“Tamela had nothing to do with the drugs, just went to the farm with Tyree.” I pictured the Banks sisters in my kitchen. “You should have seen her face, Ryan. I believe her account of the stil birth.”
“Couldn’t prosecute anyway. No way to prove cause of death.”
We both rol ed that thought around. Then I had another.
“So Cobb alerted Brian Aiker, and the two began poking around. Dorton or Park found out.”
“Dorton probably gave the order, but according to Tyree, Park kil ed Aiker,” Ryan said. “Drugged him, took two cars to the boat ramp, and rol ed Aiker’s car into the water. Wouldn’t surprise me if Tyree drove one of the cars.”
“And Tyree kil ed Cobb.”
“According to the innocent accused, he ain’t no kil er. He only does ‘bidness.’ Fil s a human need. Al Tyree admits to is hauling Cobb’s head and hands to the Foote farm in a sack provided by Park, who wanted to make the body more difficult to identify.”
“Two bul ets in the head strike you as Park’s style?” I asked.
“Not exactly,” Ryan agreed. “Tyree claims to know nothing about bear parts, either. Claims that was entirely Jason Jack’s and Harvey’s enterprise. Claims he had to dig up and move some of the bears because the privy was becoming overful and he was afraid the smel could draw attention to Cobb’s remains.”
“Only the moron dug up part of the very thing he was trying to hide.” Another question skipped into my mind. “Did Park kil Dorton?”
“Very doubtful. No motive, and the tox screen showed Dorton was skyed to the eyebal s on coke and alcohol. We may never know if the cause of death was homicide or acute numerical ascension.”
“OK, Ryan. I’l bite.”
“His number was up.”
The orbital rol caused moderate pain.
“But we do know Park made a trip to Charlotte two days after Sonny Pounder’s arrest.” About the time I was analyzing Tamela’s baby’s bones.
“Why?” I asked.
“That’s unclear. But Slidel discovered Park made a credit card charge at a gas station on Woodlawn and I-77.”
“Think Park and Dorton were planning to take Pounder out if he talked?”
“Wouldn’t surprise me. What is clear is that Park kil ed Murray Snow. Woolsey found a tin of Ma Huang in the chapel basement.”
“I’m confident you’re going to tel me what that is.”
“Ma Huang is an Asian herbal poison, known on the streets as ‘herbal ecstasy.’”
“Let me guess. Ma Huang contains ephedrine.”
“Step to the head of the class.”
“Park knew Snow had a bad heart.”
“Probably gave him tea laced with Ma Huang. It’s often administered that way. Wham-o. Cardiac arrest.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Same reason he poisoned Cagle. He was becoming nervous over too much interest in the headless skeleton.”
“Howdid he poison Cagle?”