Shattered (Michael Bennett #14)(51)

“Your grandfather burned his hand while working with Shawna on their secret art project. It is nothing serious. I had some ointment and put a bandage over it just so he’d know not to knock it around. But the devilish look in your grandfather’s eyes when he’s trying to keep a secret is the best thing ever. He loves doing projects with the kids and is really good about working with one of them at a time.”

“Did he tell you anything about the art project?”

“That’s the best part. Both he and Shawna are keeping their mouths shut like spies in custody. I’m really impressed.”

I chuckled, thinking about Mary Catherine’s superhero-level abilities. She kept the house running and my pack of feral kids in line. At least some of them could pass for feral. In New York City.

Mary Catherine said, “And Fiona is over the moon about basketball now that she knows you’re going to coach. Sister Lora is quite happy too. I wonder if her plan all along was to get you to coach.”

I said, “I wouldn’t put anything past Lora. She’s sneaky like that. I heard she wanted to live in the dorm at Holy Name so much that she gave up her entire life to serve Christ. I’m sure she has diabolical plans to manipulate a lot of people.”

“Oh, you’re terrible. You don’t think she used Fiona to trick you into being a basketball coach?”

“I’m sure she did. But she’ll brag about it to me when I get back. You can’t really be sneaky when you’re proud every time your trick works. Besides, I saw the smile on Fiona’s face when I said I would coach. That’s all that really matters.”

Mary Catherine enthralled me by describing her day of volunteering at the school. She took my mind off my problems. I could listen to her all night long.

Unfortunately, a kid problem popped up and ended our long chat. And I was left alone in my hotel room to think about how nice it would be to see my family again.





Chapter 67



With one annoying phone call, Bobby Patel prolonged a day that already felt like it had gone on forever. He was in the lobby waiting for me. I was surprised to see a trickle of sunlight leaking through the giant windows.

Bobby sat on one of the large sofas, looking out on the busy entrance to the hotel. He was still dressed in a dark suit like a junior banker.

Bobby stood as soon as he saw me and extended his hand. The first words out of his mouth were “Sorry. I didn’t like how we left things.”

“You mean you severing all contact with me?”

“That’s a brutal assessment. But I have to keep you at arm’s length. I can’t risk my career. It’s too hard for someone like me to move up in the FBI. I can’t give them any easy excuses.”

I nodded, noncommittal. I understood his reasoning, even if I didn’t agree with it. I asked about my main concern. “What did they do with our homeless suspect, Mr. Hagensick?”

“No charges. But he couldn’t respond to any questions, so they placed him in a psychiatric ward for a seventy-two-hour observation. He seemed quite happy to have a bed and food. Last I heard he hadn’t said anything but ‘Yep’ since they’d found him.”

I chuckled. “I respect commitment in almost any form.” I motioned for Bobby to sit on the couch with me. I turned to him and said, “What really brought you over here to see me? I know you weren’t worried about my feelings.”

He paused and then sputtered. Finally, he let out a sigh and said, “The FBI has several theories and even a suspect.”

I interrupted him. “Whoa, a good suspect?”

Bobby shrugged. “I’m not part of that team. I don’t know the specifics.”

“Tell me what you do know.”

“They’ve got surveillance on a house painter. He worked in the Steinberg house for almost six days.”

“So someone’s admitting that Emily visited the Steinberg house? It was beginning to feel like the FBI didn’t realize the Steinbergs existed.”

Bobby frowned. “Do you want to listen to why I’m here or bitch about the FBI?”

I nodded and mumbled, “Sorry.”

Bobby waited a moment to ensure I was properly contrite. Then he said, “This house painter is a convicted sex offender and may have been in the area where Emily disappeared. They haven’t arrested him. They’re just trying to figure out if he has any hidden apartments or anything like that.”

“Why tell me?”

“Because my supervisor already gave me something else to look at in addition to Emily’s murder. That means the bosses are either losing faith that we’ll be able to solve the case or they’re losing faith in me. I want to make sure there’s someone out there looking out for Emily. Sometimes I wonder if the Bureau is afraid of what it might find out if it looks too deep.”

I thought about all of this. Finally, I looked at Bobby and said, “The surveillance of the painter feels more like a desperation move.”

“I agree, but what else do we have? Do you have some secret insight you haven’t shared with any of us?”

I said, “Just this afternoon I thought about looking at the case a different way. What if we considered Michelle Luna tied to the case after all? Maybe there’s something from her investigation we could use on this one.”