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typing and then positioned the screen so Fenway could see. Dez leaned in over her shoulder.

From 92B7J6G9-13E9-41358

To HCW1-6DC19E60B485

Received 1 May 18:21:56 -0800 PDT

Subject Re: Terms and meeting

I accept your terms

Meet 2100 Sunday

Not at beach - Rte 326 at entrance to Coast H Park

Come alone

I will have paymt

“Think that’s from the killer?” Migs asked Fenway.

“It certainly could be.”

“I think it’s pretty likely,” said Dez.

“Okay, now here’s the whole email thread from the beginning.” Piper clicked off the last email and went to the ‘Sent’ folder. They read five emails between Walker and the unknown person/possible killer.

From HCW1-6DC19E60B485

To 92B7J6G9-13E9-41358

Received 28 April 15:31:03 -0800 PDT

Subject Terms and meeting

Changes you requested can be made

You can have file about 48 hours after payment

Price is 25

Meet at Lot A Guerrero St Beach tomorrow at 10 AM if you accept

From 92B7J6G9-13E9-41358

To HCW1-6DC19E60B485

Received 28 April 18:20:33 -0800 PDT

Subject Re: Terms and meeting

25 is more than twice what we discussed

Why go back on our agreement?

From HCW1-6DC19E60B485

To 92B7J6G9-13E9-41358

Received 29 April 17:20:08 -0800 PDT

Subject Re: Terms and meeting

You weren’t at the beach this morning

You must want file to keep original conclusions

From 92B7J6G9-13E9-41358

To HCW1-6DC19E60B485

Received 30 April 04:43:17 -0800 PDT

Subject Re: Terms and meeting

Told you 25 is too much

You didn’t respond

??

From HCW1-6DC19E60B485

To 92B7J6G9-13E9-41358

Received 30 April 15:31:03 -0800 PDT

Subject Re: Terms and meeting

I’m not negotiating

Higher than discussed originally

but your requested changes give me higher risk

You can say no but we both know what

a pain in the ass the investigators can be

if they see the conclusions in there now

If you accept meet me Sunday night

“Finished?” Piper asked them.

Fenway nodded.

“Just about.” Dez read the screen for another five seconds. “Okay.”

“What do you think, Dez?” Fenway asked.

“You’re not going to like what I think.”

Fenway remembered her mother, years before, struggling with a painting. They still lived in the tiny apartment at the time. One evening, Fenway came home from the library, and her mother was tired, but happy—Fenway thought she had had a breakthrough. One look at the painting, though, and Fenway knew her mother was on the wrong track. The focal point was odd. The perspective was off. And it was in a way that didn’t look purposeful. Fenway remembered looking at her mother with trepidation. And her mother read her face. Fenway, tell me. Tell me even if you think I don’t want to hear it. Because I do want to hear it if it gets me closer to a great painting. Even if I have to start over.

“I don’t care if I don’t like what you think, Dez. I want to hear if it gets us closer to finding out the truth.”

Dez looked down. “I don’t like it much either.”

“Oh, you think it’s my father,” Fenway said.

She looked up. “We should go into the conference room again.”

“Sorry Migs, sorry Piper.” Fenway followed Dez, and they went in and closed the door. “So you do think it’s my father.”

Dez slowly shook her head. “I do not.”

“You don’t? I thought for sure you were going to say my father.”

“I think it’s Sheriff McVie.”

Fenway’s face fell. “Oh.”

“I said you wouldn’t like it.”

“Okay. All right, yes, there are a lot of things pointing to McVie. But walk me through it.”

Dez thought a moment. “It’s obvious Walker was offering to alter the contents of the files. Something where the original file threatened the killer.”

“Right. That’s pretty evident. But what would be in the file that threatened McVie?”

“McVie is the one who led the investigation at the refinery after the incident. And The Owner has been known to grease wheels before,” Dez continued. “Maybe there was evidence of negligence which McVie was paid to ignore. Maybe McVie screwed up some evidence collection. Maybe McVie looked the other way on some safety audit that was done before. It could be almost anything.”

“Okay.”

“It may not have even been real evidence. I mean, maybe the original file had real evidence that McVie was at fault for something, but I wouldn’t put it past Walker to manufacture evidence specifically for purposes of blackmail.”

“Yeah, I could see any of those scenarios being possible.” Fenway was trying not to be defensive about McVie, but she could feel her hackles getting up.

“And maybe McVie scrimped and saved, maybe sold some stuff or cashed out some savings to get the ten or fifteen thousand. But when Walker upped it to twenty-five, where does a county sheriff get that kind of money?”

“Okay.”

“All right. Now, McVie doesn’t usually work Sundays, but we know he picked up a patrol shift for Callahan this past Sunday. So, he’s driving around, doesn’t have to be in any particular place.”

“So,

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