Read Online The Murders at Astaire Castle (A Mac Faraday Mystery) by Lauren Carr - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lauren Carr
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There’s no telling what that guy had that he passed on to him.” She called to Gnarly to climb out of the back of the cruiser. “Come along. We’re going to see Dr. Lee.” She paused to give Mac a quick kiss on the lips. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
He grabbed her by the waist to pull her back when she attempted to turn away. “Forgiven?”
“No.” With a naughty grin, she whispered in his ear, “I’ll be expecting make-up sex later.”
Mac watched her saunter back to her SUV with Gnarly. He noticed that Gnarly’s tail was tucked down against his butt. The attack had served to take the wind out of his cocky canine sails.
“Bogie and Doc Washington are examining the body up in the turret,” Hector reminded Mac after Archie turned her SUV around to head back down the mountain. “Want to go see what they’ve uncovered?”
“After I talk to David,” Mac said. “Did either of you get a name from the wolf man?”
Hector shook his head. “Only barks and growls and snarls. He was really acting like a wolf. Extremely weird. The guy’s a real wacko.”
Overhearing Hector, David said, “He’s sick,” as he came up to them.
“Is he—” Mac dared to ask.
“Riley Adams,” David said. “I recognized him under all that hair after we brought him down.
“I’m sorry,” Hector said. “I didn’t realize.”
“It’s not your fault,” David said. “Riley was always different. Most people avoided him. When we were teenagers, he became even stranger. It got to the point that I was his only friend and even I was ashamed of him at times.” He looked down at his feet.
“I’m sorry,” Mac said.
“Our people are searching the castle and grounds,” David said. “They found where he’s been living on the ground floor of the castle. Old blankets filled with fleas, mites, and human waste where he’s been sleeping. Garbage stolen out of what had to be trash bins that he’s been feeding on for Lord knows how long. He’s been living like an—”
“Animal,” Mac said. “That’s what he’d turned into.”
After a long silence, David looked up at the castle. “I should have realized what had happened.”
“How could you?” Mac asked.
“Riley became fascinated with werewolves,” David said. “He must have seen The Howling I don’t know how many times. That night that he came to the party, he was acting weird.”
“That’s what a lot of the witnesses said,” Hector recalled.
“But it was how he was acting weird,” David said. “He wouldn’t talk to people. I thought, he was in character for his costume. He was acting like a dog—like a wolf.” He shook his head. “I didn’t put it together until now—until we came out of that pantry and I saw that he had Gnarly down—wolf—man—Riley had run away to be a wolf. … If I had put it together sooner—”
“How could you?” Mac asked. “I’ve been a detective for more than twenty-five years and I’ve never heard of someone running away to live like a wild animal—thinking he was a wild animal. Don’t beat up on yourself. There’s no way you could have figured that out.”
“I should have,” David argued.
“Let me ask you a question,” Mac said. “Suppose Riley had cancer?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean,” Mac said, “suppose instead of Riley running off to live in the woods like a wild animal, he had cancer and had spent all these years in the hospital getting chemo. Would you blame yourself then?”
“No,” David said, “but it’s not the same thing.”
“It is the same thing,” Mac said. “If your friend had cancer, he’d be ill. He’d be sick. You’d feel sympathy for him, but you wouldn’t be beating yourself up like you are now. Riley is mentally ill—ill, just like he had cancer. Only in this case he’s sick in his head. I’m not a shrink, but it doesn’t take one to see that there’s something wrong with him and he needs help.” He concluded, “It’s not your
He grabbed her by the waist to pull her back when she attempted to turn away. “Forgiven?”
“No.” With a naughty grin, she whispered in his ear, “I’ll be expecting make-up sex later.”
Mac watched her saunter back to her SUV with Gnarly. He noticed that Gnarly’s tail was tucked down against his butt. The attack had served to take the wind out of his cocky canine sails.
“Bogie and Doc Washington are examining the body up in the turret,” Hector reminded Mac after Archie turned her SUV around to head back down the mountain. “Want to go see what they’ve uncovered?”
“After I talk to David,” Mac said. “Did either of you get a name from the wolf man?”
Hector shook his head. “Only barks and growls and snarls. He was really acting like a wolf. Extremely weird. The guy’s a real wacko.”
Overhearing Hector, David said, “He’s sick,” as he came up to them.
“Is he—” Mac dared to ask.
“Riley Adams,” David said. “I recognized him under all that hair after we brought him down.
“I’m sorry,” Hector said. “I didn’t realize.”
“It’s not your fault,” David said. “Riley was always different. Most people avoided him. When we were teenagers, he became even stranger. It got to the point that I was his only friend and even I was ashamed of him at times.” He looked down at his feet.
“I’m sorry,” Mac said.
“Our people are searching the castle and grounds,” David said. “They found where he’s been living on the ground floor of the castle. Old blankets filled with fleas, mites, and human waste where he’s been sleeping. Garbage stolen out of what had to be trash bins that he’s been feeding on for Lord knows how long. He’s been living like an—”
“Animal,” Mac said. “That’s what he’d turned into.”
After a long silence, David looked up at the castle. “I should have realized what had happened.”
“How could you?” Mac asked.
“Riley became fascinated with werewolves,” David said. “He must have seen The Howling I don’t know how many times. That night that he came to the party, he was acting weird.”
“That’s what a lot of the witnesses said,” Hector recalled.
“But it was how he was acting weird,” David said. “He wouldn’t talk to people. I thought, he was in character for his costume. He was acting like a dog—like a wolf.” He shook his head. “I didn’t put it together until now—until we came out of that pantry and I saw that he had Gnarly down—wolf—man—Riley had run away to be a wolf. … If I had put it together sooner—”
“How could you?” Mac asked. “I’ve been a detective for more than twenty-five years and I’ve never heard of someone running away to live like a wild animal—thinking he was a wild animal. Don’t beat up on yourself. There’s no way you could have figured that out.”
“I should have,” David argued.
“Let me ask you a question,” Mac said. “Suppose Riley had cancer?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean,” Mac said, “suppose instead of Riley running off to live in the woods like a wild animal, he had cancer and had spent all these years in the hospital getting chemo. Would you blame yourself then?”
“No,” David said, “but it’s not the same thing.”
“It is the same thing,” Mac said. “If your friend had cancer, he’d be ill. He’d be sick. You’d feel sympathy for him, but you wouldn’t be beating yourself up like you are now. Riley is mentally ill—ill, just like he had cancer. Only in this case he’s sick in his head. I’m not a shrink, but it doesn’t take one to see that there’s something wrong with him and he needs help.” He concluded, “It’s not your
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