Concrete Desert (David Mapstone Mystery 1)

“Henry Ford,” I said. “He also admired Adolf Hitler.”

Townsend shook his head, smiled, and indicated Julie. “We first met on the party circuit in Phoenix. Julie was with some dickhead lawyer who liked to get her fucked up on cocaine. We hit it off. You can understand, I’m sure. You two were an item in college, right? But Phaedra was, like, in bloom. First time I saw her, I knew I had to do whatever it took.”

“Like concealing the fact that you were a drug mule.”

“It’s a big business, Mapstone, and I made more money in a week than you’ll make in a lifetime.”

“But not enough to ensure ‘happily ever after’ with Phaedra.”

“Julie wouldn’t leave it alone, wouldn’t stay away. One morning, she caught me and Phaedra in bed and tried to kill us both with a butcher knife. It was bad news. Phaedra left and went back to Phoenix.”

“So why couldn’t you leave her out of it? If she didn’t know you were into drugs, why did she have to know that you were going to rip off Bobby Hamid for a million dollars?”

“My fault,” he said breezily. “I wanted Phaedra in my life. She had a real hold on me sexually. But Julie was my lover and my business partner. I needed them both.”

I arched an eyebrow.

“Julie was a pipeline for some very high-powered people in North Phoenix and Scottsdale society. You think those people come home and have a martini? Cocaine is the drug of choice, and Julie-from her days as a piece of expensive eye candy-knew the right people. If I was going to supplant Bobby Hamid, I had to have Julie.”

“So,” I said, “you got Phaedra to come back for the weekend. I guess Julie was supposed to be gone. She came back unexpectedly, and you quarreled. She threatened to go to Bobby Hamid about your plans, and Phaedra overheard. So Phaedra took off, and you had to go find her. Am I close?”

“Very close, Professor Mapstone,” Townsend said. “I am impressed. If you must know, there was also something specific that Phaedra knew-a place I use to store things-and I couldn’t take a chance with her knowing that.”

Chapter Thirty-four

Julie had been silently crying through all this, but suddenly she said, “I told him just to let her go. She wouldn’t bother us. She was already disgusted with both of us and wanted to be as far away from this as she could get.”

“Shut the fuck up, Julie,” he snarled. “You wanted the money as badly as I did.”

“And you came to me to find Phaedra,” I said. “So you must have had something in mind.”

“I knew you’d protect her,” Julie said simply. “She was like you.”

“I did a crappy job of that,” I said. “I might have done better if I’d known what was going on.”

“You know I couldn’t tell you.”

“So why did she agree to meet you?”

“I was going to take her to you,” Julie said. “But he found out.” She pointed to Townsend.

“Anything that was done to Phaedra, we did together,” he said quietly.

“Not quite,” I said. “You raped her. You also were the one who strangled her, I bet.”

“I had to make a choice,” Townsend said coldly. “Not even Phaedra was worth losing a million dollars and my life. Afterward, I drove her to the desert.”

“And you arranged her in a way that would send a message to me.”

“Oh, don’t think you mattered,” he said. “Your exploits merely inspired me. I immediately called the police. I didn’t want her body exposed to the elements.”

“A compassionate man,” I said.

“I didn’t intend for it to happen,” Julie said. She was different again. She stood up and walked over to Townsend and put her hand on his arm. “But somehow, I know Phaedra understands. She loved me. We loved each other. She wouldn’t want me living the way I did.”

“You see, Mapstone, it all comes down to money and sex. They’re thicker than blood,” Townsend said. “I have money and I have Julie. Whatever happened between us, we always wanted to be richer, and we always fucked each other’s brains out. Nothing and nobody could ultimately come between that. I hope that doesn’t disillusion your bullshit college ardor for her.” He raised the gun. “And I am bored with this conversation.”

“Did your Julie tell you she slept with me for three nights?” I said hastily. Julie stared at me with a glassy look. Townsend’s mouth tightened. “She seemed pretty needy. I didn’t hear her calling out your name, Greg.”