get into trouble…just for being a friend. With McFarland only one door down, Rachel wisely insisted she come to cool Bryce down and escort him off the premises. That’s it. That’s what happened. I didn’t hear about the argument backstage until Bryce said something later.”

“
Is that how you remember it, sport?” Cronan turned to Bryce.

“
Yeah. I got nothing to add.” The guy shrugged. “Guess I should sign up for an anger management class.”

“
Hell, take two. Couldn’t hurt.”

“
What can you tell us about McFarland and how he died?” Rachel asked, her eyes shifting between him and Angel.

“
It’s an unrelated case. We can’t discuss it,” Cronan said.

“
Basically you’re saying it’s none of our business.” The publicist glared at him.

“
That’s not what I said,” he told her. Cronan kept his game face unreadable. He had no intention of giving her any way to read between the lines.

“
I heard he might’ve committed suicide. Did I have anything to do with that?” Chandler asked. “The guy gave me the creeps, but I hate to think he took his life because…of me.”

The violinist’s question could’ve been a ploy to garner sympathy, but he looked too messed up over it. Cronan had a pretty good notion what Angel saw in the guy. Now wasn’t the time to let his guard down, but he couldn’t throw the kid under the guilt bus if he didn’t have to.

“Whatever went on in McFarland’s head was on him, not you,” he said.

Ethan dropped his chin and nodded. He seemed satisfied with his answer, and Angel shot him a faint smile, too.

“Was McFarland the guy stalking Ethan?” Rachel asked. “Did he have anything to do with Olivia’s murder?”

If Cronan felt an ounce of sympathy for Chandler, his supply had run out when it came to Rachel. The woman made a leap in logic that even her client noticed.

“We’re not jumping to any conclusions yet,” he said. “Nothing links him directly to her murder, no.”

“
Nothing?” she asked. “Are you sure?”

He had deliberately lied about there being no connection to Olivia’s murder. The prepaid burner phone was his lie by omission. The press hadn’t been told about the phone link. Only those closest to the investigation—and the killer—knew about it.

Rachel didn’t look happy.

“
But I do have something to share with you about McFarland. Something that pertains to you, Ethan,” Cronan said. “Since the three of you apparently have nothing to hide from each other, I don’t suppose you’d object to me sharing with your closest friends.”

“
I don’t like the sound of this.” Rachel gripped Chandler’s hand and stroked his arm. That gesture sent a ripple of worry across the musician’s face.

“
I told you that we couldn’t make a connection to McFarland as your letter stalker and that’s true, but the guy had a small shrine in his home dedicated to you,” Cronan said. “Apparently he’d been taking photos of you and had memorabilia from when you were a kid.”

“
That room he took me into, when I was there.” Chandler winced. “The bastard acted weird when he took me into it. He must’ve gotten a laugh out of me sitting in the middle of it all...like a damned trophy.”

“
Yeah, no doubt, but there’s more.” Cronan hesitated. “The guy had surveillance cameras in your home. There were live feeds, but we found one video recording of you and suspect we’ll find more. We think he’s got more stashed at another location.”

“
What?” Chandler’s eyes grew wide. He looked as if he couldn’t catch his breath. “He recorded me
here
…in my home?”

“
This can’t be happening.” Rachel shook her head and couldn’t take her eyes off Ethan.

Bryce stopped pacing. He locked eyes with Rachel, but kept his mouth shut.

“He had cameras installed that had live feeds from several rooms,” Cronan said. “Your studio, living room…bedroom and bathroom.”

“
My bedroom…and bath?” Chandler shut his eyes tight. If he had faked his reaction, he’d done a convincing job of it.

Cronan saw from his partner’s expressions that Angel felt the guy’s pain. She stood her ground and resisted any personal show of compassion so she could stick to their game plan, but he could tell that holding back had taken a toll on her.

“The recording I saw was taken of you in your shower…to be exact. Another camera targeted your bed,” Cronan said, his voice low.

“
I gotta fix this,” Rachel muttered.

“
How?” Chandler pulled his hand from Rachel’s and raked it through his dark hair. “The damage is done. The only thing worse would be…”

He stopped and got up, heading to his bar for a drink. The last time Cronan saw the guy pour a drink, he did it as if he could see, but this time he stumbled and looked lost in his own home. He fumbled for a glass until Rachel had to help him.

Angel’s reaction made it harder for Cronan to watch, too.

“
He…actually recorded me?” The musician clutched his glass and tossed back a gulp of whatever Rachel had poured him.

“
Like I said, I saw one recording, but I think the guy had more. He had the equipment and given his collection of memorabilia, he seemed the kind of guy who liked mementos,” he said. “We’re pretty sure he has a stash that he keeps elsewhere, and we know where to look.”

“
Anything you find on Ethan, they could ruin his career,” Rachel said.

“
Until we find these alleged recordings and view them, how do you know they would ruin him?” Cronan asked.

“
I don’t, but it’s my job to worry about his image. He could become a laughing stock online if any of them hit YouTube.”

“
Oh, God.” Chandler looked sick. He poured another drink.

“
It doesn’t matter what he recorded. If the media gets a hold of this…” Rachel shook her head. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

Bryce looked as if he wanted a stiff shot of something. Being in rehab, he couldn’t, but that didn’t stop him from wanting a booze bullet to the brain.

“Whatever you find, wherever you find it, you have to keep me in the loop on this,” Rachel said. “It’s my job to…”

Gabe interrupted her.

“And it’s my job to find Olivia’s killer. Any recordings could be pertinent to her murder or help solidify McFarland’s motivation.”

“
But you said McFarland’s suicide didn’t have anything to do with Olivia’s death,” the publicist argued, raising her voice.