So sure of death (18 page)

She walked back to the office on not quite steady feet. Interesting. She tapped on the door. “Mr. Ballard? She waited a moment, then opened the door just wide enough to stick her head in.

It was wide enough for Liam to see the feet propped on the desk, and certainly wide enough to hear the crash when the chair tipped over. There were some oaths. Tanya, with a discretion worthy of a personal assistant of many years' experience, slipped inside and closed the door behind her.

A few moments later the door opened, revealing a tall, bald man with a solid beer belly, wearing a rumpled navy blue sports coat over a brown plaid cotton shirt and khaki pants. “Yes? He stifled a yawn and looked mildly puzzled. “Er, you're a trooper?

“Yes, Liam said. “I need to talk to you about one of your fishermen. Could we go into your office?

He went in as Tanya went out. “I'd appreciate it if you would stick around until I can talk to you, he told her.

She met his eyes with perfect composure, armor firmly in place. “Certainly.

Five minutes later the superintendent's bewilderment had given way to sick comprehension. “All dead?

Liam nodded. “All.

“But . . . how?

Liam had already told him once, but typically news this bad had to be repeated, and often more than once, to be fully assimilated. “It appears they died of smoke inhalation during a boat fire, he said, which was perfectly true, so far as it went. Someone had certainly gone to great lengths to make it seem so. Anticipating the next question, he added, “In Alaska, violent death, even by misadventure, must be thoroughly investigated. Which is why I'm here, Mr. Ballard.

Liam rearranged himself more comfortably in the hard plastic chair. “The bodies have been transported to Anchorage for autopsy. While we wait for the results, I am reconstructing the last known actions of the victims. He produced his notebook and a pen, and fixed Ballard with a polite, inquiring stare. “It is my understanding that theMarybethiadelivered to Seafood North. Is that correct?

Ballard, still numb, nodded.

“It is also my understanding that your tender, theArctic Wind,was taking deliveries in Kulukak Bay yesterday.

Ballard nodded again.

“Did they take delivery anywhere else?

Ballard pawed through the paperwork on his desk in a haphazard fashion. “I don't think so. He raised his voice. “Tanya!

The rollers of a chair protested, footsteps sounded, the door behind Liam opened. “Yes, Mr. Ballard?

“Are you still working on the fish tickets from theArctic Wind?

“I just finished the tender summary.

“Could you bring them in here, please?

Tanya hesitated. “Did you want a printout?

Ballard stifled a curse. “Oh hell, I keep forgetting. To Liam, he said, “I'm used to everything being done by hand, in triplicate, one for us, one for the Fish and Game, one for the Seattle office. With carbons, no less. Unfortunately, we have now moved into the Information Age. To Tanya, he said, “Yes, please, bring a printout.

There was a whir and a click from the outer office, followed by the sound of an ink cartridge going back and forth on a carriage. Ballard shook his head with admiration. “That Tanya, she can make those electronic bastards sit up and beg. I don't know what I'd do without her.

Moments later Tanya was back, carrying a sheaf of flimsy yellow tickets, letter-size, and a spreadsheet, white and legal-size and read sideways.

Ballard indicated the yellow sheets. “Those are our copies of the fish tickets. The originals go to Seattle, one copy to the Fish and Game, the third stays here. He held up the spreadsheet. “This lists all the tickets written by theArctic Windduring the last period in Kulukak.

Liam picked it up and scanned it. “So anyone who was fishing that period who delivered to your tender would be on this list?

“Well . . . Ballard said.

Liam looked up. “Well, what?

“The ones who caught enough fish to deliver are the ones who delivered, Ballard said. “Sometimes, if they get skunked, or maybe only pull a dozen reds, they'll head for home and can them for their own use.

Liam repressed a sigh. “So the boat skippers sign the tickets?

“Yeah, or one of the deckhands.

