“That’s what the police report says,” I said. “An accident. The insurance company examined the car. It was in perfect condition. They may argue that he was a DUI, but he did that to himself, and there are witnesses to it, well most of it, the drinking, and I’m sure if someone really, really cared they could show the coke was his coke, too.”

Owen said, “I don’t believe it.” But he was starting to.

“We’ve known each other a long time. I’m not going to claim we’re best friends, but we’ve done business. Was I ever anything but square with you? Did I ever cheat you? Lie to you? If there was ever something I didn’t want to tell you, I just said none of your business. Owen, we’re two old men, we’re too old for this shit.”

I’d talked him down. He had to throw in one last threat, “I’m gonna keep watching,” he said. “If I ever find out…” but he was starting to put his gun back in his belt holster and we were going to walk out.

My phone made one of its many irritating sound effects. Owen’s Full Alert Switch snapped back to the On position. His gun swung back up, pointing at me. “Gimme! Gimme!” he said. I took my phone out of my pocket and handed it to him. Slowly. It was a text.

He looked at who it was from. Something bad was happening.

He tapped it. To read what it said. Something even worse.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

DANSE MACABRE

Ziggety, zig, zig, zig, Death got a beat

tapping the tomb with both his feet;

Death plays his tunes of ruin and sin

Ziggety, zig, on his violin.

The night is dark, winter winds freeze,

groaning and moaning, through barren trees.

White bones run through the shadowy gloom

dressed in nothing but the shrouds of doom.

Ziggety, zig, zig, zig, struts and shakes

bones banging like the rattles on snakes.

Lecherous skeletons try to do again,

what they did when they had a skin.

HENRI CAZALIS, DANSE MACABRE (TRANS. BEINHART)

OWEN SAID, “I’M IN TOO deep,” and herded us into his inner office.

Allison had her handbag. She held it like a nervous grandmother riding in the passenger seat, clutching it to her bosom with both hands.