Chapter 31

BANISTER sat on a stump in Billy’s yard, handcuffed and moaning. Billy had pried a nasty-looking leg trap off Banister’s foot, revealing an enormous bloody gash and what was undoubtedly a compound fracture.

Babcock was on his phone, giving hurried directions to the ambulance driver while Bobby Gallant talked quietly to Billy.

Which left Carmela free to drill Banister with questions.

“Did you call Billy and pretend to be the bank?” she asked.

“Yes,” gasped Banister, twisting in pain.

“Then you came out here and stole his dog?” she asked.

Banister grimaced as he gave a resigned nod.

“Where’s Billy’s dog?” Carmela demanded.

Banister’s lip curled. “Is that ambulance coming? Because I’m about ready to die!”

“Answer the question!” Carmela snapped.

“The dog’s safe,” said Banister. “I dumped the mutt at the local humane society. I didn’t hurt him or anything.”

Carmela glanced toward Babcock and Gallant. “We’ve got to get that dog!”

“I’ll make a call,” said Gallant.

“How’d you know we were out here?” asked Carmela. “Did Ava say something to you?”

Banister gritted his teeth and shook his head. “I overheard.”

Carmela thought for a minute. “When I was talking to Quigg. You were the TV people who came into Mumbo Gumbo when I was talking on the phone to Quigg.”

Banister’s shoulders ticked upward.

“There’s still one thing I don’t understand,” said Carmela. “Why Kimber? She was your station’s fluff reporter.”

Banister shook his head angrily. “Stupid idiot fancied she was Woodward and Bernstein. Wanted to do investigative reporting.”

A lightbulb clicked on in Carmela’s brain. “What was the story?” she asked. “The story that would have led back to you?”

Banister just stared at her with hate in his flat rattlesnake eyes.

Carmela figured it wasn’t a story about Davis Durrell, so she said, “Was it Whit Geiger?”

Something registered in Banister’s eyes and Carmela knew she’d scored a direct hit.

“That was it, wasn’t it? You’re involved with Geiger.” Carmela took another shot. “In his real estate deal? If he went down, it would have led to you?”

“That jackhole swore it was legit,” seethed Banister. “How was I to know his development deals were a complete fraud?”

“What was that?” asked Babcock, glancing over at them. “What did I just hear about real estate fraud?”

Banister snapped his mouth shut. “I’m not saying another word.”

You know what?” said Carmela, “I think you’ve said enough.”

* * *

BABCOCK SIDLED UP TO CARMELA A FEW MINUTES LATER. “ARE YOU OKAY?”

She nodded. “Pretty weird stuff, huh?” She was soaking wet and cold and felt like she was about ready to collapse.

Babcock nodded. “It always is. Weird, I mean.”

Carmela gazed at him. “I’m sorry about that busted-up drug deal last night. I feel like a real fool. But . . . maybe you’ll get another chance?”

“We already apprehended him,” Babcock said in a mild tone.

“What?” This was news to her. “You arrested Durrell?”

Babcock nodded “We had the Coast Guard pick him up a mile or so downriver. Turns out Durrell was the linchpin for a whole drug-smuggling operation.”

“When were you going to tell me this?” Carmela demanded. “That you already apprehended Durrell, I mean.” She was furious and pleased at the same time. Even though Babcock had kept her frantic and at bay, Durrell had been arrested. She hadn’t blown the deal completely. That certainly helped ease her guilty conscience.

Babcock put his arms around Carmela and pulled her close. “All would have been revealed when I was good and ready.”

“Like . . . now?” She felt herself starting to relax.

“Works for me,” said Babcock.

“Two cases wrapped up nice and neat,” said Carmela.

Babcock blinked and shook his head. “Not really that neat.”

“Oh jeez!” said Carmela, suddenly pulling away from him. “I gotta call Ava! She’s going to be wondering what’s going on. I hung up on her awfully fast.”

She walked a few steps away from him and got Ava on the phone.

“What’s that, cher?” asked Ava, as soon as she picked up. “You’ll have to speak up, there’s a full-fledged marching band going by.”

“We got him!” screamed Carmela. “We got Banister!”

But Ava was confused. “What are you talking about?” she asked. “The message I got was that you were going to Billy Laforge’s place. Isn’t Billy under arrest?”

“We did go there,” said Carmela. “But he isn’t. It’s a long, complicated story. But hey, that photo you sent me? It pretty much blew the case wide open. It turns out Banister was the killer!”

“Banister?” said Ava, sounding really confused now. “He’s the killer? Holy dingbats, Carmela!”

“He came out here to, I don’t know what, try to shut everybody up, I suppose. But Babcock got him,” said Carmela, walking back toward Babcock. “We’ll be driving back shortly, so I promise I’ll explain everything in detail as soon as I see you.”

“But what about . . . uh . . . your fight with . . . I mean, are you and Babcock okay now?” asked Ava.

Carmela dropped the phone to her chest and smiled at Babcock. “Ava wants to know if we’re okay. Are we?”

There was a slight pause.

“What’d he say? What’d he say?” Ava’s voice crackled anxiously over the phone.

But Carmela couldn’t answer her. She was too busy being kissed by Babcock.