Eye of the Beholder (28 page)

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G
uy Jones pulled out of the Seaport Bus Terminal parking lot, feeling as though he had just signed Kinsey’s death certificate. He drove through downtown and continued on toward Port Smyth, yearning for a sense of normalcy.

“Are you all right?” Ellen said.

“How can I be all right after all that?” Guy glanced over at Ellen. “I was impressed with how calm you were. I don’t know how you forgave her so quickly.”

“She’s just a few years older than Hailey. No matter what the girl’s done, it’s hard not to care about her.”

“I care about her. I’m just too mad right now to forgive her.”

Ellen pulled down the visor and put on her sunglasses. “I’ve found it’s easier for me to do it quickly and let the Lord change my heart. But that’s me. We’re all different.”

“I’m glad you gave her the tract. I wasn’t feeling very spiritual right then, but I’ve wondered where Kinsey stands spiritually. I tried broaching the subject with her a few times but could never get past her defenses.”

“I don’t know that I did either. But I sensed she had a deep need to be forgiven.”

“I can’t believe she tried to trap me into sleeping with her—with no regard for how it might hurt my marriage.”

“At least she’s got good taste.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I. Though I think she was probably looking for affirmation more than a physical relationship. Behind that perfect size
eight is a rejected little girl starving for a father’s love. I’m just glad you didn’t let your guard down. I might’ve killed you before I ever had the chance to forgive you.”

Guy smiled without meaning to. “Stand in line. I think Rob Blakely has first dibs.”

“That’s not funny.”

“I know. Sorry. But it helps to joke about it.”

“I’m uneasy about this Blakely being on the loose,” Ellen said. “With Kinsey out of his reach, I’m much more concerned he may come after you. If the man figures out he’s not going to get paid, he’s bound to take his spite out on someone.”

“The thirty thousand Kinsey owed was mostly interest. The guy isn’t really out all that much.”

“But he thinks you ripped him off,” Ellen said. “It’s hard to say what he might do, especially if he can’t go home without being arrested.”

“Well, there’s no way I’m shelling out twenty-five thousand a month for a bodyguard. This could go on for a while. We just need to pray the police arrest Rob Blakely … and soon.”

Gordy Jameson walked into the kitchen at the crab shack and came up behind Pam Townsend. He put his arms around her and drew her close, his cheek next to hers. “Don’t you be wearin’ yourself out, now.”

Pam rested her back against his chest. “I can’t believe the wedding’s so close.”

“Next week at this time we’ll be cozied up under one of those big comforters at the Pembrooke House.”

Pam held up her watch. “At two-thirty in the afternoon?”

“Hey, it’s allowed.”

She turned around in his arms, her eyes seeming to walk into his soul. “I can hardly wait to be married to you, Gordy Jameson.”

Gordy cupped her face in his hands and let his lips melt into hers until his heart started to pound, then pulled back and smiled. “I better get outta here before we get in trouble.” He kissed the top of her head. “Guess I’ll go make sure the Sunday buffet table’s been cleared. Keep crankin’ out those desserts. They’re really catchin’ on.”

“With
paying
customers?”

Gordy laughed. “You’re gonna be more of a pest than Weezie.”

He went back out to the dining area and saw Ali Tehrani standing in the waiting area. Gordy walked over to him, his hand extended.

“Hi, Doc. Are you waiting to be seated?”

“No, I was wondering if I could talk to you.”

“Sure, let’s go down to my office.”

Gordy led the way into his office and then shut the door. He pulled a chair up next to Ali’s and noticed his eyes looked hollow. “Would you like somethin’ to drink?”

“No, I’m fine. Sorry to bring my burdens to you, but there are so few friends I can share with these days. And my Mina is so upset over Dary Fassih’s murder that I prescribed tranquilizers for her.”

“I can’t even imagine how a tragedy like that has affected the Muslim community.”

Ali’s thick eyebrows furrowed. “You really can’t. But it was evident at Dary’s burial.”

“The boy’s already been buried?”

“It is our belief that the dead should be buried as soon as possible.” Ali held his gaze. “Muslims are coming from outside the region to comfort the family and denounce this hate crime. I tell you, my friend, the bitterness is fierce. I’m worried about retaliation.”

“Against who?”

“The Jews. Imam Bakir found a Star of David on the floor of the mosque where the vandals spray-painted.’ ”

“I don’t remember readin’ anything in the newspaper about a Star of David.”

“I don’t think the police have made it public knowledge. But I know it to be true. And the word has traveled fast among Muslim believers.”

“Doc, you gotta talk to them! Gettin’ even will just cause more hate!”

