Outside, I heard a racket like a flock of birds lifting into the air. I listened, struggling to identify the noise. It sounded like plastic flapping, as though a dust barrier had torn loose and was being blown by the wind. The rattle was unsettling, like someone shaking open a fresh garbage bag after taking out the trash. I crossed to the nearest doorway and ventured down the corridor, peering in all directions. There was no sign of the errant sheeting, only rooms opening off rooms, filled with merciless sunlight. I stopped, my senses acute. It occurred to me then what I should have realized right away: The Tuley-Belle was the ideal setting for a murder. The cries of the victim wouldn’t carry a hundred yards. If the killing took place outside, any blood could be concealed by turning the soil under with a spade. And if the killing took place inside, the floors could be swabbed down and the rags subsequently buried like strange soil amendments.
The Tuley-Belle reminded me of grand and ancient ruins, as though some savage civilization had inexplicably come and gone. Even in broad daylight, I could smell defeat. I knew I was alone. Because of the isolation, anyone approaching by car would be visible for miles. As for vagrants, they might be anywhere on the premises. There were countless places to hide, ways to remain concealed if the necessity should arise. I retraced my steps, trying not to run, scarcely drawing a breath until I’d tucked myself safely in the car. Stacey had to see this.
When I got back to the motel, he was pacing up and down in front of my door. I figured he was ready for another fast-food binge because I couldn’t think what else would generate such excitement. The minute he saw me, he scurried to the car. I rolled down my window. He leaned on the sill while he grinned and pointed to his face. “Well, am I glad to see you! I thought you’d never get here. Know what this is? This is me being as happy as I’m ever going to get.”
“What’s up?”
He stepped back, opening the car door so I could emerge. “Joe Mandel called. The fingerprint techs are working overtime. I told you, it looks like someone made an effort to wipe down the Mustang? Well, it turns out the job wasn’t very thorough because the techs picked up two sets of prints: one on the emergency brake, the gas cap, the inner rim of the spare tire, and the outside of the glove compartment. Looks like the driver leaned over to get something out and then pushed it shut. They lifted the second set of latents from a California road map shoved under the front seat.”
“They managed to get good prints after all these years?”
Stacey gestured dismissively. “These guys can do anything. It helps that the car’s been out of circulation and locked in that shed.”
“Whose prints?”
Stacey’s expression was pained. “Quit being so pushy and let me tell it my way. They compared both sets of prints with Charisse’s, but no luck on that score. It’s my theory she was already dead and in the trunk by then. The spare tire had been removed, probably stowed in the backseat to make room for her. Whoever wiped down the car actually did us a favor. All the incidental prints were eliminated and the ones he overlooked were as clear as a bell. Mandel got a pop on the first set within minutes. Guess who? You’ll never guess. This is so good.”
“Frankie Miracle.”
“That’s what I said, but I was wrong. Guess again.”
“Stacey, if you don’t spit it out, I’m going to fall on you and beat you to death.”
“Pudgie.”
I felt myself blinking. “You think Pudgie was involved?”
Stacey laughed. “I don’t know yet, but there’s a good possibility. When Mandel first told me, I nearly dropped my teeth. However, if you think about it, it does make sense. When you talked to Pudgie at the jail, he must have started to sweat. He probably assumed the business was forgotten, but eighteen years later, it’s coming up again. He couldn’t have been sure how much we knew or how close we’d come to establishing his connection. He must have pondered his options and decided it’d be smart to implicate someone else. That’s how he knew the little details to seed into the tale. Doesn’t mean he killed her, but I think he knows who did.”
I said, “He was subtle about it, too. I remember when he mentioned that the body had been wrapped, he was so offhand about it, I thought it was just a minor part of Frankie’s jailhouse talk. The same with the fact she’d been stabbed.”
“You didn’t mention it yourself?”
“Of course not. He was fishing for information, but I never gave him that. No wonder he was so worried about word getting back. Frankie’d go berserk if he thought Pudgie pointed a finger at him. I take it the second set of prints wasn’t Frankie’s.”