TheMarybethiawas on the tender summary list, in theM's under Malone, David A. His name was followed by a series of columns headed with salmon species, “King, “Red, “Coho, “Pink, “Chum. Each of these columns was divided into two, “Number and “Pounds. TheMarybethiahad delivered one thousand seven hundred and fifty reds, for a total of fourteen thousandpounds. He sifted through the tickets to find theMarybethia's. It had been signed by Jason Knudson, with a signature formed of large, almost childish loops. Jason Knudson, 18, of Bellingham, Washington; just another statistic the insurance companies would incorporate into their databases to help them calculate rates for term life policies. Just don't be a fisher, and you'll be eligible, Liam thought.

Jason Knudson, 18, of Bellingham, Washington, no longer had a choice. “Is that a lot of fish? Liam said.

“It'd be a three-cherry jackpot for anyone else, Ballard said, “but for a twelve-hour period, with a boat the size of theMarybethia,that big a crew and a skipper of Dave's experience, it's just pretty good. He's Ballard halted. “He had done better, he said, sounding out the past tense with doubtful care.

“Fourteen thousand pounds seems like an awfully even number.

Ballard nodded. “It's generated by an average weight. The tenders take an average at the beginning of every period, weighing a batch of whatever's being delivered and dividing by the amount of fish they are weighing. It saves time.

“The fishermen agree to this?

Ballard gave a short laugh. “Absolutely. Our tender captains always make sure there is someone right there watching. He leaned forward. “There is no one on earth as pigheaded and as ornery as an Alaskan fisherman. You screw with one of them, you screw with them all. Heor shewill never forget and he'll never forgive. He tells his friends, too. If we want their fish, not just this year but next year, we deal fair and square. He leaned back and shook his head, repeating, “Fair and square, or a processor can just pack it in. He ran a hand over his bald head. “The infighting that goes on over the price negotiations is bad enough. This year it's even worse because for the second year in a row the catch is coming in at below half of the projections. In one way, it's good, because when they do catch them, they're getting a good price, so guys like Malone make out okay.

He sighed. “In the obvious way, it's lousy for the guys not like Malone. I've already had some in here wanting to settle up. He saw Liam's eyebrow go up, and explained, “Year-end accounting. We add up the price of all the groceries and gas they've bought through us, price out their fish tickets, subtract one from the other and hopefully write them a check. This year, they're taking their checks and financing a change of profession.

“It looks like Malone delivered the most fish this period.

Ballard scanned the spreadsheet. “Looks like it. He was high boat a lot. This time, the past tense came more easily to his tongue.

“Would being high boat generate bad feelings among the rest of the fishermen?

Ballard looked surprised. “Hell no. Look, Officer, you have to understand, as smart as you are, as quick as you are, with the best boat and gear you can buy and the best crew you can hire, a fisherman, any fisherman, can still get skunked. The weather can come up, the fish can be late, you can set in front of the wrong creek, you can snag a deadhead in your net, another boat can run over your cork line, you can get hung up on a sandbar, your impeller can blow out, your engine can blow up. There's fifty ways to fail at fishing in Alaska for every one way to succeed. Ballard looked pleased with this aphorism, and sat back, preening a little.

Liam said nothing.

Awareness dawned. Ballard sat up straight and said sharply, “Why do you ask? Is there something you're not telling me about their deaths?

Liam put his notebook away. “I'll need that spreadsheet.

Ballard held it out but wouldn't let go. “Is there?

Liam tugged the document free, folded it into careful squares and pocketed it. “There are questions, but there usually are in deaths of this nature. I really can't say anything more at present. He hoped he sounded just pompous enough to quell further questions, and stood up. “Will most of the fishermen listed on this summary be in Newenham? I might need to talk to some of them.

“There are twenty-two names on that list, Ballard pointed out.

“Yes.

Ballard rose to his feet, his face troubled. “A lot of them are from Outside: Washington, Oregon, California. They're in town for six, eight weeks, however long the fish last. Some of them shack up on shore, some rent rooms, but most stay on board.

“Will Tanya know who does and who doesn't?

Ballard's expression lightened. “Tanya knows everything.

“Okay if I talk to her?