“I agree with you, Gordy. But I am just one man. And I’ve already lost respect because I helped the FBI find my nephew. If I go to the police with this, I’ll be considered no better than a traitor. I know you’re friends with Chief Seevers. Perhaps you can make him aware of how volatile the situation is. But I ask you, please … do not reveal where you got this information.”

“Okay, Doc. But Will knows we’re friends. He’s liable to make assumptions.”

Police Chief Will Seevers sat in his favorite chair, reading the sport’s page of the Sunday paper when his wife came in and sat on the couch. He could feel her eyes watching him.

“What is it, Margaret?”

“I’m worried about you.”

“Why?”

She got up and took the sport’s page out of his hands, folded it, and set it aside, then sat on the arm of the chair. “You’ve been acting strange since last night after you responded to the beating death of that Muslim student.”

“No I haven’t. I’m just quiet, that’s all.”

“I’ve been waiting for you to talk to me about it.”

“Nothing to talk about.”

“Since when is a murder
nothing
?”

“The whole thing made me sick. I just need time to sort it out. I’m fine. Really.”

Margaret combed his hair with her fingers. “All right. I was just checking.”

Will’s cell phone vibrated. “I need to take this honey.” He picked it up and pushed the talk button. “Chief Seevers.”

“It’s Jack Rutgers. I hope you’re sitting down. We’ve got another dead male student, this one strangled with some kind of cord or rope.”

“Muslim?”

“Nope, Jewish.”

Will winced. “That’s all we need.”

“A couple of coeds saw him lying near the bushes outside the library at the junior college and called 911.”

“Is that where you are?”

“Yeah. A crowd’s starting to gather, and I heard someone say WRGL News is on the way. Probably couldn’t hurt for you to make a statement.”

“Okay, I’ll be right there.”

Will disconnected the call and put the phone on his belt clip.

“What happened now?”

“Another student was murdered—this one Jewish.”

“Oh, no.”

He told Margaret everything Jack had told him, then kissed her and walked out the front door. His cell phone vibrated again. “Chief Seevers.”

“Will, it’s Gordy. Have you got a minute?”

“I’m headed over to the junior college. Can I call you later?”

“Uh, this is pretty important. Can you talk to me while you’re drivin’ over there?”

“Yeah, all right. Hang on till I get situated.” Will got in his squad car, fastened his seat belt, and backed out of the driveway. “Okay, what’s up?”

“I got a tip that some Muslims might be plannin’ to retaliate for yesterday’s beating death of the Fassih boy.”

“Too late. We just found a dead Jewish student outside the library at SJC. So who gave you the tip?”

“I’m not at liberty to say—just that Muslims outside the region have come here to comfort the Fassih family and may be instigatin’ trouble.”

“Your source wouldn’t happen to be Dr. Tehrani now, would it?”

“You know I never reveal my sources. People come to me and I pass it on.”

“Am I that intimidating to talk to?”

“I doubt if it’s you he’s afraid of.”

“Tell your mystery tipper that if he knows something and is withholding it from the police, I can charge him with impeding an investigation.”

“He told me what he knows. He’s not tryin’ to impede anything.”

Okay, Gordy, thanks. Get back to me if you hear anything else.”

Will disconnected the call and turned right on College Drive, then drove past the giant magnolia trees and made a left on Gleason. He saw flashing lights and a sizable crowd.

He parked his car and jogged over to Jack Rutgers, who was standing a few yards behind the yellow crime scene tape and only a few feet from the body.

Will’s mind flashed back to yesterday’s hospital room where Dary Fassih lay hooked up to life support, his mother stroking his hair and weeping inconsolably.

“Who’s the victim?”

“Name’s Isaac Kohler.”

Will’s heart sank. “Medium build? Thick glasses?”

“Yeah, you know him?”

Will squatted next to the body and pulled back the sheet. “I talked to this boy at yesterday’s crime scene. It was obvious he felt bad about what happened to Dary Fassih. Said his Jewish friends would make his life miserable if he showed any sympathy.”

“You think
they
did this to him?”

Will pulled the sheet up over Isaac’s face and stood. “I don’t know. I also got a tip that the Muslim community may retaliate for Dary’s death. Maybe they didn’t waste any time. What do we know about Isaac?”

“First-year student. Only child. Father’s a cardiologist. His parents are attending a medical convention in Miami. We’re trying to reach them.”

Will lifted his eyebrows. “Can you imagine getting
that
call?”

He stepped back, his hands in his pockets, his eyes surveying the faces of the onlookers. Most of them were young. Probably students. Some were crying. Others were quiet and somber. The vocal ones were pumping the police for information. But each one looked afraid. He thought of his daughter Meagan and cringed at what the world might be like by the time she started college.

“Jack, did anyone see anything?”

“You kidding? They’re all deaf, dumb, and blind—just like yesterday.”

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