MY MIND SCRAMBLED as I tried to understand what Conklin was telling me. “Say that again,” I demanded. When he answered, his voice was contrite.
I left the book at your place.
You’re kidding me, right
He had to be. I couldn’t imagine any circumstances under which Conklin would leave a fire and explosion manual in my fire-ravaged apartment.
What happened is, I got together with Chuck, like you said to do,” Rich told me in measured tones. “We had a no-hard-feelings dinner and I picked up the tab. And I told him I’d like to learn more about fire investigation from him. I mean, he’s the pro.
Rich paused for breath and I shouted at him, “Go on
We went out to his car, Lindsay, he practically lives in that thing. Pop-Tarts wrappers all over the seats, his computer, clothes hanging from the
Rich, for God’s sake
So, just as he finds the fire investigations manual to lend me, Jacobi calls and tells me your apartment went up. I told Hanni, and he said, ‘I’ll drive,’ and I was still holding that book when we entered your place.
You put it down on the telephone table.
Didn’t think about it again until Jacobi called me,” Rich said miserably.
Has Jacobi already spoken to Hanni
No. He wanted to talk to me first. Hanni knows nothing about this.
It took long seconds for me to sort it all out, put Chuck Hanni back into his role as friend, and realize that the essential truth hadn’t changed. I was shivering, and I wasn’t cold.
Linds?” I heard Rich say.
We still don’t know who set fire to my place or to any of the others,” I said. “We still don’t know anything.
