I STARED AT MY PARTNER as embers fell from the ceiling of the den and the crackle of water against smoking wood competed with the radio static and the shouts of the firefighters.
I was close to their daughter when I was in high school,” Conklin said. “Kelly Malone. Her parents were great to me.
I’m so sorry, Rich.
I haven’t seen them since Kelly went off to the University of Colorado,” Conklin said. “This is going to kill her.
I put my hand on his shoulder, knowing that we were going to treat the Malones’ deaths as homicides unless it was proven otherwise. Upstairs, the fire crew was doing mop-up and overhaul, dismantling the second-story ceiling, putting out hot spots under the eaves.
The security system was off,” Hanni said, joining us. “The fire department got the call from a neighbor. The fire started in this room,” he said, pointing out the furniture that had been burned low to the ground.
He looked around the room at the mounds of plaster and debris. “After we sift through all this, I’ll let you know if I find anything, but I think you can pretty much kiss off any notes or fingerprints.
But you’ll try anyway, right?” Conklin said.
I said I would, Rich.
Last thing we needed was for Conklin to get into a fight. I asked him what the Malones were like.
Kelly said her dad could be a prick,” Rich said, “but when you’re eighteen, that could’ve meant he wouldn’t let her stay out with me past eleven.
Tell me whatever else you remember.
Bert sold luxury cars. Patty was a homemaker. They had money, obviously. They entertained a lot. Their friends seemed nice - regular parents, you know.
Wouldn’t be the first time regular people turned out to be twisted,” Hanni muttered.
A sweep of headlights drew my eyes toward the broken plate glass window. The coroner’s van joined the fleet of law enforcement and fire department vehicles on the street.
Noonan called out to me. “I checked out the bedroom on the second floor, Sarge. There’s a safe in the closet. The lock and the safe are intact, but the door is open - and the safe is empty.