Ballard waved a hand. “Sure. He hesitated. “Can you let me know what's going on? I mean, I knew the Malones, I liked them. Dave was a damn fine fisherman, and Molly . . .

“What about Molly? Liam said with studied indifference.

“Molly. There was a wealth of meaning in that one word. “You know how some women can rub up against every nerve ending you've got from across the street? Molly was like that. But she was nice, too. Good mother, good homemaker, good deckhand. He paused, and admitted, “I didn't have much use for Jonathan, Dave's brother.

“Why is that?

“It was pretty obvious that he would have been unemployable by anyone else other than a family member, Ballard replied with heavy irony. “If you get my drift. Whatever trouble he could get into, Jonathan got into. It was like he was keeping score or something.

“Misdemeanor or felony trouble?

Ballard hesitated. “I don't know that anything ever actually came to trial, he said cautiously. “There were rumors, nothing specific.

He let his eyes wander off, and Liam knew he was lying. Could be Ballard was keeping quiet out of respect for Jonathan's brother. Could be he was close to someone else involved in Jonathan's shenanigans. It was a small town.

Ballard said, “David Malone did come in once and tell us never to let Jonathan pick up any checks David had requested on his account. He paused. “You see that a lot, you know? Good brother, bad brother. It's almost a cliché. I'd liked to have met their father.

“Why?

“Because it's all about fathers, isn't it? Ballard said, sounding surprised that he had to explain it. “A man is what his father makes him. As an afterthought, he added, “And his mother, of course.

Liam thought of his mother and managed not to wince. “I like to think a man is what he makes himself.

Ballard's smile was kind. “You're young. You'll learn better.

No more than the next man did Liam enjoy being patronized, however kindly meant. Hand on the doorknob, he said, “Oh, one more thing. Have you ever heard of a deckhand named Max Bayless?

Ballard's smile vanished and he looked wary. “Yes.

Liam waited, and when Ballard didn't volunteer anything, said, “Well? What have you heard?

“Just that he's for hire, Ballard said.

He was lying again. “Do you know who he's working for this summer?

Ballard shook his head, tight-lipped.

Liam could have pushed it, but as with the elders in Kulukak, he believed in letting witnesses stew a little, so long as they weren't a flight risk. “If you do hear who he's working for, would you let me know?

“Certainly. Ballard came around his desk and held out his hand, bringing the interview to a close. “If I hear anything at all, I'll certainly pass it on.

In the outer office, Liam paused beside Tanya's desk, watching the blur of her fingers as they tapped information into the keyboard and letters and numbers appeared on the screen in front of her. “May I speak with you, Tanya?

“Of course, she said, her fingers not missing a shift key. “Let me finish this entry and save my work and I'll be right with you.

Liam found a chair and placed it next to her desk. He pulled out the tender summary and unfolded it. He was aware that although he had closed the door to Ballard's office behind him, it was now open a few inches.

The computer hummed and Tanya inserted a floppy into a slot. Something clicked and she replaced the first disk with a second. “I back everything up twice, she said with a bright smile.

“Very wise, Liam said.

“Are the troopers computerized yet?

“Oh yes, he said. “It's very useful, being connected to other law enforcement agencies around the state, even around the nation.

“You can run but you can't hide? she said, her archness a bit forced.

He smiled. “Nope. We always get our man.

“Isn't that what they used to say about the Mounties?

Liam thought of Frank Petla and smiled to himself. “I think they still do.

“There, she said, replacing the disks in a box and putting the box in a drawer of her desk. She folded her hands on her blotter and looked him straight in the eye. “How may I help youis it Trooper? Officer Campbell? She smiled again. “Or just plain sir?

“Officer is fine, Liam said. “Sir makes me feel like my grandfather.

Her smile warmed a trifle, but she was still on edge. He said, holding out the tender summary, “It would be very useful if you could tell me which of these fishermen live on board their boats, and which don't.

She took the summary and began marking names with check-marks from a red pen. It took about thirty seconds, and when she was done she'd marked all but eight names and provided phone numbers for many of them.