The police and prosecutor had not finished their investigation. Although now their focus had shifted from catching Cullan's killer to proving that Blues was guilty. Mason had no doubt that the blood and tissue under Cullan's fingernails belonged to Blues. If none of the witnesses saw Cullan scratch Blues's hands at the bar, Blues would have to take the stand in his own defense. No matter how certain he was of Blues's innocence, Mason knew that was a high-stakes gamble. Patrick Ortiz would come in his pants at the prospect of taking on Blues.
There was nothing Mason could do about any of the evidence the prosecutor already had against Blues. He wouldn't make the mistake of trying to win the case on the prosecution's ground. Instead, he'd have to find the killer.
Mason listened to the icy wind as it swarmed over the city, slip-sliding through weak spots in brick and mortar, seeping into cracks and faults, sucking out the warmth. He imagined that Jack Cullan had been that way, wrapping his own cold fingers around the weak spots in other people's hearts until they became brittle and broken in his hands.
There was small comfort in the warmth of Mason's office since he knew that he had to go out into the wind. In the solitude of that moment, Mason conceded that the prosecutor was way out in front. Mason knew that he wouldn't get any help from the people who'd been under Cullan's thumb. Though each of them had probably lit a candle for the killer and asked God to reserve a special place in hell for Cullan, they'd let the wind sweep Blues away.
Mason returned to the dry-erase board and picked up the black marker. Beneath his question Who else? and Rachel Firestone's note about Cullan's secret files, he added the names of Ed Fiora, Billy Sunshine, and Beth Harrell. All three were tied to Jack Cullan. It was all he had.
Mason began with what he knew about each of them. Ed Fiora owned the Dream Casino. Though he'd passed the Gaming Commission's background checks, Rachel's news- paper stories had him only a sham corporation or two removed from his leg-breaking days.
Billy Sunshine was a charismatic mayor who'd steal your vote and your wife with equal aplomb. He was glib and charming, a native son with the ethos of a carpetbagger. More than anything else, he was ambitious. He'd been elected by a wide margin to a second term and, by law, couldn't run again. The mayor had all but announced he would challenge Delray Shays, the black incumbent congressman, in the next election. Local wags had it that the casino scandal was the only thing holding up the formal announcement. When last asked about it, the mayor said it was all water off a duck's back and he'd let the people of the fifth congressional district decide.
Beth Harrell was the piece of the puzzle that didn't fit. Ed Fiora was a thug posing as a gaming entrepreneur. Billy Sunshine was the poster boy for mamas not letting their babies grow up to be politicians. Beth Harrell was the good queen.
Mason remembered her from law school. She was only five years older than Mason, having practiced for two years after graduating before becoming a professor. Beth had dark blond hair that dangled above her shoulders, softening her bold walk and magnetic blue eyes. Her body was trim, her lips full, and her look said "authorized personnel only." She carried her beauty with the experience of someone used to taking advantage of it and wary of those who would. All of which made the class she taught the most popular one offered. Mason had resisted the temptation to sit in the front row with his tongue hanging out like his less subtle friends. He'd worked hard in her class, and she'd returned the effort with a good grade and a friendly handshake whenever they'd run into each other over the years.
Beth's reputation as an expert in ethics had brought her to the attention of the governor. When the previous chair of the Gaming Commission had been convicted of accepting kickbacks from owners of casinos in St. Louis, the governor had turned to Beth to restore credibility to the commission. The license for the Dream Casino was the first major piece of business for the commission after she took over. Mason found it hard to believe that she had stepped over the line.
Mason had learned from Harry that it was much more effective to question a witness when he showed up unexpectedly. Rachel Firestone had proven the point earlier in the day. He'd had great success waiting outside homes, offices, and bars to snag someone with a handful of well-chosen questions.
He doubted that the ambush interview would work with the three people on his list. A layer of muscle that he'd have to cut through would insulate Ed Fiora. The mayor would have a layer of bureaucrats guarding his gate. Mason wasn't certain which layer would be tougher. He doubted that Beth Harrell had a gatekeeper, but he knew better than to just drop by. Even in law school, she demanded that students make an appointment to see her outside of class.
