Robie and Reel had been escorted in by beefy security when they had sent in a four-word message at the front gate of the estate.
Your father in pictures.
“Yes, it was. Intentionally so.”
Without waiting for an invitation Robie sat across from Wendell.
Ree
l remained standing. They had left their weapons in the car, because they figured they would be confiscated. But the security guards weren’t that good on the pat-down at the gate.
They had missed things.
A blade inside Robie’s belt.
And a garrote wire hidden in Reel’s sleeve.
“And why was that?”
“Dead guys back at a swamp in Cantrell.”
Wendell shrugged. “So? What does that have to do with me?”
“If they were working for you it has everything to do with you.”
“I have lots of people who work for me. But no one who’s dead.”
Robie said, “I figured you’d say that. So let’s get to the pictures. Unless you want us to leave now?”
“I’m listening.”
“We talked to Pete.”
“Pete who?”
“Nice one,” said Reel.
Wendell glanced up at her. “You look very serious. Very professional.”
“Then looks aren’t deceiving.”
Wendell glanced back at Robie.
“Pictures?”
“Your father. And his young friends.”
Wendell winced, looked away, and rubbed his mouth with his index finger.
“I hope you’re better at blackmailing than that little shit was.”
“Is that a confession?” said Reel.
“What do you want?”
“A man is in prison right now, on trial for killing Sherman Clancy.”
“Okay. What does that have to do with my situation?”
“It has a lot to do with it if you had Sherm killed. That would mean the other guy is innocent.”
Wendell leaned forward and said, “Until my father died I didn’t even know who Sherman Clancy was. In fact, I didn’t know who Pete Clancy was until he tried to blackmail me.”
“So you admit you know who Pete is?” said Robie.
“Trust me, I wish I didn’t.”
“But you knew about your father’s…problem?”
“That he liked to diddle little kids? No, I had no clue about that until Pete sent me the pictures.”
“So you’re saying you didn’t have Sherman killed?”
“If I did, why in the hell would I admit it to you? But the fact is, no, I had no idea my father was being blackmailed for anything. When I saw the pictures…” His voice trailed off and he rose, walked over to the window, and looked out at the view.
“We have a hundred and forty-seven oil and gas platforms out in the Gulf,” he said. “We’re not as big as ExxonMobil, but we do really well. My father was a brilliant businessman; none better in my mind. I couldn’t hold a candle to him when it came to doing deals and making money. I think it’s because I’m not a psychopath. He evidently was. But then again, some of the best capitalists are.”
He turned back around to face them. “But when I saw those pictures I wanted to vomit. I wanted to kill my old man.”
“And how exactly did he die?” asked Robie.
“And did you know the kids in the photo?”
Wendell shook his head. “No. They looked like…just kids.” He glanced down, his face turning pale.
“None of them were white, Mr. Wendell,” pointed out Robie. “They were either black or Latino. I’m wondering if that’s significant.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean it might tell us where they came from.”