“You don’t think he’s an improvement over Carl?”

“Don’t get me wrong. Carl was a grade-A prick. All he cared about was money, business, politics. A prick all the way. But he was the kind of prick you could understand. You could always understand what Carl wanted. Predictable.”

“A predictable prick?”

“Right. But Jonah, he’s a whole other animal. No way to predict Jonah. Jonah’s a fucking fruitcake. Like here. Perfect example. Carl wanted all the scumbags kicked out, kept out. Makes sense, right? Jonah comes in, says no. Gotta give ’em shelter. Gotta bring the scumbags in out of the rain. Some kind of new spiritual principle, right? Honor the scumbags. Let ’em piss on the floor.”

“You don’t really buy the angel-and-devil view of the Spalter brothers, do you?”

He gave Gurney a shrewd look. “What I heard you say on the phone—is that true?”

“Is what true?”

“That maybe Kay didn’t whack Carl after all?”

“Jesus, Frank, I didn’t realize I was talking that loud. I need you to keep that stuff to yourself.”

“No problem, but I’m just asking—is that a true possibility?”

“A true possibility? Yeah, it is.”

“So that opens things up for a second look?”

“A second look?”

“At everything that went down.”

Gurney lowered his voice. “You could say that.”

A speculative, humorless little smile revealed Frank’s yellow teeth. “Well, well, well. So maybe Kay wasn’t the shooter. Ain’t that something.”

“You know, Frank, it sounds like maybe you have something to tell me.”

“Maybe I do.”

“I’d be very grateful for any ideas you might have on the subject.”

Frank took a pack of cigarettes out of his jacket pocket, lit one, and took a long, thoughtful drag. Something mean and small crept into his smile. “You ever think Mr. Perfect might be a little too perfect?”

“Jonah?”

“Right. Mister Generosity. Mister Be-Nice-to-the-Scumbags. Mister Cyber-Fucking-Cathedral.”

“Sounds like you saw another side of him.”

“Maybe I saw the same side his mother saw.”

“His mother? You knew Mary Spalter?”

“She used to visit the main office once in a while. When Carl was in charge.”

“And she had a problem with Jonah?”

“Yeah. She never much liked him. You didn’t know that, huh?”

“No, but I’d love to hear more about it.”

“It’s simple. She knew Carl was a prick, and she was okay with that. She understood tough men. Jonah was way too sweet for her taste. I don’t think the old lady trusted all that niceness. You know what I think? I think she thought he was full of shit.”

Chapter 16

Like the Knife

After unlocking the apartment and being assured that Gurney would still be there when he returned an hour later, rancorous Frank continued on his rounds—which he claimed included all of Spalter Realty’s holdings in Long Falls.