Jupiter’s Bones. Faye Kellerman

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СКАЧАТЬ one spoke. Marge glanced at her notes—black holes, ten dimensions, time multidirectional. She was lost, but so what? She was investigating a suicide, not exploring the Order’s whacked-out philosophy. Still, it was not something to be completely overlooked. The Order’s “isms” may be the reason why Jupiter killed himself.

      Venus’s eyes clouded over. “I think I may have mixed up a few points. All I know is that it made perfect sense when Jupiter explained it. He was preparing us for the eventuality of it all. Especially because of the millennia. The timing just seemed to work out perfectly.”

      Marge’s ears perked up. “Eventuality of what?”

      “Space travel to a different physical as well as metaphysical plane. He claimed that time was closing in. From the Big Bang to the Big Crunch. Of course, Jupiter’s concept of time is different from ours. A short time to him could have been a million light-years. Which is a very long time.” She looked down. “Anyway, this is all tangential. I guess I’m just trying to figure out why.” She exhaled. “Life as we know it is so … short … so temporary.”

      “Jupiter’s space travel …” Marge leaned forward. “Did part of the process include suicide?”

      “In theory, I suppose that suicide could be made part of it. Not that Jupiter ever mentioned suicide as a mode of transport. He spoke in more theoretical terms. Let me assure you, Detective, that the Order of the Rings of God is no Heaven’s Gate. Jupiter was no crackpot. He certainly didn’t believe in castration. We have children here. Mass suicide isn’t part of our philosophy.”

      Marge said, “Still, it appears that Jupiter did take his own life.”

      “If he made that choice, he had a very good reason.”

      Marge said, “Did you happen to notice any suicide note?”

      “No. But I was taken away so quickly … there could have been.” Seconds ticked by. “Did you find something?”

      “Did Jupiter ever talk about suicide?”

      “Mostly he spoke of the temporal issues of life. Was there a note, Detective?”

      “That’s what I’m trying to figure out. If Pluto removed something from Jupiter’s bedroom—”

      “I’ll find out. Whatever is in Jupiter’s bedroom now belongs to me.” A beat. “Once you’re done with the questioning, how long is your involvement going to last?”

      “Not too long—”

      “What’s the process? You determine the cause of death, then release the body?”

      “Basic—”

      “And if the death was natural, there’s no problem?”

      “None—”

      “But if the death was caused by suicide, then what?”

      “The coroner issues the death certificate based on his findings—”

      “And then you release the body for burial?”

      “Yes.”

      Venus rubbed her eyes. “So why are the police involved? Why do you care if he killed himself or not?”

      Marge hesitated. “Jupiter’s demise may be ruled a suspicious death, Venus.”

      She raised her hand to her mouth. “You think … that someone could … that’s impossible!”

      Marge said, “We have to rule out murder. Once we’ve done that, we’re out of here.”

      “No one here would have killed Father Jupiter. Everyone loved him.”

      Marge nodded. “You know, his daughter called in the death—”

      “His daughter? Europa?” Venus raised her eyebrows. “Well, maybe not everyone loved him.”

      Marge wrote frantically. “What can you tell me about her?”

      Venus hesitated before she spoke. “I don’t think I should talk about her.”

      “Why not?”

      “Because if you are investigating a murder, I don’t want to be the one who … never mind. I’ve said enough.”

      “I take it Europa’s not your best friend?”

      “She rejected her father. That hurt him very much. Of course, I have feelings about her. But I don’t see how she could have had anything to do with his death. She hadn’t seen her father in fifteen years.”

      “Yet she called the death in.”

      Venus was quiet. Then she got up. “I must get dressed. I need to be a public figure for my people now. I certainly don’t want to give them the misguided impression that Pluto is in charge. So if you’ll excuse me.”

      “Of course.” Marge stood. “Venus, don’t you find it strange that Jupiter’s daughter called in the death?”

      “I find it very strange.”

      “How’d she know that her father had died?”

      “Detective, that’s a very good question.”

       6

      The thermos of coffee had run dry. Reluctantly, Decker traded the one vice for another. Reaching in the glove compartment of his unmarked, he pulled out a loose cigarette. This one happened to be a Marlboro, but it really didn’t matter. It had nicotine; it would do. He cranked the windows down, sat back in the driver’s seat and lit up, staring out the windshield as smoke exited from his nose and mouth. Chiding himself for the weakness although not too harshly.

      He had quit the noxious habit for almost six years. But then came a bloodbath, and the horrific images just wouldn’t quit. The dreaded flashbacks—over a year old—popped up at inconvenient times. It was at those moments when Decker went for the rush. He didn’t fully understand why he’d been thinking about that grisly scene at Estelle’s restaurant. If he had to rationalize it, he’d most likely chalk it up to a hinky feeling about the safety of the children still residing within the compounds of the Order of the Rings of God.

      He smoked slowly … leisurely, washing his nerves with a chemical calm. Since becoming a detective lieutenant, he rarely visited crime scenes—only in the extraordinary cases. Like Estelle’s … like this one. The death of famous people always made news, although Ganz hadn’t been an important figure in science for a long time.

      The meat wagon had left ten minutes ago, Ganz’s body safely aboard and heading for the morgue. Decker’s job was basically over. Now it was up to the pathologist. If all went well, he’d close shop here within fifteen minutes. He СКАЧАТЬ