Night Moves (Doc Ford) - By RandyWayne White Page 0,57

make up for lost time.

Cressa began to fidget. “Of course it’s him, but that’s not the point. What really hurts is that a member of Rob’s family is behind this. Dean—it’s got to be him. How could he do such a thing!”

I said, “Dean as in Deano?”

“If it’s serious, Dean,” the woman said, then focused her attention on her handkerchief while I touched a hand to her shoulder but also tried to keep her talking.

“You should be telling this to the police,” I told her. “The brother, Deano, just how crazy is he?”

“That’s what’s so upsetting,” she replied, “I don’t even know anymore. A year ago, a judge signed papers and put him into a private facility. Very expensive, but it seemed to help. Everyone thought Dean was getting better.” Cressa sniffed again and added, “The judge was a friend of the family—of course.”

“A full year?” I said. “Then he must have some kind of history. You can’t just sign a paper and put someone away for a year.”

“No, he’s been in and out, getting treatment. You can only make them stay seventy-two hours. It’s not his fault, that’s the sad thing. Used to be, Dean was a terrific guy.”

A hint of family loyalty or had Rob been right about Cressa sleeping with his brother? The latter, I began to suspect.

“He’s a speed freak,” she explained. “Not the pill type—not at first, anyway. He raced motocross, boats, you name it. He was just getting into planes, probably skipping steps, I don’t know, but Dean managed to crash one into a hangar. The doctors said he was fine, just a concussion. But that’s when he started to change—two years ago in December. ‘Prescription drugs,’ people say it like they’re safe, but they’re even worse than the other type I think. Dean never told me, of course, but I think a year on painkillers got him into other stuff. Drugs he had to buy on the street.”

“Vicodin, Oxycontin, it’s a big problem,” I said, hoping empathy would open her up. “A man in pain, addiction is the least of his worries.”

Cressa seemed to appreciate that. “That’s what I keep telling Rob and his father! Sometimes, he’d be like a zombie—sit around and stare. Next day, he’d be banging off the walls, full of ideas and new projects—and he is always broke, even though Robert Senior still gives him an allowance. That’s a sign, according to what I’ve read. Of drug abuse? The abuser is always desperate for money.”

“A head injury and chronic pain,” I said, “the guy needs some help.” Then tried to get her back on topic, asking, “Behaviorally, though, he hasn’t done anything to suggest he’s dangerous?”

From the woman’s reaction, the way her eyes moved to the ceiling, I suspected that what came next would be an evasion or a lie. She told me, “No . . . not in the way you mean. Oh, he likes all the macho stuff—same as most guys. But he’s usually very sweet. Deano and I always got along—friends, you know? At least, we were friends.”

“What kind of stuff?” I asked. “Guns, knives, bowling? I’m trying to get a sense of what he’s capable of doing. The police will ask if you report the cameras, so you might as well think this through.”

“He would never hurt me, I’m sure of that.”

“He already has if he’s the one shooting video. I’m not a physician, but brain trauma can cause all sorts of unexpected changes. And if the guy does have a history of violence—is he a gun buff?”

“No!” she said.

“I’m not accusing him,” I said, continuing to empathize. “Does he hunt?”

“Yes, but he doesn’t use a gun. Didn’t think it was fair. I don’t think Deano even owns a gun.”

“He was a bow hunter?”

The woman was getting frustrated. “Probably—I don’t know! He didn’t believe in killing animals with guns. Doesn’t that tell you something?”

“Cressa,” I said, “I’m trying to help,” then sat back and waited while she thought it over.

Finally, she looked up from the table and said, “I’m being overly protective. Sorry. Cameras, that’s what he hunted with—at first. Deano used to say a clean shot is a clean shot. He had Nikons, then he got into shooting videos. He’s always loved movies—he studied it in college.”

For the first time, it crossed my mind that Deano Arturo might also use the name Luke Smith. “Was he in the business?”

“He wanted to be in the business. Still does—and maybe it’ll happen if he gets well